A Long Drive

There goes the car port!

The weather is a major participant in this year’s Burningman. It is NOT a fog that creeps on little cat feet; it is a lion that roars with elemental intensity.
(Map this!)

Of the four Burning man’s we have been to this was by far the worst weather year. It started out mildly enough – the first day we enjoyed a candle lit dinner and excellent wines from Weimax, especially selected for Burningman. But when the Oracle contingent arrived a curtain of sand moved towards us from the playa and instantly engulfed us in a maelstrom of sand and wind. At first it looked as if the CostCo car port would hold but the wind turned the roof into a kite and sheared the cheap hooks attaching the guy wires to the frame. The carport tumbled up and over onto the mini-van owned by our Québécois neighbors. Just as Nero fiddled while Rome burned, Vinay played Congolese beats as the carport was undone.

Vinay Yadappanavar as Nero.

That sandstorm lasted three hours and everything was covered with a layer of dust an inch deep. The cleanup lasted long, slowly the fly stirred and cleaned itself. Out came the candlelight and the wines selected especially for Burningman and there was good cheer with our Québécois neighbors. The storm was quickly forgotten and we all went out in the crystal clear evening onto the playa to enjoy the neon and the heavy beats of techno.

Madhuri Yechuri as Gesu Bambino

But the victory was short-lived for the next day another wall of sand loomed in the distance. Many in our camp left, anticipating the blood bath to come but this time the canopy held. Six of us grabbed hold of the structure and held on for dear life! During the worst of the sand storm a man appeared, seemingly from the sand itself and deposited two ice cold Pabst Blue Ribbon beers for our succor. Grateful for the gift, I will never look at Pabst Blue Ribbon in the same way again. The Sissyphean task of cleaning up had to begin anew…