If we had only walked the 7-square mile city of Burningman and not biked or rode the art car, we would have thrown out more than two pairs of boots. We hiked back from the Playa one night, under the stars, after hitching a ride on our friend’s art car. Walking meant you could actually […]
Gage Beauchemin
Silver Burners–Survival
We were prepared for our days in the desert thanks to my daughters and son-in-law, all of whom had camped at Burningman for years. There were manuals on what to bring, what to wear, what to eat and drink. Teri and I read each article and watched each video with the interest of a student […]
Silver Burners—Personal Playa Hygiene
Ok. Let’s talk about staying clean in alkaline dust, not sand, on a 95-100 degree desert. Talk. That is all it is. There is no real hygiene. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go! “What are the things you worry about the most?” asks Gage of his favorite mother-in-law and girlfriend. “Heat, and […]
Silver Burners—White Wednesday
Tutu Tuesday was a miss for us. I had a multicolored ribbon tutu that I had planned to wear, but it flew high on my bike pole with LED lights and a Chinese lantern. Trust me, it looked better up there and not on my child-bearing hips:) Teri and her tutu were not to be […]
Silver Burners—Just Get Us There!
Teri and I are decompressing in a hotel room in Reno before we head back to Michigan on a red-eye flight. We are exhausted, but continue to reminisce and ruminate over our adventures. Getting there was filled with nervous energy and anxiety, but leaving was filled with unexpected emotion and a sadness that is still […]
Silver Burners—The Day Before
It’s getting real. The lobby in Harrah’s is a bizarre mixture of glassy-eyed gamblers drinking and smoking for hours on end and luggage toting burners dragging as much as they can carry. A buff bare-chested male, dressed in a vest, man-kilt, sturdy boots and heavy socks stood proud—carrying a spear like a great white hunter, […]