Burning Man trip

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

Took the ole Rambler up to Black Rock desert (N. of Pyramid Lake)
in Nevada this past week, to Burning Man. Got the A/C charged the
day before -- totally worth it! Not only was the trip cooler, the
600 miles up from Los Angeles, it was quieter -- the traditional 4
by 60 is deafening. The belt makes a slight chirp when the
Sanden's clutch kicks in, and the car is underpowered enough that
you can feel the compressor impulse load going up hills.

Basically the Burning Man event is camping with 36,000 people
(this year) on a dry salt lake. There aren't even insects --
nothing. You gotta carry in water, food, everything, and the site
is left utterly, absolutely, spotless. Not even fuzz from
clothing.

So the Rambler is pretty much set up for standalone deep desert
camping (sleeps two, 60 watts solar, ton of tools, parts, etc)
plus we added one of those "instant canopies" that the next day
became instant junk when it failed under side-loading wind.

I was surprised that old cars were a total rarity. Out of some
10,000? 15,000? vehicles driven in, the only old cars I saw at
all (though I doubt I saw more than 2% of the place) was a few
70's Broncos, some old panel wagons, an early 80's Spirit, my 63
Classic, and a 53 Nash wagon!  Now that was a sight to see --
driven in from California no less.

http://wps.com/BM/2005/images/53-nash.jpg

Picture taken while driving in; I never found it again (couldn't
remember the street address.)

(In the res on the way up the road was a sportabout and a spirit
in someone's yard; plus a yellow 70 hornet further down 395.)

Rambler ran just fine. Took 12 hrs to get there, 13 to home.  Car
camping in the desert is always dirty and dusty, but the A/C
allowed us to drive with the windows up, a big boon.

However, the more-than-24-hour-long sandstorm forced sand (alkali
silt, really) everywhere. Bicycles are mandatory -- it takes most
of an hour to follow the perimeter of the city -- and the
sandstorm got so bad at times that we had to simply stop
pedalling, we couldn't see 10 feet in front of us.  There's no
showers, or washing, but somehow you get used to that. (Still
haven't shaved.)

http://wps.com/BM/2005/images/sandtstorm1.jpg

I'd heard of Burning Man for more than 10 years, but somehow never
went. Big mistake on my part. It's umm probably not for everybody
but it changed everything for me.