The Lazy-Burner-Boy Section
Don’t let the mass of people on sleeping bags, mats, and various impromptu beds fool you — this isn’t a refugee camp. Take a closer look and you will see the couches and the costumes, and that most of them are just having a rest. For Burners looking for the comforts of home, this is the place.
Grab a magazine and put your feet up. Or just chill out and hang with your peeps. It looks like a good place to rest weary bones. Sleeping in a tent on the rock-hard desert ground for days on end takes its toll. These people found a comfy oasis.
Burning the Man
After eight days of living in communal bliss, the Man must burn. Tens of thousands of Burners congregate around the massive wood structure and look on as the ceremonial event commences. Modern Burning Man events culminate with fire dancers and pyrotechnic displays. A drone video of Black Rock City on the final night of Burning Man 2018 gives a bird’s eye view of this bizarre cultural phenomenon.
Although it's an inherent part of the festival's tradition, in recent years, veteran Burners have been debating over how well the burning of the Man goes with the key principle of leaving no trace and respecting the location's natural resources.
Arachnophobia
Here’s another sprawling climbing structure, only this one is lorded over by a massive black widow spider. The red dot gives it away. Take a closer look and you will see that the web is also meant to be illuminated by red string lights.
Most people who are scared of spiders would likely keep their distance from this plaything. But it's a shame that they will miss out on so many things: the artistry of it, the opportunity to play with it, and the chance to conquer that fear in a low-stakes situation. There really isn't a single thing to lose here. Climb up through the webs of steel and cable and expunge those fears at once!
A Cosmic Neon Beacon of Light
Imagine being in the desert at night; you're wandering around the dark plains, pulling the coat tighter around your shoulders, and as you look ahead, you see in the distance something that looks like a bunch of glowing tipis. Is it that funny pill you took earlier? Nope. It's Burning Man.
This structure of brilliant proportions visited Burning Man in 2014. It’s called Cubatrom Evolution or Starway. It looks like a futuristic Christmas tree or maybe an alien craft from Star Trek. Whatever the inspiration was — it’s magnificent. It’s a lighted respite from the dark desert landscape and a spiral of light to trip out on.
Tunnel of Lights
This Burning Man work of art is a tunnel of light and music, pulsating in sync. Called the Sonic Runway, the 1,000-foot tunnel is constructed of 32 circular steel arches lit with LED lights. Lights flash on the arches to the speed of sound. The exhibit is meant to visualize sound waves.
The folks over at Sonic Runway say, “The speed of sound is roughly 767 miles/hour or 343 meters/sec. The Sonic Runway is 1,000’ long, so a single beat will travel the Runway in about a second.” The picture you see here is from when the installation was set at San José City Hall, letting non-Burners enjoy the experience as well.