Burning Man 1994…

…one of the too few neo-pagan rituals I have been a part of.

Labour day '94, late night last minute left with everyone on hand in the HotWired offices - Ian McFarland, Jill Atkinson, and those crazy Petersens.

I'd heard before, but for them, it was true impulse.

We rode in their crazy brown dodge van, with a futon and port-a-potty in back.

Through Nevada into the deep dust desert that seeped into everything, especially my nose.

There was gathered near hundred cars, vans, decorated buses, shark mobiles, communes-on-wheels.

The theme was fire, undoubtedly, in the center of these cars in the middle of the baked Nevada desert was a four story stick and neon light figure, to be torched after three days preparatory ritual.

So three days of wandering the sun baked, sun burnt in only a toga, or less, taking whatever was handed to you, celebrating randominity;

No Spectators!

The sun really sapped most reason from you, everything was come and go as you please, and please laugh weakly at most things.always guns, fireworks, fire toys.

• somebody near us was body painting, Jason from Oakland done some diggable designs.

• spontaneous drum circles and car stereos; impromptu dance parties.

• nearby truly hot springs, covering self with blue mud and soon sun dried.

• carving in the alkali flats with rocks.

• trying to get HotWired's Quicktake 100 digital camera to empty it's contents onto my powerbook.

• finally it happened, three days wandering buildup to true demonic self loss pagan tribal head tossing rump shakin' drug downing fire celebration.

Fire! Fire!

Appropriately enough, some stranger gave me a beavis and butthead tab.

The madness started with naked fire dancers, including Indra from Wired's accounting department, smearing fire on her pubic hair.

The man himself burnt for hours, ever collapsing into a blazing bonfire. Leaping over the flames in my toga and sandles was fulfilling, as was watching straights strip their clothes and dance maniacally until burnt

when the flames were low, and the glazed eyes and sleepy wandering set in, I walked out into the desert. I saw some lights on the horizon, they looked close enough to walk to. after half an hour, I looked back, and saw the campsite looked the same distance away as the other lights, which hadn't changed one bit with my trudging.

it was cold, and the ol' desert was playin' its tricks on me.

Burning Man web page, with movies and pictures for you!

For a general survey, try Sabotage, or daily perspective from the Discovery Channel.

Someone said the festival has moved to http://www.istorm.com/burningman/.