Burning Man, the annual weeklong rave that draws thousands of free-thinkers to a remote spot in the Nevada desert.
They depart one week later, leaving no trace. As simple as this may seem, trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind.
The Burning Man organization creates the infrastructure of Black Rock City, wherein attendees (or 'participants') dedicate themselves to the spirit of community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance.
The journey's final hours, across a dry, perfectly flat lake bed that seems to stretch on forever, is usually part of the fun.
One camp this year is "Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust," where participants are invited to be photographed as they "strip naked, cover in Playa dust, paint cracks on the body and finalize with red hands to simulate a connection between oneself and the
The counter-culture festival, offers theme camps, art exhibits, all-night music and guerrilla theater, along with a decent dose of nudity and other plain 'weird stuff'.
Some said that the rain delay was actually good for them, because they said, "We got to get some rest and a shower."
Nearly a hundred other RVs pulled into the parking lot. "We're just trying to stay positive," said a woman, who identified herself only as "Driftwood," and was hanging out with some first-timers from Texas. "Positivity can raise everything up."
Visitors were turned back at the gate, after rare showers on Monday turned the ancient lake bottom to a muddy quagmire, hundreds of "Burners" were forced to overnight on the Wal-Mart blacktop.
This year's event has already been hampered by heavy downpours, which forced organizers to close access to the festival.
Last year, a record 68,000 people attended the celebration that organizers call the largest outdoor arts festival in North America, with its drum circles, decorated art cars, guerrilla theatrics and colorful theme camps.
This spot is so remote and bizarre that the only limit to free expression is imagination ... and the dust that always gets into the electronics.