introduction

Smith River Redwoods

pre-trip blog

the trip starts...

NYC pied-a-terre

Manitou Springs, CO

Philadelphia, PA

February 4 -- Susanville, CA to Reno, NV (continued)

Alas! I reach the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, NV just before sunset, where I commence my second spiritual exercise of the day. This session gets some asanas thrown in with the mix.

This picture shows the depth & breadth of its expanse. Also known as the 'Playa', it is roughly 5 to 10 miles wide in parts, and over a 100 miles deep in sections. And flat. Very flat.

The Black Rock Desert is one of the flattest surfaces on Earth. Land-based vehicles of every kind are brought to this desert to attempt land speed records. About 100 yards out from where this photo was taken, out past the scrub sage bushes in the foreground, the oh-so-flat alkalai desert begins and doesn't end until well past the horizon.

There are hot springs near this end of the desert. You can see the steam rising from them. These types of hot springs are dangerous, as they are seductively calling but literally boiling hot.

The Black Rock Desert is designated as 'Wilderness' by the U.S. Government. This means that it has very restricted use, there is a 'Leave No Trace' policy, and is marshalled by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management). Human recreation is allowed, but by special permit and specific regulations only.

The BLM recently erected this signpost at an access road to the Playa, which is about 3 miles from the town of Gerlach, NV. Burners, or those who regularly attend the Burning Man festival, will recognize this access road as the entrance onto the Playa and onto the 5 m.p.h. road into Black Rock City, the annual town that appears and disappears out there around Labor Day.

If you follow the mountain range to its end in this photo above, and then look left about midway to the left edge of this photo, you will see roughly where, imho, Burning Man takes place. Of course, you should make plans to someday come see for yourself.

Out there, in the very hottest time of summer there, is where nearly 30,000 people assemble, live, participate, cope, express, confront, get along, burn, exchange, explore, build, dance, drint alot, pee alot, survive, seduce, celebrate, innovate, hydrate, mediate, and cathart their way to their Higher Being. Or so some claim. And then leave no trace.

I will be returning to "Burning Man," serving as a Black Rock Ranger. This will be my 6th. My call sign is Ranger Lefty.

After sunset, I bought the Beef Stroganoff dinner special at Bruno's Restaurant in Gerlach, NV. Then I drove two hours out of the desert to Reno, NV. I took a room at John Ascuaga's Golden Nugget Casino & Hotel, which is actually in Sparks, NV, Reno's sister city. The Golden Nugget has become Ranger Mickey's & Lefty's home between homes when we have gone to Burning Man together.

Oh, a big THANK YOU goes out to my Black Rock Ranger mentor & dirt patrol buddy, Senior Ranger Mickey. He is graciously posting my travel log to his website. I really appreciate his efforts here, along with his friendship, mentoring, client coverage, and good spirit.

He's a real character, this Mickey. You should check out him at his website. Did someone say kilts ?!

(Once you check out my web scribblings come back here to see Lefty return to the San Francisco Bay Area.)

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