What We Saw At Burning Man

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Burn the Man Down

I gave Jessica permission to go off on her own again promising to link up a little later. This morning, Greg and I were heading out on our own, feeling "wicked," he wore nothing but a pair of raggedy cammo cut-offs and his old desert combat boots. Stuffing his shemagh in his canvas messenger bag, along with water, he instead wore his old "boonie" hat and a pair of sunglasses. I on the other hand stuck with my old combat boots "shorty-short," cutoffs, no panties or bra, and a black tank-top, showing just enough cleavage to make things "interesting." I too stuck my hijab in my canvas messenger bag along with my 2-way radio, and water and went with my Harley-Davidson head wrap and sunglasses. As we rode around, we happened by a camp that was offering swing, dancing, old big band stuff. Greg stopped a moment to watch, then said, "This looks cool, let's give it a try."

So for the next hour and a half we stuck around and watched, talking with the dancers, learning how to do it, then cutting loose on "Two O'Clock Jump." Once you got the idea, it wasn't too hard to pick up the steps. Despite the heat, we really got to "jumpin and jiving'" It wasn't long before we had to call it quits, as the heat was making us dizzy, but the group sponsoring the camp thought we did pretty good. Nest stop was "The Neighborhood" where recess was in session all day. We sat around, had a couple drinks, and bullshitted with people. It must have been the alcohol on an empty stomach in the heat, but when the DJ started playing something called, 'I see you baby…Shakin that ass. I see you baby…Shakin that ass! I had to get up and do my own "ass shakin!"

Greg thought I was good, but warned me, "Any more of that s**t and it's back to the trailer, and hope like hell Jessica doesn't walk in on us!"

While at that camp, I got a call from Jess telling me that she was going to the "Tell us something," camp, the one where I told her story the other day. When we arrived, she was just starting to tell a story about a not-so- happy Christmas that involved her mother being laid off right after Thanksgiving and having to suffer the humiliation of a charity leaving a Christmas basket on the porch early Christmas morning. I wasn't sure if the story was true or not, owing to her acting the other day, but it sure affected those that listened to her sad story, she received quite a standing ovation.

"That was quite a story Jess, was it true?" She grimaced, and lowered her head, "Yes…I've thought about every Christmas since then." I gave her a little hug, "I'm sorry for doubting you Jess," I said. "It's cool," was all she'd say. We'd been here most of the week and still hadn't seen the cargo cult, a wooden spaceship structure with a man whose arms were outstretched on top. We took several pictures and talked to a couple people about it. Heading back, we passed a camp called the "Period camp. It seemed to consist of a medical tent, and a headless mannequin standing in a plastic kiddie pool in what appeared to be blood. Jess and I looked at each other and shook our heads; Greg pretended he didn't even see it at all. Returning the "The Neighborhood," Jessica joined us for more dancing. They were really putting out some cool beats. Jess thought so too and soon both of us were "shakin it!"

As we danced, I noticed something unusual, Greg and a couple other guys dropped out but kept rocking to the beat as we were joined by three or four females. All seemed to be in their 20's, and all seemed to be pretty good dancers. In fact, without really trying, we soon got a synchronized beat going. The DJ rolled with it and before long; we were attracting a lot of attention, especially since two of the girls ripped off their tops. By now, it was getting serious, but we were having the time of our lives, a good sized crowd had now gathered, all rocked and clapped with the beat, it was one of those rare situations when all were on the same page, it was simply intoxicating. Greg then returned to the dance, moving up next to me, improvising our own dance routine as we went. All too soon, the music ended, realizing that we had created something unique; we women squealed and jumped up and down hugging each other.

We hung around a little bit longer, chatting with people and enjoying another drink. Before heading back to camp, on the way home Jessica and I raved about the incredible time we just had, a time, which eventually became one of the high points of our visit. We had no sooner reached our trailer that another sand storm struck, it blew through our netting and rocked the trailer, looking out the window, none of us could see a thing.

That evening, after things had calmed down, and we had finished supper we decided to take in Black Rock city after dark. Although we had gone out several times at night in the past, this evening seemed just right, the wind was gone, the temperature was pleasant it just seemed like the thing to do. Again, regular headgear was worn along with what we had on earlier today.

As the three of us rode around on our bikes, Greg observed a rather high incidence of open nudity, especially men. As we were observing a piece of artwork two obviously gay men slowly rode by Greg grimaced and just shook his head, Jessica snickered, "Ow, that's gotta hurt." Greg wanted to see the Barbie death camp, after becoming intrigued by my description of it, so we stopped. A rather well endowed man wearing a feather boa and a strange looking bird mask. The man was leaving the exhibit heading in a different direction then spotted Jessica and altered his course so he's have to pass right by her. Jessica was clearly embarrassed, and turned her head. Greg saw what was happening, and growled at the man, "Let's get some pants on fella." "f**k you don't be so uptight," was the reply. This really pissed Greg off, but he kept his cool and replied, "If you're not careful with that mouth of yours buddy you might end up in one of those holes out there on the playa." By now, he was glaring daggers at the guy who took the hint and quickly made an about face and hurried off.

Nobody said anything except for Greg, "Wind, sand and assholes, just like the "F'ing" 'Stan." While Greg was using a "porta-john" two very naked young women strolled by, greeted Jess and I, and moved on. When Greg came out they were way down the street, Jess, I looked at each other, and giggled, "What's so funny," he asked. "Oh…Nothing!" we both replied. Both women wore tattoos all over their bodies, many at quite strategic places, Jess took note of this and asked me about it later. We made a final stop at another camp offering more cool beats, Greg got into a conversation with a couple guys he apparently knew from the volunteer camp, but Jess and I got our "groove" on and danced for quite awhile.

As we were leaving, Greg said, "We're taking a different way home, there's something I've gotta see." What Greg wanted to see was the orgy tent. I had heard rumors about it Jess claims she did too, even admitting some guy wanted to take her there. It wasn't hard to find, everyone seemed to know where it was. Throwing caution to the wind, we carefully stepped inside. "Unfucking real,!" Was all I could say, girls on girls guys on guys, I saw two girls with one guy, "front door" "back door," anything seemed to go here. It didn't take long for the participants to start calling to us to join them, but we quickly beat a hasty retreat. There were two naked girls and a guy bouncing on a trampoline, possibly trying for some new way to do "it," but we didn't stick around to find out.

Back at our trailer we sat outside and recounted the day's events, I allowed Jess to have one beer as we sat and talked. Something seemed to be troubling her but I decided to let her tell me in her own time, finally she said, "Mom, uh, I think I know now why you were so upset at Justin and I," but then would say no more. I looked at her and grinned, "Maybe visiting that orgy tent wasn't such a bad idea after all." Greg them opened a discussion about when we wanted to leave. "I've been noticing a lot of people starting to leave already," I said. "Me too," replied Greg. "Listen, it's going to be a madhouse right after the man burns I'd like to see it but we can't afford to spend the rest of the week getting out of here, those guys I was talking to earlier, were telling me the weather forecast is calling for another storm, screw that! If you two really want to watch the man burn, we can wait." Both Jessica and I said that we'd like to see it, but thinking about another dust storm and white out cancelled out those feelings pretty quickly.

"All right," replied Greg, I'm not especially tired, what say we break camp while it's cool out, and try to bug out of here around three or so OK?" "Sounds like a plan," I said. So for the next two hours, we rolled up the cammo netting the wood Hobbit doors, along with their frames. The wind had died down to practically nothing, and the air was cool. While Greg and I worked on the outside, Jess packed everything up in the trailer. Around a quarter to three, we finished up stowing the bikes on the back of the trailer, and checking all the lights, by a quarter after, we were in line like a hundred other people, but slowly we were moving. Jess had retreated to the trailer to get some sleep, Greg and I dozed in the truck as we waited in the "pulsing" process.

Finally, around 6:30am, we were sitting practically in front of the gas station in Gerlach; not seeing a motorcycle around, Greg got out and went to talk with a man standing in an open door. Back in the truck, Greg looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face, "Guy says nobody has left a bike there, say's he's never heard of anybody named "Smackey Jack," or seen anybody fitting the description of the guy." After a few moments of silence, I said, "Well who was that guy we talked to then?" Greg shrugged, "Beats the hell outta me, coulda been some guy who died out here, and that was his ghost we were talking to for all I know, well the line's opened up, let's get the f**k outta here!"

With Greg and I switching on and off, (and even Jessica taking a turn at the wheel) we made Elko around two in the afternoon, we simply couldn't go any farther, as all of us were beat. Checking in at the local Super 8 Greg opted to sleep in the trailer tonight, but since the room had two king beds he and I spent the rest of the day napping on one ,while Jess slept in the other one. The shower certainly got a workout, with around two pounds of playa sand and dust ending up down the drain

Later, for supper, we headed over to a place called Matties, Greg and I enjoyed their excellent craft beer, and split a steak, Jess had a burger which she couldn't finish As we sat there and ate Greg looked at us and asked, "Well guys what do we put down in our "after action" report , Jess and I looked at each other , then I said, "Interesting, glad we went, but I could say that for Afghanistan as well, weren't we talking about Sturgis next year?" Greg gave me a wry smile, "Jess, how about you," he asked. She seemed lost in her thoughts for a moment, then said, "Don' get me wrong, I'm glad we went, really I am…" Then with a pensive look asked, "If you guys go to Sturgis next year, could I go too?" We all laughed, then Greg looked at her and said, "Thinking about that new bike of yours?" Jessica said nothing but nodded. "Sturgis South Dakota, here we come," he muttered. Jessica than commented, "We forgot to get souvenirs!" Greg looked at her and grinned, "Sure you did, we all did, unfortunately they all got flushed down the shower drain back at the motel

The next day, we pushed on towards home, arriving home around one in the afternoon, after taking short naps, we got to the business of unloading everything. While Jessica put the bikes away, Greg and I put up the tubular framework in the back yard, and spread the netting over it. We got dirty all over again from all the white dust over the netting. "We'll leave this up awhile, and hopefully the rain will wash off that damn dust." I then helped Jess finish with the trailer, getting all the dirty clothes and sheets piled up in the laundry room. "Mom," asked Jessica, "Could I call Justin, just to let him know I'm back?" I smiled at her, All right, but don't talk too long…And Jess, it will be all right if you want to invite him over next Saturday for a cook-out." Jessica looked at me her face breaking out in a beautiful smile, "Thanks mom, I'll do that."

Tomorrow it would be back to work, back to school, for all of us, but Burning Man remained a major topic of discussion for us well up to Thanksgiving, I think we were all agreed that once was enough, next year it would be Sturgis, and after that who knows, but for a long time to come, Greg and I continued to refer to it as our "Ameristan" experience.