Burning Man 2014 Videos: Closed and Open

Because the news that Burning Man was “closed” went viral, a number of people have asked me about it and these videos from David Hill (including footage of me dancing!) gave me a great reason to post about it.

While yes the gate at Burning Man was closed because of rain, people who were already on the playa stayed there while some 10,000 people who were in various points of transit were either told to stay put (for 22 hours or more according to one woman I talked to who was stuck) or to head back to Reno where I have heard tales of an epic party.

Why does rain close the playa? Because traveling on the wet lake bed damages it leaving deep tracks. It is also very hard to walk or ride your bikes: the playa sticks to tires and boots, and boots become “moon” boots. Lightening activity also was dangerous, and I met and talked with a woman who was struck by lightening on the playa.

David Hill videotaped and photographed his experiences of Burning Man closed (in two videos) and open. The closed videos are unusual and beautiful: the city reminds me of a ghost town, and the weather adds drama.

In his video of Burning Man “open” around the 4 minute 30 second mark I was surprised to see someone who looked familiar–yes that’s me in a red dress with a light pink vest on and Ugg boots dancing with my husband in the black kilt!

While I wouldn’t have wanted to have been stuck in the line for so long (our 5 hours gate wait was long enough), I’m sorry we missed being on the playa in the rain; I have found memories of rainy burns in 95 and 99. We are definitely overdue for some serious windstorms like in 2001 and cold like in 2000.

Do you see anyone you know in the videos? Were you out there at Burning Man before, during or after the rain in 2014?