By Priya Hutner ·
Priya Hutner, left, and Jill Mitchell at work on their shelter ·
When I moved to Truckee at the end of summer in 2013, I found a lovely, little cottage in the woods and began my new life. As I was unpacking, the next-door neighbors pulled up in an RV covered in dust. I introduced myself to the two men who were also covered from head to toe in an alien-like white dust. They explained they’d just come from Burning Man.
“Each year I go to Burning Man, I’m transformed,” said Al. He called his time there a deeply moving, spiritual experience.
Last summer, when the town emptied I felt a deep overwhelming sadness and loss like I was missing out on something, something big and something important. As my life expanded, my friendships did, as well, and I met many people whose lives had been touched by their experience on the Playa. I realized something deep inside of me was calling me to go.
So began my journey to Burning Man. A good friend explained that I needed to set up my profile in advance. He walked me through the process. A few weeks later, a handful of friends came to my house and we sat around our computers and waited for the tickets to go on sale. The countdown began and at the appointed time we all logged into our computers. Within minutes, I was the giddy owner of a ticket to Burning Man.
Over the last few months I’ve spoken to different people preparing for my journey. On a practical level, I needed to figure out where I’d stay and what I needed to do to get ready. Two friends suggested I camp with them. I knew a few of the people camping there already and it felt like a good fit. Radical self-reliance being one of the tenets I wanted to be independent, yet still wanted guidance. So, how does one prepare for such an adventure?
Jill Mitchell invited me over and offered a ton of fun and practical preparation advice. She handed me a long list of things I’d need for my time on the playa, like festive costumes, first aid and practical things like plastic bags, batteries and sunscreen.
Costumes seemed like a fun place to start, so I perused the local Hospice Thrift Store and consignment stores like Unique Boutique in town and Junkee Clothing Exchange in Reno. Furs and sequins and sparkly clothes have made their way into my closet.
The guest room is full of Festive Fun in preparation for Burning Man ·
Being a cook, I was curious about the food scene at Burning Man. I asked Jodi Hubbell, a local health coach and massage therapist, what does she prepare? She suggested freezing smoothies and burritos. She also makes quinoa or noodle salads.
“Veggies and hummus are good for the beginning of the trip. Cold pizza is great and pickles are good for their salt content. Don’t forget to bring coconut water and pay attention to minimize your trash,” she advised.
I also needed a bike to get around the playa. So back to the thrift store I went to look for a bike and thought about how I’ll decorate my new Playa ride. I pondered how would I get all my stuff in my Subaru?
The Playa bike is a work in progress ·
In the meantime, one of the camp members was organizing a pre-event workday. Being this is my first time, I was happy to volunteer. I went to the home of Bryan Burns, owner of Alpine Valley Homes and a general contractor, where I hauled large pieces of wood and scaffolding. I watched in awe as more and more folks showed up to pitch in. Burns was spearheading the construction of a mini city.
“Each theme camp at Burning Man is set up to be interactive,” he explained.
The camp will feature a jail (yes, you might get a ticket on the playa from this camp for various fun infractions), an old-time photo booth and a tattoo parlor on the lower level, on the second level will be a place people can chill in hanging chairs, the third level will offer hammocks, pillows and a giant cuddle puddle, on the fourth level is the lounge area with sofas and loveseats, and on the fifth level is an observation deck that will be almost 30-feet high. The camp also offers a Wet Woody Party bringing a taste of Tahoe to the Playa (Wet Woody’s are a Garwood’s specialty).
“I go back year after year both for the people and the music. I love the sense of community and going to Burning Man with my adopted Tahoe family is what Christmas is like to a nuclear family. It is a once in a lifetime experience each time I go,” Burns explained. “Nothing prepares you for Burning Man, you can look at photos, and still not grasp the magnitude of scope and the sheer size of Burning Man,” he added.
“Be prepared for your own transformative experience, be open, don’t set an agenda and let the adventure unravel,” Randy Gates shared about going for the first time. “Your soul will be filled in ways you never though possible.”
I am excited. I’ll be celebrating my two-year anniversary of moving to Truckee by dancing on the Playa, watching the sunrise and immersing myself in the experience. I’ll explore what compels people to return to Burning Man year after year.
I am going with as little expectation as possible and staying open to all possibilities, to expand, grow and stretch myself. I imagine I’ll have my mind blown, while being awed by the beauty and creativity of humanity.
And, it is the love that I’ve experienced living here that is what I’ll be taking with me on my journey.
Priya Hutner will be documenting her experiences at Burning Man for Tahoe Weekly and exploring the Tahoe community that makes the pilgrimage to the Playa. Look for her coverage in the Tahoe Weekly and online at TheTahoeWeekly.com, Facebook and Instagram.
