Z, Meredith, Mike and Scott before going out
Black Rock City seems to expand at night. You walk through the middle of the playa and there are colorful lights and flames all around you, but they're all very far away.
That's not entirely true . . . art cars drive through the playa and they carry lights with them. And people wear glow sticks so they won't get run over. But when you're by yourself . . it's very peaceful and beautiful. Serene and calm.
Daisies in the middle of the playa
You can breathe the cold air and appreciate the silence and darkness around you. You can hear your own breath . . . look in each direction and know that you are alone where you are. But it's not a lonely feeling; it's peaceful and happy.
Then you keep walking. There's dance music in the distance, and people wearing their winter clothes. Bicycle spokes lit up with glow sticks. Cars blowing flames into the sky.
Art installations come alive at night. My favorites take one thing that's tiny and simple . . . and through repetition create something large and complex. For instance, here's a grid of ping-pong balls, each with a tiny light inside. Each one alone is simple. Taken together, the effect is amazing.
This next one was my favorite art installation -- it's so simple and so stunning. The sound and the light from it. I wish I had a longer clip: