Category: North America

Burning Man 2026

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I couldn’t let September finish without posting pictures of some of my favorite art pieces at Burning Man this year. We went early, for Build Week, which I documented in this post. It was a lot of work, but worth it, to have our wonderful Poly Paradise camp all set up as our base for the Burn. And then it was time to explore! Here’s some of my favorite art pieces and theme camps.

The talk of the playa this year was “Eifela: Broken Dreams” and as luck would have it, the creators of this project camped with us at Poly Paradise. They were a great group of guys from France, and for most of them, it was their first burn! I can’t wait to see where the structure’s creator, Philippe Maindron, takes it next. I predict it will be back for another burn next year. This piece looked spectacular, whether it was during the day, at night, or in the dust.

I like to look for art pieces I’ve seen in previous years, and see how the artist has transformed their work from burn to burn. I’ve followed Michael Benisty’s work since my first burn in 2018. This year’s, titled “Only Love Will Remain” was the first piece I looked for on my first playa walk. It’s easy to find, as it’s over 26 feet tall.

The magical treehouse-inspired art piece called “Above and Below” was fantastic. Even though we didn’t get to climb up it, we spent a lot of time exploring the base of the structure, filled with objects, stories, and mystery. You really want to take your time with this one, as each bit of it is quirky and inventive. The artist, Sean Orlando, lives in California.

The temple design each year always captivates me. This year’s “Temple of the Moon” was inspired by a night flower that blooms only at night once a year. With no way to capture it, the viewer has no choice but to be fully present and relinquish it at dawn. The same is true of the temple, as it will burn at the close of the festival, along with the mementoes and memories left behind by this year’s participants.

I thought this piece, called “Penny the Goose” was fun- and then I realized it is comprised of Canadian and US pennies. Considering the penny was recently put out of production by our government, this was an interesting take by artists Robert and Lisa Ferguson. At 16 feet tall, it’s quite large and I bet pretty heavy! When not at Burning Man, she resides in San Francisco, California.

It’s not all art all the time. A lot of the fun of Burning Man is walking around and visiting the various theme camps. With over 1000 camps, there’s always something going on near you. We discovered that Spanky’s Wine Bar, one of our favorites, was just a couple of blocks from us this year. Spanky’s is guaranteed to give you a good time, especially if you’re brave.

I’m sure this won’t hurt… much

What originally started as an art car was turned into a 200 foot, broken Titanic ship, half buried in the sand. It featured ropes you could climb and swing on, flame cannons, and interactive lights. It was burned the night before The Man burned this year, amidst a raging wind storm. What will this group think of next?

What, you’ve never been on a disco mushroom merry-go-round? Then you haven’t lived. This piece featured over 10,000 disco tiles and recycled wooden spools, with a polka-dot canopy. It’s basically a cousin of their piece, Disco Snail. We thought this picture should be titled “Chris on Shrooms”, lol.

Once you’ve conquered your fear of the dust, there’s nothing better than surrendering to it and laying down to look at the night sky- especially if right above you is the LED mechanical manta ray sculpture called Hahalua (Hawaiian for manta ray). Even better, it moves and undulates the way a manta ray would, as it plays music ranging from classical to modern. I heard that they were doing a “Dark Side of the Moon” at midnight after the Man burned, but I didn’t go out to check.

I find the messages in Burning Man art can be applied to my own life, and this one was no different. “Do what you love” reminded me to seek out the joy in life. As I was trying to take a selfie, a man on a bike came along and offered to take the picture for me. I handed him my camera, a gust of wind came up, and this wonderful photo came into being, like kismet.

There’s so much more to profile, but I’ll close this year’s post with one of the temple burning. To me, it’s always the best burning piece because you can see the scaffolding for several minutes come alive inside the flame. The curved pieces often create a wind and fire vortex that is so beautiful. This year’s temple was no different. For a look at the Burning Man temple art pieces from the last 25 years, check out this exhibit at the Reno airport. Isn’t it amazing what we can do when we give artists a place to create and display their art?

Building a Camp at Black Rock City

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On August 1, the Golden Spike was driven into the dry lakebed in Nevada that will become Black Rock City, home to the annual Burning Man festival. From there, teams of city planners, surveyors, and enthusiastic Burners will create a city of 65,000 people, complete with streets, camps, medical and fire services, art, and general shenanigans. And then they will erase it as if it never existed.

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Black Rock City, just getting started

Chris and I had Early Entrance passes this year, so on Sunday August 23, we helped our camp owners pack our entire camp infrastructure into two moving vans (plus one shipping container that stays year-round in Gerlach, Nevada), and on Monday morning we left Phoenix and headed north. By Tuesday afternoon, we had presented our tickets at the Gate, and were cruising across an almost-empty playa to map out our camp.

A beautiful night to camp under the stars

It took until well after sunset to stake out the perimeter of our camp, as well as the outside edges of where our main shady space would be, and we hadn’t unloaded the moving vans yet, so we just slept outside under the stars on our air mattress. In the morning, the real work began: we unloaded everything from both 26 foot moving vans. We tried to group stuff together, such as kitchen items, tarps, camouflage netting, and metal fittings to make the structures, coolers filled with food, ice, and drinks, and the pieces needed for our Human Carcass Wash, which is our camp’s gift to the playa every year.

On Thursday and Friday, more campers arrived, so we were able to unload the shipping container that stays in Gerlach, which holds more of our stuff and the items belonging to our sister camps, Temple of Bacchus and the Twisted Swan Celtic bar. We got all ten of our coolers and our tools under a shady roof built in between the two moving vans, and then got started on our main shady space that our camp utilizes.

Our kitchen wasn’t set up yet, so breakfast was scrambled eggs and chorizo on the griddle

The first step was to lay out the giant floor pieces that make up our space. In the past we used heavy canvas tarps, but after last year’s “Mud Burn”, we needed to buy new ones. So this year we tried using recycled billboards that we got from a recycled materials website. One of the Burning Man tenets is sustainability, so we figured we’d try to use some things that didn’t need to go in a landfill. We staked them down, and then constructed the poles that make our walls and roof framework. We stretched the canvas tarps we use as roofing across the top, then raised them up. Last, we hung the camouflage netting on the sides, which allows in a breeze but gives privacy to some extent.

It takes a lot of people to raise these roofs!

Once our shady spaces were intact, our camp started feeling more like home. We added in 50 or 60 camp chairs, hand washing stations, cooking stations, and our serving line. We unpacked our costume exchange closet (which takes up ten bins- we take our outfits very seriously), and put out two massage tables and all the blacklight art that we keep in our front area for general viewing. Last, we added “the man” artwork that was a gift from one of our past campers, and then the finishing touch- a series of lasers at our front entrance that play percussion sounds anytime someone enters or exits (always hilarious). A couple of bike racks, and set up was complete.

Happily, this year, all our construction efforts held up, even with some pretty good winds and one rainy night. Another week went by and then it was time to take it all down. Everyone pitched in, and in only two days’ time, it was all packed up and ready to store for the year.

Time to get all this back in the trucks

In April, our camp will have a weekend party where we take everything out of storage, clean it, inventory it, and make a list of what needs to be purchased for the 2027 Burn. Until then, all that’s left is to put away our own personal camping items, do a big load of laundry, and look back at all of our pictures. For a look at some of the art from past Burning Man years, you can click on my 2018, 2019, or 2022 Burning Man adventure.

Chris Hikes the Continental Divide (pt 2)

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This year, Chris spent July back on the trail, continuing north along the CDT. I dropped him off at Chama, New Mexico, hiked the first mile with him, and then he continued north, while I took the car to visit a friend in Durango. A few days later, and 70 trail miles later for him, I met up with Chris at Wolf Creek Ski Area, and we had a zero day in Pagosa Springs. We visited the local Walmart, had a delicious sandwich at The Peak Deli, bought some new hiking shoes at Foot Prints, and spent the afternoon at The Overlook, a fun mineral bath house that features over a dozen hot tubs and pools, all at different temperatures. Pro tip: take a hat if you want to spend time in the pools up on the roof overlooking the town!

A day off-trail spent at a mineral bath is a day well spent!

After his time off-trail, I left Chris at Wolf Creek Ski Area, and I drove up to South Fork to chill for a couple of days while he hiked. It’s a cute town and I enjoyed my stay at the Spruce Lodge. I took advantage of the fair weather and went on a short hike of my own. There’s also a neat “rail bike” that runs along the Rio Grande River between South Fork and Wagon Wheel Gap, through the Coller State Wildlife Area. Of course, hunting and fishing, hiking and riding ATVs are highlights of the area too. I bet this area is hopping during the snow season! The pizza at SoFo Pizza is worth a stop, in my opinion.

A beautiful alpine lake along the trail

Our next rendezvous point was just a few miles outside of Creede. I arrived a little early at our agreed-upon spot, and set up my hammock to wait. A half hour or so later, I saw Chris clopping down the trail, having finished another 40 mile stretch. I bundled up my hammock and we went into Creede for lunch. Creede, a historic silver mining town, is one of my favorite small towns in Colorado. It has a handful of bars, restaurants, outfitters, art galleries, and even a drama reportory. There’s often a festival or event happening in town in the summer months. But plan ahead, because there are only 3 or 4 small hotels there. There are no major hotel chains, but there are lots of Airbnbs. They can get pretty pricey though.

Historic Creede, with hills full of silver

Chris stayed with me for a day in South Fork, resting his feet, and then I took him back to Creede so that he could reverse “slack-pack” a particularly brutal uphill climb out of the town. We drove up to the top of the 10-mile Bachelor Loop and he walked the trail southbound, heading back down into Creede without his heavy backpack. I visited a few shops and bars in town (fantastic ice cream) and picked him up a few hours later. The next day, we drove up to the same spot and he continued north, but at least he didn’t have to do four hours of uphill climbing to get there. Plus we got to see a momma moose and her two calves on the road.

Drop off point, elevation 9,000 feet

Chris’s knee had been hurting him all through this stretch of Colorado, but he finished up one more 30 mile section between Creede and Cochetopa Pass. I thought about staying a night in Saguache, but after visiting the tiny town and their slightly creepy museum, I decided to wait at Gunnison for Chris to arrive. I have to say, the drive between Cochetopa Pass and Highway 50, as it winds through a river valley, is quite lovely. But since we were a ways into July, the days were getting pretty hot (although the nights were still a lot cooler than we get in Texas). Next year, hopefully, Chris and our hiking friend Piñata will be able to start from Cochetopa Pass and head north a little earlier in the season, in mid-May, and avoid the heat and the fires that were burning near Leadville and other parts of Colorado.

Another beautiful sunset on the trail

All in all, Chris managed another 200 miles of the CDT, bringing his total to over 1000 miles on the trail so far. Check back with us next year to read more about his hike further north, or click here for the post about the Arizona sections, or here for posts about the Appalachian Trail thru-hike of 2014 or the Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike of 2021.

Take a Bath in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia

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Berkeley Springs is the kind of place that feels timeless- you can easily imagine the first settlers in this small town, even as you enjoy the modern amenities it offers now. Known historically as the Town of Bath, it has been welcoming travelers for centuries with its mineral-rich warm springs, mountain views, and small‑town charm. Whether you’re craving a restorative weekend, an outdoor adventure, or a cozy getaway filled with art, food, and history, Berkeley Springs offers a little bit of everything—and then some.

Berkeley Springs’ warm mineral water springs have drawn visitors since the 1700s—including George Washington himself. Today, the heart of town is still Berkeley Springs State Park, where the warm, clear waters bubble up at a consistent 74.3°F. Visitors can soak in historic Roman baths, book private mineral tubs, or simply relax near the spring-fed fountains. The park is especially lovely in spring and fall, when blooming trees or fiery foliage frame the historic bathhouse.

The springs aren’t just a novelty—they’re a tradition. Generations have come here to “take the waters,” and the town continues to honor that heritage with spa treatments, massages, and wellness experiences rooted in its past. Chris and I indulged in a sauna, shower, and Roman bath trio at the state park’s main bath house, which cost about $80 for the two of us (be sure to ask about a military discount if you served).

Ready for our sauna!

While the warm springs may be the star, the surrounding landscape is just as captivating. Just 15 minutes from downtown, Cacapon Resort State Park spans more than 6,000 acres of forests, trails, and scenic overlooks. It’s a paradise for hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, and families looking for a day of fresh air. In summer, Lake Cacapon becomes a hub for swimming and paddleboarding, while fall transforms the park into a kaleidoscope of color. We visited Berkeley Springs at the tail end of winter, with just a bit of snow on the ground, as spring was just around the corner. 

For a quick but unforgettable view, head to Prospect Peak Overlook, one of the most photographed views in the region. From here, layers of mountains and river valleys stretch into the distance—a perfect spot for sunset watchers and photographers.

Berkeley Springs may be small, but it’s rich with stories. A visit to the Museum of the Berkeley Springs helps explain how the springs shaped the town’s identity, from Indigenous use to colonial spa culture.

Wandering through town, you’ll find historic landmarks tucked between boutiques, cafés, and galleries. One quirky must‑see is George Washington’s Bathtub, a stone outline marking where the first president once soaked in the warm waters. It’s a fun reminder that even great leaders needed a little self‑care. No, you can’t take a bath in GW’s tub!

For a small town, Berkeley Springs offers an impressive variety of dining options. From cozy cafés to upscale restaurants, you’ll find something to satisfy every craving. The town’s culinary scene reflects its welcoming atmosphere—warm, unpretentious, and rooted in local flavor. We especially enjoyed morning coffee and muffins at Fairfax Coffee House, and later the creative choices at Mythical Pizza. 

Craft beer lovers will appreciate the two local breweries, each offering its own take on West Virginia’s brewing traditions. After a day of hiking or soaking, there’s nothing better than settling in with a cold pint and a hearty meal.

The town even hosts the International Water Tasting each February—a quirky, beloved event known as the “Academy Awards of Water,” complete with a “Water Rush” where attendees can grab as many bottles as they can carry.

Berkeley Springs offers a wide range of accommodations, from charming bed‑and‑breakfasts to modern vacation rentals nestled in the woods.  Many visitors choose to stay in cabins near Cacapon State Park, where mornings begin with birdsong and mountain mist. Others prefer the convenience of staying in town, steps away from spas, shops, and restaurants. The main anchor point of the town is the Country Inn of Berkeley Springs, featuring 60 guest rooms, a spa, tavern, and gardens. We found a cute little AirBnB that featured both an electric fireplace and a jetted bath tub, just one block off the main street that runs through town. 

A jet tub in my bedroom? Yes!


Berkeley Springs is a 90‑minute drive from the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metro areas, making it an easy weekend escape. Once you arrive, the town is walkable, and most attractions are just a short drive away.

Don’t Yuck out on the Yucatan

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If you’re looking for a solid week of adventure, fun, and food, look no further than the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. For ritzy beach and all-inclusive resorts lovers, look to the north end at Holbox, Cancun, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen. If ‘pueblo magicos’ and dusty beach towns is more your style, consider the southern end, Tulum and Valledolid.

We wanted to visit some Mayan ruins and also dive at some cenotes, so we decided on exploring the quieter side of the Yucatan. We flew into the fairly new Tulum international airport, and hopped on the ADO shuttle bus into town. Our hotel was just two blocks from the bus station, so it was an easy walk to BAU Tulum, a cute boutique hotel. And then the search for tacos and cervezas was on!

Spoiler alert: it didn’t take long to find!

Tulum has a nearby international airport, as well as direct bus and train lines to nearby cities and tourist destinations. It has rounded the corner from “sleepy beach town” and is now considered pretty “boho chic” and might be on it’s way to “pricey resort town”. You can still get an inexpensive hotel and dinner out for under 500 Mexican pesos, but you can also visit one of the 8 Michelin-rated restaurants in town and stay at an upscale resort or condo. Tulum has a bit of a focus on health and wellness, so it still attracts a lot of backpackers, local tourists, and off-the-beaten path adventurists. It’s super easy to hop into a collectivo and visit sites north or south of town, or head to the ADO bus station to get a direct bus to Playa del Carmen, Valladolid, or Merida. There is also the Mayan Tren option if you want to take it direct north to Cancun or south to Chetumal.

Just north of Tulum is the Tulum Ruins, a Mayan archeological site dating back to the 13th to 15th centuries, called the “City of the Dawn” due to it’s east-facing orientation at the edge of the peninsula. It is considered rare for the Mayans, because it is a walled city. It likely had a population of 1,000 to 2,000 people. It’s fairly easy to visit from the town of Tulum- you can actually walk or bike there from town, or just flag down a collectivo heading north and ask to be let out at the Tulum ruins, which should cost you about 30 pesos per person. Visiting the ruins, unfortunately, is not so inexpensive, and will run you closer to 400 pesos, as it is now part of Mexico’s official INAH (National Institute of Archeology and History). The entry ticket will get you into the museum, the ruins, the lighthouse, Jaguar Park, and a visit to the nearby beach. The ruins are open from 8 am to 5 pm daily.

The Tulum ruins are perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean

Another fun thing to do while in the area is to visit a cenote and take a swim. These natural sinkholes were formed ages ago by rainwater filtering through limestone caves, some with collapsed ceilings, letting in sunlight and rainwater. Civilizations as far back as the Mayans knew about these freshwater sources, and were considered sacred sites (many cenotes have had human bones excavated from their depths). The Yucatan has more cenotes than any other place in the world. One of the most famous, and most dived, cenotes is Dos Ojos. We contacted a local dive shop, Agua Clara, and they took us on a two-tank dive to this beautiful site. We did two 45-minute dives, swimming from one cenote, through a cave, and then into the other cenote, and then back again. The water was chilly but not freezing (I wore a shorty wetsuit, while Chris dove in just his swim trunks), and the fresh, cold water was stunningly clear. Swimming amongst the stalactites and stalagmites was something I will definitely never forget. What a wonder!

We liked roaming around Tulum a lot, but we wanted to check out Valladolid as well, another of Mexico’s “pueblos magicos”. Buses run daily between Tulum and Valladolid, so it was no problem hopping on one and arriving in the town two hours later. We settled in at Valladolid 48, a hotel/hostel just off the main shopping/dining area, and had a wander through town. The next day, we walked to the collectivo station and for 100 pesos, got a round-trip ticket to Chichen Itza and back (or you can get one that includes a visit to a nearby cenote on the return). The Chichen Itza ruins get pretty busy (and hot in the afternoons), so it’s advisable to go as early as you can. You’ll have to brave long rows of vendors selling everything from jewelry to statues, blankets to macrame, on your way in and out of the archeological site. This one will cost you around 600 pesos each, made in two different payments (one to the federal government of Mexico and one to the local Yucatan government). Once inside, you’ll run the gauntlet of even more vendors, but finally you get to the wide, open area and take a look at “El Castillo”, with 365 steps leading to the top of this four-sided pyramid. All of the monuments at Chichen Itza are roped off, no climbing, no touching, which is probably for the best. If they weren’t roped off, there would probably be a Coca-Cola refreshment stand at the top of one, with a guy selling soapstone pyramid statues next to it.

While in Valladolid, we visited an apiary in an old dried cenote and learned about different kinds of bees, we watched a sound and light show at the old convent church that told the history of the area, and we tried all kinds of different foods and drinks. One of our favorites was actually an Argentinian restaurant that makes their own kombucha and empañadas, called Tresvanbien. I wish we’d had time to visit there again, but the next day we wanted to try another new place, and didn’t regret the dinner at Papillon Taqueria, or drinks at The Mule Cantina in the Calzada de Los Frailles street. It’s close to the bus station and has plenty of options for casual or fine dining, and is a particular gem in the evenings.

If you get tired of tacos, there’s always empañadas

Have you visited the Yucatan? Do you prefer the beach, golf, and all-inclusive resorts in the north, or the ruins and the cenotes further south? Got a favorite taco stand you’d like to share? Tell us all about it.