'Morning Listees, This North Bay Burner is safely back in her cottage in the redwoods, & none the worse for wear. All coolant hoses & fuel lines held admirably for the trip from Northern CA to this years' BurningMan Festival in the desert 120 miles north of Reno, Nevada. Instead of extreme heat, which I was prepared for, the weather was cool & plagued by intense sand storms, which did little to dampen the spirits of determined Burners.

Vanagons were everywhere to be seen in Black Rock City--this year's estimated population 25,000 plus--& made up a notable percentage of those folks camped in my Alternative Energy "neighborhood" between Gut Alley & Sex Drive/ 4 to 4:30. Rumor has it there was a huge VW bus camp, but I never got out there, as I was on foot & didn't manage to see everything in the 6 square mile area.

With nothing more than my little Solarex panel, I managed to keep my starting & aux batteries topped off, run my cabin lights, small battery charger, & download some great images from my new Canon digicam! For the record, my aux battery performed *perfectly*--despite having been found bone dry weeks ago by my gynecologist, I mean, mechanic--& pronounced worthless.

The cutting out problem, always random, sometimes disappearing for months, occured no less than eight times during the ten hour trip home! Other than this, which was heartstopping a few times, with eighteen wheelers on my tail & no shoulder in mountainous areas, she ran as quietly & dependably as an old Singer sewing machine. If there are any Listees who were at BurninMan-- please identify yourselves! It's good to be back on the List. Phaedra '85 Westy-Wolf "Hester"