Burning Man Part 2: Am I a Sparkle Pony?

Counting down to Burning Man. My ticket to Reno on August 30 has been bought and I have to have my suitcase packed and ready to give to my friend on August 24. 

The question is: What do I pack? 

Food is easy. I have my peanut butter and oatmeal (my staples for 12 hour hikes and 24 hour Ragnar runs).  And I gave my friend a couple hundred dollars to simply buy more of whatever he was bringing.  Done.

What I was stressing over was the outfits.  Burning Man is a strange event. You’re supposed to be a free spirit, but yet there is a certain look to “Burners.” 

It seems being a free spirit doesn’t mean wearing your comfy yoga shorts, flip flops and a bikini top.  Your free spirit is apparently your creative spirit and as an attendee of the event, you’re not just there to look at the large, interactive art and sculptures, but be part of the scenery – making you a piece of the art and an active participant of the event.

Oh…the pressure.

Unlike Halloween, you can’t just buy a “Burning Man” costume like you can with a pirate costume or a sexy angel costume.  It’s supposed to be something unique – but there are requirements.

1.  It needs to be warm as it gets cold at night on the Playa.
2.  It needs to have lights so you can be seen in the dark and not run over by people on bikes.
3. It needs to be something you can wear on a bike (no long skirts or things too tight to pedal in).

And I need to find 4 outfits for daywear and 4 for night time fun in a week – for cheap!!!

Pressure. Pressure. PRESSURE.

I ask my friend for advice and he tells me I can wear anything – but I should try not to look like a Sparkle Pony.

Hmmm....I’m so new to this whole Burning Man thing that I don’t know what this is.

So I do what every techie person does; I google it:

Crap…I think I may be a Sparkle Pony.