Poolside at the Grand Sierra watching Brass Tax. Shower, massage, room service, and a 12 hour sleep made the world of difference.

We left on burn night, after Lucent Dossier killed it (to thunderous applause) at the Fractal Planet stage. Took 59 minutes to get to the road, and made it to Reno with fuel to spare.

A fantastic burn. They hit capacity – 68,000 people – sometime on thursday morning and people with tickets were not being allowed in. They had to wait until others left, one report we heard was 12 hours.

Around the same time, the computer system at Will Call mysteriously crashed. The line was not moving at all until they could get it back up -which took 3 hours.

It took us over 4 hours to get in on Saturday, with early access passes. Others reported 6-8 hour entry times after the gates opened.

Some of the Distrikt crew who just left today reported a 2 hour exodus, so as far as we know that’s all going smoothly.

We heard pre burn about a lot of problems with cops. There were dogs all over the line on the way in and we heard about quite a few busts. I spoke to someone from one of the RV delivery services, doing his 36th delivery of the week; someone fedexed them some “costumes” to take in which the dogs caught. Not fair on the poor guy just doing his job, hope he didn’t get charged.

Once inside the cops seemed to be fine, as opposed to previous years where we saw some brutality. BLM rangers seem much more pro burning man, they were hula hooping and gifting bracelets – hopefully get out of jail free ones.

It was quite noticeably the biggest Burning Man ever. Cycling anywhere was crazy- not just the esplanade, but also the playa itself were like riding over the Golden Gate Bridge. And not the cycle side! Bicycles, pedestrians, art cars and art projects were everywhere.

According to my GPS walkie talkie I averaged 22 miles a day of cycling and walking. Plus several hours a day dancing! My body is still feeling it. I was 25 when I first went to burning man, now I’m 40 and it’s 4 times the size. Burning Man, that is, not my body! The Burning Man diet: a marathon every day, very little food, and mega partying. Probably hard to maintain over the long term…

Best music stage this year was White Ocean.

Best blinky / firey thing was the Control Tower, they didn’t burn it, hope to see that at other festivals.

Best art: so hard to pick, but I would have to say Marco Cochrane outdid himself with the 65-ft Truth and Beauty, a follow up to Bliss Dance. I also loved the “singing coyote” from Glen Ellen.

Best art car: the Mayan Face green thing with the search lights and the rad music. And Dancetronauts.

Best camp: I love the speakeasy at Disorient, I think though I have to say that SHIFT camp sure seemed to have their shift together with 25 art cars and what looked like half the catwalks of Milan and New York there.

I watched the man burn with a famous actress and my giggling like a drunken schoolgirl Burgin sister from high atop Balanceville- thanks to David and Peter. An incredible experience.

Bigger is better, and Burning Man seems to be doing it right this year. And burners – well done on the blinky lights! I saw almost no darktards- well, until Saturday anyway. Pace yourselves, or buy more!

[update 6:47pm 2/9/13 ] just heard from one of my friends:9 hours to get out right now

I saw an art car of Angry Birds. But I didn’t see the giant iphone or Facebook like