Super cool to me that there is nobody here. I may feel really differently when the
sun goes down and I'm like, "Oh, who and what is out there?
Black Rock Desert is one of the most remote areas in the world. You may know it as the
famous home of "Burning Man," but have you ever thought about what it looks like without
anyone else around?
I've never camped out there alone and I was both intrigued and intimidated by the idea.
The Black Rock Desert is over 2 hours from the nearest large town, Reno, spread across
1,000 miles of wilderness. I mean it was selected for "Burning Man" because of its remoteness
and its magic.
So, here's the plan. The spot I've chosen is a dry dusty lake bed devoid of any water
or natural shelter. It's fair to say I'm camping in one of the most remote places in the U.S.
I'll need to be totally self-sufficient, and it's really cold, so, I'm prepping for that
too. The desert can swing as much as 30 degrees from day to night. And it can be windy as
well. Yeah, it's windy, it's already cold. I don't have a fancy van so... Meet Bruce.
My setup is simple, I need a place to sleep. It's gonna be really cold so I need something
to keep me warm. I wanna make sure that I have plenty of water because it's the desert
after all. And then it comes to the food.
I will probably have a bold awakening tomorrow indeed. Over the past year, this is easily
the biggest upgrade to my camping kit. This jet boil is stupid expensive, however, it
boils water so much quicker than any other system and is way less fuel.
Next, I pack up the food I made not bothering with a shower. I will need a bucket for the
bathroom because it's a sensitive area that I'm going to. This is definitely not my preferred
way to go to the bathroom but, out there, it's the only way to do it.
A whole bunch of photography equipment. Gotta have my tunes. And then I'm good to go.
All right. I'm a bit nervous, I'll be honest, I get nervous before everything I do like
this by myself because I just know I'm gonna be so remote and I my biggest fear is like
people because I'll be very vulnerable just kind of out there alone. But the whole point
is there's unlikely to really be anyone else out there either. And that's what I wanted,
the solitude. So, it's weird and creepy...
We'll see what happens when it gets dark.
And yet, I want it, at the same time. It's a playa, it's just a dried up lake bed with
all this dust swirling around everywhere. Yeah, it's windy.
I don't think there's normally water collected here, which, actually, makes me really nervous
for the playa because it does fill in with water sometimes. Okay, on one hand, that would
be so cool but, on the other, if it's muddy or impassable in any way, there's no camping
that's gonna be happening there tonight. So, I guess we'll see conditions when we arrive.
Here we are.
Just to like explain a little bit. I decided to drive out to Black Rock City, this is where
"Burning Man" takes place. Normally, during that, there's 80,000 people here. So, I probably
will be totally alone out here tonight and...I'm just enjoying the beauty, the peace, and quiet
hanging out in my little truck. And waiting for the sunset. I'm about to change, I brought
some...things with me to take pictures in because I actually am doing a little photo
shoot out here. That's why I have makeup on for my big camping adventure. I'm doing a
little behind the scenes on how I take my own photos as well, so, that's another video
you can watch that I'm gonna shoot right now.
Yes. It's onesie time. So, I'm just looking right now at Star Walk 2, this app tells me
exactly where the Milky Way is gonna be. Right about there. I parked just so that I could
like lay and watch it on my side. It's gonna be awesome.
It's just so nice, I've had a really nice time so far just kinda running around taking
pictures. And I know it's not dark yet, so, I mean, I can still see everything, so, nothing's
creepy yet. But right now I feel totally like this is fun, I'm having a really good time,
it's super cool to me that there is nobody here. I may feel really differently when the
sun goes down and I'm like, "Oh, who and what is out there?" but most people who drove in
like drove off way that way or they left. So, it's just me right now for as far as the
eye can see. So, we'll see what happens when it gets dark.
Now the wind is really picking up, it's like moving the truck a little bit...it'll be fine.
I think it'll die down when it gets dark.
I used to challenge myself to get uncomfortable all the time, and I'm remembering the feeling
of fear mixed with excitement. But solitude can be like a drug for me. I crave those moments
under the stars, just me to build an impression of it colored by no one else.
Alan Watts: But I assume maybe you are not serious but sincere. That you are ready to
wake up. So then, when you're in the way of waking up and finding out who you really are,
what you do is what the whole universe is doing at the place you call here and now.
You are something the whole universe is doing in the same way that a wave is something that
the whole ocean is doing. The real you is not a puppet which life pushes around, the
real deep-down you is the whole universe.
Wow, it is so cold but it really calmed down towards the morning. And the sunrise is magical
always but out here it's like really something. And that's what I come out here to see the
sunrise is the real event out here. The sunset sets behind mountains but the sunrise just
lights up the whole playa. It's so nice.
Gosh. It's way too cold to be doing anything with my hands. Coffee time.
All right, finally got it on. It was too much pressure with you watching me.
I had this in Japan, it's genius.
Well...I think I underestimated just how cold it was gonna get. But the sunrise made it
all worth it. It was so pretty, and I will never use baby wipes on my face again.
Baby wipe straight to the face.
It's so beautiful out here. The sunrise reminded me of why I come...it's just insane every
time. And seeing it without people is really special. Wanna do more solo traveling with
me, make sure you love this video. Or, if you didn't watch the photography behind the
scenes one, watch that one next. See you soon.