I like to ride out to the Trash Fence during the event — the furthest edge of Black Rock City. Out there, the city shrinks on the horizon and the desert feels cinematic under the midday sun. On my last full day, clouds floated above shaped like spaceships — a perfect nod to this year’s Tomorrow Today theme.

The fence line itself held clever small art pieces attached to the poles and rods — playful surprises that made the edge feel alive. Beyond those, bigger installations anchored Deep Playa: Nang, Kosmic Bus Lens #25, and the Trash Fence Panda Portal — reminders that from small to large, anyone can bring art to Burning Man.

While photographing a modified convertible art car rolling past, one of the riders spotted me and tossed a gift — a solid metal medallion stamped with the Burning Man logo. On the front it read:

“Burning Man 2025 Mother F&#king Champion.”

I also ran into Andrew, my neighbor from the legendary 2023 rain year, and we talked about those muddy days while standing together again at the city’s edge.

Last year I had decided to start going every other year so I could travel more. But shortly before the event I changed my mind and came anyway. After the storms early in the week I was asking myself, “WTF was I thinking?” But that ride along the Trash Fence — the spaceship clouds, the small and big art, the reunion, and the medal pressed to my chest — reminded me why I keep returning to Black Rock City.