Thanks for the praise! I do enjoy writing!
"Do-it-yourself amusement park" and "total vacation" are key descriptions of BM in my book.
But I must repeat that BM is NOT for everyone.
We talk about Black Rock City as a society completely separate and different from anything else on Earth, and that's not far off the truth. One of the phrases is "An experiment in community", and that's very much what it is -- a model of something-that-could-be in a perfect world. The mind-set that we all get into as soon as we arrive is perhaps close to the ideal -- a strong sense of self-reliance with an equally strong willingness to help and cooperate with others. The main thing we leave behind in the "Default World" is egotism.
And for us mechanical-gadget types, Burning Man is absolute effin' Heaven -- more mechanical art than you ever thought existed on the Planet.
One thing that just came to mind.... You may hear "bring gifts". Well, some people bring trinkets to hand out, but that stuff tends to wind up in the trash after a day or two. Much better to bring somthing that you are or do. Contribute of yourself, rather than with something you brought. Sing. Pick up trash. Help somebody erect their art or stake down their tent. Invite a stranger who happens to be passing by your camp to share in your meal (there are no strangers!).
Bicycle maintenance is a big issue, because the dust gets into the chains and bearings. So if you can fix bicycles, you will be a hero! Here is a typical BM anecdote: A burner carried a garden sprayer with water, and whenever he heard a bicycle with a squeeking chain, he would give that chain a quick rinse and the squeeking would usually stop. He tried to do this from behind, so the rider didn't even know why the noise went away and the bike suddenly rolled easier.