(Photo: Guillermo.D)

Sand storms bring out interesting conversation.

That's what I was thinking as fine dust hit every inch of my face, flooding my sunglasses and burning my eyes. I pulled a white bandana up over my face, and then — as suddenly as it started — it ended.

The three people seated around me came back into view, I took a sip of water, and we continued where we left off. Just another late morning at Burning Man.

I've since returned to San Francisco from the middle of the Nevada...