Every year an unlikely group of creative minds gather in the middle of a dry harsh lakebed in Black Rock Desert, Nevada to practice radical self-reliance and radical self-expression, among other things. This year was the largest yet. Some 68,000 people came together to construct the temporary fully-functioning Black Rock City, which becomes the third largest city in the state for just one week a year.

But Black Rock City, or Burning Man, is not a normal place. It's a collaborative participatory experience, the ultimate experiment in community and creativity. Burning Man breaks preconceptions, borders, and boundaries on so many levels. Even after circling the globe, I've never found anyplace else quite like it.

That said, Burning Man is best experienced rather than described. Here are some Burning Man photos, just a small glimpse into my journey on the playa. (Thank you to all the artists who created such amazing structures on this year!)

The Church Trap, brilliant conceptual art piece with functioning organ inside

Beautiful woman made of steel mesh with some 3,000 LED lights inside for a lovely show at night

Tatooine or Black Rock Desert? Afternoon dust storm rolling in on Saturday before the burn officially starts

Umbrella field, especially awesome when illuminated at night

Stilt-walker, the man, and a giant beer sculpture

Dr. Deb leads the Sunday night temple dedication ceremony blessing the structure and gifting it to the community

View from inside this year's temple of Whollyness, built by Gregg Fleishman and friends Syn and Lightening

Friday before the gates officially open, everything is under construction on the playa

All photos were taken with an iPhone 4S.

For more images from Burning Man and my journey around the world, follow me on Instagram: @missjessrose