Cleaning thyself early entry

[MFOB]

So, I will be going in on the 23rd and building our art piece. Going in on the 23rd makes a long time until the 7th rolls around. I only have a minimalist shower and was thinking of heading out to Gerlach and getting cleaned up nicely once or twice before the Burn starts. Is there somewhere in Gerlach that has shower facilities and such?

[maladroit]

Why would you ruin your well-seasoned oldster patina?

[MFOB]

Something about being clean when the woman shows up makes me feel better about it.

Also, Psychologically, a good shower makes me feel much better about life. It makes my soul fell good.

[Eric]

Also, Psychologically, a good shower makes me feel much better about life. It makes my soul fell good.

Feeling good about your life is just asking for disaster. Just ask your fallen soul.


(totally useless for your question, but I had to. I just had to)

[maladroit]

Where's your lady coming from? I've done this before, drove down to Reno to pick her up from the airport. Did not miss the opportunity to grab a truck stop shower and some salad. Maybe you can leave a car somewhere or hit the grocery stores in Reno too and convoy back in.

[Captain Goddammit]

A drive to Reno is probably what you're looking at.
That, or bring more water so you can scrub. That's what I do.

[Token]

There are about a dozen different ways to experience luxury bathing on the playa during the hard-ass work crew weeks before the gates open.

I could go on and list the few of my wonderful experiences but that would really take away from your personal journey.

Go out there without expectations and live an experience 50000 of your neighbors will likely never have.

Embrace the vibe, channel the groove and let the journey take you.

Just let go and see what happens.

[MFOB]

Also, Psychologically, a good shower makes me feel much better about life. It makes my soul fell good.

Feeling good about your life is just asking for disaster. Just ask your fallen soul.


(totally useless for your question, but I had to. I just had to)

Thanks for picking up my misspelling... It makes me fell good when you do that!

[MFOB]

Where's your lady coming from? I've done this before, drove down to Reno to pick her up from the airport. Did not miss the opportunity to grab a truck stop shower and some salad. Maybe you can leave a car somewhere or hit the grocery stores in Reno too and convoy back in.

Driving from Washington.

[MFOB]

There are about a dozen different ways to experience luxury bathing on the playa during the hard-ass work crew weeks before the gates open.

I could go on and list the few of my wonderful experiences but that would really take away from your personal journey.

Go out there without expectations and live an experience 50000 of your neighbors will likely never have.

Embrace the vibe, channel the groove and let the journey take you.

Just let go and see what happens.

Word..... That sounds just about what I want to do. I really enjoy going in early. Makes me kind of sad when the gates open and ALL those people come.....

Oh, and I have lots of water. Ill scrub away in my shower I got. Its amazing how many 16oz. water bottles it takes to have a good shower.

[caffeineslinger]

Oh, and I have lots of water. Ill scrub away in my shower I got. Its amazing how many 16oz. water bottles it takes to have a good shower.

All your water is in 16oz bottles?

[gaminwench]

Come by Destiny Lounge, 3:45&B, and I'll treat you to a garden sprayer shower ... BLISS!!!

[Karma]

Baby wipes.. Problem solved ^_^

[MFOB]

FYI. ALL of my water is in 16 oz bottles. You are correct.

Thanks to those that understand what Im talking about. I don't mind being dirty, and I don't mind using the baby wipes I do every day, and I don't mind my minimalist shower structure, and I don't mind my 16oz water bottles, and I don't mind the cold showers, and I don't mind showering out in the open, and I don't mind the human carcass wash, and I don't mind the steam bath, and I don't mind a lot of stuff.

This is my story, my backup of why I asked.... Inevitably after a long ass work week in the heat and the dust I start to feel down and miss home and wonder what the fuck i'm doing here. I go thru an emotional rollercoaster when all I want is something recognizable, something normal, something that wasn't extreme, something that wasn't uhn tiss uhn tiss. It was Maybe Wed morning and I had been there since the previous Thur. I woke up feeling sad, feeling anxious, feeling like I just wanted to load up the truck and leave. I thought better and of that and knew it would get better if I could just tough it out. I hauled a 5 gallon bucket to the nicest RV I could find and asked if they had a shower I could use, I would trade them their shower water for 5 gallons of water. All I wanted was to feel real clean and have a clean place to get dressed. I don't know why, but I NEEDED it. The baby wipes and the garden sprayers and my 16oz water bottle shower got me clean enough to feel decent, but it wasn't about that. This wonderful family let me in to their extremely fancy RV whey they, and 2 teen-age kids were eating b-fast. They denied my gift of water and said they had plenty, I grudgingly agreed. They pointed me to the bathroom and showed me how to use the shower. I stripped off my clothes and got in. It wasn't a steaming how continuous shower. Still military style, but the water was instantly warm and flowed without abandon. I got wet, turned off the water, soaped up, washed my pits, and naughty bits, and my feet, and my entire body. It was awesome. Then I flipped the water back on, and cleaned off. I spent the next 10 minutes lathering lotion on my body (20 sec) and cleaning my mess, dust, mud, etc. (9:40). I was butt hurt and feeling down and upset, missing home, missing family, missing normalcy. I walked out of that RV like a new man, it was rejuvenating, it was refreshing, it was essentially a tiny piece of home (No I don't live in a 200k RV), it was exactly what I needed. The rest of the burn was refreshing and energetic and the most lively I had been. I was feeling helpless and down, and instantly became energized and happy.

The reason I asked the question is because I'm going in much earlier. I have to understand me and know me and with that I know Ill have emotions that I cant control. With the knowledge of last year, the elusive Hot Shower at TTITD is just what makes me me again, and it helped. I feel like I want to be prepared for that day when I wake up and have been working my ass off building art and have those down feelings again. I know other people like to have the patina and "embrace the dust" and all that shit, I do as well and could really care less about being "clean", as much as I care about taking care of myself. A clean warm to hot shower, rejuvenates my spirit and makes me a better Burner and a friendlier person. That's what does it for me. And all I need is 1. Not everyday, not this or that, just that one....

So thanks to those that replied and emailed with the great ideas. Ill look into most of them and take some of you up on the offers! And No I don't fucking bring all my water in 16 oz bottles..... phst...

Word

[MFOB]

Come by Destiny Lounge, 3:45&B, and I'll treat you to a garden sprayer shower ... BLISS!!!

Ill be at 4 and B so well essentially be neighbors!

[tamarakay]

I agree. My hot shower is vital to my mental well being. We have this nifty little bucket heater thing. Truly awesome.

[Captain Goddammit]

MFOB, you're my neighbor up here in WA. I'm just putting an option out three, the one I go with: bring an RV, but forget the $$$ stuff. A rickety old campe trailer with some rotted wood can be had dirt cheap, and works fine on the playa. It'll have a shower every bit as good as the one you described in the fancy RV. Its 700 miles from Seattle to BRC, not that big a deal.
It sure makes the playa more livable!!