Your secret tip you are now ready to reveal?

Burp! · Post by **Burp!** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:27 am

Get yourself one of those turkey pans, Aluminum type deals

.

Some Dr Bronner's Magic Soap, Get the peppermint

Every morning take the melted ice water from the coolers and fill the pan, put in some soap and stick your feet in. Soak away. Believe me this will change your BM life.

T.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:55 am

I use plastic dishpans, or the disposable wash basins from hospital stays for the same thing.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:41 pm

Never go camping without the foot pan.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:30 pm

If you're sleeping in the bed of your truck or SUV, lay a thickish blanket down first and then your uninflated air mattress on top of the blanket. Then pack everything else on top.

Bags are easier to pack than boxes.

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:39 pm

Dr. Bronners doesn't do anything for my feet. Curel Ultra Healing lotion is what's saved my feet the past two years and I avoid the grey water mess too.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:02 pm

Yep, I prefer Gold Bond Foot Creme, use it all year. Utah dries me feetsies out no matter what, the playa isn't much different humidity-wise.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:21 pm

My secret mixture of Playa Oil — good for skin, feet and hair!

10 parts olive oil
2 parts coconut oil
2 parts melted cocoa butter
1 part pure orange oil
.25 part any essential oil that you like the smell of (optional)

Melt cocoa butter, mix into the others. Stir to mix thoroughly, aeration not necessary.

For daily bathing: Forget the water, slather oil on, scrape off into plastic basin with plastic knife or bowl scraper.

For feet at night: take off surface grime with a baby wipe, slather on a teaspoon of oil per foot, cover with clean pair of socks.

For hair in the morning: 1 teaspoon of oil for shoulder-length and shorter, rub through with hands. Add 1 teaspoon per foot of length below shoulders.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:11 pm

Nice one Diane.

i'd add that for those who can get past the 'ick' factor that people might look at investing in Bag Balm and smearing just a tad on their inner socks just before going to bed. Sleep with the socks on. Take em off first thing in the morning (or the middle of the night if needed) and soak for five minutes in a pan of water for the same effect. Doing it with breakfast coffee is a double plus.

Cabanasprings · Post by **Cabanasprings** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 5:06 pm

My secret tips -

Leave your expectations at home in your sock drawer - you'll have more fun that way.

Discuss the boundries with your SO before you pass through the gate - you'll have more fun that way.

Oh - and - have fun.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:36 pm

Bag Balm prevents playa hand, Larry cannot live in the dust without it. We've yet to figure out why dust doesn't stick to it, you'd think it would.

Post by **Eric** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:26 pm

When you find yourself getting jaded bring a newbie. Make sure to go out with them exploring.

It's amazing how a fresh face can show you things you've missed or never would have found.

skygod · Post by **skygod** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 4:43 pm

My secret tip is to know your neighbors and work your way out from there.
And the Costco sized aloe vera keeps my ffet happy. If comfy feet doesnt make you happy, then there is no happiness for you!

Steven bradford · Post by **Steven bradford** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:48 am

Instead of bringing block Ice from home, bring 2 liter soda bottles, filled with water and frozen. advantage is that as it melts, the water is contained, and you can use it for drinking. It also seems to last longer. They're easy to pack. Also do the same with small personal water bottles.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 8:11 am

Stop by the Doller Tree and get a refletive car window shade. $1 per wndow of the car/van. Cut, shape and tape a shade for each window. You can get velcro at a Big Lot or sewing notions of any store. Get the ones that come pre cut into small squares. Apply the velcro to the shade. Both sides of the velcro to each shade. When you get to BM apply the made up shades to each window. Put blankets over the car/van Then cover with tarps. This sounds like a lot of messing around. It will protect you car and made a cooler area to sit in. In my van I wrapped the water cooler in a blanket and tarp. The ice held until I returned home. And supplied me with ice cold drinks all week

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 9:28 am

Take a siesta in the middle of the day. Ooh! Big Secret revealed!

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:56 am

(1) Condition your hair by the gobs before you leave, and bring a really good leave-in conditioner with you. Your hair will loove you for it.

(2)Bring a pee can with a lid. Not a 5 gallon bucket, but something small you can use, then take to the portapotties after sunrise. Beats having to walk 4 blocks to go weewee in the middle of the night when you *gotta* go.

(3) Keep your canned beverages in a separate cooler from everything else. You can then re-use the clean "can" water for other things (like washing and showers) without getting icky with food yuck.

bb

Das Bus · Post by **Das Bus** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 12:20 pm

For dishwashing, I have two spray bottles: one with soapy water, one with clean water.

Spray dirty dishes with soapy water, use a paper towel or 'wet one' for wiping/scrubbing off food particles. Then spray with clean water for the 'rinse'. Use a paper towel to soak up the miniscule amount of 'grey' water and waalaa! No moopy dishwater!

Also, I keep an empty 1 gal water bottle and funnel any grease (or whatever from cooking) into. Then seal it up for transport and disposal when I get home.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 4:56 am

Bring gifts for the BRCPO Window Monsters. I had someone at the postoffice greet me with a hideous scowl-and-growl, and then almost immediately apologize when I gave them a custom Black Rock Post Office playatag. Fun!

If you plan to hit Camp Arctica at peak times, bring handpuppets and put on a show for the Ice Queens (and Kings) under the shadecloth wall.

Pack a special beverage or treat where you can get to it as soon as you've unpacked and set up your camp. Tinman that I am, I prefer a Foster's Oilcan.

djaded · Post by **djaded** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 7:18 am

Best tip I can offer to those who bring their SO and need their sleep: Get two twin air mattresses instead of a queen or double. That way you won't bounce if they get up a lot or are tossing and turning. Plus, if you are in the dog house (I tend to sleep there more than the dog), you can move your mattress into your new SO's tent.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 10:14 am

djaded wrote:Best tip I can offer to those who bring their SO and need their sleep: Get two twin air mattresses instead of a queen or double. That way you won't bounce if they get up a lot or are tossing and turning. Plus, if you are in the dog house (I tend to sleep there more than the dog), you can move your mattress into your new SO's tent.

That's the voice of playa experience talking right, yes siree.

sunn · Post by **sunn** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 2:45 pm

Agree with Sue...leave in conditioner for long hair really helps.

Lots of good lotion! Esp for your feet, but skin gets dry as well there

theBrooke · Post by **theBrooke** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 6:56 pm

Super secrets... Well this is all i got.

Jockey Goggles, Clear - They cost about $5 and I've tried everything from french aviators, skydiving goggles, motorcycle ones... which cost up to 10 times as much. Jockey goggles are the best hands down. Every year I bring a couple extra to bestow on someone with poopy goggles, they rock. You can get them at your local friendly tack store.

PlayaPetal · Post by **PlayaPetal** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 7:41 pm

I was at a party last night and a friend was passing around a paper with instructions for a ZipLock Omlette. Apparently, place a few eggs and whatever you like in your omlette into a ZipLock baggy and boil in water - I haven't tried it yet, but I think I may experiment at home before attempting it on the paya - if it works that could be cool.

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:23 pm

The P-38 ... or the P-51 ... which is just a larger version of the P-38.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:19 am

Ever try to simmer anythhing on your little gas stove? Don't work do it? I use a 2inch deep camp boiling pan w/a lite grill over it. It will hold three tea candels. OR use a floating candle in a tuna can The floating one is good for rice.
For a wind sheild use some valley (roofing) flashing. It comes in a roll. Cut what you need for your largest pan. Cut a couple slots along the bottom for fire air. Cut out a (pan) retreval opening. Place it over the burner And ajust to the pan size. From boiling, simmer rice 12 min. That making a cup dry rice.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:41 am

Gift the ticket window people. I mean, <b>GIFT the ticket window people!!</b> They have to pull order out of semi-chaos and deal with thousands.

Lorgasm · Post by **Lorgasm** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:44 am

Bug sprayers from Home Depot make for excellent showers!

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:46 am

Excellent everything sprayable, actually. They even run misting systems.

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:16 am

Don't bring any food that needs to be cooked. I only bring food that tastes good cold or can be left in the sun to warm up. I eat like a king (burritos, shrimp, fresh pineapple and canteloupe, etc) and have no dishes or fuel or any other crap to deal with.

Pull the clip-on belt off a pair of outdoorsy pants. After putting on sarong, clip the belt around it. No more sarong flying off in the wind.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:29 am

Dork wrote:No more sarong flying off in the wind.

Dang it Dork! You just made me flash on Barney "Come back, diaper!"