Burning Alone

[gl0ww]

First time burner. 27/f/nyc. Thinking of traveling alone. Any serious opinions on this?

[maladroit]

If you need to do this, go for it. There are lots of guides for the stuff you'll need to be prepared, and traveling so far will force you to carefully consider each item.

You don't need to stay alone out there, just strike up a conversation with your neighbors. After all...there are lots of empty places to camp year round that aren't near 60,000 other people.

It is nice to have people there who know you off-playa, and can tell if you're in trouble, but that also imports some of your default world restrictions.

[VultureChow]

You can absolutely do that if you want to. Plenty of people solo camp and make friends with their neighbors.

That said, I live in NJ and if you're flying out there, you have to leave many of the creature comforts behind. Minimal shade, no shower etc. These are the types of things you can get from a good camp. And camp dues do not have to be hundreds of dollars.

[some seeing eye]

You will have an awesome time!

You might search this board for 'solo'. There are 'finding a camp threads'. We always suggest people meet their regional in person. There are many NYC tribes and subcultures that do things year around.

BM is a narrative culture. First timers are valued because they can tell the stories of their amazing experiences to the jaded ones. So camps may want you, of course you don't have to want them.

[gl0ww]

This may be a stupid question because I don't really know how it all works but... could I build a solo camp out of a pickup truck?

[some seeing eye]

Some people camp in pickup campers. If it is open bed, a tent might be better.

[VultureChow]

Driving out? Abso-freakin-lutely. As mentioned above, you can either sleep in your truck bed, or just carry everything you need in it. Shade structure, tent, supplies, bike, even a simple shower set up like a garden sprayer and shower pan.

I would think the truck heats up a bit, so I would go with a nice 4 person tent and monkey hut. You'll sleep well, you can get used tents cheap off Craigslist or for free on freecycle. Monkeyhuts are cheap to build, though you'll need space to build and try it out before you drive out. Not sure where you live in the city and whether you have grounds you can use.

[robbidobbs]

I camped in my toy truck for years. Get a small dome tent for your supplies and sleep in the back of the truck. You have a few months to find a shell, I cannot recommend shells highly enough for solo camping.
I'm currently seeking one for my little truck bed trailer. Nothing beats hard walls in a dirt storm.

[gl0ww]

That's a great idea! Can I hey one for a rental?

(Sorry. From NYC wet know nothing about cars :/) loll

[robbidobbs]

If you're renting a truck to drive from nyc to BRC then nix on the shell idea. You'll have bigger problems w mileage costs, scoring up the paint would be bad. I only saw "truck", and I immediately went to my little toy truck w the happy camper shell.
There are many groups on the east coast, I strongly encourage you to get hooked into a caravan, it's just safer.
VC? Did I step in something?

[VultureChow]

If you're renting a truck to drive from nyc to BRC then nix on the shell idea. You'll have bigger problems w mileage costs, scoring up the paint would be bad. I only saw "truck", and I immediately went to my little toy truck w the happy camper shell.
There are many groups on the east coast, I strongly encourage you to get hooked into a caravan, it's just safer.
VC? Did I step in something?

Hah! Not at all. Logistics from the East coast are always a little tricky, and I'm happy to help out the OP any way I can (within reason).

gl0ww, it would be helpful if you could be a bit more detailed with your plans and motivations.

1)Are you driving out or flying out?
2)Why are you looking to camp solo? Do you prefer to be alone? Concerned about joining an existing camp?
3)Are there any other limitations or strong wants? What are your interests in the event? Sound Camps or quiet back streets. Is a shower a must?

The good news is you're starting early and have plenty of time to iron out the details. I started the same way. 32yo female going by myself, flying out from NJ.

[Chowski]

Hey there SnycF27. I burned solo my sophomore year, and thought I'd share my experiences. I agree with those that say camping alone is fine. It can be pretty expensive and requires detailed planning, as you really have to be prepared for anything. This means that not only must you bring your food, water, shelter and such, but you must also bring every contingency item that can be shared when you're travelling with a larger group (rebar, a sledgehammer for your rebar, an extra gas-can, shade, emergency car repair items, emergency medical kit, a chair, a mirror, a tabletop to set down your coffee in the morning, etc.) When you burn solo, you either have to bring everything, or plan on going without, and while there are comforts one could do without, there are necessities that would be unfair to EXPECT your neighbors to let you use.

I burned solo my second year specifically in order to embrace radical self-reliance - something that wasn't an issue my first burn since I went with veterans. I spent about eight months really planning, buying used things where I could, making clothes, stalking Craigslist and going to Burner garage sales. It was rewarding, and I now have ALL THE THINGS for subsequent burns. You can do it, too.

Here's where my advice departs from the practical - why do you want to go alone? My solo year, once I go there and patted myself on the back for being so radically self-reliant, I found it a little lonely, even though I was surrounded by potential friends. Yes, I went out and met people and had a great time, and loved it. But, I missed having MY camp to lay around in the morning, to go on excursions, to dress up for night, to reflect on the art we had seen. On days when I was exhausted, and just wanted to stay in the shade with a mimosa, I did it alone. The relationship you have with your campmates can be really wonderful, even people you've just met. There is something about the shared effort of surviving which creates community - there's a reason both of those things are part of the principles - and which significantly adds to the experience.

Further, I found that sometimes it was hard to approach a camp or an event and become part of the flow of things. It may be because I was a man turning forty, and older single men are sometimes misjudged as being skeevy. You may have an easier time as a young woman. But it can be difficult to approach a social situation which is, by it's nature communal when you are solo. Each encounter requires you to balance the need to "put yourself into it" without "being the wierd girl who doesn't have any friends". Does that make sense? There is something about human nature that makes us accept others when they already have friends, and eye with mild suspicion people who don't.

If I were you, and since we are still six months from the burn, I would seek out a camp. While I know that camping solo is doable, and rewarding, I would never do it again. I will always burn with others, as the experience is simply easier and more fun. I hope this rambling helps. Whichever way you decide, good luck.

Mr. Pepperdine

[gl0ww]

Thank you VultureChow! I'm definitely a bit overwhelmed here. To answer your questions
I'm definitely flying in
I'd like to rent a truck and ideally camp out of the bed.
I dont know if I'm looking for a camp. I'm not opposed to it. I'm not looking to be an absolute loner. But I'd like to be able to observe a bit before I commit to anything... if that makes sense.
I just want to be in a place where I can let my phone battery die and talk to people and not wear any clothes if I don't want to. I'm usually pretty reserved and I don't like it. I've heard nothing but amazing things about BM and something strong is telling me I need to go this year.
Ideally I'd like to shower, but I won't die if I don't.
Quite back streets sound nice. I can always go find the noise.

Mr Pepperdine... I understand exactly what you're saying. I travel alone all the time. I've backpacked Europe alone, I've driven cross country alone, heck, I'm going to Mardi Gras tomorrow alone. Crap... I sound so sad and lonely... maybe I should find a group. Lollll

I think I answered them all. Thank you so much, everybody for your concern and guidance!

[VultureChow]

As Robbidobbs said, a hard top camper on the truck probably won't work for a rental in Reno. Bear in mind that most camps who welcome a virgin don't seem to expect much beyond you a) not dying and b)not being an ass. Plus you have some time to see if there's anyone you click with before committing. The BM community in NYC has weekly happy hours on Wednesday.

[VultureChow]

There's a thread on here that adresses Truck camping, but mostly with hard tops. How tall are you, because you could probably sleep in a minivan with the stowaway seating they have now.

[trilobyte]

What VultureChow said regarding camping in a rental truck (the thread she mentions can be found here). I don't know whether or not that would apply to a rental flatbed truck (you would need to read through the full rental agreement), but what with it being a desert and all I can't imagine that camping in the bed of it would be very comfortable. Your mileage may vary, of course, and one of the great things about Burning Man is that there's no one way to do it.

If completely solo works for you, awesome. It does mean that you're 100% responsible for everything you need to sort out, but that's certainly not an impossible task. There are a TON of resources - from the First Timer's Guide and Survival Guide (both considered required reading for all burners) to ridiculous amount of information all over this board. Spend some time looking things over, formulate your plans, and if you have a question you don't see already asked around here someplace, post it in the appropriate forum for the question and people will often chime in to share answers, tips and experiences. We were all new once, we've all had to solve many of the same problems and tackle similar challenges.

You mentioned something about being shy, so I'll point you to a great thread with tips for shy people at Burning Man. Her post is a really great read, and there's some really great info in there. Good luck!

[VultureChow]

This was the one I was thinking of: viewtopic.php?t=16501

It specifically deals with pickups.

Shade is one of the most essential things you'll need out there. it is also one of the hardest things to manage if you are flying in. Organized camps will help you with that. Otherwise you can try to rig something up yourself or make friends with your neighbors.

[digital]

Not sure which kind of truck you plan on renting but if it has a flatbed take a look at the following tents:

http://www.kodiakcanvas.com/truck-tents/

Canvas tents are the way to go out there and Kodiac makes a great product. Also, for cheaper and less obvious truck rentals you might consider flying into somewhere other than Reno and driving the remainder of the way. Everyone in Reno knows what goes on that week and often will charge extra.

[mudpuppy000]

Not sure if you're renting a truck or have one already, but you could also consider a minivan or cargo van. I camped in my xterra for three years and was solo my first time in BRC. Having an enclosed vehicle around you is nice because you can lock it, and it cuts down on the noise around you (wind, music, people talking). It's going to get hot during the day unless you roll down the windows, even if it's shaded.

[Meat Hunter]

Flying in to another location is not a bad idea a'tall and it will be much easier to locate a rental truck.

It is my opinion that flying if you fly into some place east or southeast that you will have much better luck finding a rental.

Yes, you will have a 1-1/2 to 2 day drive ahead of you, but if you cannot locate a rental closer, this option would take a lot of the stress out of managing the rental logistics of being alone for your first burn. The terrain is beautiful and you would have the time to do you last minute shopping at your leisure.

[some seeing eye]

This is excellent, preparation and research!

There are some vehicle renting details you might research about cleaning the dust off them and where to rent from. Many ePlaya threads. Sure many recent NYC fly to Reno, rent a car people will have information to share.

Some people join a camp and car share with their campmates to/from the event. That gets you to your campsite rather than carrying all your stuff across town. There is the Burner Express bus - much info on the burningman.org website and ePlaya, and one ePlayan Just Joe created a semi-solo camp last year.

The Jack Rabbit Speaks archives are also informative.

[leafx]

First time burner. 27/f/nyc. Thinking of traveling alone. Any serious opinions on this?

hey, first time solo burner too flying into Reno; 27/m/chi and i need some new friends

[CyanEssence]

I've always headed to the playa solo, via rideshare from SF with strangers, planning to camp solo. But somehow I always end up being adopted by a nearby (usually small, and unregistered) camp. I rack this up to keeping a high give-to-take ratio, and being friendly and helpful. Daily MOOPing of the site, grabbing an extra bag of ice on your Artica runs and gifting the camp ice, helping out if something goes sideways, etc are all easy ways to contribute.

Keep in mind though, not all camps, especially more established camps with dues and duties, will be ecstatic about taking in an orphan burner (I'm talking about on playa, I'm sure many would take you in if you got involved pre-burn).

It's kind of fun going into it with no idea about where and with whom I will be camped. I've made some friends doing this too, people I actually keep in touch with. These relationships have led to others, a cascading effect, and I now find myself in the middle of a build team. I was surprised when someone once told me that they've only gone to Burning Man with people that they already knew, and have not developed any new (lasting) friendships or social networks via the burn.

Four years in, and only now am I considering camping with an established camp (on purpose, and planning to before I head out), and only because I was invited to do so. Honestly, this stresses me out more than the idea of just going at it alone. But that is because I have more responsibility (build team, camp duties), however, I am also giving a lot more to the event, which is awesome.

Doing rideshare means I have had to minimize what I bring (which I imagine is what people on planes have to do as well):

- I don't bring shade, other than my tent. (Generally, people ask me if I want to use their RV, vehicle, or other structure as shade, you can do this by putting your tent on the North, or ideally, North and West side of some sun-blocking object(s))

- I use a backpacking sleeping pad, not a mattress or cot.

- I cook my meals before I go, put them in meal-size portions in ziploc, freeze, and put in a cooler. I don't care if I eat them cool, or whatever the ambient temp of the desert is (this would involve more planning for you since you are flying in).

- I use my faux-fur coat as a pillow

- I bring more food than I can eat, and booze than I can drink, and share (which is great when the energy of my neighbors is low, and probably helps with ingratiating myself with them)

- perhaps most importantly, I keep a very flexible attitude

Keep in mind that this is Burning Man, and there is a much more open atmosphere that lends itself to making new connections. I find it easier to meet new people out there than I do at a bar, in classes, or just about any place else in defaultia.

My overall opinion would be go for it. Solo camping is great, involves little responsibility, leaves tons of time for exploring BRC, and it's a wonderful opportunity to find your kind of people within the greater social world that is Burning Man.

[Aurelia]

I went alone and loved it

I also bought pvc pipe and turned my truck into a camper without buying expensive shell

you will enjoy the get ready part ..daunting but fun

pm me if you want a good camp.. some single experienced NYC persons

xoA.

[tatonka]

any pics of your pvc camper frame aserendipity ?

[FIGJAM]

This was on a short bed.

It was easy to make it tall enough to stand up in.

[Fan C]

Heck three of our camp were solo burners who just happened to be our neighbors.

[graidawg]

I planed to camp solo my first year, spent a bit of time on here and ended up part of an awesome camp and the best damn village on the playa.
if you plan and are flexible things will work out. The one thing nobody has mentioned and i think its worth bringing up is, you only have one first time. So plan like crazy decide what is important to you. let everything else be adjustable.

[FIGJAM]

First year solo burn.

Three of my 6 neighbors sharing my shade.

[Aurelia]

or don't plan like crazy

just go with what you need to survive
and something to give away to your new best friends

no pics
busy

not like Figgy's..straight tall pvc and elbow joints
challenge is fun
IF you have what you need to survive

xoA.