What I learned as a newbie.

[monkeyprolabs]

BURNING MAN BEGINNERS GUIDE - THE OBSCURE STUFF

Ok. In the spirit of gifting, I would like to give a little something back for all the birgins that come after me.

As somebody who’d been trying/wanting to go to Burning Man for 15+ years, I probably knew more about it and the prep that goes into it than anybody who'd never actually burned. I’d scoured ePlaya for months leading up to the burn, reading everything I could about packing, transpo, how to deal with the heat and dust, food storage and cooking. Everything. There is a ton of information out there, and what you see below is a synthesis of some of the most important points i gleaned from ePlaya and my own experience as a birgin. This is NOT a comprehensive list. I've left off a lot of the obvious stuff that deals with transpo, camping, swamp coolers, etc. Rather, this is a compilation of the more esoteric aspects of prep that made a huge impact on my first burn.

#1 Get with an established camp if you can. It is important not only from an infrastructure and support perspective, but also in terms of your ability to contribute on your first burn. I was anxious to make sure I was able to experience and live up to the 10 Principles, and chief among my concerns was the ability to give something back while I was there. Getting with a camp gives you the chance to be part of a community. There are so many shared duties in a camp: cooking, cleaning, ice runs, moop sweeps. I found myself swelling with pride as I walked around giving out bags of ice I’d humped from Arctica right after the rain storm and nobody could get out. Let me be clear: getting with a camp is NOT a requirement, it just makes things a bit easier. I can’t tell you exactly how to get with a camp; everyone needs to find the right fit. Don’t rush into anything. Audition a lot of groups. Be honest about your intentions and how you think you can contribute to the community. (This past year I heard some horror stories about travelers from afar being ripped off by a guy promising placement in a camp with bikes and food and such. Don’t view a camp as a way to avoid being self-sufficient. It is a way to meet people and find fellowship.)

#2 Put your name on EVERYTHING. Find yourself some sturdy luggage tags (i used rubbery soft ones) and fill them out with your name, playa address (if known), real world address and phone number. Put one on your backpack, one of your bike, and one on each piece of luggage. Bike “borrowing” is definitely a thing, and if you rent a bike you could easily lose your deposit if the bike goes missing. It also makes retrieving lost items from Lost-and-Found a easier and faster.

#3 Camelbak. You’re probably already aware of this, but a Camelbak is the closest thing to required playa-wear as anything. What you probably don’t know is that you’ll be wanting to customize your pack and straps to keep things close at han,d so you don’t have to go digging for them in your pack. Chapstick, tools, goggles, your cup. All these things should be dangling from your straps via carabiners, velcro or zip ties. Bring lots of zip ties. You will find tons of uses for them.

#4 Lanyards. Just like all the custom rigging on your Camelback, lanyards can come in handy, too. I used one to hold my rental car keys along with yet another luggage tag with my name on it. As i was loading/unloading the car i kept the keys around my neck to avoid misplacing them. You do not want to get caught on the playa in a rental car without keys. That shit gets expensive.

#5 ID. Get a state issued ID card to supplement your driver’s license. As crazy as it seems, the camps on the playa serving booze will card you. Some of them will accept a photocopy of your ID as proof. Others will not. You don’t want to carry around you actual license (in case you lose it and are needing it to fly home, etc). Luckily the majority of the bars I went to accepted my photocopy (which was taped to my cup with packing tape). Those that didnt’ accept it i just didnt’ worry about. No biggie.

#6 Boots. I agonized over my choice of footwear for months. ePlaya was full of opinions about footwear. I knew boots were the safe way to go, both in terms of physical safety (kicking rebar tent stakes), and hygiene safety (avoiding playa foot). But I knew from camping and hiking experience that I would be miserable in the desert wearing anything remotely resembling a real boot. I really wanted to find a lightweight breathable boot. I tried all of the “desert” military boots, only to find them too heavy, too uncomfortable or simply too hot. Finally I found Palladium boots. Made in the UK, they have a very soft, lightweight boot called the Pallabrouse Baggy, which is I describe as a beefed up version of Converse All Stars. They have a capped toe, which is great for safety, and the footbed is crazy comfortable and supportive (which is not the case with Converse). I wore mine for nine days straight in the desert and didn’t get a single blister. Honestly, I forgot i was wearing them.

#7 Socks. You can have the best boots in the world, but if your socks suck you are going to be miserable. Again, heat was the big concern for me. I do all of my hiking in cool climates, and even then, wearing the right type of smart wool sock can make your feet a bit too warm. I auditioned several lightweight hiking socks, and the Thorlo Ultralight hiking socks won, hands down. At $15/pair, these socks aren’t cheap, but they kept my feet cool and dry. The combination of those with the Palladium boots was a win/win.

#8 Gloves. While we’re on the subject of boots, here’s something invaluable I learned from ePlaya: wear gloves when you lace your boots. Seems like overkill to me, but at the end of a week my very robust mechanic’s gloves were shredded. Yes, I was also using them to secure tent lines and such, but I honestly think the majority of the wear came from the playa-impregnated laces on my boots. They take on the qualities of sandpaper. In fact, next year I’m bringing two new pair of mechanic’s gloves (Firm Grip with the rubberized fingers and palm. Pretty much the most expensive Firm Grip they make, but worth it because of how nimble the keep your fingers).

#9 Goggles. Since I wear prescription glasses for everything I do, my goggle situation had to accommodate them. I’ve worn over-the-glasses goggles for snow skiing, so I knew such things existed. But on the playa you also have to worry about dust. I ended up bringing three pair of goggles: a pair of clear prescription motorcycle goggles, a pair of over-glasses tinted goggles, and a pair of yellow over-glasses goggles for high contrast. In the end I only wore the yellow pair. They were perfect for day AND night. Putting them on over my sunglasses was not a problem with visibility. In fact, the yellow high-contrast lenses made things pop more in the dust. And at night they were fine over my regular prescription glasses (although there were rarely dust storms at night. Usually no later than dusk.) So, to sum up: get a pair of yellow hi-con goggles and quit worrying. No matter if you were prescription glasses or not: they will fit over your sunglasses during the day and can be worn by themselves at night.

#10 Port-o-lets. Make yourself a little “go” bag to take with your to the potties. I used a large fanny pack for mine. In it I carried: soft 1-ply toilet paper, baby wipes, clorox wipes and some spare disposable plastic bags (like the kind from the supermarket). You are NOT allowed to throw any kind of wipes in the potties, even if they are “flushable.” Don’t do it! What I did was use the Clorox wipes to clean the seat well, then wrapped up the wipe(s) in one of the plastic bags to be disposed of in camp. Cleaning the seat with the Clorox wipe made you less grossed out by the idea of planting you ass on it. If you want you can then use baby wipes and dispose of them in the same bag. Bring enough of the plastic bags for two a day.

#11 Zip-Locs. You can get HUGE bags made my Ziploc for storing stuff for the winter, etc. I bought the 24” x 24” variety. In it i stowed a couple changes of clothes I’d be wanting for my post-burn stay in Reno and airplane ride home. Glad I did this after a day-long dust storm covered absolutely everything else in my life with a fine layer of dust. I also used one of these to store my socks and underwear for the week.

#12 Bathing. Unless you have an RV, you can probably forget about having any type of shower you’d recognize as such from the default world. The big problem is capturing and disposing of grey water (runoff from the shower, dish washing, etc). Everyone is going to tell you that baby wipes are the your best friend for getting clean, but I found a better way… Go to Target or WalMart and buy yourself a couple packs of inexpensive hand towels or dish towels. Dip that sucker in your ice chest and start scrubbing away at all your dirty parts. It is amazing how much better you feel when you get to scour off all the accumulated layers of sunscreen and dust. When I was done with the rags I’d clip them to the top of my tent to dry out in the sun, then threw them in with my dirty clothes to take home. I really didn’t notice a problem with body odor from myself or my camp mates, even though baths were hard to come by. The environment is just so dry that sweat really doesn’t have a chance to get funky on your skin.

#13 Sarongs. Wow, those South Pacific islanders really had it right with the sarongs. Those things are worth their weight in gold. Make sure you get the good natural cotton ones and not the synthetics.

#14 Scarves. You’re gonna need these for dust storms and also as a head covering in the sun. Be careful of inexpensive versions of the arabic “shemagh” scarves. They might say “100% cotton” but I found some I bought to heavy and unbreathable, indicating they were probably blends. Generally the more expensive shemaghs are the lighter and more breathable variety.

#15 Outfits/Thrift Stores. Start thift store shopping EARLY. Hit them every month or so as their inventory turns over. Pay attention to the ladies' section (even if you are a guy). That’s where the fun stuff is.

#16 Food. Think carefully about anything you are making that requires preparation or cleanup. Make sure you have the right implements (i.e. spatula for making eggs).

#17 Garbage. When you leave with your garbage bags you’re gonna want to get rid of those things quickly, especially if they are in your car (if you strap them to the room make sure you secure them WELL). The first couple of people along the highway around Gerlach are going to be charging top dollar to take those off your hands ($10 a bag). If you drive a few miles further you’ll find people charging $3-5/bag. Also, bring extra garbage bags and double-bag all bags you are taking out of camp in your vehicle. The last thing you want is some unidentifiable goop oozing from the bag while you’re lashing it to the roof rack (or heaven forbid, inside your car).

#18 Cameras. Be in the moment. Forget about your camera as much as you can. I know the impulse will be to snap pictures everywhere. But don’t. Just experience it. Anything you want to document will be documented by a score of other people on Tumblr or Flickr. Trust me on this one.

[Dr. Pyro]

Perhaps the most insightful and spot-on commentary from an ex-newbie I have ever read. It should be required reading for all newbs. But just one thing: if you're looking for a camp, ours is full. Look elsewhere. Thankyouverymuch.

[danibel]

I like all of this, except the trash on top of the car thing. That is the number one way to ensure the roadside will be covered in trash.

If you brought it there, you should be able to take it home. I highly recommend a 5 gallon bucket with a tight fitting lid to take home "wet" trash in. Or you can dry peels and other wet trash in a mesh bag before packing. Keeping your garbage IN the vehicle is safer and better for all, if at all possible. If not possible, get a net rope like the one below. It will ensure less of the trash escapes.

[Drawingablank]

Overall a great post, although I have some more to say about #1

Camping with an established camp can be really great (which is why I do). It can also be a horrible experience if you are not a good fit for the group or there are personality clashes (or worse - see some of the horror stories on Eplaya). You will still meet plenty of folks and find fellowship if camping solo - years later I still keep in touch with many of our neighbors from my fist burn (solo camping).

I usually advise burgins to solo camp their first burn. While at the burn you can actually see the various camps in action and makes notes about those you have an affinity for and try to join them for your next burn. Joining a camp that you are not 100% compatible with could cause some major issues that might really put a damper on your experience.

[jneilvindy]

I would like to add a comment.

Take pictures! Bring your camera!

But don't bother with pics of the art, art cars ect. And random pics of people isn't very polite.

But do take pics of your campmates, neighbors. The fun camp that invited you to sit down under their shade structure and have a few drinks. Or watch a show. Or just chill out to some good tunes.

Get a few "glamour" shots taken. You know, you with the man behind you or some awesomely burning performance or art. Think how it is going to look as your facebook profile or your cell phone wallpaper ect.

Basically make all the pics you take personal and mental landmarks for remembering your burn and the people you shared it with.

1 or 2 pics an hour isn't going to ruin your burn and certainly isn't going to take you out of any moment. Just don't get all caught up in being a professional photographer and going for framed shots and barking orders at friends like you was ordering Zoolander around and you'll be fine

[Savannah]

Overall a great post, although I have some more to say about #1

Camping with an established camp can be really great (which is why I do). It can also be a horrible experience if you are not a good fit for the group or there are personality clashes (or worse - see some of the horror stories on Eplaya). You will still meet plenty of folks and find fellowship if camping solo - years later I still keep in touch with many of our neighbors from my fist burn (solo camping).

I usually advise burgins to solo camp their first burn. While at the burn you can actually see the various camps in action and makes notes about those you have an affinity for and try to join them for your next burn. Joining a camp that you are not 100% compatible with could cause some major issues that might really put a damper on your experience.

Yes--Great guide overall. And I agree with you that some mighty fine burns are to be had solo or with just one other friend or two. It really depends on who you are & what you want out of the experience. If your instinct tells you to camp small, do it!

Also, no one can ever force me to use a Camelbak, because using a canteen makes me feel like I'm in the Foreign Legion, and no one will take that away from me!

(But yes, it holds less water.)

[graidawg]

hipflasks. if you are going out take a hipflask. people behind bars love it when you offer them a drink. and card them.

[monkeyprolabs]

Savannah,

if you get those boots i mentioned above http://www.amazon.com/Palladium-Mens-Pa ... B004DGJ1ES you'll really start to feel like you're in the Legion.

[The Rod]

hipflasks. if you are going out take a hipflask. people behind bars love it when you offer them a drink. and card them.

That is a fantastic idea.

[Eric]

Great list, with a lot of simple tips that could get buried elsewhere.

#11 Zip-Locs. You can get HUGE bags made my Ziploc for storing stuff for the winter, etc. I bought the 24” x 24” variety. In it i stowed a couple changes of clothes I’d be wanting for my post-burn stay in Reno and airplane ride home. Glad I did this after a day-long dust storm covered absolutely everything else in my life with a fine layer of dust. I also used one of these to store my socks and underwear for the week.

I swear by ziplocks for my small items (I use the sandwich size to put in a pair of undies & socks for each day), but they're too bulky for me for larger items like t-shirts, kaffiyeh's (shemaghs) etc. For those I use the travel "vacuum bags", most of which can actually be empties of air without a vacuum - just roll them. You can put a ton of clothes in them and when you get rid of the air they shrink by 1/3 or more. On playa just pull out what you want and reseal/ re-vacuum. Everything in there stays clean & dust free all week, plus you can reuse the bags to compress your laundry on the way out. I've started bringing the huge pillow-size one for my laundry.

[DoctorIknow]

As many opinions of what a newbie should know from experienced burners as there are …. Well, you know….

It's not healthy to be anally retentive about such matters, so, here's my words of dubious wisdom:

Established camp:
I always suggest to virgins that they do it on their own the first time. If you read the eplaya a lot, you’ll notice posts of long time burners who have done theme camps for years and have very close friends in them, and will wish, or act upon, returning to their “roots” and going solo…not even visiting their old home on the playa. With all the duties, activity, socializing and comfort of a group camp, it CAN become a black hole (like an RV!) that one just has a hard time leaving, when, right outside the door or camp, AMAZING things are there for you. There is a WHOLE lot of things to do at BM, and being with people inevitably restricts ones adventures on their own. Plus, camping alone doesn't mean not having new friends: they could be right next to you wherever you camp if you give them a chance and they give you a chance. And even if they and you are assholeish, doesn't mean you'll leave BM without learning more than you thought imaginable in a one week adventure.

Camelbak:
Eplaya discussions about them vs. everything else remind me of Mac vs. PC discussions. Just have water with you whenever you leave camp unless it is the 100 steps trip to the port-o-potties, and for all the stuff like goggles/masks/sunscreen….. figure it out. It's not complicated.

Boots:
Sort of like PC vs. Mac. If you wear boots in the default world, then you’ll love them. Otherwise, whatever you wear, have LOTS of socks available for one use. Get two cheap 12 packs of 100% cotton at Target or wherever. If there is any dust in them when you take them off, toss them in your evaporation pit as they do a great job of wicking greywater.

Socks: see above.

Gloves: Yes, working gloves can be great for building or taking apart infrastructure. Otherwise, I’m not the only one going out there with a box of 100 nitrile or latex “exam” gloves. Yes, they rip during camp build, but so what, put on new ones. Many people wear them on adventures on the playa, some put cream on their hands before putting them on. And for picking up moop, believe me, going for that encrusted watermelon seed or sequin without protection can be fun instead of having the playa embed under your fingernails.

Camera:
The argument above to “keep it in your pants most of the time” is very good for newbies, but that’s not the energy emanating from the digital tool in your pocket: it wants you to take 500 pictures, and wants you to post ALL of them online and make viewers wonder if you even looked at them all yourself as many are exactly the same framing and same people or events! Instead, go old school and be limited because you have no other option. (BTW, having no options is one of the greatest things one can experience out there!) Yes, the “disposable” or “single use” cameras with 27 shots (with flash!) are still around, even in big box stores. They are compact, and you will actually work really hard to make a good picture. And, you’ll actually get PRINTS back from Walgreens (they really are into photos now) that you can hold in your hand or put on your refrigerator! If you have to put them in social media, just take a picture of the picture….even Macbots cumming over their retina displays won’t notice the difference.

[Meat Hunter]

Change your socks and wash your hands and feet at the end of every day with a water/vinegar solution.

[Captain Goddammit]

#12 Bathing. Unless you have an RV, you can probably forget about having any type of shower you’d recognize as such from the default world. The big problem is capturing and disposing of grey water (runoff from the shower, dish washing, etc).

First, awesome write-up! But I'll take issue with that shower quip, unless you're flying in. Then you're doomed to being a dirty hippy.

[Eric]

Just have water with you whenever you leave camp unless it is the 100 steps trip to the port-o-potties

Fixed it for you.

I'm a firm believer that you should have water even if you're "just" going to the blue rooms, because lord knows I've either run into a friend around them and wandered off, or a bright sparkly has grabbed my eye. If I'm leaving my camp, I have at least one container of water on me.

[graidawg]

Best thread in ages.

Always have water on your person or next to you, I've walked 10 steps away from camp to talk to someone and come back 4 hours later.

[Simon of the Playa]

never get dragged into a tent by a bunch of germans in fetish gear.

[jneilvindy]

never get dragged into a tent by a bunch of germans in fetish gear.

But, but, what if they have free beer?

[Ratty]

Bring more large garbage bags than you could possibly need. What if it's raining when you are packing up? All that muddy playa in your car will turn to concrete when it dries. I am planing to package my clothes by the day. Outfit, socks, underwear, jewelry etc...I never like to make decisions in the morning so I spend too much time in camp early in the day. Grab a bag. Go to center camp for coffee. Come back and wash up, (or not). It will cut down on digging for clothes in the dark.

Great post!

[lucky420]

Best thread in ages.

Always have water on your person or next to you, I've walked 10 steps away from camp to talk to someone and come back 4 hours later.

Was it the spaghetti?

[Elderberry]

Definitely a good post. I shared it on our camp website.

We put all of our clothes in individual zip-lock baggies. That way each new change of clothing always starts out totally dust free. And if anything has not been warn, it doesn't even have to be washed when you get home.

[graidawg]

Best thread in ages.

Always have water on your person or next to you, I've walked 10 steps away from camp to talk to someone and come back 4 hours later.

Was it the spaghetti?

the spaghetti did lead to me losing my water bottle somewhere. my favorite water bottle. got any more?

[lucky420]

Best thread in ages.

Always have water on your person or next to you, I've walked 10 steps away from camp to talk to someone and come back 4 hours later.

Was it the spaghetti?

the spaghetti did lead to me losing my water bottle somewhere. my favorite water bottle. got any more?

Oh yes indeed!

I know where you camp

[DoctorIknow]

You’re gonna need these for dust storms and also as a head covering in the sun. Be careful of inexpensive versions of the arabic “shemagh” scarves. They might say “100% cotton” but I found some I bought to heavy and unbreathable, indicating they were probably blends. Generally the more expensive shemaghs are the lighter and more breathable variety.

I found this video to be of great value, and at 4:50 there is an explantion of how to wear a shemagh, the point being that it isn't the perfect dust mask, but one wears a dust mask UNDER the shemagh. Add goggles and the shemagh will stop skin abrasion from powerful dust storms and keep the ears and hair much cleaner than without.

[media]

There is a weekend sale, 2 for $12.95 at Major Surplus.
They're 100% cotton and correct in size (must be square to be worn properly according to the video above.

http://www.majorsurplus.com/Woven-Coali ... c998c56b47

shemagh.JPG

[monkeyprolabs]

wow. DoctorIknow....thanks for sharing that video. crazy helpful. i experimented with several shemagh wraps out there and was never as well covered as this fellow. and i'm sure my lungs paid the price.

thanks for that.

[Savannah]

Savannah,

if you get those boots i mentioned above http://www.amazon.com/Palladium-Mens-Pa ... B004DGJ1ES you'll really start to feel like you're in the Legion.

I have admired Palladium boots in the past (to my memory, they run slightly small) but I am holding out for knee-high.

(They don't have 'em this time of year.)

[monkeyprolabs]

Savannah, they do run slightly small. Had to go a half size larger for my comfort. Where have you seen taller versions???? Those might have to go on the list.

[Savannah]

The last time I saw knee high boots in that brand was several years back . . . that they run small is one reason I haven't looked too hard, because I normally wear a 10, and even a half size beyond that can be 1) tough to find 2) especially in boots, which tend to run in full sizes.

[EspressoDude]

somewhat off topic, but since the thread drifted to boots; google Wesco boots, then hit images. wowsa.

locally hand made in Scapoose, Oregon by the Shoemaker family


they take a long time to break in, are wonderfull once they are. Also they will rebuild your boots for 1/2 cost of new

[robbidobbs]

Thanks monkey! You got yourself a pottie sign!

#10 Port-o-lets. Make yourself a little “go” bag to take with your to the potties. I used a large fanny pack for mine. In it I carried: soft 1-ply toilet paper, baby wipes, clorox wipes and some spare disposable plastic bags. You are NOT allowed to throw any kind of wipes in the potties, even if they are “flushable.” Don’t do it! What I did was use the Clorox wipes to clean the seat well, then wrapped up the wipe(s) in one of the plastic bags to be disposed of in camp. If you want you can then use baby wipes and dispose of them in the same bag. Bring several plastic bags."

Edited for length.

Version for exterior sign:
"You are NOT allowed to throw any kind of wipes in the potties, even if they are “flushable.” Don’t do it!"

Good job!

[monkeyprolabs]

Thanks monkey! You got yourself a pottie sign!

#10 Port-o-lets. Make yourself a little “go” bag to take with your to the potties. I used a large fanny pack for mine. In it I carried: soft 1-ply toilet paper, baby wipes, clorox wipes and some spare disposable plastic bags. You are NOT allowed to throw any kind of wipes in the potties, even if they are “flushable.” Don’t do it! What I did was use the Clorox wipes to clean the seat well, then wrapped up the wipe(s) in one of the plastic bags to be disposed of in camp. If you want you can then use baby wipes and dispose of them in the same bag. Bring several plastic bags."

Edited for length.

Version for exterior sign:
"You are NOT allowed to throw any kind of wipes in the potties, even if they are “flushable.” Don’t do it!"

Good job!

well, yay! thank you! now i gotta spend a day on the playa this year searching for it on all the port o lets. gonna be the oddest scavenger hunt of all time.