To camp or not to camp?

[gyre]

unless you're Lance Armstrong your going to want fat bike tires ala beach cruiser...sorry but it's true

< gratuitous lance armstrong joke goes here >

[Canoe]

...How important is having a mountain or BMX style bike when it comes to the tires on the playa surface? I snagged and decorated a skinnytire rroad bike for $10. It didn't occur to me that maybe the dust was looser than I may have thought and the tires may sink in and be useless...

Depends on the playa surface, which in turn depends on the year. Skinny road tires are usually not wide enough. Wider tires work better.

When hard packed, skinny road tires are fine. If soft, mini-blown-dunes, or where traffic chews it to dust, you'll bog down and be pushing it. Although sometimes it's the super fine dust and you slide right through. You're only going up to 5 mph, so gearing helps plow through small patches. I had a Kiwanis mountain bike and I brought 2.35" wide Big Apple tires and it still got bogged down in some of the deep spots, so I pushed it until out of that. On some of the roads that meant 50' of pushing, but usually much less.

Here's what the Yellow Bike Program uses:

I'm going back with a Fat Bike, so 3.7" to 4" tires.
Overkill for all but the worst, just because.
http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic. ... 88#p945474

[Lonesomebri]

Yeah, fat tires. There are sections packed enough for the thin rails but there are many places that are a puddle of dust/sand, and there can devolope some washboards on the roads late in the game. Anyway, in my opinion, you gotta go with the thicker tires......though I've seen plenty of thins out there......

I've made my own 2 man camp every year, out on the edge near 8, plenty enough neighbors, always action to find, and if you are so inclined there are opportunities to participate rearing their head every time you look around. Closer in, more action, reminds me of Gaza or Mos Eisley.

You're thinking enough to have a great time.

[shLong]

I am thinking too much, I know. I'll still have a great time, regardless, though. So, you're half right
But yeah, time to relax and enjoy. I'm more prepared than most virgins anyhow.

That was great, so many replies so fast. Super helpful, folks. Much appreciated. I'll leave the road bike at home then. Happy i asked and did t learn that one from experience.

I think we're planning on building a small shade structure for some chairs and company to use.... and I'll probably throw 2 tarps over my tent to completey dark it out and keep it cool.

Thanks again, playa folk.
Time to relax and patiently await our zero hour.

[gyre]

I'd take a road bike rather than no bike.

There are more options for some rim diameters than others, for larger tires.

[shLong]

I own decent mountain bike that I'll bring if I don't Craigslist a cheap one in the meantime.
Obviously I'll need a chain and lock if I bring that one, though. (or any bike for that matter, sadly)

It was $10, so maybe I could bring it as a gift for somebody, assuming they're willing to bring it back so it doesn't become moop)

[lucky420]

no I wouldnt bring it as a gift to anyone. It will just take up some needed space and most likely you'll just end up hauling it back home yourself...

nice sentiment though

[Canoe]

The 2.35" big apples are a huge improvement over skinny road tires.
How wide are your mountain bike tires? Better than the 2.35"? (you don't need knobby tires for the playa)
Could be that your $10 bike with new tires are the best bet, and it allows you to keep your nice mtb away from the playa dust.
The Big Apples are rather expensive, but online some places charge a lot less than others and ship cheap with the USPS.
http://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires ... /big_apple

And with the increased interest in Fat Bikes and Cruisers, there are more options out there.

[shLong]

Lucky..... Thanks.
If I did, it'd just be on the bike carrier with the bikes him and I are bringing for our own use.
I'd rather it be returned so I knew it wasn't getting placed upon the clean up crew to handle.... and so I could bring it in future trips for more gifting. Or, they could keep it as long as they plan on taking it home with em.

Either way, it'd ride 3000 miles hanging off the back of the car... So it really wouldn't be in the way much.

The 2.35" big apples are a huge improvement over skinny road tires.
How wide are your mountain bike tires? Better than the 2.35"? (you don't need knobby tires for the playa)
Could be that your $10 bike with new tires are the best bet, and it allows you to keep your nice mtb away from the playa dust.
The Big Apples are rather expensive, but online some places charge a lot less than others and ship cheap with the USPS.
http://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires ... /big_apple

And with the increased interest in Fat Bikes and Cruisers, there are more options out there.

My current Mt bike tires are approx 1.75 to 2".
The road bike has narrow forks that won't allow fat tires.

More than likely we'll both buy cheap Mt bikes off Craigslist and use those.

[FIGJAM]

My trike has been to the playa for 3 yrs.

The tire are 2.125x24.

Last year I got stuck maybe 3 times so I had to drag it 20 feet, no big deal.

[theCryptofishist]

being in a camp that has one joint meal a day (and it could work for breakfast, lunch or dinner) sounds a solid thing to me--make sure that you eat and touch base every day. 3 meals sounds like you'd never get out of there. And I'm already at "For $200 it better be a pretty damn special camp." (I'd be happy to pay that for Apok, or the Booby Bar, but... )

For what my opinion's worth, anyway.

[shLong]

I actually just got a reply on my Craigslist ad.
She's offering a mens 10 speed Mt bike and a womans bike with balloon tires, lol.
Haha, nice coincidence there
I'm gonna get the woman's bike for myself and the other for my friend.. Haha, the world worked out for me today


Crypto, it's 200 base with a 3 meal a day add on for another 100.
I really don't want a special more than 100 for a camp. But even then it'd have to shower(s), shade, and hopefully a dinner per night.

[theCryptofishist]

Shower can be done with baby wipes, spray bottles and the like. (I actually hate showering on the playa. The breezes and water temp is hard to properly regulate.) Food can be done with a rotating duty. If your camp is around 20 people, that's about 7 crews of three for one dinner each. Shade is the absolute necessity--I cannot function without it. Again, those 20 people will have the skills and perhaps materials, and you'd do it all for under $100. If you can find them. Have you talked to the Orphans or Stag Camp?

[shLong]

I haven't even heard of them, but would be interested to hear all my options, so I'll definitely check in to it

Thanks

[Captain Goddammit]

FIGJAM.... you do not have a swamp cooler on your BIKE....

[gyre]

I think the term is playa cooler.

Camping in a large, long established camp the fee was $50, and they were apologetic that it had gone up so high.
That mostly covered the 24 hour power grid.

I have seen camps wtih meal arrangements that would be worth $100-200.
They made a special effort, sharing prep.
As mentioned, actually getting back to camp for them is problematic if you're always gone.

Camps using fees for large projects may range into the thousands, but it's not really for camping.

[FIGJAM]

FIGJAM.... you do not have a swamp cooler on your BIKE....

No!

I have a swamp cooler on my Swiss Army Kamikazi Ashtray!

[PlayaPatrol]

there is no right and wrong way to do it. each has its pros and cons.
theme camp pros: built in camp mates, infrastructure like a kitchen and shower, designated campsite, bars and activities right there. 24 hr party a stumbling distance from bed. Probably closer to other happening camps. Like a frat or sorority.
Cons: $ dues, expectations to work many unpaid hours, may be run by a dictator, not much personal room, temptation to stay at camp all day, if you don't like your campmates your stuck with them, more drama then being alone, may be nosier then solo. Like a frat or sorority.
If youre an independent type go solo. If youve backpacked or car camped before go solo. If you shy away from hard work go solo. If youre poor go solo. If youre more of a group person and can follow rules or youve never car camped/backpacked or youre shy go theme camp.

[gyre]

Not all theme camps are like that, including the amount of infrastructure.

The nicer the shower, statistically, the less likely it is to work.

[Sic Pup]

The nicer the shower, statistically, the less likely it is to work.

The shower, the camp or both?

[Dr. Pyro]

may be run by a dictator

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[gyre]

Showers.

[PlayaPatrol]

Not all theme camps are like that, including the amount of infrastructure.

No shit, know it all.