Seems like I've been waiting to do this for my 57 years.... though I've only been aware of it for 4. This year.... This year.... me and the lady are gonna make it - we've got our tickets and we've read last year's Survival Guide twice.
Got a couple of questions:
-how do I find a theme camp that wants some help?
-how do ya keep food good for a week (even with ice)?
Waiting 57 years, finally gonna make it!
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Gizmostarr
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 11:33 am
- Location: Toronto, Ontario
Waiting 57 years, finally gonna make it!
Live & learn... as you watch your bridges burn... from the point of no return
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Elderberry
- Moderator
- Posts: 14976
- Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:00 pm
- Burning Since: 2007
- Camp Name: Camp Kelly
- Location: Palm Springs
- Contact:
Hey there, welcome to eplaya!
There are tons of posts of people asking about joining camps. Look around here and you'll see many suggestions.
Regarding keeping food cold; first I'm assuming you know that they sell ice on the playa. Second, freeze everything you can before you pack it in ice. Third, pack one cooler for drinks that will be opened often. Pack two (or more) coolers so that the first few days is in one cooler and the food for the second half of the week is in another that isn't opened--except maybe to replenish ice. Fourth, make sure you double-bag everything so that it doesn't get ruined by melting ice.
There are lots of other suggestions on coolers here too, you'll find them by looking around a bit.
We use dry ice in our coolers; though many do not. But with dry ice we have kept ice cream frozen for almost the entire week (actually a bit longer because we usually arrive early for setup and leave late to cleanup.
JK
There are tons of posts of people asking about joining camps. Look around here and you'll see many suggestions.
Regarding keeping food cold; first I'm assuming you know that they sell ice on the playa. Second, freeze everything you can before you pack it in ice. Third, pack one cooler for drinks that will be opened often. Pack two (or more) coolers so that the first few days is in one cooler and the food for the second half of the week is in another that isn't opened--except maybe to replenish ice. Fourth, make sure you double-bag everything so that it doesn't get ruined by melting ice.
There are lots of other suggestions on coolers here too, you'll find them by looking around a bit.
We use dry ice in our coolers; though many do not. But with dry ice we have kept ice cream frozen for almost the entire week (actually a bit longer because we usually arrive early for setup and leave late to cleanup.
JK
Elderberry
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me
Re: Waiting 57 years, finally gonna make it!
Bring a couple of large coolers. Bring your food up with ice in them alread. Keep one or two icebags in each one at all times. If you buy them in the morning, they last all day, and it's cold at night anyway. Empty out the melt water every morning. Keep everything tight in tupperwares and ziploc baggies. Stick with food that keeps well and doesn't get dangerous if it spoils a little. Canned stuff is great. Dry stuff that you can cook is great - spaghetti and meatsauce in a jar - don't even need a cooler for that. Meal soups are great. Cereal, and get the paramat milk that's double pasteurized so it doesn't need to be refrigerated until it's opened.Gizmostarr wrote:Seems like I've been waiting to do this for my 57 years.... though I've only been aware of it for 4. This year.... This year.... me and the lady are gonna make it - we've got our tickets and we've read last year's Survival Guide twice.
Got a couple of questions:
-how do I find a theme camp that wants some help?
-how do ya keep food good for a week (even with ice)?
Fruit that has a rind - apples and oranges keep great.
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Sail Man
- Posts: 4523
- Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:03 am
- Burning Since: 2008
- Camp Name: Kidsville: Delicious
- Location: 20 Minutes into the Future
Welcome Gizmostarr!! You have received some good advice from jkisha. Let me toss out a few more ideas.
Coolers: Keep them off the playa, support them on 2x4's for exp. Cover them with a silver tarp, the kind you can buy at Homey Despot. I line mine inside with those mylar space blankets as well. If not using dry ice, freeze gallon and 2 liter jugs of drinking water, after removing a few cups of water to allow for expansion. That helps keep chipped ice last longer, and more importantly, when you pull one out that's almost thawed and drink it on a hot playa day, it's a beautiful thang
A tip I read here recently that I will try this year is to put your frozen jugs into those waterproof river style bags, helps to keep them frozen even longer. Put food into tupperware containers, or double bag them. If you can keep from contaminating the water you can use it for bathing, or at least a nice foot bath, ahhhh I used those wireless thermometers to measure internal temp, in the morning it was 33-34 degrees and would rise to the highest I saw, 44 degrees, during the heat of the day. Don't open unless necessary, especially the coolers holding the Salmon Pate. I used a coleman 6 day cooler and it still had water frozen in it from home, and I drove in from Detroit. I've read about duct taping the cooler shut for the 2nd half but I didnt do that. Another tip is to list everything that goes into a specific cooler, and tape that to the lid so that you know what is in each cooler without looking.
Food: Freeze everything you can, but with the expectation that it will start thawing the minute you take it out of the freezer at home. Consider frozen the first few days, other options the rest of the time, i.e. pouched/canned meats, dehydrated, heat and serve rice mixes from Trader joes are great, and easy. Buy pre-cooked where-ever you can to reduce cooking time and water consumption. Make your own, use a vacuum sealer and freeze etc etc etc.
Theme Camps: Are not necessary for ones playa experience. You can camp solo, and will get to know your neighbors. Where do you live? Look for regional groups, local meet and greets. Here is a list of regionals: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_re ... Man_events
Here is another resource: http://regionals.burningman.com/
Also look at 08 theme camps on the Burning Man main website, many listed have websites and you can learn about them there. What are your interests? Skills? etc etc Peruse eplaya and as time goes on you will start seeing more about camps. Another source is Tribe, here is a link for the 09 Virgins group: http://tribes.tribe.net/2009burningmanv ... 941dde279]
OK, I have given you a lot to chew on, and have probably generated more questions, but that is fine, ask away.
OK, who's next?
Coolers: Keep them off the playa, support them on 2x4's for exp. Cover them with a silver tarp, the kind you can buy at Homey Despot. I line mine inside with those mylar space blankets as well. If not using dry ice, freeze gallon and 2 liter jugs of drinking water, after removing a few cups of water to allow for expansion. That helps keep chipped ice last longer, and more importantly, when you pull one out that's almost thawed and drink it on a hot playa day, it's a beautiful thang
A tip I read here recently that I will try this year is to put your frozen jugs into those waterproof river style bags, helps to keep them frozen even longer. Put food into tupperware containers, or double bag them. If you can keep from contaminating the water you can use it for bathing, or at least a nice foot bath, ahhhh I used those wireless thermometers to measure internal temp, in the morning it was 33-34 degrees and would rise to the highest I saw, 44 degrees, during the heat of the day. Don't open unless necessary, especially the coolers holding the Salmon Pate. I used a coleman 6 day cooler and it still had water frozen in it from home, and I drove in from Detroit. I've read about duct taping the cooler shut for the 2nd half but I didnt do that. Another tip is to list everything that goes into a specific cooler, and tape that to the lid so that you know what is in each cooler without looking.Food: Freeze everything you can, but with the expectation that it will start thawing the minute you take it out of the freezer at home. Consider frozen the first few days, other options the rest of the time, i.e. pouched/canned meats, dehydrated, heat and serve rice mixes from Trader joes are great, and easy. Buy pre-cooked where-ever you can to reduce cooking time and water consumption. Make your own, use a vacuum sealer and freeze etc etc etc.
Theme Camps: Are not necessary for ones playa experience. You can camp solo, and will get to know your neighbors. Where do you live? Look for regional groups, local meet and greets. Here is a list of regionals: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_re ... Man_events
Here is another resource: http://regionals.burningman.com/
Also look at 08 theme camps on the Burning Man main website, many listed have websites and you can learn about them there. What are your interests? Skills? etc etc Peruse eplaya and as time goes on you will start seeing more about camps. Another source is Tribe, here is a link for the 09 Virgins group: http://tribes.tribe.net/2009burningmanv ... 941dde279]
OK, I have given you a lot to chew on, and have probably generated more questions, but that is fine, ask away.
OK, who's next?
Excuse me Ma'am, your going to feel a small prick.
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Algorithms never survive the first thirty seconds of patient contact
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Algorithms never survive the first thirty seconds of patient contact
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Gizmostarr
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 11:33 am
- Location: Toronto, Ontario
Thanks, great advice
[color=darkblue]Much appreciated.... great advice so far. I've been slapping my forehead and saying "right! that makes sense!" I'm not gonna worry about the salmon pate - that'll be gone by the second day.
So.... now it looks like I'm not gonna die out there.... or have to go around begging for food. Maybe I'll even bring some extra. Thanks.[/color]
So.... now it looks like I'm not gonna die out there.... or have to go around begging for food. Maybe I'll even bring some extra. Thanks.[/color]
Live & learn... as you watch your bridges burn... from the point of no return
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anthony paul
- Posts: 27
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:51 am
- Location: Virginia
- Contact:
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Ugly Dougly
- Posts: 17612
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2003 9:31 am
- Burning Since: 1996
- Location: เชียงใหม่
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Sail Man
- Posts: 4523
- Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:03 am
- Burning Since: 2008
- Camp Name: Kidsville: Delicious
- Location: 20 Minutes into the Future
Re: Thanks, great advice
You can start with baconGizmostarr wrote: Maybe I'll even bring some extra. Thanks.
Excuse me Ma'am, your going to feel a small prick.
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Algorithms never survive the first thirty seconds of patient contact
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Algorithms never survive the first thirty seconds of patient contact