What did you learn this year?

[Martiansky]

I need a electric trike , by the time I bike anywhere or hike im pooped . So I need transport so I be refreshed as I arrive to any situation

I second this Tatonka.
I tried walking around a bit and that didnt get me far. Sore feet and ankles.
Figjam is a plethora of info on how to use various different kinds of salvaged 12 volt motors to motorize trikes. Thats on my project list for next year.

[BeeWeeDee]

Fatter tires on my bike would be good

I am getting closer to the correct amount of food but still too much this year

Pack fewer sodas/juice/energy drinks

Structure my icecream/choc chip cookie gifting hour a bit more. It was like watching piranhas feeding on a wildebeest.

making the effort to meet people and stop in camps and places unknown was terrific.

Pre-screen that ride share person a WHOLE LOT MORE.

[tatonka]

Last year the coolers were on the floor of the camper , and worked great. I had put 1" thick pads between the camper and bed of truck. This year just used a canopy , I had a 1/2 " piece plywood in back and carpet on that. I put the coolers on it and drove down to BM . After waiting in will call all day on Mon. that night I opened coolers and found all the ice jugs were melted the upper ice in the door of cooler was ok . But everything below was dethawed. I opened my ice cooler which had dry ice in it, and it was gone but the ice jugs in there were only half melted. So next time ill get the coolers of the floor when traveling.

[MacGlenver]

I need to be stronger.... Or maybe I'm glad I'm not. We'll see.

[Drawingablank]

Don't bust up your ankle on day one.

[chuckularone]

Don't bust up your ankle on day one.

Sage advice!

[pink]

I need to fix up a better bike. My 7 times to the playa bike is pretty much toast.

[forty_eight]

arrive early, stay late.

i might be in for a new learning based on that but i think i'll try it out, lol

[theCryptofishist]

That piranhas have invaded the Serengeti. Or maybe gnus have moved to the Amazon Rain Forest.....

[Simon of the Playa]

Mushrooms and my stomach disagree with each other.




From now on its Acid and Only Acid.

[tatonka]

my 20 year old pack of mushrooms did nothing

I had lights on my bike , checked them b4 i left. on arrival they did not work . one of them the switch broke off in on position but would not work. I attached back up string of lights. Returned home and put bike in garage. came out to do laundry and there are old lights on and blinkin ? cant shutem off either switch is broke.

[Captain Goddammit]

God damn... what I learned this year is sitting here relaxing on my bed with huge open windows, oceanfront on Kauai, with a nice warm breeze blowing and nothing but the sound of waves coming in is pretty freekin stiff competition to that dusty ass desert !!

[Partypants]

I learned that a used craigslist bicycle will last EXACTLY 4 1/2 years on the playa. It's speed of death is also in some symbiotic relationship proportionate with the greatest distance you are from your camp. Both of my bikes died within yards and minutes of each other 2:00 and 2:40 pm. (and a mile from our camp) on Wednesday and Thursday. Both had the same cause of death and the same slow funeral procession back.

[TT120]

Mushrooms and my stomach disagree with each other.




From now on its Acid and Only Acid.

I learned that mushrooms and my stomach definitely DO agree with each other if you use Jameson's to wash em down.
I brought WAY too much food but having a variety to choose from was really nice.
I learned to take a nap whenever I felt like it, they're glorious!

[RedHeaven]

I learned that even though I can't always attend Burning Man anymore, I got to go SEVEN YEARS and I am SUPER FUCKING GRATEFUL for that!!!

[Omitimo]

I learned that early arrival and late departure are awesome, even though I already sorta knew that.
Those were some of my favorite days of it all.
I also learned that I didn't develop playa foot , I hope that goes for the rest of my time there.
I learned that I get to be part of the ground crew next year. I don't mind flying so much, but I had never been that far West before and would love to see that part of the country, it's kinda part of how I romanticize the whole thing anyhow.

[LongWayUp]

I learned that I need to:

-Break in a new pair of boots COMPLETELY and test them with lots of running around and dancing in the hot sun. Two weeks of low-intensity walking around in a city prior to the burn is not enough. Severe blisters popped up on both big toes within 2 days of my arrival on-playa. If I hadn't had a spare pair of raggedy old sneakers, this probably would have ruined my burn.
-Test my air mattress in advance, bring a patch kit and spare pump, or just make the cargo space for a small futon mattress. My air mattress had a catastrophic leak that couldn't be fixed with glue, fully deflated every night, and my pump stopped working midweek. I ended up sleeping on a mound of pillows in our dome for the rest of the week.

I also learned that it is totally ok to ask for what you want, no matter how selfish it seems. You may get a "yes", or you may not, but at least you have been honest with yourself and your community about your desires.

[Nipple]

Treating yourself and those around you as autonomous adults capable of making their own choices and taking care of their own needs is the ultimate path to happiness.

The moment you try to fuck with someone's autonomy, or let someone fuck with your autonomy: You will resent, or be resented.

[Hope-a-Lope]

- Rain makes a Burning Man snow day. You can't go anywhere, you can't build anything, so you get drunk with your friends at camp, and there's no pressure whatsoever. Assuming you're already on the playa, of course.

- That strip of acid? Not one hit. Three hits.

- The Soul Train fucking rocks.

- I am strong enough and brave enough and my balance is good enough to ride/climb/bike that big scary thing. Spinning steel cage, volcano slide, wave bike ramp, whatever. Do it all.

- No matter how sexy or interesting it is, I won't wear ANYTHING that's not comfortable. Day or night.

- Leaving before the Man burn to have a shower and dinner in Reno was delightful, and made for a much easier exodus and journey home.

[Meat Hunter]

I learned that I would have had a very sad and limited experience if I had not had my electric trike.

I learned that I brought way too darn much food & water.

I learned I can leave 80% of the 'stuff' that I brought with me at home next year.

I learned that a $3.00 block of ice weighs 10# and a $3.00 bag of cubed ice weighs 7# and 1 block of ice lasts 3 times as long as 1 bag of ice.

[ranger magnum]

Get there early and leave later. I was I Playa nearly 3 weeks. Pre and post event are more fun than the event itself.

No matter how hard you work at it, you can't make someone enjoy something they won't try.

It's easy to work to many hours. After 125, the days seem to melt together.

[PermaBurgin]

1. Bring a notebook next year, so you can write down everything you want for the year after.

[unjonharley]

1. Bring a notebook next year, so you can write down everything you want for the year after.

Wont need a note book.. Next year don't bring so much stuff

[Ratty]

Blister advice. My husband was a runner for over 30 years. If you get a blister or sore spot put that white sticky adhesive tape DIRECTLY ON THE BLISTER. No. You won't get an infection. No. You can't take it off. It stays there till new skin grows underneath. (Or it falls off in the shower.) Sure you look silly in sandals but who cares about that when your feet hurt. Try it now in the real world. You'll use it later with confidence on the playa. I've already heard ever objection so don't do it if you are too scared. It's the magic cure. Ask runners what they do. Ask sports doctors advice. I'm just sayin.

[LongWayUp]

Blister advice. My husband was a runner for over 30 years. If you get a blister or sore spot put that white sticky adhesive tape

You mean the medical tape for holding gauze pads on?

DIRECTLY ON THE BLISTER. No. You won't get an infection. No. You can't take it off. It stays there till new skin grows underneath. (Or it falls off in the shower.) Sure you look silly in sandals but who cares about that when your feet hurt. Try it now in the real world. You'll use it later with confidence on the playa. I've already heard ever objection so don't do it if you are too scared. It's the magic cure. Ask runners what they do. Ask sports doctors advice. I'm just sayin.

Hmm, if I get any more blisters I'll give that a try. I tried covering the blisters with Band-Aids(R) but that didn't help, just kept them from popping and then they got huge. Moleskin worked reasonably well. Note that Rampart did not have any moleskin when I went there midweek, so another "what did you learn" for me is "bring moleskin" (until I've tested your tape trick and confirmed that it works).

[graidawg]

Nothing. I learned nothing so i have to go again next year and try harder.

[Captain Goddammit]

I learned that a used craigslist bicycle will last EXACTLY 4 1/2 years on the playa. It's speed of death is also in some symbiotic relationship proportionate with the greatest distance you are from your camp. Both of my bikes died within yards and minutes of each other 2:00 and 2:40 pm. (and a mile from our camp) on Wednesday and Thursday. Both had the same cause of death and the same slow funeral procession back.

I don't understand how a bicycle can "die" unless the frame rusts apart. They only have a few simple parts. ??

[Ratty]

Longwayup, It pays to use the Johnson&Johnson heavy duty waterproof tape. It's just fancy adhesive tape but tried and true for the task. Just remember, don't take it off. Happy treking.

[MyDearFriend]

Nothing. I learned nothing so i have to go again next year and try harder.

Same here.

[maladroit]

Blister advice. My husband was a runner for over 30 years. If you get a blister or sore spot put that white sticky adhesive tape DIRECTLY ON THE BLISTER. No. You won't get an infection. No. You can't take it off. It stays there till new skin grows underneath. (Or it falls off in the shower.) Sure you look silly in sandals but who cares about that when your feet hurt. Try it now in the real world. You'll use it later with confidence on the playa. I've already heard ever objection so don't do it if you are too scared. It's the magic cure. Ask runners what they do. Ask sports doctors advice. I'm just sayin.

He MUST have also told you the following: the best way to treat blisters is not getting them in the first place.

I learned this the hard way. I might be especially prone to blisters out there. I spent half a burn walking on what looked like raw meat.

Now I wear boots that I've worn at least 6 months ahead of time...wear either a thin liner (hockey) sock or a thin liner toe sock (works a little better to prevent blisters between toes). Sweat encourages blisters so I start with foot powder, the liner sock, a little more foot powder, a high quality thicker sock, sprinkle foot powder in the boots, put them on. I'm able to hoof it for miles, run around a work site for 14 hours a day on playa, without even a hint of a blister. Maybe once in the hottest part of the day, I'll feel my feet getting a little damp...so I take off the boots and let my feet dry a little.

I did this for 10 days last year, worked most of it, and came home with completely normal feet.