kinduva silly question about arrival

[silas thatcher]

i have tried searching for a past discussion, but to no avail... the question is...... since i wanna pack in preparation for an hours long wait just to get in ( drinks and snacks and other items readily available ) and i am waiting in line, how to people take care of bathroom needs ??? are there porta potties along the route ? or should we figure on provisions for such a need ???

[maladroit]

There are porta potties widely spaced along Gate road. This can be a false convenience, though. It means you have to get out of your car, run over, possibly wait in line, do your business, then get back to your car.

This can cause a few problems. If you're alone, and traffic starts to move while you're away, then you're blocking a lane and people will try to go around you and generally cause a mess. The moving cars, aside from being dangerous for you to dart through, mean you'll have no landmarks to find your car if you lose track of it.

If you're not alone, you could have the same problems except that your friends might have had to move the car while you're gone.

The overall best solution: get your car into the far right lane and pull over next to one of the porta potties. This is technically what everyone SHOULD be doing, but the reality of 12 lanes of sluggishly moving cars and RVs is a challenge.

The solution where you trade a bit of your dignity for convenience: pee in a bottle.

[FIGJAM]

Pee jugs rule!!!

Not just in line, but for those late nights when you don't want to hike to the porto's.

[silas thatcher]

The solution where you trade a bit of your dignity for convenience: pee in a bottle.

what is this "dignity" of which you speak ??

actually, i am no stranger to "convenience" ... dignity, yes, convenience, no.... just curious if i needed to pack this accommodation where it is close at hand for the wait in line...

[TT120]

I'd say it's best to be prepared for anything and have something you can use for both types of bathroom situations. There are no potties along the paved road in and depending on when you get there, that line could be hours long.

[Elderberry]

I think he means just pissing in a jug in front of anyone.

You might as well keep the pee jug handy, but you probably won't need it. If you're worried you won't be able to find your car, put something colorful on the antenna. (This is assuming that there is someone at the wheel when you go, and that you're not arriving at night. I wouldn't just leave the car unattended so as to not to block traffic.)

The solution where you trade a bit of your dignity for convenience: pee in a bottle.

what is this "dignity" of which you speak ??

actually, i am no stranger to "convenience" ... dignity, yes, convenience, no.... just curious if i needed to pack this accommodation where it is close at hand for the wait in line...

[Sham]

On the way to Black Rock City, you will find portos in Empire and Gerlach. I tend to go a little easy on drinking water on the trip into BRC. There are portos in the line into the event and if you find yourself in a real bind, you may be able to ask someone with an RV for a courtesy. In all my years attending, I have never has to resort to any drastic actions. It just seems to work out.
You may want to keep a small pee bottle in the car--just in case. You will quickly find that being shy on the playa in not really a concern.

[digital]

Just get out of the car and yell, "Who's into WATERSPORTS?!"

It's BM. People will swarm to you.

[lucky420]

Yes, it's extremely exciting to be waiting in line to get into BRC.

But "Shit your pants" exciting? Nah you can hold it. Just don't think about it...

[tamarakay]

This year, due to the rain, some people were held up for 24 hours. I'd like to hear from them. I've been blessed since I've been going to get early entry and have never had more than one car in front of me for entry.

This year I will have a tricycle and want to explore the rules on possibly riding my bike out and gifting welcome drinks and snacks.

[Ratty]

Two days after arrival you will stumble into a strange camp. Vomit down the front, a chilli dog in your hair, thirsty, lost and you don't have a cup. Go ahead. Pee in the jug on the way in. Duck-walk holding it between your knees. Sing Ave Maria in your best soprano. People will applaud.

[Elliot]

There are porta potties widely spaced along Gate road. This can be a false convenience, though. It means you have to get out of your car, run over, possibly wait in line, do your business, then get back to your car.

This can cause a few problems. If you're alone, and traffic starts to move while you're away, then you're blocking a lane and people will try to go around you and generally cause a mess. The moving cars, aside from being dangerous for you to dart through, mean you'll have no landmarks to find your car if you lose track of it.

If you're not alone, you could have the same problems except that your friends might have had to move the car while you're gone.

The overall best solution: get your car into the far right lane and pull over next to one of the porta potties. This is technically what everyone SHOULD be doing, but the reality of 12 lanes of sluggishly moving cars and RVs is a challenge.

The solution where you trade a bit of your dignity for convenience: pee in a bottle.

Maladroit has it right, but I can add that there are potties on both sides of Gate Road. Still it is best to work your way over to the far right lane, because there are both an express lane for buses and an outbound lane on the left.

Now the best news: Every lane on Gate Road is double width. This is so traffic can get around a stalled vehicle without changing lanes (assuming the stalled vehicle makes it, or is pushed, to either side of its lane) So... to use a potty, pull as far to the side as you can, and turn on your emergency flashers.

This is NOT official information! It is only as I see it. But I patrol along Gate Road, and this looks like a fine solution to me.

And your question is not at all silly.

[maladroit]

This year, due to the rain, some people were held up for 24 hours. I'd like to hear from them. I've been blessed since I've been going to get early entry and have never had more than one car in front of me for entry.

I was among the chosen. The only saving grace was that I had tickets in hand...the will-call debacle was another level of torment from what I could see.

The line was stopped completely dead for what...16 hours? So with the already backed up line, at least 24 hours on Gate Road. It all kind of blurred together. So a sort of neighborhood developed, and there was no particular issue with leaving your rig and wandering around to stave off the boredom. We pulled the bikes down and rode them up and down the line. Dug all the cooking gear out of the trailer and made some nice meals.

Porta-potties were a bit of an adventure. Due to the rain and the low number of portas to service 10k+ people, they filled up quickly and the floor was packed with mud over a foot deep. Most doors would not stay closed. However, it was probably similar in the city during the same day. You all had a lot of unused porta capacity though! I dodged the experiment of taking a crap in those conditions, but Gatorade bottles were used.

Probably the worst part was having packed the truck full, so that it was impossible to lie down and sleep anywhere. I would recommend having a plan for that if you don't have an RV...some way to move out a couple large items, tie them to the roof or something, and carve out a place for one person to stretch out for a nap. I gotta say that nearing the end of Monday those RVs were looking pretty self-reliant.

[Elderberry]

This year, due to the rain, some people were held up for 24 hours. I'd like to hear from them. I've been blessed since I've been going to get early entry and have never had more than one car in front of me for entry.

This year I will have a tricycle and want to explore the rules on possibly riding my bike out and gifting welcome drinks and snacks.

Do you mean out to the area just after the gate where the greeters are? If so, volunteer for a greeter shift or two and bring your gifts on your tricycle. You can walk down the lanes of traffic passing things out. (though I'm not sure it would be a good idea to pass out alcoholic beverages to people driving vehicles.) Greeting is really fun.

[pink]

I had friends stuck on 37 in Yellow Line Camp, and because they were in a box truck and had read the first timers guide, had a bucket for potty emergencies, which they were quite happy to have!

Of course then the question was what to do with it once they reached BRC. It was lined, so dumping it in a Porto wasn't feasible. I thing they ended up just sealing it up, and tossing the bag in the garbage once they got home.

[TomServo]

Trucker Bomb. Wide mouth bottles work best..but yes, there are porta potties alongside the entrance to gate. You can get fined for pissing on the playa...just save your bottles.

[Savannah]

100 oz Detergent bottles + elongated oval-mouth automotive funnels ($3 apiece) for the ladies.

[Captain Goddammit]

I gotta say that nearing the end of Monday those RVs were looking pretty self-reliant.

That's what I'm sayin'. You'd be amazed at how nice a camper you can clamp onto your truck for $1500. Then stuff like this becomes zero issue.

[motskyroonmatick]

I gotta say that nearing the end of Monday those RVs were looking pretty self-reliant.

That's what I'm sayin'. You'd be amazed at how nice a camper you can clamp onto your truck for $1500. Then stuff like this becomes zero issue.

Yep!

[Captain Goddammit]

I know it's a bit of thread drift, but it does have to do with being able to go to the bathroom and otherwise survive long delays in line at the gate...
I spent $1500 on a craigslist camper.


The shower and fridge and A/C are nice... and here's my bed at BRC, or anywhere I stop:



And - I can take care of any restroom emergencies at the gate!
No rickety fucking tent to set up after a zillion hours on the road before I can rest, impervious to dust storms, blah blah blah.
It's on a 1986 GMC 4x4 dually... these older duallies are extremely capable and virtually free these days. You don't have to be rich to live well at Burning Man!!

[maladroit]

It also doesn't puncture the illusion of heading down to the lake to cruise around in your boat and maybe catch something, who knows.

[Lonesomebri]

I know it's a bit of thread drift, but it does have to do with being able to go to the bathroom and otherwise survive long delays in line at the gate......

Wow, I turned to this thread to find suggestions on entry bathroom use, and then you post here, Captain, with your generous offer of playa amenities to us all. Thank you!!!! Your offer is very appreciated and will not pass without generous acknowledgement and dusty hugs. See ya at gate in 2015!

[Captain Goddammit]

You'd be amazed at how nice a camper you can clamp onto your truck for $1500.

[ygmir]

You'd be amazed at how nice a camper you can clamp onto your truck for $1500.

or fire truck.......

[silas thatcher]

planning on using our 1 ton 11 passenger van with the seats out, so room may not be an issue !! i have tried the pee bottle thing in a small car before... the results didn't turn out so well...

[Meat Hunter]

Silas,

Remember that you are at Burning Man.

Open your vehicle door, step outside, remove the cap from your bottle, take a leak into your bottle, replace the cap, get back in your vehicle and close the door.

[Captain Goddammit]

Dirty hippies...

[maladroit]

Silas,

Remember that you are at Burning Man.

Open your vehicle door, step outside, climb on the roof of your vehicle, remove the cap from your bottle, take a leak into your bottle while chanting "BURNING MAN! BURNING MAN!", replace the cap, helicopter dick, get back in your vehicle and close the door.

Added a few missing steps

[Savannah]

Silas,

Remember that you are at Burning Man.

Open your vehicle door, step outside, climb on the roof of your vehicle, remove the cap from your bottle, take a leak into your bottle while chanting "BURNING MAN! BURNING MAN!", replace the cap, helicopter dick, get back in your vehicle and close the door.

Added a few missing steps

I believe the academic term for that is The Helicockter.

[Captain Goddammit]

Dirty kinky hippies...