Things I Wrote In My Journal To Differently Next Year

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 10:19 am

I've been reading my book from last years burn and trying to take it seriously. Some items that I brought were just wrong. Somethings I wish I had with me.

Bring 6 large cloth bags to pack tents, tarps, dirty clothes etc...Nobody feels like folding a tent in a dust storm.

Bring less water and less food. I was out there for 2 weeks and still had half of it left over.

Sports bras and booty shorts instead of underwire and thongs.

Spray on sunscreen instead of cream.

Book light, wrist watch and alarm clock.

Retractable sharpies and extra fine sharpies.

Replace all of my ropes with straps.

Post by **Elderberry** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 10:32 am

We always take notes on the way home after Burning Man on what we want to add/change/do different/etc. next year.

Usually we have too much food and water too, but as we get towards the end, we just cook it all up and pass it around. No food ever comes home! (We have a food permit and clean kitchen, so no problems with sharing.)

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 10:42 am

Our "dry kitchen" food doubles as truck food for MyLarry, so we haul it back and forth. A few things have made it to the playa more than once.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 11:18 am

Have a set of clothes, including shoes, that are clean for the trip home.

Post by **Eric** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 1:30 pm

Ratty wrote:Spray on sunscreen instead of cream.

Being a ginger, I bring both, and both at high SPF.
I use the spray if I have to leave camp fairly quickly, or as a refresher application later in the day, I use the cream as my primary. I'm one of those who don't bother with showers on the playa ("face & hands, pits & bits" school of washing), so I lacquer on the cream on-top of the previous days cream & accumulation of dust. While it might sound nasty to a newbie, I have never once gotten sunburned out there, and I can sunburn just running around SF without sunblock on. Playa dust is a great opaque sunblock additive for short-term usage!

BoyScoutGirl · Post by **BoyScoutGirl** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 3:52 pm

Ratty wrote:Replace all of my ropes with straps.

You can tie a sliding knot in paracord and other slim ropes and they'll cinch beautifully. I use the knot I learned here on eplaya for almost everything while camping - works great for making tarps taut again after they've been rained on: just slide the knot down one-handed, no need for fiddling with straps.

Eric wrote:..."face & hands, pits & bits" school of washing...

Oh! I didn't know we had the same alma mater. Must be because I am still new to the scene

My notes from last year:

More protein bars than 10x person if I plan on gifting.
Apples held up better than expected but applesauce cups were poorly received.
Camp chairs so I stop mooching off my neighbors' chairs.
Colorful wigs?
Fix sunhat.
Use babywipe to remove parking sticker from windshield of rental.
Jerky and dried fuit to share.
A bike horn that goes "A-Hoo-GAH!"

We also noted that spray sunblock was effective.

Jovankat · Post by **Jovankat** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 5:10 pm

I think our main lesson from last year was to pack the ruck in such a way as to make it super easy to eat a hot meal once we arrived.

Drawingablank · Post by **Drawingablank** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 6:58 pm

These days spray sun block is the only kind I use - the convenience is awesome, plus I can spray it right through my hair for full scalp coverage without a hat.

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Sat Jun 06, 2015 7:10 pm

Drawingablank wrote:These days spray sun block is the only kind I use - the convenience is awesome, plus I can spray it right through my hair for full scalp coverage without a hat.

I thought for sure yours would be "don't fall out of my budget truck"

lucky420 · Post by **lucky420** » Sun Jun 07, 2015 1:08 pm

tamarakay wrote:
Drawingablank wrote:These days spray sun block is the only kind I use - the convenience is awesome, plus I can spray it right through my hair for full scalp coverage without a hat.
I thought for sure yours would be "don't fall out of my budget truck"

He needs a baby gate of some sort...

Drawingablank · Post by **Drawingablank** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 10:15 am

tamarakay wrote:
Drawingablank wrote:These days spray sun block is the only kind I use - the convenience is awesome, plus I can spray it right through my hair for full scalp coverage without a hat.
I thought for sure yours would be "don't fall out of my budget truck"

LOL, well that too.

Post by **Savannah** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 4:09 pm

lucky420 wrote:
tamarakay wrote:
Drawingablank wrote:These days spray sun block is the only kind I use - the convenience is awesome, plus I can spray it right through my hair for full scalp coverage without a hat.
I thought for sure yours would be "don't fall out of my budget truck"

He needs a baby gate of some sort...

Hope-a-Lope · Post by **Hope-a-Lope** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 3:12 pm

Eric wrote:
Being a ginger, I bring both, and both at high SPF.
I use the spray if I have to leave camp fairly quickly, or as a refresher application later in the day, I use the cream as my primary. I'm one of those who don't bother with showers on the playa ("face & hands, pits & bits" school of washing), so I lacquer on the cream on-top of the previous days cream & accumulation of dust. While it might sound nasty to a newbie, I have never once gotten sunburned out there, and I can sunburn just running around SF without sunblock on. Playa dust is a great opaque sunblock additive for short-term usage!

It's true!! I think the dust is SPF30!

FlyingMonkey · Post by **FlyingMonkey** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 8:54 am

Ratty wrote: Spray on sunscreen instead of cream.

Not even a tan

but it sure does prevent sunburn.

SPF 100.png

*I am not endorsing this specific product. There are many like it.

smiffman · Post by **smiffman** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 9:04 am

Spray is great. Dipped myself in remained unscathed the entire week, Bulk store has a good bundle........

pink · Post by **pink** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 12:54 pm

I've never sunburned on the playa. I attribute that to the thin layer of dust that almost immediately sticks to the sunscreen. SPF 15 or 30 or 50, I've never noticed a difference in burn resistance. And while not as pale as Eric, I'm pretty white, and my playa costume tends to be a sarong or panties.

Post by **trilobyte** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 2:04 pm

Unless you already have cloth bags at the ready, I recommend hitting up your local army navy store and looking for a cheap duffle bag. Big enough to hold the gear, and plenty durable to boot, and generally good bang for the buck.

We usually do both a spray and a cream, I think. Cream is a bigger pain to put on, but affords better protection. It's good for arms and shoulders (and my bald head!) before "going out for the day" IMO. Spray on gets massive points for ease of use, but the protection's not as good. Fantastic if you're wearing fishnets or stockings, other types of lacy stuff, and works great around head/face/ears etc. You may also want to keep an eye out for deals on combo packs, the big can to keep around camp, and a little can to put in the pack you take around with you, etc.

We'll always go long on water and at least some non-perishable food. We've both had playa conditions keep us out there longer than planned, and once back in the 90's she and her campmates were stuck nearly a week. While it's unlikely that would happen again, we'd rather haul back or gift out what we didn't need than risk running dry. Half left over does sound like a whole lot though, and I can understand where it comes from, in those last few days before leaving everything sounds like a great idea or a nice treat for out in the desert, and next thing you know you're loaded down with stuff!

I do what I can to avoid the trappings of time and space, especially on the playa. Fortunately I'm not working any shifts that require waking at a specific hour, so I'm happy to avoid it. I wish I was able to configure my smartyphone to not display the time on the lock screen or top of the display. That way when I use it to play with a photo-toy app I don't have to be reminded that it's 2:35pm.... or Tuesday, for that matter

You can never have enough Sharpies!

We bring plenty of rope, plenty of straps, and plenty of tie line every year. I can't see us ever convert to just using one type of thing over the other, but if you can I say do it...simplify!

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 6:56 pm

Ratty you recommended I bring para cord this year. So I shall!
In my "brain" there's a note that reads: eye mask, no really. So I Bought one at the dollar store. I'm prob going to be living in the burbs so may not be nec, but inner ring living it's a good thing.
Backup bullhorns secured. One can never have too many bullhorns 3:)
Lots of headbands this year! Two just isn't working for me anymore.
Breaking in backup sneakers over next two months! Break that shit in!

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 8:19 pm

Thanks Robbi. We'll have your hut up long before the gates open. The paracord will make it a breeze.

Post by **Savannah** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:39 pm

All my stuff to do differently is in regards to the drive.

Last year was my first time as driver--it was a rental, and I don't normally have a car at my disposal, so driving 1,400 miles roundtrip was quite a feat.

* This year I'm opting for a small pickup, not a sedan. This will allow me ostensibly to see through the rear-view. (It's just so hard to see out of the back in a smaller car, and the shade structure was very unwieldy inside.) Not being able to see out of the back and thus merge properly: scary as hell.

* I'll pick the truck up earlier in the day.

* I'll have the stuff ready to go when I get the truck. (Always a battle, but I have managed a 30 minute load-in once before--so I know that it's technically possible).

* I'll be driving by noon, so I can stop by 8pm (headlights seem to bounce off of my contact lenses . . . nervewracking!)

Hope-a-Lope · Post by **Hope-a-Lope** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:42 pm

Bring fewer, more comfortable clothing. If it's not comfy, I won't wear it, no matter how sexy/cool/edgy it might look. Corsets, I'm lookin' at you.

Things I Wrote In My Journal To Differently Next Year

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