Hiking to the Burn (kind of)

[Deep]

Hello everyone out there! I guess it's about time to introduce myself...my name is Daniel, right now I'm traveling along the west coast of the US and I somehow managed to get a ticket for this amazing event in the beginning of September. I'm actually not that far from BRC right now but since I'm hiking the Pacific Crest Trail I'll be at the Canadian border in the end of August. And if everything works out I'll turn around right away, get a ride to CA and join you all on the playa.

It will be my first burn so I'm very excited and looking forward to this experience which will be quite a difference to almost five months of hiking in the desert, mountains and woods. Since I'm used to hiking in the desert (finished the 700 hot miles two weeks ago) and living out of a small backpack, I'm confident to manage my resupply for seven days at BM. However, I still have to figure out how I get back to CA so if anyone is driving from BC to BRC and has a free spot...let me know. I'm traveling light and I promise to take a few showers and get new clothes after I get out of the woods

Looking forward to see you all in a few months!

[Jovankat]

Welcome to ePlaya Deep. I just wanted to check, you know BRC is in NV not CA right?

Also the water you need for the week won't fit in a backpack so make sure you factor that in too.

And the BM Rideshare Board may be just what you need.

[Deep]

Thanks yeah, I know where BRC is, just have to pick up some stuff (bike, water etc.) in SF first. I'll post something at the rideshare bord. Thanks for the link!

[Ratty]

Deep, One of the reasons that everyone has water left over at the end of the week is...ice is only $3 and it can be used as drinking water. Bring large ziplock bags and buy your water there.

[pink]

Why go to SF and not just straight to Reno or cedarville? But if you do get to Reno or SF, the burner bus might be just up your alley. You'll be able to bring plenty of water plus shade if you're used to living out of a backpack.

Plus I'm jealous. PCT is on my wish list.

[CyanEssence]

Deep, I am a backpacker too, though I've never done anything as badass as what you are now doing.

Being an experienced backpacker made burning man easy to adjust to (at least the camping aspects... but you'll figure out the rest!).

[danibel]

Thanks yeah, I know where BRC is, just have to pick up some stuff (bike, water etc.) in SF first. I'll post something at the rideshare bord. Thanks for the link!

Leave the water till Reno if you can. It's quite heavy.

You shouldn't have trouble catching a ride from the city. Post on the rideshare for sure. Some rides might not have space for a bike though. Good luck!

[Elderberry]

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

[trilobyte]

Hi and welcome to the board! I'm giving this thread a nudge over to Share Resources, since it sounds like the main point of the discussion is to try and get a ride home from the event, and rideshare posts are a better fit in Share Resources.

If you have not already done the required reading (survival guide & first timer's guide), you should do that asap, and as you may or may not have discovered, hikers pose a serious hazard to themselves and others. It has less to do with how much experience you have hiking in deserts, or high altitude deserts (much harder than low altitude IMO), but more to do with the highway being single lane each direction with no real hiking trails or soft shoulders.

You may want to consider hiking to Reno and then catching a ride (or traveling on the Burner Express bus) from there. Good luck with however way you get there.

[[jim]]

if you can possibly manage it... buy a playa-only tent/sleepingbag/thermarest. I assume you've invested in some high-dollar lightweight gear. it would be a shame to ruin it all at burning man.

put your hiking gear (pack and all) in a water proof bag (garbage bag?) and don't open it at burning man. You may love your gear right now, and have its good points and bad points thoroughly sussed out... but it will never be the same if you use it at burning man.

'never be the same' in a bad way.

[Deep]

Thanks for all the replies and thanks for the water info! Great to have such a friendly and welcoming community around!

And no worries, I don't plan to hike along any highways. I'll hike the PCT to Canada and then take a car/bus/train/plane to NV. So since this has been moved to Share Resources...let me know if you are driving from Vancouver or Seattle to BRC. I'll pay of course and as mentioned before don't need much room. I might have to stop in SF to pick up a bike (a friend there has an old burner bike) and tent, sleeping bag etc. but we'll find a solution for that for sure. I'm from Germany so right now I only carry a small backpack and I'll have to buy some additional stuff for BM. From SF it shouldn't be much of a problem to get to BRC...I hope. And of course I don't plan to bring my lightweight hiking gear.
Thanks again for all the information and see y'all soon!

[Captain Goddammit]

Just for planning and logistical information, no one from Seattle or the U.S. Northwest is going to stop in San Francisco for you, it's not all on the way. It would be a 500 mile detour on an under-700 mile trip!

[Deep]

Ok, thanks for the info. Then I'll rather skip SF and go straight to BM.