virgin burner

[mdkellam]

Hello from the deep South! I hope to attend BM this year for the very first time. I will be going by myself if I am lucky enough to get a ticket. With that said, I would really love a mentor who is a frequent burner that will help me make the best of this week. I want to be a part of a camp. Not sure what camp and who would let me be a part of their camp! I want to work and be useful. I just want to be prepared but that also worries me. How do I get everything I need from the Gulf coast, on a plane and into BM? I think of tent and water and so on that it would be impossible for me to carry by myself. For these reasons, I wonderif I should back out and just not go. You see I do anesthesia for a living and I am a very organized and prepared person in my daily life. I don't want anyone to give me handouts because I was ill prepared. If anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it. IF you know someone that I could learn from and be in their camp, I would be so grateful. Oh an outside my professional life, I find I am a jack of all trades but master of none. My hobbies include: I have my SCCA license and race a Viper, collect sports cars, aerial yoga instructor, body and face paint with competitions every other year, ride my horse weekly bareback, flyboard during summer months in the Gulf of Mexico and my latest projects since January was buying a rat rod and ratted out harley to fix up. So I hope I have given enough info about myself and look forward to getting advice from you. Much Love, xxxxx,
Melissa

[Elorrum]

You've got some homework first. Then your questions can be more streamlined. Believe it or not, the answers are already asked and answered, waiting for you. Hit the main website for burning man and start reading. First timers guide, links to resources etc. Don't close your mind from the get go on being able to do it yourself.

Welcome.

[Elderberry]

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

[Elliot]

Hey Melissa! Welcome to ePlaya!
You "need" to get together with Scuzzy; he builds and races Cobras. And there are many other gear-heads here. We even have The Car Thread for discussing our fun cars. Me, I've built two street rods from scratch, track roadster style.

Your questions are all valid concerns. As Elorrum points out, you can find a great deal of information on most of it by reading this forum, which goes back many years.
And the main website is huge, with every official fact and recommendation possible. Head for the First Timer's Information, and keep going.
Believe me, everything you mention can be easily solved. Well, more or less "easily". No worries.

Sign up for Jack Rabbit Speaks, the Burning Man e-newsletter, if you haven't already. And the Burning Man Journal (formerly blog), which you can also subscribe to.

Your interest and skill in body and face painting is a great fit for Burning Man. One of the major happenings in Black Rock City is the Critical Tits Bike Ride (a celebration of womanhood), which involves plenty body painting and could use even more.

And your desire to contribute and be useful in general is most laudable. It's what BM is about.

[Skuzzy61]

I thought I heard my name.

Like you, we are birgins too. We are doing the RV thing to make sure we can bring more than we will ever need along with us so we can haul it all back home again! Pretty sure the Wife unit (term of endearment) giggles a lot when she thinks of all the things she can have me load into and/or attach to the RV.

Good people at this site. Very helpful, but even more helpful when they believe you are making an effort to learn all the ins and outs associated with BM (still giggling at the acronym,..yes, I am 12). Pretty reasonable lot, if you ask me.

I am considering getting involve in SCCA events when I get my Cobra done. Right now we are fabricating a custom IRS and front suspension as well. Join us in the car thread.

Now, I can put the burning ears out. Phew.

[mdkellam]

Thank you all for the valuable information and advice which I will make top priority on my To-Do-List! I truly hope to meet you in August!
Much Love,
Melissa

[Savannah]

Welcome, mdkellam!

Connect with local Burners! Some drive out, some fly and shop on the ground in Reno (it has almost everything one could want).
http://regionals.burningman.org

Consider Green Tortoise buses or Burner Express buses.

There are many camps from last year who'll be returning . . . you could try searching by keyword & emailing a few w/ your talents and interests (but not too many; focus your search on a good fit, needless to say).
http://burningman.org/culture/history/b ... eme-camps/

You seem to have many interests and skills; always lead with those. A little fear is normal! You don't need a mentor if you do a ton of reading, & people will give you tips along the way.

Note: Camps don't usually provide tents, so you're probably going to have to bring one (some of them pack very small), or get in on an RV share.

[Drawingablank]

Welcome.

[mdkellam]

you all are awesome! thanks again

[GulfCoaster]

Hi Savannah!!
I'm in Mobile,Alabama--(my playa name -Alabama..go figure) (and the west coasters were very polite about my origin, in case that's a concern, loved the accent)
Last year was my first Burn... 18 months ago I had only a vague idea what Burning Man was..(I was wrong)
I watched "Spark:the Burning Man Story" on Shotime and realized..I needed to be there!!..something was drawing me to BRC..like Richard Dreyfuss' Devils Tower in Close Encounters. I took months to tell my wife, who was and still is very supportive.(she'll go for my 50th in 2017 if I get a trailer). I did a few Rainbow Gatherings more than 20 years ago, but I've been about as conservative as an artist can be. When she saw photos and a video she said, "looks like your people!!"...and it was/is.
Serendipity every day.
A whole lot of people in a really good mood. All the scary stuff is a "mask". Like Christmas morning feeling everyday.
I lost my web enabled, not locked camera (FB, email) on the playa. It was in lost and found the next day by 2:00. Without unauthorized photo uploads from ..?..Comfort and Joy.

I attended alone. (Which I would recommend) the independence is amazing.. you are only as alone as you want to be.
Drove cross country in my Sequoia with all the rear seats removed. I took a single matress(sheets and blankets) and slept very well inside. (Planning the same this year).I took steaks and chicken on dry ice and makings for a couple of killer cheese boards to share. Over prepared, packed out a lot of food and 5 gal drinking water.
Your camp is where you sleep..the people around you will be your camp mates. And chances are help with anything you need. I met some really great people..instantly.
The heat is nothing like wet humid gulfcoast in August. But you don't sweat. And no body odor. Last year was cold but the sun more intense. They say don't expect the same conditions from year to year.
But dry dry dry!!. Smells like new construction Sheetrock as you drive in.(due to gypsum deposits) a little nose bleed the first few days then all good.
The dust turns to runny, sticky clay if it gets wet. I can't imagine rain.
***Follow the directions for tickets you see here.
I got a ticket right away but had to wait till OMG for vehicle pass. Really sweated..

I wold love to help with any other questions my limited experiance can offer. (Looking for local burners as well)
It really seemed so much easier than I thought.
Good luck.