2016 One Item A Day For BM List....

[BeeWeeDee]

• Upsized the grommets on the canvas floor and made a few clips for holding it down on the playa.
  Decided against willow sticks for shade support and cut some EMT for poles - The EMT telescopes and the willow sticks won't
  Received the ticket confirmation - this just got really real today

Yet to do-

• Plan the food/drinks - 7 days at Great Basin Park - Resupply - then 9 days at BM this year
  Make a few overnight accommodations
  Fix the tent pole for the (Mother in law suite-guest room-brothel-annex)
  Load the truck Thrusday- leave Friday 8/19

[Oldguy]

,;Yesterday the locksmith opened my car trunk, no dead bodies ; and he made me some spare keys.
Today I went to the auto body shop where they charged my AC. It worked for about a half hour. Slow leak somewhere down the line. Going back tomorrow to let them track it. They put dye in the system to track leaks. Blacklights show the leaks, I hope they find it.
I can start packing my car trunk after that.

[Skuzzy61]

Nice trike Trilobyte!

[Madgirl]

Productive day here! Only noon and I have already:
- Picked up some cute new outfits at the thrift store
- Scored another camp chair at a friend's garage sale
- Bought new jumper cables for my car (old ones were cracked and sketchy)
- Bought the rest of the bins that I will need to organize everything
- Got a second spare key for my house made so whoever's housesitting can't lock themselves out (very easy to do here, it's happened before)

This afternoon will be packing clothes and making grocery lists....

[trilobyte]

Nice scores, madgirl, and good call on the spare keys, oldguy. I bring a spare vehicle key and keep it in one of the bins I tuck into the kitchen. Don't get me wrong, Ranger Magnum (who helps with lockouts on playa) is an awesome guy, but I'd rather just see him socially than add to his workload

I got my propane tanks for the camp stove and grill sorted out, and I hit the farmer's market to get some of the meat I'll need for pre-cooking my personal meals.

[lucky420]

Our sister camp, the Unicorner also has an official locksmith in camp. Had many people from all over playa needing his services last year. 2:45 & C

[ChuckLohre]

Thanks for all the encouragement.

Measured the top of the trailer for the swamp cooler vent. Pet the shark.

Worked on the swamp cooler. The flexible duct I got in the mail today is the same diameter as the pipe! I'll use an insert to join them.


Many thanks to Perry for lending me his solar panel and awesome controller. I've been running all afternoon in the rain and it has barely dropped a volt.

Work never ends on the DaVinci Flying Machine. Since it's DaVinci's Workshop, stop by and watch him at work sewing the wings and tail. At the shark tail!

[Leap]

I packed all the things I'm shipping with the NYC container and did a final fake-pack of the things I'm flying with. I can't believe I made it all fit! I'm looking forward to helping load the container tomorrow morning!

[FIGJAM]

Chuck, I don't know how big your fan is, but I think you need another row of holes!!!

[FIGJAM]

A little song about how all the virgins may be feeling about their first year on the playa.

Don't worry, I still feel the same way after 6 years.

[EGAZ]

Cleaned and repacked all the bearings on the bike. I found some pieces rattling around inside the twist shifter, replacement ordered. Faced the brake pads, adjusted all controls. Mounted all the stuff on the bars & baskets. Do the lights tonight.

Off to make Breakfast Burros and Spaghetti to freeze.

[ChuckLohre]

How's this for holes? Not too happy with the wood fiber swamp cooler fabric. Ordered some plastic kind. Glad I got a 600 gpm bilge pump, had to increase the power to 50% to get it to lift water 3 feet. My 12 volt timer came in, not sure if I need to use it. Canceled the 1-1/4" conduit canopy fittings and ordered some 1." Doing a trial run with the car next Saturday. We're getting pretty excited about driving 35 hours. Planning two nap times.

[Ratty]

Good God. Is the earth hurtling towards the sun and nobody told me?! I have no swamp cooler. Am I gonna die? That thing is scary massive. Great job by the way. Once you switch out the excelsior for some plastic you'll be cool.

[lucky420]

OH my god, it's HUGE!!

[sadie]

Fingers crossed that little green car in the background isn't your playa mobile

[EGAZ]

I like the round 'duct plug' at the ready for quick insertion......

[trilobyte]

I almost completely forgot that the hat I wear during setup/teardown wound up getting totally trashed last year. Actually, the hat survived the event just fine, but in the process of packing out it got stuck into the back of the van and pushed off to the side, then when I unloaded I just tossed it on a shelf in storage without cleaning it off first. Then I completely forgot about it until getting ready for a camping trip earlier this summer... only to realize that it was pretty permanently crumpled and the little metal bits were badly corroded in ways that didn't suit the look of the hat. I tried cleaning and de-crumpling, but alas it couldn't be saved.

I've got other hats that I bring to the playa (fancy toppers and a fez), but I like having something inexpensive and simpler and with a wider brim to wear during the more punishing setup and teardown phase. I went back to the shop where I got the last one, but they didn't have it in my size. Fortunately, another place down the street had something that I think will work out even better, and cost even less.

Beyond that, I got a bunch of bins packed and labeled. Inching closer!

[Savannah]

Took a battery inventory (don't need any! )

. . . Packed three bins, purchased some solar stakes, and ordered some solar string lights.

[Leap]

I had to pick up my oldest from camp (caught pink eye) so I swung by a fabulous camping store not too far away. After much consideration, I bought the perfect hydration pack. It holds 3 liters of fluid and has 22 liters of cargo space. Two sweet stretchy pouches are on the sides for extra cans or cups. I have plenty of room for all the things. It makes me happy.

[Oldguy]

Boiled up 10 pounds of chicken, will debone and package tonight. Food prep...

Blew up my Limo yesterday, not intentionally. My AC on the limo went out on Friday going home from recharging. Shop was closed over the weekend, so I brought it in to be blacklighted. Refrigerant has a UV visible dye in it. The said my AC compressor blew up. I was pissed. Without thinking, I got in and drove off to go to the Ford dealer in Yuba City from Sutter City. While traveling down Highway 20, my power steering went out and the car started overheating. I pulled into Geweke Ford and shut it down. I could hear boiling hisses. Car cooled down, and I was instructed to pull it around to fleet services. On the way there, there was steam/ smoke. I shut it down. There was green fluid everywhere on the ground. I gave the keys to the shop steward and waited.

He said the compressor leaked refrigerant, there is a closed system circling the front and the passenger compartment. they need to trace the whole circuit, replace the compressor in front, maybe in back. When system was empty, compressor seized affecting the serpentine belt. Thus the power steering pump was not working, and more importantly, the water pump was not circulating coolant. ( The green fluid.) They are going to check out the engine for damage, to find where the fluid leak was coming from...

Finally, I asked the shuttle bus driver to take me over to the transit office where I got a monthly bus pass. She then drove me to the bus stop. I asked someone about the Live Oak bus, and was told it left 5 minutes ago. GREAT. Next one in 6 hours at 5:30pm. GREAT. I hopped the next local bus to ride the route in the AC. It was near 100 degrees F.. I rode until we got to the senior center, got off and waited inside till 4:27. Got on the same route bus and made it to the station at 5 pm. I went across the street and got some fish and chips from a nice Chinese families shop. My bus came and I got home at 6 pm.

Such was my blue Monday. Today Darleen said she would lend me her pickup truck, and take care of my dog. Such a sweet lady. I hope they get the Limo fixed in time, but I have a firm Plan B now.

[Ratty]

Oldguy, I like your attitude. It's just a vehicle. NOT your life support system. I hitchhike whenever it's appropriate. Take the bus if available. Beg rides if possible and get it worked out in time.

[trilobyte]

Ouch, sorry to hear it, oldguy, I've had days like that. Well not exactly like that, but one hassle after another stacked on top of just missing a bus and having to wait most of the damned day for the next one. Not fun at all, glad to hear you have a plan b.

I'm cooking up a bunch of boston butt today, making carnitas to vac-seal and eat up on the playa. A replacement lighting controller arrived today, when checking out the trikes one part wasn't working right do I got in touch with the ppl to get that sorted out. I did a quick check and everything seems okay, so it's been packed into the trike bin.

[EGAZ]

Well not at the level of pain as Oldguy, (sorry to hear that sir!) I smoked the motor on my bike. Waiting on a new one now. Once it & the replacement twist shift arrives the bike is Playa Ready!

Breakfast burros done and frozen.
Spaghetti made and in the freezer
Garlic toast wrapped and ready.

Going over the final food list for run early next week.

I also went to see if my tickets are still in the place I put them. Yup,...... Still there.....

[ZigZag]

Oldguy: Holy shit, that's a bad day. Glad you worked out a backup. It will work out.

Got some goodies made up for the Wednesday M&G
Food is basically done
Worked on clothes and cold weather gear.
Got tons of stuff moved to my staging area in the garage.
Got my will written and will get it signed tomorrow. (yea, I read the back of the ticket and was inspired.)
Hating my job and just want to leave; biting my tongue. Two more days, I can make it.

[AntiM]

Damn, Oldguy, what a hassle.

I'm still fussing with art and sewing, I am never finished from one year to the next.

[Skuzzy61]

The Wife always says, "Everything happens for a reason.". She would say, maybe that annoying, frustrating bad thing that happened was to prevent something far worse from happening. I like that. It appeases the raging maniac stuck in my head.

Nevertheless, it is still annoying and frustrating when it happens. Just know the universe might have been looking out for you. Yep, I just went there.

Had to hide the crackers from the cats today as they took an insane interest in the boxes!

[Ratty]

Bought my beer and picked up my liquor. 25 bottles. Only are 2 alike. I'm not sure what some of it is but come by my camp and maybe you can tell me.

[ChuckLohre]

Bought my beer and picked up my liquor. 25 bottles. Only are 2 alike. I'm not sure what some of it is but come by my camp and maybe you can tell me.

Your an inspiration. We're going to need a bigger Flying Machine!

[lucky420]

Bought my beer and picked up my liquor. 25 bottles. Only are 2 alike. I'm not sure what some of it is but come by my camp and maybe you can tell me.

Fuck yes

[Madgirl]

Where IS your camp, Ratty my dear? I would gladly help you identify some bottles if I knew where to find them

Aside from a few more pairs of socks and underwear, my clothing is finally all packed. Still need to do toiletries though....