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Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 8:51 pm

Here's a tip for the newbies:

Burning Man is a VERY BIG place. I know it may not seem like it, but it is. Everywhere you go you'll be biking it or on foot. Sometimes you'll leave your camp expecting to be gone for an hour and end up not making it home until the next day. For this reason I always carry a "ditty bag" with me containing all the essentials I need for survival for at least the next 8-12 hours. Here is a list of what I carry with me at all times in my bag:

1. Water. camel baks are great for this but anything that you don't have to hold onto with your hands and have easy acess to will work just fine, so make sure that your water bottle or whatever has some kind of shoulder strap or something.

2. Sunscreen.

3. Lipbalm with SPF. (I like the kind that comes on a string so I always know right where it is)

4. Tooth brush/tooth paste. (You never know who you're going to meet on the playa)

5. Sunglasses. Sure it's dark now, but how about when you're making the walk of shame back to camp at 9:30am, it's going to bright!

6. Headlamp + GlowSticks + Blinkies. Sure it's light out now but...

7. Food. You're going to get hungry, carry an energy bar or bag of trail mix to snack on. Something to give you energy, with lot's of protein + carbs.

8. Long Underwear. At some point it's going to get cold, really fucking cold, and you're going to wonder if running around at night topless and in a g-string was really such a great idea after all. The nice thing about the newer high tech fabric long johns is that they compact into nothing so you won't even notice that you're carrying them until it's 5:00am and you're freezing your ass off. Buy em in dark colors to look less goofy under your cool costumes. Thank me later.

9. Ziplock Bags- I always have one or two empty ziplock bags with me, they are great for storing moop in, or keeping all your toiletries away from your other gear in case they accidentally open. They also help seperate your gear inside your bag so you're not digging around 50 different items trying to find your whatever.

10. Babywipes. Let's face it Burning Man wouldn't exist with out 'em. Remember used babywipes go in your empty ziplock bag for proper disposal later, NOT IN THE JOTS you fuckwit!

11. Emergen-C + Vitamins + 5htp. You know the drill, take care of your body and it will take care of you.

12. Ensure. I always take one or two with me as a pick-me-up.

13. Lighter. Even if you don't smoke, everyone is always looking for one.

14. Note book + Pen (tie the pen to the notebook). You're going to meet people and having amazing discussions, you may want to write some of this shit down, and maybe the person's email addy too. You will loose that ripped off corner of Piss Clear that you shove into your sock. Believe me.

15. Leathermen type tool or swiss army knife.

16. Map and or "Who-What-Where-When Guide".

17. Hand Lotion. (travel size bottle)

18. Hat. (if I'm wearing my "sun" hat, I pack my "cold" hat and vice versa)

19. Goggles + Dust Mask + Bandana.

20. Compact Basic First Aid Kit.

Feel Free to add your own ideas here.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 10:18 pm

Chai Guy, you rock. I'm adding this to my Burn notes. Best idea I've heard since the Open Me First and Open Me Last boxes.

I'd personally add:
- Handful of hard candy, both for myself and to gift on the spot (and stash the wrapper in my Ziploc for them),
- A bottle of Goop in case my tires get a flat,
- A tube of hand sanitizer,
- A tankard to drink from.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:24 pm

- A tube of hand sanitizer

Damn, how did I forget that one? The candy is also an excellent suggestion.

XS · Post by XS » Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:55 pm

Well done Chai Guy, once again. Truly excellent ideas. Great follow up Diane O.T. For my two cents, condoms and lube. You never know if.... etc... etc...

MissNev · Post by **MissNev** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:21 pm

Excellent tips. I've always carried a mini version, but now I'll make sure mine's complete. Can't stress enough about the drinking vessel.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:45 am

I vote for this thread being stickied

Ranger Genius · Post by **Ranger Genius** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 12:53 pm

I recommend substituting tinted goggles for #5. Or better yet, goggles with interchangeable tinted and clear lenses. Sure, it may not be windy right now....

Also add: some form of identification, even if it's just something with your name and camp location on it. Sure, you may be conscious right now...

It's also a good idea to carry your ticket stub with you, in case you're involved in a bad accident and wind up getting transported by medical.

Other good ideas: cheap business cards with your name and email address on them to hand out to new friends.

If you don't want to carry your big glossy map from your welcome kit or your WWW around with you, get a small city map from Playa Info.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:06 pm

Here's another inclusion:

Extra batteries of whatever battery-powered you have with you.

phil · Post by **phil** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:31 pm

Other good ideas: cheap business cards with your name and email address on them to hand out to new friends.

http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/ns/bcfree.aspx?xnav=left

FREE business cards. Louise and I have used them for a few years at BM, customizing them each year.

falk · Post by **falk** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:17 pm

phil wrote:
Other good ideas: cheap business cards with your name and email address on them to hand out to new friends.
http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/ns/bcfree.aspx?xnav=left

FREE business cards. Louise and I have used them for a few years at BM, customizing them each year.

Be careful:

http://www.ripoffreport.com/results.asp ... ista+Print

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:46 am

Oh man, I can't believe I forgot some of your excellent suggestions!

Condoms and Lube! kicking myself for leaving it off the original list, no wonder I never get laid at Burning Man!

A drinking Container (one with a lid, like a sippy cup or coffee commuter mug)

ID of some sort, including camp name/location and emergency contact info both on and off playa! - This is great! Thanks Ranger Genius, this also helps iif your bag gets lost, there is a better chance of it being returned to you if the person who finds it knows where to return it to.

Your Ticket In case you are transported off playa and need to return.

Contact Info give-aways- email for connecting with friends off playa, camp name and location for connecting with people on playa.

I'll post a new updated list in this thread as more ideas come in.

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:49 pm

Be careful:

Well, the site is down, so I can't access it. Any clue on what it said?

As an aside, vistaprint was sued by class action lawyers claiming that the
"shipping and handling" fees were improperly labelled. As a result, vistaprint will change it's wording to "shipping and processing." Sheesh! Customers get a coupon, and the lawyers get millions of dollars in fees.

Was there anything else? We've used them for years without problems (that we know of :->).

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 1:29 pm

Chai Guy wrote:11. Emergen-C + Vitamins + 5htp. You know the drill, take care of your body and it will take care of you.

Good tips, but what is 5htp?

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 2:45 pm

5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) is a transitional compound produced when the body converts the amino acid tryptophan into other compounds such as serotonin and melatonin. By increasing levels of the brain chemical serotonin, 5-HTP is believed to work in a similar way to many antidepressants such as Prozac, by keeping serotonin flowing between brain cells.

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/herbsvi ... a/5HTP.htm
http://www.erowid.org/experiences/subs/ ... ml#General

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 12:14 pm

bumped like a neon over a playa snake.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 12:39 pm

and then bumped like an Element on a cattleguard.

Next?

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:19 pm

Related tip: Don't bring anything with you out on the playa (that is, out walking around, not TO the playa) that you can't afford to lose:

1. Keys (unless you need them for your vehicle or RV and even then, take only the door key not all your keys).

2. Wallet/ID/credit cards. Too easy to lose and a real pain in the ass when you lose them (try getting home without money to buy gas).

MissNev · Post by **MissNev** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:07 pm

Great tip, Dallas! I keep my keys, money, valuables in my tent in my handy, dandy, well hidden little place. Around my neck, I wear my playa necklaces (this year, I'm lucky to have a Dallas original black rock), with my bike lock key, tag with the combo to our bathrooms, and bottle opener firmly attached. I leave my vehicle unlocked with nothing valuable inside, and covered with a tarp. I love the idea of a ditty bag. This year, I'm hoping to spend more time out wondering, and less time in my camp; unfortunately, we have such a great camp that I never want to leave for very long!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 12:01 pm

gladeye · Post by **gladeye** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 7:06 pm

dragonfly Jafe wrote:
Chai Guy wrote:11. Emergen-C + Vitamins + 5htp. You know the drill, take care of your body and it will take care of you.
Good tips, but what is 5htp?

It's used to help recuperate from taking ecstasy faster.

karr · Post by **karr** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:07 pm

Chai Guy,

This totally rocks!

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