Bad idea to bring gallons of water in plastic jugs?

[nebulachic]

How much cooler is it in the shade/tent? What kind of containers are best for foods? Ziplock bags bad idead? Are there certain fruits that last a lot longer than others?

Thinking of bringing nuts, peanutbutter, bread, hiking air-dried/air-free packaged foods..

What are other good things to bring? No intention of cooking or anything... trying to keep it as simple as possible this first time....

[thirt33n]

you can find anything here on eplaya. most likely already posted.

check this outhttp://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?t=24663


good luck

[ZaphodBurner]

How much cooler is it in the shade/tent? What kind of containers are best for foods? Ziplock bags bad idead? Are there certain fruits that last a lot longer than others?

Thinking of bringing nuts, peanutbutter, bread, hiking air-dried/air-free packaged foods..

Reusable plastic containers are probably a better idea than ziplocks. If your baggies get exposed, they'll taste like burningman forever or you'll destroy them trying to clean out the dust.

Good call on the food. I bring bagels, peanut butter, dried fruit; rinds, peels, cores etc can get pretty nasty unless you want to pack them in your containers and take them home. Dry ice in a cooler is useful but you can get ice there, so we usually bring a block of pepperjack cheese, some summer sausage, jerky, things like that. If you want to have eggs, break them and carry them in a bottle so you don't have to deal with shells.

Regarding what I said about fruit, there's one exception; grapes. Can't underestimate the joy of a really cold grape in the heat of the day, and the stems will burn easily. Shelled nuts are best because for some reason people freak out about nut shells on the playa.

Don't count on your tent for keeping things very cool unless you have layers of shade, 'cause it gets Wrath of God hot inside just about anything about ten minutes after the sun comes up otherwise. I'm bringing a bunch of dry ice this year, and putting a couple of wool or indian blankets over and around your cooler will help. (Just make sure it can handle a 50+mph wind gust.)

Water in jugs or bottles is fine. If you can, freeze it all before you go. That way you'll have cold water for a day or two if you keep it out of the direct sun.

-c

[Cassidy]

hee hee - "Wrath of God hot" is right

Last year one of the best things I brought was some cans/containers of soup with pop-tops - just set them in the sun to warm them up if you want them hot (which I didn't but it happened anyway...) They were better for me because I didn't have to add water (like a lot of soups) and the cans are recyleable (took them home with me). They also helped keep me hydrated a bit more than the dehydrated stuff. I also brought some of those energy-type bars you can eat when hiking and freezy-pops (otter pops?) and those were a hit... if they melt they can always be re-frozen. (a little easier done when you volunteer to work at Arctica!!) I didn't bring peanut butter because I thought it would just melt, but maybe I will bring some this year.

This year I plan on bringing some jerky and logs of meat, a huge hunk of cheeze, super trail mix (dried fruit and nuts), more freezy-pops, m&m's to put in the cooler, Emergen-C/nutrition powder to add to water (used daily to make up for my most un-nutritious diet while there...) and, of course, my soups. If I can swing it, I'll bring grapes too.

The best ziploc bags I had was the double-lined freezer bags with two ziploc seals - kept things from getting soaked in the cooler when the ice melted and the dust out of my contact lens items. I also got some HUGE ziploc bags with handles to put my: 1-electronic stuff in, 2-pillow in when I wasn't using it and 3-clothes for the trip home (including toiletries). Yeah, they will get covered with dust that will never come off... so, you may not be able to re-use them unless you want to use them for storage or camping.

I also brought a big plastic tote to put everything else in that I wanted less dusty but didn't mind getting dusty (costumes, shoes etc...)

Oh, and we brought those collapsible bladder-type containers that held 5 gal of water each. We filled them on the way there (at Love's in Gerlach, I think). As we used the water they got smaller and, when empty, folded flat and were MUCH easier to take home than a bunch of gallon (or larger) containers.

[thirt33n]

HEY!

I'm bringing a meat log too!!

[StevenGoodman]

Some fruits and veggies last fine, some are gone in two days.

Onions, garlic, tomatoes all seem to last fine. Do NOT put them in a cooler with ice, the moisture will kill them.

Citrus seems fine also, the stuff we had for the bar last year were fine.

Unfortunately, bananas go bad really quick. The potassium in bananas is really important on the playa, since so much water and booze is going through everyone! I always ask people coming later in the week to bring bananas.

Most other veggies do OK, if you keep them out of a moist cooler. The moisture kills them quick. Veggies live in the outdoors, not a cooler full of water! If you keep them out of the sun, they basically dry out, not go bad.

As to ziplocks, and all that, everything in your cooler should be zipped up tight. Or the water/ice in your cooler should be zipped up tight. You do not want the food and the water/ice mixing. That trashes everything quick.

This year I am going to be hard core about putting my ice into a big zip lock, and never having any water sloshing around in my cooler. if you do that, you can re-use the water from your ice as shower water; or even just sprinkle it on the ground; i.e. it is clean water.

You do want to keep your water jugs out of the direct sun, otherwise the water tastes like plastic!

Martini Steve

[gyre]

If you have fruit pits and whatnot, just set them out for a minute and they dry out, then bag them.
And every cooler should have a tray to keep stuff dry.

[nebulachic]

Thanks for all the tips!

meat log... um... never mind....

[EvilDustBooger]

bread

Regular loaf type breads don`t do very well on the playa.
You might bring flat breads...pita, tortilla, etc... if you want it to last a week.

[nebulachic]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!! EvilDustBooger.... I almost tried to flick your ant off my computer!!!

[gyre]

I had bread a week and a half.
I've had milk for a week too.

I just get the gallon jugs of water.
What do you think holds my tent down?

[nebulachic]

Cool Gyre.. that's what I was thinking to hold me tent down too!
Either that or a baby rhino! ;)

("me tent"... hmmmm... have I turned into a leprechaun all of a sudden?)

[Crankful]

get some soy milk in cartons...needs no refriging...cereal will last in the bag....burn the box

[thirt33n]

I had bread a week and a half.
I've had milk for a week too.

I just get the gallon jugs of water.
What do you think holds my tent down?

your tent blew away on sunday morning huh?

[gyre]

By tuesday after the burn it was definitely less stable.
And much noisier!


It's worth mentioning that irradiated milk doesn't need cooling until opened.
Steak and many other items are available this way, though I have had trouble finding them recently.
I recently bought alot of chicken and tuna in sealed foil packs, but I don't know if these are irradiated.
I don't think they need any preservatives, but must be cooled after opening.
They are used heavily in places with difficulty refrigerating.
The steaks I've seen were just in heavy clear plastic.
There may be people shipping out this way.

[TomServo]

Their's always MRE's.. Anything tomato based is really good at restoring your mouth, and taste buds. Canned will last the week. V-8?

I plan what I buy according to the time I'm out their. Steaks, veggies..first two days. Cucumber or orange salad, both chilled for days 3 and 4. Canned for the final push. Something like that.

what he hell..try this at home.

may sound strange, but is really good! Came with my family from Sicily..

Orange Salad

5-6 oranges, peeled and diced
2-3 cloves garlic minced
3/4 cup olive oil (may want less, may want more)
1 Tbsp salt...salt to taste after that

mix and chill. Stays for a while, and the acid cuts through playa dust mouth.

[capjbadger]

Playa dust is an alkali, which is a base. When you mix an acid with a base, you get a salt and water, which is why tomato works. They are acidic.

Mixing a little white vinegar (acetic acid) into your baby wipes will help cut the dust off your body.

Badger

[AntiM]

.. as will witch hazel.

So what's a good alternative for those allergic to tomatoes? Do we just get to suffer and die?

[Ugly Dougly]

...and ginger. Always add ginger.
Good for what ails ye.

[capjbadger]

.. as will witch hazel.

So what's a good alternative for those allergic to tomatoes? Do we just get to suffer and die?

Actually Witch Hazel is an astringent and will dry you out even more. The vinegar will actually neutralize the alkali so you can just wash off the resulting salt.

Oh that's right. I recall you posting about having trouble with the nightshade family. hmm...

Limes and lemons (Citric acid), milk (Lactic acid), potatoes (no idea. I just know you can make a battery out of one. ) for starters.
I think peppers are acidic as well.

EDIT: On second thought, potatoes might not be so good for you. They have trace amounts of the same poison that is in tomatoes and nightshade.

EDIT2: Son of a... peppers are in the nightshade family too?? And Tobacco? Sheesh...

Badger

[AntiM]

And eggplants. Try eating a meal at a fast food joint.