RV's on the increase calls for some creative thinking...

[Captain Goddammit]

Hopefully in keeping with the thread topic, I have a suggestion for camps with many RVs. If they have multiple coaches why not park them so that each pair is end to end with generators in between? For instance, have two of them park with their butt-ends together (where the generators are) and the next two park the same way. Then, the noise will be a bit more contained, right?

The only problem with that is the entry doors would end up on opposite sides (almost all RVs have their door on the right side).
Generator noise issues can be solved with quiet generators. Burning Man runs on generators. If people quit bringing those crappy LOUD things and brought quiet ones, no one would bitch. It's way better these days than in years past, when the lawnmower-engine beasts were everywhere.

The number of RVs vs. number of tents has increased every year! The whole goddamm event keeps getting more expensive. This year cost me well over $5000. My bet is that it'll spiral upward a bit more then crash when enough of us realize what a nice Caribbean cruise we could have gone on instead... where they do everything for us... and there are beaches...

[makoona]

Gotta say, rows and rows of identical giant RV's is pretty sucky, yet very apropos of the theme American Dream. As BM morphs from a small group of like minded pranksters, artsy fartsy's and cacophonists into a more mainstream microcosm of american culture, it seems to include the american nightmare as well as the american dream. But were it not for RV's I wouldn't have this wonderful memory: A naked beer bellied RV'er with a huge shlong, up on top of his rig blowing all the dust out of his A/C unit with a leaf blower, kicking up giant plumbs of dust, all silhouetted by the setting sun. Simply breathtaking.

[Intubater69]

Gotta say, rows and rows of identical giant RV's is pretty sucky, yet very apropos of the theme American Dream. As BM morphs from a small group of like minded pranksters, artsy fartsy's and cacophonists into a more mainstream microcosm of american culture, it seems to include the american nightmare as well as the american dream. But were it not for RV's I wouldn't have this wonderful memory: A naked beer bellied RV'er with a huge shlong, up on top of his rig blowing all the dust out of his A/C unit with a leaf blower, kicking up giant plumbs of dust, all silhouetted by the setting sun. Simply breathtaking.

Simply breathtaking

In a retina burning sorta way i spose

[Misti]

This was our virgin burn, we took the RV. We bought it to tow the Jeep when we go 4 wheeling to save on hotel costs and justified spending the money on it by saying we could use it for burning man also.

We had the door open in the dust storms, it was too hot with it closed and the dust was sneeking in anyways, and now have the novelty of being able to show it off to family and friends.

We ran the generator twice the whole week, once for 15 mins to make sure the battery that we would need to get home was charged, and once when we had neighbors over who were too hot sitting under their blue tarp ez up in the middle of the dust storm and didnt have working AC. They brought cheese and wine, how could we not? We checked with the neighbors to make sure we didnt smoke anyone out.

We used the propane fridge but the freezer was fridge temperature and the fridge was only slightly cool, we ended up using ice in the fridge to keep the food cold.

We used the propane stove but had a bbq with us too if we wanted to use it instead, never used the microwave.

We used the potty only in the early mornings before we were dressed and used the jots the rest of the time dust storm or not, never used the shower.

We will take it again next year too, I like knowing that we can lock everything up, not have to pack up when we are ready to go, and not have to spend time digging in packed boxes to find the flashlight when we wanted to go somewhere. I liked to have cabinets to set all of the postcards I was gifted, the painting I adopted and the little things we got where we could see them.

We had the tools and materials to help fix two bikes and a tent because we had the space to pack it.

The people behind us had their generator going the whole time, but I tuned it out after the first day of it running. I could however see how it could bother people.

Dont send all of us out to the RV zone, we arent all bad

[mojo]

One of the main reasons people park the RV's closer to the street is that the truck to pump out the tanks needs to have access to connect their hose.

[pignome]

Sucks to individual shit pots!

[brcprincess]

Hey settle down people.

First you go after the hoverers.. now it's the RVs!!

Steady on.

[safetythird]

The good Capt is hitting every nail square on the head. If we ever meet I think we'd get along fine. To all the anti-RVrs and "RVing isn't really burny" crackpots let me go ahead and tell you all to kindly fuck off and mind your own damn camp. You have no right to dictate what comfort level I or anyone else is allowed to have. Seriously, what kind of fascist crap is that? I have an RV and I will use it. Suck my taint if this upsets you!

07 I didn't bring the RV. Yeah, we were going to rough it and go small. Except there's tons of stuff we needed to take since we were sans RV. Used a 25 ft trailer to haul my camp gear and MV. Guess what? The suburban and the trailer were WAY fucking longer than my 27' Winnie and I burned the same amount of fuel, maybe more. I guess my bright idea of saving gas didn't exactly work out as I had planned. Actually nothing did.

Setting up the tent and kitchen and all the other stuff was a major PITA when we arrived at really-late-thirty on pre-opening Sat and what was my reward? Dust in my food, dust in my bed, sleeping in a dutch oven and nothing to block all the noise emanating from or invading the tent plus all the other inconveniences of tent life. Oh yeah, doing the ice chest shuffle with all my food because I couldn't buy ice until Monday sucked too. Add to that spending a ton of time and money in the ice line every damn day and I learned that I WAS doing it right to begin with.

RVs are they way to go. Less time fussing the necessities equals more time fussing the fun stuff for everyone to enjoy.

[Captain Goddammit]

You've just perfectly summed up what I've been trying to say!

[mojo]

I'm with you guys. We have an old "classic" RV, which means that a big part of the art is just getting there with it.

[Tiahaar]

Amen! Old classic RV's and busses rock. The Land Yacht is mighty cool too.

p.s. Mojo I WILL get the giant rabbit built one day, promise!

[alt12]

the only solution that works is Radical Self-Apathy....Nothing you can do about it...even if there were a solution to the RV-dominated prison block there will always be tons of assholes that show-up and dominate their block with their boring RV fleet aesthetic.....I do think there are more of them (more RV fleets that is not more RVs in particular) and larger ones at that....

....that, or just yell "RV ASSHOLE!" every time you walk by....at least then they will know that they are irritating you....

there's a 3rd option but I would never openly advocate for violence....

[mars]

....that, or just yell "RV ASSHOLE!" every time you walk by....at least then they will know that they are irritating you....
.

Yeah, let's all just walk around yelling and insulting each other for everything we don't like...that sounds really fun!

[mojo]

Amen! Old classic RV's and busses rock. The Land Yacht is mighty cool too.

p.s. Mojo I WILL get the giant rabbit built one day, promise!

Yippee! I shall genuflect when I see it.

[Boijoy]

mostly I'm a little jealous of the RV'rs. Esp. when it's hot or theres a storm. However, this year I did notice some RV'rs that looked "out of place" a little. It was a NICE rv. and super clean. they had ac filters taped on all the windows ( great idea ) & a piece of astro turf as a patio w/ a matching patio set on it. they were two couples, middle aged, a little over weight, wore REAL touristy clothes. I only ever say them sitting on their patio watching the show. (which at times was a drunked me flashing boobies at the porto john guys ) seems they never left the rv area. it REALLY reminded me of that Malcom in the Middle episode. I hope they enjoyed their stay !!

[Captain Goddammit]

the only solution that works is Radical Self-Apathy....Nothing you can do about it...even if there were a solution to the RV-dominated prison block there will always be tons of assholes that show-up and dominate their block with their boring RV fleet aesthetic.....I do think there are more of them (more RV fleets that is not more RVs in particular) and larger ones at that....

....that, or just yell "RV ASSHOLE!" every time you walk by....at least then they will know that they are irritating you....

there's a 3rd option but I would never openly advocate for violence....

You're pretty much trolling for some, aren't you?

Become a productive member of society, buy a bus, learn a skill or two and convert it, and come in style. EVERYTHING about it is better except taking unnecessary shit from people like you.

[ibdave]

the only solution that works is Radical Self-Apathy....Nothing you can do about it...even if there were a solution to the RV-dominated prison block there will always be tons of assholes that show-up and dominate their block with their boring RV fleet aesthetic.....I do think there are more of them (more RV fleets that is not more RVs in particular) and larger ones at that....

....that, or just yell "RV ASSHOLE!" every time you walk by....at least then they will know that they are irritating you....

there's a 3rd option but I would never openly advocate for violence....

Why, do you care what one chose's to live in? Why??

[mojo]

Years ago I was a tent snob... it wasn't "camping" if you had an RV. I got over it.

I still tent camp when the situation calls for it - but the playa is not such a place. I cook for 30 and just couldn't do it as well (or artistically) without a less dusty prep place, oven, etc.

[safetythird]

Why, do you care what one chose's to live in? Why??

Some people have nothing better to do than try to force their opinions on others. I see it all the time. I don't get it, but I see it.

How many of the haters actually approached an RV dweller and talked to them? Perhaps try to see things from the RVrs perspective not just bumming a resource or bitching because they pitched their tent next to the gennie? I gonna go out on a limb and say exactly zero.

And insinuating that violence is a viable option? Are you kidding me? Violence over a person's choice of camping accommodations? Wow! And I thought I said a lot of stupid stuff in my day.

First off, safety is always the third option and secondly there's no way these passive-aggressive wankers have the testicular fortitude to confront anyone. They are more likely to slash a tire or some other chickenshit move while no one is around.

And just to contribute some creative thinking to this thread; it doesn't have to be either a tent or an RV. I have friends that have built houses on the playa. Insulated, air conditioned, stick build houses.

[Intubater69]

Well, what seemed to be a rather humorous thread initially seems to have gone to a bad place. Yelling Assholes at the RV's As a sailer who see's the merit of powerboats shhhh, I have one and as a lifelong tenter, I also see the merit of an RV. My Mom has one of those class A behemoths that she said I could take to the burn, but considering the price of gas, how many mpg it gets, and coming from Detroit, I couldnt afford an arm and a leg in gas $ to get to the playa. Hell, gas for the F150 made me cry like my son when I cut him off of cartoons and candy But to have had my own toity, refuge from the dust, and a better kitchen to prepare food....that would def. be nice. And as I get older, methinks that maybe at least a pop-up looms in my future. Razz each other good-naturedly, we're all out there for the same reason. Well maybe, me, I'm hoping the Capt will take me dust-skiing. I now return you to your previously scheduled rants...

[theCryptofishist]

What, you can't take me to a new and improved rant? Because I've seen these re-runs.


(Damn writers' strike.)

[Teo del Fuego]

if I could afford it, I'd own and drive an RV out there every year. Probably mutate it quite a lot, but having a dust free bed would be a luxury.

[ygmir]

I bought an old travel trailer, actually, more of a playa-vet than I am, by far, from some burners.
Really cheap, and, as you say, hardly any dust.
A nice mid size trailer can be had around 1K with all system operable..........

[Elliot]

All right, I'll pipe up, if only to enjoy the sound of my own voice.

And I'm preaching to the coir (sp?), but I'm thinking that we can all help spread the word. Some of this was already mentioned, but here goes.

There is this fabulous bargain out there, available to almost anyone with decent gainful employment and common sense. It's a 15 year old school bus. Those things cost somewhere around $100.000 new, and go for just a few thousand when they are decommissioned ten to 20 years later. I paid $5.500 for my 1992 Blue Bird in December 2006. Nothing significant wrong with it. Here it is at the edge of our Kinetic Sculpture Racing Camp in 2007, anchoring a huge shade tarp:



As was mentioned by an other poster, some skills and tools are needed to convert a bus from just a bus to a camping abode. But it's nothing complicated. I dare say it's not a whole lot more difficult than building some of the pretty darn complicated domes and other home-built structures I see in BRC. Yep, I really think you can do it, and you may enjoy it. And the wind resistance and cargo capacity are terriffic.

Now.... Something I have learned. Again, mentioned before, and I agree: A bus or RV should be parked so it does not needlessly separate the camp from the street. (Man, that corner generator and the row of RVs was SO wrong! And I was right there too, in Camp Inspiratum.)

And now: Something I do not understand. Why do the factory-built RVs need their holding tanks pumped out every couple of days? With a bus, you can install any size tanks you want. My sewer tank is 70 gallons, and when I get the second gray (shower) water tank installed, I'll have 120 gallons of gray water capacity.

All right; good enough ego trip. Carry on!

PS: School buses max out at 40 feet, and those are the best bargain.

[theCryptofishist]

choir. At least you didnt' fal into the "quire" trap.

[Elliot]

Good call, because I initially typed "quire" and... immediately choked on it! Chorus, choral... of course. Just not a word I use very often. No choir boy, I.

Wanted to add...
When shopping for a school bus, pay attention to ceiling height. They are all just a sneeze over six feet in the middle; less along the sides due to the curvature. But some are a few inches higher than others. Look for a bus that was used as an "Activity Bus". That means field trips. Athletic team bus, and that sort of thing. Often better configured for highway travel in several respects, like rear end ratio.

You may still want to raise the roof a foot or three. It really is not all that difficult! We do that, and other school bus conversion work, over on http://www.skoolie.net/forum/.

[Simon of the Playa]

next year, shanty town....

i'm saving up my corrugated metal and street signs.

[motskyroonmatick]

That photo has a real beauty to it.

[Elliot]

I look at that picture and remember how my father, a building design and structural engineer, hated architects.

[ihlvr]

'09 will be my first burn. I plan on bringing my travel trailer, as it is the most efficent way to attend. My '78 Airstream carries all my water, all my waste, cools my food, warms my water. It is all 12v or propane, except the A/C. The awning provides my shade. There is no way I could do all this with a tent, gallon's of water, seperate shade, ect. in the same ammount of space.
I have alway's used the best solution I could find, based on where I was going. Up and down the sierras with nothing more then I could pack on my back. Did what I had to do to get where I was going.
I bought two horses and a mule, a great wall tent, and all the goodies to set up a great camp in the wilderness areas where you can't take anything motorized. Horse power.
Three years ago I traded work for the airstream, and, it has it's place. There is nothing at all noble about driving somewhere where it is allowed and sleeping in a tent. If you can't afford an RV, so be it, but don't crum on other's that either can buy one, rent one, or horse trade for one.