Tip: Things NOT to bring to Burning Man

drutter · Post by **drutter** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:51 pm

I'd like to start a list of things one should never bring to Burning Man, aside from the obligatory joke "your spouse". Ha ha, yes, very funny, don't bring your spouse. But other than that, what things have you found completely unecessary or even dangerous to bring to the playa?

Here's what I have, so far.

- heavy jacket (I brought one in case the nights were really cold, but I found a long sleeved shirt and/or a light sweater was plenty to keep me warm)
- bug spray (seems obvious, but I met Burners this year who brought some, not realizing there was nothing alive for several miles)
- watermelon (everybody brings one, once..... and only once)
- food that makes a lot of graywater (pasta is tasty and easy on the playa, but it makes buckets of graywater each time you cook it)
- a large towel (I thought it would come in handy but never did - it's best to let your face dry in the arid conditions rather than bring a bulky towel to dry it off)
- a watch (gets dust in it, and besides, who cares what time it is out there?)

Useful additions will be edited into this list as they're brought up.

Post by **Elderberry** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:11 pm

I brought a watermelon and it was a wonderful cold treat..so was the ice cream. I'll bring both again for sure.

And if you are volunteering and need to know what time your shifts are, or planning on other events that are somewhat scheduled, or what time it is in the morning to get the the portajohns right after they are cleaned, a watch (cheap watch) does come in handy.

JK

phil · Post by **phil** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:12 pm

Heavy jackets are sometimes a necessity. We've had overnight temps in the low 40s with enough breeze that people were wearing floor length fake furs.

Bug spray - definitely not needed

Watermelon - PLEASE DON'T! Sheesh! And someone gave away apples to people near our camp this year, so apple cores were everywhere. Please, please, please, don't give away any food that is not completely consumable. If you want to bring watermelon, apples, prunes for yourself, feel free. You get to take home the mess. But don't give it away to passersby.

(On the other hand, it's Burning Man. People can bring whatever they want.)

EB · Post by EB » Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:39 pm

I've got an old beater wrist watch that I keep on my handlebars. Very handy. Also, I like my full-sized towel after taking a full-sized shower.

Not to bring:

-- Jeans. Can't think of a more uncomfortable piece of clothing out on the playa.

-- Camping shit like gas lanterns. Unless they're for effect, there's a lot easier, cleaner, safer ways to get illumination.

-- Boombox. I always bring mine and every year it sits in the back because somebody's brought a bigger one/stereo system.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:49 pm

more than one Significant other............unless it's that way anyway........

dr.placebo · Post by **dr.placebo** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:48 pm

You may or may not want heavy jackets, but you should be prepared for freezing temps (and yes, we did have frozen water on Tuesday morning after the burn). Layers are your friend.

Towels are useful for evaporating water. They work faster than evap ponds, and for really small camps they can handle the load. I usually don't generate any extra water with my cooking, so the towels are used just to catch low-flow shower water.

I don't bring a watch, but I do bring a small travel alarm, since I like to take some early morning pictures and I volunteer for some early shifts.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:30 pm

Leave a closed Mind at home...

hollywallydoodle · Post by **hollywallydoodle** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:36 pm

i agree that one does not need bug spray at burning man; however, i saw at least 3 bees, 2 dragonflies, and 5 other bugs i couldn't identify. my campmate felt something sting her ass and she reached down and discovered a bug we'd never seen before. there was another shiny green bug the size of a nickel at one of the bars we visited (someone said it was a stink bug, but i'm not sure about that). and i have a photo of a bug that landed on my towel.

there ARE bugs...there were dogs too. i saw 2 of them, 1 walking with his owner and 1 that was wondering around on his own (or so it appeared). he came to our trunk wanting peanut butter.

Post by **Elderberry** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:54 pm

I think the bugs come in on the cars and trucks, then die out rather quickly. We had some moths and some sort of beetle we saw flying around the lights the first day we arrived, but nothing much after that.

Never saw any dogs though. They must have hidden them well to get them passed the gate.

JK

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 10:06 pm

seems the dogs didn't make it to the other side of the Korean BBQ place........

Intubater69 · Post by **Intubater69** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 12:16 pm

I wont bring seafood without dry ice again.
Hell, I wont bring so much food next time. Yeah, right.
Won't bring so many freaking AA batteries for my EL wire.

Will bring more costumes/accessories.
Will bring more EL wire (damn, there goes the battery thing)

clreindeer · Post by **clreindeer** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 2:58 pm

We brought bug spray. Why? Because when we finally got home from BRC, had to apply heavy coats of OFF to ward off the freaking mosquitoes that lingered by our gate to our property, and at our house when we got out of the truck. YIKES!!

I did get bit by one mosquito at BM this year...the freaking thing was in our trailer and we had brought it with us. Boy was I pissed! I am sure it bit me and then wondered off in the playa only to find that it was alone, and no water!!!! It was far, far away from home.

Shadow

clreindeer · Post by **clreindeer** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:05 pm

drutter wrote:I'd like to start a list of things one should never bring to Burning Man, aside from the obligatory joke "your spouse". Ha ha, yes, very funny, don't bring your spouse. But other than that, what things have you found completely unecessary or even dangerous to bring to the playa?

Here's what I have, so far.

- heavy jacket (I brought one in case the nights were really cold, but I found a long sleeved shirt and/or a light sweater was plenty to keep me warm)

I agree...no need for a heavy jacket for like snow

- bug spray (seems obvious, but I met Burners this year who brought some, not realizing there was nothing alive for several miles)

I just did a seperate reply on that one! I did find OFF was a good thing to have...but not at BRC

- watermelon (everybody brings one, once..... and only once)
- food that makes a lot of graywater (pasta is tasty and easy on the playa, but it makes buckets of graywater each time you cook it)

plus the stay noodles that get left in the pot

- a large towel (I thought it would come in handy but never did - it's best to let your face dry in the arid conditions rather than bring a bulky towel to dry it off)

we brought several big towels...only one got used. Big and bulky...we won't bring that many again.

- a watch (gets dust in it, and besides, who cares what time it is out there?)

I found the watch to be useful in knowing when the ice people opened up so we could walk up and get the precious ice!! I loved the ice and the ice people...they rocked!

Useful additions will be edited into this list as they're brought up.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:21 pm

chocolate

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 9:43 pm

We bring small Japanese handtowels. Small enough to use to scrub the face or the feet, and big enough to dry off with after a simple wash. They're also happy sex towels, because I hate wet spots.

I've worn jeans on the playa, usually during set up or break down, and during fire safety.

I did wear my fur coat this year. My singed faux mink.

A carbiner watch is handy, you can clip it on a pack.

I must bring my spouse, he's my multi-purpose survival tool.

Don't bring anything you can't bear to lose. Larry wears his leather vest during fire safety, and he had his pewter Rising Sons pin on it and lost it. Irreplaceable and we didn't think about it. Heck, it hung on through all his Harleys so we had little reason.

Wigs. I bring them every year, I've worn one once.

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 7:19 am

republicans.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:00 am

who the hell wants to sit around and all agree and hug and sing cumbaya (sp?).
Bring em all, the fun is in the mix.........
or, is your breakfast just plain oatmeal....?
I like nuts and raisins, milk and sugar, in mine.......I think that covers everyone for analogies.......

Post by **Elderberry** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:49 am

eat enough sugar and you get diabetes. talk to enough republicans and you get high blood pressure. neither are good for you.

JK

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 10:10 am

So,
if you ate a Republican, would that be a double negative and be good for you?...........

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 10:52 am

Christians.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 10:55 am

I for one, have eaten several christians..........brazillian and otherwise.......

Post by **Elderberry** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 12:13 pm

I knew a girl once that was 8 before she was 6.

JK

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 2:42 pm

Watermellon and apples are great out there! You just have to put in the effort to make sure all of the remains are captured and placed in the appropriate bin (compost or burn)

Warm jackets are a must! Or something warm, anyway.

In years past there were no bugs. This year they were freakin everywhere, especially before the event started. I was told it was because the location was further down, close to water. I got several mosquito bites. Still not enough to bother with bug spray though.

I would add raw meat to the list, unless you're fully prepared to keep it fully sealed and chilled before cooking, and you actually cook it before it goes bad! I've seen too many leaky packages sitting in coolers, never used. It turns into smelly garbage and a potentially dangerous cooler.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 2:59 pm

jkisha wrote:I knew a girl once that was 8 before she was 6.

JK

was she Jewish or Catholic..........?

Post by **Elderberry** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 5:48 pm

ygmir wrote:
jkisha wrote:I knew a girl once that was 8 before she was 6.

JK
was she Jewish or Catholic..........?

Muslim.

But speaking of Catholics, do you know how to get a Nun pregnant?

You dress her up like an alter boy.

JK

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 5:55 pm

see, you kind of stole my thunder.....
I was hoping you'd say catholic, and then I could ask what his name was........
dang.......

Post by **Elderberry** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 5:57 pm

ygmir wrote:see, you kind of stole my thunder.....
I was hoping you'd say catholic, and then I could ask what his name was........
dang.......

Oh, sorry. I meant "Catholic".

JK

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:27 am

Every one of the food items mentioned are on my list of what TO BRING! There's this new thing called a refrigerator... it can even keep things frozen. Amazing device.
And totally seriously, it isn't wise to assume that warm coats are unnecessesary because it was warm THIS year.

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:19 am

sawed off shotguns.

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:37 am

An air matress with a hole in it
A vaccum cleaner
carpet spot remover
chandeliers
shoes with one or more holes in them

Tip: Things NOT to bring to Burning Man

Tip: Things NOT to bring to Burning Man

Re: Tip: Things NOT to bring to Burning Man