First Time Burners

much2naughty2 · Post by **much2naughty2** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 11:19 am

We're a couple of first time visitors from the Pacific Northwest. We're also DINKs@home and finally free We decided years ago not wake up one morning at 80 years old and say, geez, I wish we had tried that.

So, even though we're children of the 60 who lived very conservative life while raising rug rats and missed the follies of youth, Raised our kids on organic food, read all the Mother Earth News, and built lots of their projects, lived in waffle stompers, and listened to Carol King and James Taylor.

Now we're working our way through our "bucket List" and buying lotto tickets, as our asperations for new experiences grow larger and more expensive, but we haven't seemed to let go of the earlier items on the list and keep repeating them as well.

We've read and re-read tons on BM and can only hope we are prepared for BM. The BM website has an incredible amount of information, so if we missed something, it's our fault. We've also got some great advice and met some nice people via their posts and replies to us. Thank you to those folks. What we've learned so far.

You can't bring or drink enough water. Critical
Prepare for strong winds and heat. Check! (tie down the awning and leave clothes in the RV.
Don't recycle the shower water, someone might have pee'd in it. Check!
Bring ear plugs.
Label and keep keys hidden in camp or you'll loose em.
Label, label label, anything that might leave camp.
Bring business cards with contact info, and write playa address on them for friends you might meet.
Get out and experience BM as much as you can in a very short week.

Anyway, that us, more or less, for good or bad.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 11:47 am

Get lost you freakin' "bucket lister"! Burning Man doesn't need your kind, showing up just to be a spectator. Go to DisneyLand.

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 11:47 am

Welcome home! It's a blast! You'll experience many challenges given the harsh conditions, but it's totally survivable. Your checklist will carry you through nicely. It's all about pacing yourself...no rushing!

I'm in my mid-sixties and this w/b my 6th trip to the playa...there's something there for everyone...just be open, accepting, and tolerant.

I also live in the NW (Seattle). We RV down on the Saturday before, camp one night at Summer Lake Hot Springs, arrive at the event gate at opening time.

PM me if you want to share ideas/tips, etc...and read everything in this forum.

Cheers, DP

much2naughty2 · Post by **much2naughty2** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 12:03 pm

Disneyland Captain? Yup, that's next on the list....

Awe, come on Captian. One day your a nice guy, the next you rip us. To late though, we already know you're a teddy bear at heart.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 5:06 pm

Yeah I know, just yankin' your chain...

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 5:28 pm

Another Northwesterner. Oregon or Washington?
I know what you mean about doing stuff. When I moved from 2000 miles, to 200 miles from the playa, I knew I had no reason/excuse not to go. I, too, am old, but have no intention of letting that be my excuse for not doing something. I think you can be and get old on the playa. And when I can't bike anymore, I'll build an art car. Or get a Hoveround.

Post by **AntiM** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 5:58 pm

LOL you said "waffle stompers". We didn't have dances at the high school, we had "stomps". Ah, memories.

Other essential items: big ass shade hat with a chinstrap

flashlight on a leash

lip balm on a string (melt a hole in the cap and knot a cotton string through it). I've been using the same lip balm cap on various tubes for seven years now.

Post by **Elderberry** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 8:50 pm

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

JK

CLARKcon · Post by **CLARKcon** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 8:16 am

Hola much2naughty2

! We are bringing a couple of 1st timers with us this year, & from knowing them, can expect they'll have a blast. One of the big mental states to be in right before you go through the gates is to "have no expectations"

That way you won't be let down & you're always where you need to be

Swing by COFFEE CAMP for a cup of joe if ya head out this year

Victorian · Post by **Victorian** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 3:24 pm

Welcome welcome welcome! I'll be a first timer as well...

Best of luck on your journey to the playa.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 4:52 pm

CLARKcon wrote:

Excessive use of smileys: Prohibited in the Terms Of Use. Punishable by spanking from AntiM.

much2naughty2 · Post by **much2naughty2** » Sun Feb 14, 2010 10:43 pm

We're from Washington State teardropper.

AntiM, Wafle Stompers were some of the first hiking boots that came out with a tread patern that looked like a wafle when you walked in the dirt, hence wafle stompers. It kind of went with eating homegrown organic, building your own house, getting off the grid. Kind of went out of style in the 80's when everybody started trying to make a profit off it, and started calling it enviromentalist.

Thanks Dragonpilot. We will contact you as the summer passes. We've meet a lot of current and former burners in our circle of friends. We're trying to encourage as many of them as possible to come back with us.

We'll figure out some type of flag or banner to fly so ya'll can find us and stop in to say hey.

magicmarty · Post by **magicmarty** » Sun Feb 14, 2010 10:59 pm

Hey, Much2Naughty2, welcome to e playa.

Don't worry about age, 2010 will be my 4th Burn and I will be 78 and loving it. PM me too for helpful hints and other info. Will be fun to be of help.

Someone ahead of me said something about expectations. Leave both your expectations and inhibitions at the gate and you will have a wonderful experience.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 6:35 am

much2naughty2 wrote: AntiM, Wafle Stompers were some of the first hiking boots that came out with a tread patern that looked like a wafle when you walked in the dirt, hence wafle stompers. It kind of went with eating homegrown organic, building your own house, getting off the grid. Kind of went out of style in the 80's when everybody started trying to make a profit off it, and started calling it enviromentalist.

Yes, I wore them when I was a teen in the 70s. That's why I was laughing, I haven't heard waffle stompers in ages.

much2naughty2 · Post by **much2naughty2** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 12:04 am

It really dates us doesn't it AntiM. Somewhere between the 70's and 80's the wafle stompers wore out, so did the VW squareback with pink and blue curtains, and the dash for cash began.

Now that I'm retired, I can look back to try and rediscover those values, maybe, Experience some of the things we missed and miss, maybe. Seems like BM might be a good place to start that journey.

Syke0ut · Post by **Syke0ut** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 12:34 am

Even tho you guys and gals top me by like what?...30+ years? I'm going. I'll meet you there. =D

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 8:38 am

Syke0ut wrote:Even tho you guys and gals top me by like what?...30+ years? I'm going. I'll meet you there. =D

Age matters little once we all get covered in dust. My dearest friends are half my age. No, I can't keep up physically, but that's mostly moot.

much2naughty2 · Post by **much2naughty2** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 1:24 pm

Yaaaa, I just got back from signing for my tickets. Couldn't wait to get out to the parking lot to open the package. The fireball jaw breaker was a nice touch. Hiho hiho, it's off to burningman we go........

Faerienuff · Post by **Faerienuff** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:54 am

Inspired by your prep and the way others are engaging with you here
Hope I can make it happen too
Congrats on buying tickets :)

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:31 am

Wonder what day you're planning on going and how far you make it in a day? A few of us are leaving Klamath Falls, your last full service stop, and may be going to the Eagles Nest, by Alturas. Maybe go there Sat or Sun and stage for the last 120 miles or so. Folks will go at different times, depending on when they want to get there and whether they want to drive at night. Place is Burn friendly and should make a nice preburn spot.

much2naughty2 · Post by **much2naughty2** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:35 pm

We'll probably leave early Sat morning. Alturas would be almost 13 hour drive on Sat, so we may stay over in Burns area.

Does the gate open at midnight? Middle of the night travel out to BM for newbie might not be the best idea, but we would definately be near Alturas about noon on Sunday.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 5:11 pm

The gate does open at midnight, but the line is terrible and trying to find a spot in the dark is tough.

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:51 am

You should probably stop at the Eagle's Nest near there and stage for the last leg. I'll probably leave early to be in line at dawn. Can't beat sunrise over the playa in line.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:25 am

We shoot for dawn because the line is shorter, we can see, and it is still cool enough to get camp set up.

Hint: get camp set up before wandering off. Difficult to do, there's so much calling you away, but you'll be happy you stuck to it and got the work out of the way before you got too hot/drunk/tired.

LostinReno · Post by **LostinReno** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:44 pm

AntiM wrote:
Syke0ut wrote:Even tho you guys and gals top me by like what?...30+ years? I'm going. I'll meet you there. =D
Age matters little once we all get covered in dust. My dearest friends are half my age. No, I can't keep up physically, but that's mostly moot.

I couldn't agree more! I was the youngest in our camp last year at 42, the oldest being 66. Most everybody else physically did circles around me! Age means nothing! Being somewhat sober and in shape......helps!

(This years lesson, don't drink so much before noon! LOL!)

I forgot all about the term "wafflestompers"!! I had them when I was a kid. I guess the Merrell's I still wear today are pretty close?

EmilyD · Post by **EmilyD** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:38 am

Hi Fellow Virgins,

Hubby and I not only live in the SF Bay Area, know hundreds of burners, (including many founding members) are deeply involved with the ArtCar community, grew up in Bezerkeley, CA, are freaks, and.....have never been to Burning Man before!?! WTF? It's mostly my fault as I don't like heat and I'm a not a super experienced camper. But, since we've gotten a cute lil pop-up trailer, and have been on many ArtCar caravans (in the desert) I think I'm finally ready to brave the Playa. We're doing our homework, reading everything we can find, quizzing our buds, and looking inward to see what fears and concerns we have. I think we're going to fall in love with the experience! Not to mention, we'll be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary just a few weeks prior. Since we had no witnesses to the original legal act, and said no vows (except I think I said "hot damn" when the marriage commissioner made us legit) it seems right to have 40,000 wild spirits witness our accidental relationship success this time, doncha think?

Welcome other new folks, glad we're all leaping in together!

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 9:17 am

Hello Emily, you hippie. What took you so long?

EmilyD · Post by **EmilyD** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:33 pm

[quote="teardropper"]Hello Emily, you hippie. What took you so long?[/quote]

ROFLMAO...actually growing up in Bezerkeley it took me a really long time to embrace my hippyhood. It was downright embarrassing for a long time. I still can't tolerate folk music...GACK! Lucky for me, and the world of freaks, I finally did learn to love my inner hippy, well with a bit of a 90's punk edge added! ;-o

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