2 Newbies coming from the Fingers Lakes in New York!

[wolfwoman2k]

Hubby and I are headed out for our first burn, and we are so excited! We've never driven west of the Mississippi, so this is all kinds of "new" for us. We're hauling our big-ass Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel and dragging our 29' "Martini Wagon" Coachman. Do we solo, or should we try to find a camp? Any help appreciated![/b] :roll:

[Thecatman]

WELCOME!!

I would suggest you solo it, together, but that choice is yours. Don't forget the survival guide.
Find interesting topics in the various threads to read/comment about.
You can purchase alot of supplies at wallymart and Scolari's food and drug store in Fernley, the last larger (town) before heading up 447. A word to the wise, heed all posted speed limits.
Seeing as you're bringing drinks for the house

29' "Martini Wagon" Coachman.

you'll have no problem makin friends.
Many will chime in with their helpful 2cents.

Is your hubby "wolfman2k"?

[teardropper]

Hey, Welcome.

That's quite a trip. And heed Thecatman's caution once you get off 80. You'll be going pretty 1st Class with that rig. Great adventure just in the trip. But Black Rock City? Clearly, like nothing you've ever seen...

Prepare, prepare, prepare. Read everything you can, prepare and anticipate what you will need. Shit'll come up, but at least it won't be the stuff you prepared for. While the playa can be fairly harsh at times, remember, it's just a week long camping trip.

On the moon...

[Savannah]

Hubby and I are headed out for our first burn, and we are so excited! We've never driven west of the Mississippi, so this is all kinds of "new" for us. We're hauling our big-ass Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel and dragging our 29' "Martini Wagon" Coachman. Do we solo, or should we try to find a camp? Any help appreciated![/b]

No need for you to camp with others unless you really crave it. You will have neighbors soon enough, and it sounds like you already have shade and other infrastructure. If you use your RV toilet for pee only (patronizing the portos for serious business) it stays nicest; may I say.

I highly recommend this link for RV drivers:
http://www.burningman.com/preparation/e ... l/rvs.html

And this thread in general, about how to keep one or more people happy when RV camping:
http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?t=34551

Welcome!

[Elderberry]

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

[Bob Bitchen]

Welcome Hope to se you out there

[TomServo]

Welcome! You have the vehicles to haul, just make sure you bring the right stuff! Shade, water, food, etc.. When you get to Elko, NV have a moment of silence for that elk that charged my truck.

[maryanimal]

Welcome from one noob to another. Follow all the advise you get in here. Read Read Read!! Lots of good people wanting to make your first burn a little easier!

[wolfwoman2k]

You folks are just amazing! Thank you all so much for the great advice. I have been planning, reading, dreaming for more than a year. Just the journey itself - even if we didn't have such a fantastic destination - is so exciting and life affirming. Hopefully, we won't kill each other after 3 weeks in a truck! :shock:
Thanks again, everybody - and keep that advice coming!

[teardropper]

Ahhh... you're gonna' do just fine. 3 weeks, huh? Keep the destination in mind. It easily will be your best trip. But I live only 200 from the playa and it seems to be a big deal for me, too. All the stuff, packed so full. And it HAS taken me two days... But I tell my partner when we leave the driveway, our Burn starts now. I like it to last.

[ibdave]

Just remember that you can buy all your bulky/heavy items in Reno and save some $$ on your fuel.. The big box store will have the welcome mats out for the burners...
As the burn get closer, the BMorg will put out a Resource list that's lots of help..

[Savannah]

Remembered you were an RV team when I saw Captain Smashy's new post: "RV Folks: Schedule your Pumps".

http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?t=39108

[Zhust]

Hubby and I are headed out for our first burn, and we are so excited! We've never driven west of the Mississippi, so this is all kinds of "new" for us. We're hauling our big-ass Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel and dragging our 29' "Martini Wagon" Coachman. Do we solo, or should we try to find a camp? Any help appreciated!

I'm from Rochester, NY and drove a Civic hatchback in 2006 and 2007 then, when my girlfriend and I got more serious, we got a 1992 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon and drove that together in 2008. I did it solo with the Buick in 2010 as well.

I used to stop and shop in Winnemucca — the Smiths grocery store is open 24 hours — but I found I neither felt like it, nor did I really save much by doing so. In theory I saved money by filling up water in Winnemucca last year (avoiding carrying it over the mountains) but 15 gallons per person for the week is only 120 pounds or so, and I don't think it made a dent in my fuel consumption. That said, it is the most effective way to save weight.

My advice as far as stuff is to buy anything you need and pack at home, and plan to buy perishables (avoid doing so, as much as you can because they're a pain to handle in the desert) and fill up on water in either Elko, Winnemucca, or Fernley. Also, just because you're going to be gone for a few weeks doesn't mean you need 7 times more stuff than a 3-day overnight, so think about not bringing your whole house and every project you imagine the first time out.

[Zhust]

I used to stop and shop in Winnemucca — the Smiths grocery store is open 24 hours

D'oh! I meant Elko ... there's a Smiths in Elko. That's the last town with a 24-hour grocery of any substantial size. Winnemucca and Fernley are pretty small.