Virgins from Texas, Y'all

[kittyrodriguez]

Hey everyone! I'm Kitty, and my husband and I are driving to this year's Burn all the way from San Antonio, Texas. We will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary in Black Rock City.

We've been busy taking in the required (and optional) reading, accumulating supplies, and daydreaming of our new adventure. It's a though I can taste the dust already.

So, howdy!

P.S.
As a resident of a city that only has one season, hot, what is the weather on the playa really like. The temperatures here have been in the 100s for about a month, but our hot is humid and stifling. If we can handle this heat is it safe to assume that the pleasantly dry heat of the playa will be refreshing?

[Savannah]

Hi Kitty! I love it that you and your husband will celebrate your 10th anniversary out there.

It's dry as a bone out there on the playa. So dry we were just talking about our nose irrigation strategies in the Q&A Tips and Tricks forum. (Bring a little nasal saline for a once daily dose, it helps prevent nosebleeds). 90F in the day is quite usual, 50-60F at night (sometimes warmer), but it can go over 100F, or drop as low as the upper 30's at night on rare occasions--like last year, when happened twice! We even got rain. That doesn't happen every time . . .

[gyre]

Never hotter than San Antonio.

Sometimes pleasant.

[Elderberry]

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

Occasionally it rains out there too, again like last year; which was pretty unusual weather wise.

[illy dilly]

As a resident of a city that only has one season, hot, what is the weather on the playa really like. The temperatures here have been in the 100s for about a month, but our hot is humid and stifling. If we can handle this heat is it safe to assume that the pleasantly dry heat of the playa will be refreshing?

Hey Kitty!
Welcome to ePlaya!

I would say yes, it will be a pleasant change for you!
But as I'm sure you've already read, drink lots of water, and bring lots of lotion. If you're used to humid heat, the dry heat will dry out your skin.

And congratulations on the anniversary!

[theCryptofishist]

In the mountains (although 4000' might counts as low) you should never count on summer being the only season in June, July, August and September. Rain, and worse than rain is a possibility. not that I ever do a damn thing to be prepared for that...

[kittyrodriguez]

Thanks for all the advice, welcomes, and congratulations. We're super stoked to be making it finally!

Water is definitely the majority of our stockpile, and we're waiting for our camelbacks to get here. I read that some people recommend bringing pedialite for electrolyte loss. What are your experiences with that?

[kittyrodriguez]

This might be a silly question, but are there creepy crawlers out there? The desert in west Texas is home to many IUSes (Insects of Unusual Size), is Black Rock City also home to horrible beasties like scorpions and centipedes? Flies and mosquitoes? Snakes?

[theCryptofishist]

No. The soil is pretty toxic to most plants and animals. Not worth it interms of food availability to live out htere if yo uare a scorpion or some such.

[Savannah]

On the drive through the country surrounding the playa you will see animals (among them famous kamikaze jackrabbits, which are safest not to swerve away from, and cows, with whom that strategy obviously does not work). By bodies of water there may be biting flies, but on the playa itself you will literally see only half a dozen bugs who hitched a ride in. I love the occasional mantis--or dragonfly. We don't really get them up north, so it adds a special element to an already special place to see one cruising down the street in Black Rock City.

[illy dilly]

This might be a silly question, but are there creepy crawlers out there? The desert in west Texas is home to many IUSes (Insects of Unusual Size), is Black Rock City also home to horrible beasties like scorpions and centipedes? Flies and mosquitoes? Snakes?

O yeah there is THE PLAYA SPIDER!
Just kidding,
Most bugs are brought in. And the is an urban legend of "Playa Spider Bites". 'Playa Spider Bites" actually come from people taking their camping gear out of their basement, garage, shed, etc. that has a spider in it. They get to the playa start setting up and get bit by the spider. Or its lurking in their favorite chair or something.

The only insects indigenous to the playa are typically mechanical or man made and often stand over 6' tall.

[The Hustler]

Hey everyone! I'm Kitty, and my husband and I are driving to this year's Burn all the way from San Antonio, Texas. We will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary in Black Rock City.

We've been busy taking in the required (and optional) reading, accumulating supplies, and daydreaming of our new adventure. It's a though I can taste the dust already.

So, howdy!

P.S.
As a resident of a city that only has one season, hot, what is the weather on the playa really like. The temperatures here have been in the 100s for about a month, but our hot is humid and stifling. If we can handle this heat is it safe to assume that the pleasantly dry heat of the playa will be refreshing?

I'm in San Antonio also. I'm going through Albuquerque and Las Vegas on my way to BRC.

I'm stoked and can't wait for the adventure to begin.

[The Hustler]

Thanks for all the advice, welcomes, and congratulations. We're super stoked to be making it finally!

Water is definitely the majority of our stockpile, and we're waiting for our camelbacks to get here. I read that some people recommend bringing pedialite for electrolyte loss. What are your experiences with that?

I hike and ride my bike all over San Antonio and Austin and I'm pretty good at dehydrating myself. When I'm smart enough to take precautions (I ride my bike with 2 cameras, notebooks, a few pens, a Swiss Army Knife and Leatherman Skeletool, other bike tools, patches, 2 inter tubes, clear-lens glasses for night, tools, but generally forget water) everything works better.

Water cut with Gatorade or powdered Gatorade or Tang works well. Camelbak has their Elixir tablets as well as other brands. The best thing for space is to go with powdered stuff so you don't have 400 plastic bottles all over the place. Just stay out of the wind when mixing. Avoid Kool-Aid or things like that. Gatorade, Elixir, Tang, (not Taang!, the record label), Pedialite and the like have electrolytes, sugar and other things to replenish sweat and keep energy levels up.

[Savannah]

I'm fond of Pedialyte, or V-8, or 100% juice and a handful crackers, Emergen-C, etc. I like to mix it up.

There are a number of Vitalyte fans on the board as well.

[kittyrodriguez]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am surprised to see other San Antonians (pleasantly surprised) venturing out to the playa. I've been watching the Gerlach-Empire weather and it looks so NICE! Here's our forecast for the week 104, 102, 102, 102, 106, 106 with 45% humidity.

We are doing this first trip out to BRC on a bit of a budget. Any recommendations for shade structures on the cheap side? We've got some PVC pipe, but I'm worried about how it will stand up in the wind...

[The Hustler]

I found an outrageous deal on a Kelty Shadehouse through Amazon with free shipping. There are threads here about building shade structures, but you're running out of time. To do it right, it takes time.

I imagine PVC will work if you stake the hell out of it. I tested my gear in a stormy camping trip on the Gulf months ago and I'm still finding beach sand in the car. I imagine it will be beach sand and alkali dust soon. As much as I dispose clutter and filth, I always love it when my bike, shoes and car are covered in mud, sand and adventure-based grime.

And, I grew up in Connecticut and lived in NYC. 45% humidity is bone dry. Last week it was 100 in NYC with 87% humidity. Houston and New Orleans are like that on nice days. I've been checking the weather there as well and I can't wait to go!

I'm a virgin burner as well, but if I can be of any help let me know.

[trilobyte]

Hi Kitty, welcome to both you and your husband!

You'll be surprised, the weather's actually a lot better than it looks on paper. Unlike what you're probably getting in San Antonio, it's a dry heat. That, and it's a high elevation desert, plus there's usually at least a gentle breeze in the air. As a result, you don't feel the heat as much (which is why people will constantly remind you to hydrate/drink water).

Have a safe trip, and hope to see you out there!

[Savannah]

Kitty, a monkey hut is a good cheap shade structure that holds up well. (A cargo van is helpful for transporting it.) Mine was PVC.

http://www.chromatest.net/Lovemonkey/

My current shade is shade cloth and steel, with a completely horizontal ceiling so it doesn't catch the wind really at all. This year I'm adding curtain panels but only when I'm in camp, as the windstorms that spring up when you're away from camp are fast, and they like to make merry with excessive fabric, loose tarps and slack guy lines.

[kittyrodriguez]

Sweet. I love those "monkeyhuts." Not sure if we have the room in our SUV to carry all that, but it gives me some ideas.

[Savannah]

You can try taking the cargo measurement diagonally. I admit would be a squeeze with an SUV. I think some transport their poles outside (if they know what they're doing. Proper tie-downs are essential if one would avoid spillage and accidents).

There's a good monkey hut eplaya thread here (which I found by typing monkey hut eplaya into Google).

Whoops. Meant to actually include the link.
http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?p=662668

(But there are other links too, if you use google.)

[Sic Pup]

Sweet. I love those "monkeyhuts." Not sure if we have the room in our SUV to carry all that, but it gives me some ideas.

I don' t know if this helps but here's a pic of my MH with tent shade add-on in transport mode. The longest poles are 5', the tarps are 16"x16"x6", throw in a few 4' bungees, some bungee balls and some rebar and you're set. I cut the 10' sections down which mitigates the length issue but it does add 8 2'6" sections (the white PVC).

[Savannah]

Do you happen to have a photo of how it looks when assembled? No worries if you don't, but I would love to see it, because so many people use the realllly long pieces of PVC and of course, this is impractical for people traveling in average-sized vehicles.

[Sic Pup]

I don't but it's really identical to the 10' version. The 8 10' ribs are cut to 5' lengths and the 8 2' 6" sections(white) are a larger diameter and used to join them back to 10' sections (I hope that makes sense). Essentially the larger diameter white pvc are used as sleeves to rejoin the sections. I'm going to throw a screw on each end just because I can.

Actually, I'm pretty sure MDF did the same thing and I know she posted pics, I think in the Work In Project thread.

[tamarakay]

Howdy! We are in Fredericksburg, virgin burners ourselves and had the same question regarding the heat. Lots of VERY GOOD advice in this thread:
http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic. ... at#p685811

[Elorrum]

I've used a kelty version of the tripod shade.. . with good results. Anything you bring, just guy it out at EVERY possible rope attachment point, and adjust as needed. http://ww2.sierratradingpost.com/abo-ge ... s~d~228%2F

[kittyrodriguez]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Because we have limited space in our vehicle, I got one of those gazebo type structures that fold up pretty small. Its basically four metal legs with thick fabric at the top. Nothing fancy, but it was cheap and we'll guyline the heck out of it... Thinking about attaching thin curtain like material on the sides to make it a little shadier and more exotic feeling.

I am so excited. I can't believe its almost here! Looks like we've got all the necessities except food and water, which we'll probably pick up a little closer to the playa to save on gas.

[illy dilly]

Hey its great to hear you're figuring it out!

For water, I would recomend the very last and yet very best place to get water. The Gerlach Community Center! (ya know they should pay me with as much as I rep their water)
In the
The Jack Rabbit Speaks
Volume 15, Issue #18
June 24, 2011

It was stated that:


Trixie, our intrepid Gerlach Office Manager, passed along this incredibly useful information:

"The Town of Gerlach will be selling potable water for filling up RVs and water tanks. We will have ample filling stations in front of the Gerlach Community Center at 410 Cottonwood Street, with directional signs located as you enter town on Main Street.

Our rates are .50/gallon up to 100 gallons, .45/gallon for sales above 100 and less than 200 gallons, and .40/gallon for sales larger than 200 gallons.

You asked and we listened: WE WILL HAVE CONTAINERS!! Call today to reserve your filled containers ranging in size from 5 gallons to 15 gallons. There will be a limited amount available and you dont want to miss this one stop shopping opportunity.

Our filling station will be open August 26th August 31st. The hours for operation will be 9:00 am to 1:00 am. However, due to high demand we will be open 24 hours on Saturday, August 27th and Sunday, August 28th, 2011. We are only able to accept cash; however, there will be an ATM machine available for your convenience. Our office can be contacted at ###-###-#### or #######@yahoo.com with any questions or to arrange fill-ups prior to August 26th.

Remember: Water weighs 8 lbs. per gallon, and by buying your water in Gerlach you will avoid paying fuel costs to transport your water from Reno or even farther. Save gas!

I went ahead and blocked out the phone number and email address since we've been having all the spam issues lately. But, I will email this to you as well.

[kittyrodriguez]

Thank you for that info. That is pure gold, and we will definitely be stopping there!

On a side note, (way to the side) is there a large "cat" population on the playa? I tried doing a search, but most of the activity was from over 5 years ago.

So, hello to any other kitties out there... >^..^< Nya

[illy dilly]

OK, for a second I was gonna be like "READ THE DAMNED SURVIVAL GUIDE- NO PETS ALLOWED!"
But then I realized that you were talking about costumes.... Oops.

Yeah see all sorts of animals, though there are a lot of Rabbits!

Is Kittie code for some sort of club/group? There are some folks from CO that are part of the "Kittie Condo" its a camp, actually I think it might be a decked out bus. I honestly don't know the details.

[Savannah]

There are lots of furry beasts on the playa. Watch out for Black Rock City Animal Control.