Advice for Burnign Man newbs V 2.0

[Savannah]

This is the best! We bring it every year. http://www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse.php

If you wear contact lenses, drip some of that saline in your nose daily, too. Or just bring some proper nasal saline. It may help prevent nosebleeds after several days on the playa. My first kleenex of Day 4 usually has a bright red hello-to-you! if I don't do this myself.

Ah! They're the company that makes my neti pot. I should check their other products . . . although I always bring excessive toiletries & so it's somewhat likely I will continue to be a savage and make my multi-purpose solution truly multi-purpose.

[AntiM]

Its a neti pot! Its a pee funnel!
Neti pot!
Pee funnel!

[Ugly Dougly]

Is that why everything smells like piss?

[Sic Pup]

If you have Will Call stay in the far right lane upon entering, test your memory by trying to read/remember the signs and come up with a coherent message.

Have ice cold beverages and/or food ready to gift gate and greeters.

DON'T be tempted to imbibe until you're in the relative safety of your camp.

When breaking camp gather all unopened/unused food/drink/substances together, stay in the far left hand lane during Exodus, take the turn off and gift the excess to DPW who (will remain on site for weeks afterwards).

K.I.S.S. - focus on survival and being relatively comfortable, just the basics. If you find it's your cup of tea add amenities/luxuries in subsequent years, before long you'll be glamping.

[Pecho]

When is best time to drive in to get in line? The past three years i have spent 6-8 hours in line. I want to be near the front of the line when the gate opens. I dont mind parking and camping since we have a camper. Suggestions from smarter burners than i? Was thinking maybe reno sat night and head in early sunday morning?

[robbidobbs]

When breaking camp gather all unopened/unused food/drink/substances together, stay in the far left hand lane during Exodus, take the turn off and gift the excess to DPW who (will remain on site for weeks afterwards).

DPW Playa Restoration Donation Station cheerfully accepts your open liquor containers. Not the perishables of course, but definitely your hard alcohol.

DPW Cleanup also needs: clean socks, clean non-logo'd shirts, girl stuff, first aid supplies, batteries, camping equipment, toiletries (clean/unopened), sunglasses, bedding, tobacco and BEER. Every year I take a box of nonperishable food and supplies to DPW Ghetto pre-event. The set-up/cleanup crew are there during the Event, most don't have jobs, and can really use your help.

To answer the next question: chill at Gate. Do not come early to get in sooner. There is no guarantee to the rumors of early gate entry. There is no benefit to stressing out to be the first in line, the party doesn't start till you get there anyway. Your Burningman experience starts the morning you get in your vehicle and drive there. Bring entertainment just for Gate.

Bring extra tobacco and beer, twice as much as you think you're going to need. No, really.

[Sic Pup]

DPW Playa Restoration Donation Station cheerfully accepts your open liquor containers. Not the perishables of course, but definitely your hard alcohol.

I stand corrected.

What about used?

[MyDearFriend]

DPW Playa Restoration Donation Station cheerfully accepts your open liquor containers. Not the perishables of course, but definitely your hard alcohol.

I stand corrected.

What about used?

Deposit that in Robbidobbs' Department.

[Sic Pup]

I stand corrected (again!)

From JRS Flag [BManUpdate] V15:#27:08.11.11 TRANSPORTATION

#3. KNOW WHERE YOU NEED TO GO
Buying a ticket or picking up a Will Call ticket?: NEW FOR 2011 - WILL CALL IS LOCATED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF GATE ROAD AS YOU APPROACH THE GATE. STAY IN THE SECOND LANE FROM THE LEFT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN INTO THE WILL CALL LOT. (The left most lane on Gate Road is the exit lane). Go to Will Call, get your tickets and then get in line. Don't have one person in your vehicle go to will call while you wait in the entry line - every year many people lose their rides. Everyone must STAY WITH THEIR VEHICLE.

.....and I have no intention of commenting on the first 3 words of that.

[capjbadger]

I stand corrected (again!)

From JRS Flag [BManUpdate] V15:#27:08.11.11 TRANSPORTATION

#3. KNOW WHERE YOU NEED TO GO
Buying a ticket or picking up a Will Call ticket?: NEW FOR 2011 - WILL CALL IS LOCATED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF GATE ROAD AS YOU APPROACH THE GATE. STAY IN THE SECOND LANE FROM THE LEFT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN INTO THE WILL CALL LOT. (The left most lane on Gate Road is the exit lane). Go to Will Call, get your tickets and then get in line. Don't have one person in your vehicle go to will call while you wait in the entry line - every year many people lose their rides. Everyone must STAY WITH THEIR VEHICLE.

.....and I have no intention of commenting on the first 3 words of that.

THERE IS NO GATE SALES. Damn lazy editors...

Huh... it USED to always be on the right side. They must of changed it for this year.

-Badger

[FIGJAM]

I predict a fuck up.

That change from right to left.

People that have gone for years and KNOW their suppost to be in the right lane now have to cross ALL lanes to get where they need to be.

It's gonna slow down entry.

[Sail Man]

Have ice cold beverages and/or food ready to gift gate and greeters.

I have always gifted gate a fifth of tequila. It has always been well received

[Sic Pup]

I predict a fuck up.

That change from right to left.

People that have gone for years and KNOW their suppost to be in the right lane now have to cross ALL lanes to get where they need to be.

It's gonna slow down entry.

+1

Has the potential for being a massive clusterfuck. I hope they don't rely solely on JRS and social media to get the word out (just look at ticket sell out) they need to send notification out to the same emails they sent the confirmations to and then again where the pavement meets the playa (or earlier).

[Sic Pup]

Have ice cold beverages and/or food ready to gift gate and greeters.

I have always gifted gate a fifth of tequila. It has always been well received

No doubt.


Let me know if your vehicle needs another going over.

[NutmegBasil]

Take your backpack(water, chapstick,warm layer,sunblock,pocket knife) everywhere. You may think your only going to the potty, but you never know where you'll end up..

[cablemonkey]

never seen the street signs stolen so early in the week before

Wow. Stolen early in the week before. Before the event even starts. That is early. [sorry, couldn't resist ]

It's true that you can't rely on street signs because they do disappear. But you can rely on asking a stranger where you are, and you'll always get a helpful answer. Well, maybe not always helpful, if they're lost too!

I encourage everyone to replace missing street signs with field-expedient alternatives. Heavy black marker and a piece of cardboard, etc. works well.

Intersections that have t-bar stakes have their location marked on an orange sleeve around one of the stakes.

[AntiM]

Anything which can fall off your bike on the bike rack at freeway speeds... WILL. Take off your headlights/tail lights/bell, possibly even the seat and carry it all in a bag or box in the car. We have has fender nuts and bolts fall off!
As for decorations, fake flowers are MOOP, and you won't even notice it flying away in your rearview mirror.

[FIGJAM]

Take care of yourself so that you don't succumb too the elephants!

[FIGJAM]

They kept surrounding the shirtcockers and saying "It's cute, but how do you breathe through it?"

[Sic Pup]

If you want a great introduction to the art find out what time the art tour leaves from Artery and tag along on your bike. The bus moves slow enough to keep up and it's very informative to get some of the inside skinny on the art and artists. Yeah, it's a bit touristy but isn't everything a compromise? They don't mind and they even address the bike contingent at times.