Southern Cali new to BM

[reznorock]

Hi, im Paul, I live in southern california.

Hopefully 2014 will be my first year, ive always been interested in going but never did, then just sort of said, well why not?

Thus far it seems like im going solo. and about the extent of what ive read has been to come prepared (water, shelter etc) if someone looks like they are busy and might need help offer =D. and be prepared for wind and sand and all of that so I figure its going to be like extreme camping in that regard, im totally game.

Haven't quite figured out whether to bring a tent or if I can drive in and sleep in my vehicle. I suppose I'll get there. read a little about gifting, not sure what to do about that just yet though.

regardless im pretty excited about it all, and am looking forward to throwing myself in the pool and seeing what happens , I also look forward to meeting everyone here on the boards.

[TT120]

Welcome to ePlaya!

There is no sand, it's a super fine dust more like talcum powder. It gets into everything. Become one with the dust, once you do that, you'll start having fun.

[reznorock]

I said sand but actually read about how fine that dust was, im guessing it's a lot like all the fine rock dust I get covered in when cutting rocks, just coming at you at high speed

[AntiM]

Welcome.

Vehicle sleeping can be done, but it gets hot. You can try shading and a swamp cooler. A simple tent with covered vents (dust prevention) and simple shade are workable. We're tent campers, although our shade has grown over the years. Lots of options, just keep browsing the shelter threads.

Don't worry too much about gifting physical things your first year. You can always volunteer on playa, and that is gift enough.

[reznorock]

Well that will certainly be something to do, definatly going to be figuring out what to do for shade. been in plenty of hot weather and can handle it well enough (sure beats the cold) there are a lot of good threads around here with loads of idea for shading and the like. it will be mostly figuring out what im going to do and what I will be able to afford. although im still wondering what im going to do about food short of eating bars and dried goods that I can cook for a week

[forty_eight]

Since you can buy ice, figuring out the size and overall spec of your cooler(s) is the fun one to solve.

And, you still might decide to not bring a lot of fresh food.

Our best gift, at least I thought so, was sharing a bottle of champagne with our neighbors before the man burn.

[FossaFerox]

Don't worry about bringing physical gifts to give away your first year, especially if you're going solo. Instead, be your gift. Help your neighbor, pick up moop, talk to people, participate. The event needs more active participants a heck of a lot more than it needs more booze or trinkets. Don't get me wrong, trinkets are nice and booze is fantastic, but there's plenty of both already.

[Elliot]

Don't worry about bringing physical gifts to give away your first year, especially if you're going solo. Instead, be your gift. Help your neighbor, pick up moop, talk to people, participate. The event needs more active participants a heck of a lot more than it needs more booze or trinkets. Don't get me wrong, trinkets are nice and booze is fantastic, but there's plenty of both already.

[FossaFerox]

The funny thing is I'm actually quoting the "BE YOUR GIFT" part from a trinket that was gifted to me on Monday1 in deep playa.

[reznorock]

That sounds like an excellent idea. gifting myself to people... Eris knows ive tried selling myself to gypsy's and that didnt work. so ive been of the understanding that people generally need help with a lot of things (ive worked renfair a number of times in the past and people do love help) should I perhaps bring any tools or just an excited me? (which im sure I could probably find out if I read the forums couldn't I?)

[FIGJAM]

Bring some leather work gloves and a 3 pound hand sledge and you can be "REBARMAN", driving rebar wherever he goes!

This will make you very popular!!!

[reznorock]

I only have a 5 and a 15.....for wood chopping purposes I swear...

Im sure i'll figure it out. first step is to buy a ticket. probably a cheapo bike off craigslist. then figure out water food and shade and im sure the rest will come. are there any pre BM get together for meeting other virgins and vets out in mundania?

[TT120]

Check out the regionals page. There are a couple in the southern California area and that will be the best place to get started connecting with other burners.

http://regionals.burningman.com/

[FossaFerox]

If you want to help people build things the first day or two then you'll mostly need work gloves, stamina, and a smile. Knowledge of knots is also super useful. Knowing how (and WHEN) to tie a bowline, butterfly loop, directional figure 8 (loop), tautline hitch, (double) half hitch, and how to make a trucker's hitch can save someone's burn. Bonus points if you can tie them in the dark with gloves on. Hint: You may have to!

Duct tape, a sharp utility knife, and a bicycle tire pump also come in handy when it comes time to help strangers.

[Elliot]

I only have a 5 and a 15.....for wood chopping purposes I swear...

Im sure i'll figure it out. first step is to buy a ticket. probably a cheapo bike off craigslist. then figure out water food and shade and im sure the rest will come. are there any pre BM get together for meeting other virgins and vets out in mundania?

(*alarm bells and blinking yellow lights go off*)

Hey there Reznorock! My gig is to repair bicycles, and the first few days I am overwhelmed by cheapo bikes off Craigslist (and from garage sales, and from Reno- and road-side "Playa Bike" vendors) -- bikes that are patently unusable, and people expect me to refurbish them... out of the precious little time we have on Playa. So please realize that any bicycle should be gone over by a competent technician, and then ridden a few miles to verify its functionality, before heading to Black Rock City.

Thank you. Carry on.

[reznorock]

Will certainly look around the regionals page, it would be nice to meet some new folks.


@Ferox, well. im pretty good to go on all of that, except the knots,guess its time to find that knot book ive got laying around and some rope and start practicing (I went cold with bowline, voices in my head keep telling me to slack it). looks like I might be wandering around for at least the first day or two with my bag on and doing what I can with or without knot knowledge , meandering about helping out how I can does put a smile on my face, certainly might need to bring some tiger balm or my cheeks might cramp.

Well Eliot im pretty sure one person can't be everywhere (I still have no idea exactly how large the area is) but the bike off craigslist bit, well. im guessing im going to have some occasions where I don't want to walk.

You ever think of fixing up a load of bikes through the year and bringing them all with you and trading them out to people with broken down bikes then just working on whatever as you have time? maybe start a camp that does it, bring people along and let them take care of it while you wander

[FIGJAM]

Elliot brings a thousand bikes to the burn and works on a thousand more!

I've seen him preform all this while nude!

Zoom in and play with this!!!

http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/115712

[reznorock]

zooming in and out. its simply amazing.

[Elliot]

...(I still have no idea exactly how large the area is)...

Roughly 3 miles across. The Perimeter fence is roughly 9 miles, which I happen to know because I patrol it six hours a day for seven days.

... but the bike off craigslist bit, well. im guessing im going to have some occasions where I don't want to walk. ...

Perhaps I did not express myself clearly. By all means, do buy a bicycle off Craigslist. But have it thoroughly serviced and tested before you bring it to the Playa. Essentially, people do not sell bikes cheaply unless there is something vital wrong with it.

...
You ever think of fixing up a load of bikes through the year and bringing them all with you and trading them out to people with broken down bikes then just working on whatever as you have time? maybe start a camp that does it, bring people along and let them take care of it while you wander

Yes.

[FIGJAM]

Elliots place!

Maybe he has a picture of the sign.

[Elliot]

.
Oh, if you must. But I think this sign if from 2012, and I forgot it at home in 2013 and had to hand write one.

26 loaners in 2013. No idea how many bikes repaired -- maybe 200.

Recruiting more help for 2014, yes. There's a camp thread here somewhere.

Patsh made the sign:




But more importantly... Happy New Year!
.
.

[reznorock]

Happy New years to you as well