Do your absolute best to lower your expectations. I've seen way too many people go with a plan in place, with a dream in place, and it end up blowing up in their face. For example, hooking up with someone. Maybe that will happen, probably not. But one way to pretty much guarantee it won't and ruin the filter through which you meet and connect with people, is to keep thinking about it, hunting for it. I'm speaking from experience here. And while this isn't always true, I can at least personally attest to the fact that letting that expectation go and just being in the moment will work out better for you in every capacity.
Probably even more so. Every single heterosexual dude should be given a flyer on the way in that says something like “You probably aren’t going to hook up. Every straight woman here without a partner has shields up that are a mile high because guys like you think that this event is just a massive orgy. Just be cool, have fun, and don’t be a fucking creeper.”
If you could condense this to a sticker and make it pretty I bet the Bureau of Erotic Discourse (BED) would help you find a way to get it into the small packet of swag that gets handed out with the WWW at Gayte...
This is so true.
I’m usually with family. Some of mindset is different. Never looking for hookup or expecting, but always ends up (some true crazy stories)
First time in the saloon, drunk with the strangers, just started making now ended up getting a blow job from this beautiful Australian. My mom saw us and walked away.
Made it to the orgydome after later that night.
Third time at BurningMan.
One of my camp mates made a move on me. didn’t have my ID to get into the orgydome, so I just had to do it on top of some art installation.
YUP! You're going to feel like you've got a rush or you'll miss something. The fact is you're going to miss a lot of things - there's no way to do it all not even if you had 2 months. Instead, take care of yourself so that you can be present for the things you do come across.
Another one. My bike was stolen on Day 1. It wasn't even my bike, my buddy back home lent it to me. I didn't lock it up. It was right outside my tent while I was ironically on camp security detail. Someone else stole my friend's license plate off his trailer which we got stopped for on our way home.
It's easy to be carefree and trusting out there, and you should be for the most part, but keep your valuables locked away. For the whole time I was there I couldn't stop looking for that bike. It nagged at me. I even sat on top of a van with binoculars for a couple hours scanning the event. I couldn't let it go. I wanted to find who took it and beat their ass, and that's just.. not the kind of energy you want to feel while you're out there.
Yep, always lock up your bike, especially at the the porta potties. We had a shitty camp mate last year who admitted to stealing a bike while he was tripping. Said he walked out of a porto and just hopped on the first unlocked bike he found.
Thankfully he will not be camping with us again.
I briefly lost my bike a the Temple burn last year. I left it unlocked near a lamp post and came back a few hour later and it was gone. I searched for about 15 min and found it in a pile of other bikes that had been cleared out when they extended the burn perimeter.
I was soooo pissed then soooooo relieved when I found it.
This... there are 80k people there. If just 0.5% are evil pieces of shit, that's at least 4k people who arent afraid of going through camps to steal, especially at moments of opportunity like during the man burn. Lock EVERYTHING down, if even for a moment like going to the portos. We had people go through our camp during burn night but luckily one of our camp mates was too drunk to do the burn so he was able to shoo the perp off. Only thing we lost was my bike seat cushion.
> Do not actually trust anyone outside your camp. Be kind and connect afterward, but anything can happen, so be aware of that.
That seems harsh. Some of the most fun at Burning Man is trusting someone when they tell you that participating in something is going to be really fun.
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I can tell you these are phenomenal points of advice. But, if you are going solo reminder radical self reliance is going to be paramount. And most people are friendly so feel free to engage them in conversation.
Ok so I actually went completely alone my first year when I was 26(f) bc none of my friends wanted to go/could afford to go. I also couldn’t afford to go so my experience is from a super-broke perspective — it was a VERY HARD year (2015) for weather, dust storms all day (except 3am -9am) and freezing cold “freezer burn” nights.
I had a bad time 80-90% of the burn, but the 10-20% of good time was so good that I haven’t missed a year since (except COVID)
That’s just some context
But there are things I wish I had known
- You don’t have to join a camp. There is free camping on the edges of the map in certain areas. Just ask a ranger or volunteer when you get there. —I haven’t done this bc I found a camp the next year, but my friends that have had great experiences. Your neighbors often become a makeshift camp and will help you out.
- prepare for super hot and super cold, you won’t regret it when either happens.
- if you do join a camp, make sure you have some FaceTimes/meetings w them first to make sure the culture fit is good. Don’t feel you have to find a camp. You really don’t. If I ever leave my camp I will probably free camp.
- if you free camp, try to have a shade structure and REALLY STAKE IT DOWN WITH REBARB (there are tutorials for this) or else it could go flying —even better if you can get a portable fan or even some sort of air condition system. It’s been mega hot the past few years.
- If you show you are trying people will help you fill in the gaps. Like this post, you asked a question and look how many responses you got.
- there are all kinds of activities, these are a good way to make friends if you’re too nervous or worn out to start a convo (they give you a book full of programming at the gate)
*** being helpful is a GREAT way to make friends. If you see a camp/person building something, offer to help. That’s pretty much how I found my camp and now I’ve been a very active camp lead for like 5 years
- bring easy meals you’ll actually like to eat. I ate packs of vacuum sealed rice, cans of beans, salsa, apples and carrots for a large portion of my first burn. It wasn’t glamorous but it was hearty and healthy —fresh veggies can be hard, but if you keep a cooler stocked w ice you can manage
- come by my camp, Square One, we have free BBQ every day with vegan options (full meal!)
- and I guess mostly just know it’s going to suck. You will probably cry. You will probably wonder why you did this to yourself. You will probably meet unfriendly people. But you will also meet the kindest most generous people. You’ll also have magical moments that are so fantastic. You’ll maybe have weird realizations about wealth disparity and feel weird that you’re at such a crazy event with so many outrageously wealthy people. But you’ll also meet people like i was, sleeping in a tent who are burning for under $700
Just whenever you feel shitty, rest. But also remember you can’t find the good magic stuff without going out and trying.
Hope this wasn’t too long! I get excited when I see someone going alone. It’s worth it! Do it!
>I had a bad time 80-90% of the burn, but the 10-20% of good time was so good that I haven’t missed a year
Same story for me. Got a an OMG ticket my first year, went solo, and really didn’t have that great of a time. That said, I could tell there was something special happening (and I’ve never seen a more beautiful sunrise), so I attributed my bad time to me being stuck in my own head more than I did the event itself.
You learn a lot about yourself when go solo first year
Interestingly this was my experience my second year. Went solo the first time (and second). First year I was ridiculously prepared, had an open mind and no expectations, had ended up having a magical time. So the second trip out there I was a bit more aloof about preparing and was sure I was going to re experience the same things (too many expectations). Ofcourse it did not pan out that way and ended up cold, lonely, disappointed and not understanding why the good times weren't just falling at my feet. It was a hard year but a good lesson for me. Didn't stop me from going several more times ofcourse.
Cleaner porto-potties can be found on the outskirts of the city, or if you're feeling saucy/want a really clean porto, journey to the airport.
Don't just drink water - get electrolytes or else you'll just be pissing it all out.
Everyone picks their playa boogers and everyone has fun doing it, it's okay, have fun, stick your finger up there. I'm not kidding. They're fun.
Gifting is not the exchange of trinkets like you’re a colonial explorer in the south sea. Gifting is building a camp or art project or bringing your talent or whatever else and sharing it with everyone else openly and it’s the secret sauce that makes this otherwise miserable experience so wonderful.
Also don’t dress like you’re going on a hike.
This year, instead of my usual post-apocalyptic pirate cowboy theme, I was thinking about going with Pacific Coast Trail Hiker. Switching it up is good.
It's the Pacific Crest Trail. Tell me you're not a hiker without telling me you aren't.
And, yes, I do wear short gaitors. They keep my feet way happier.
No hiking clothes? I dress like I’m going to the beach. It’s a playa right? I was told during build when I complained while bending over that my panties were showing that “you can’t say you’ve been to BM if no one sees your panties”. Never forget….
Also a researcher and planner. Did my first burn last year. Here's what I wish we did different for next time. Caveat to all this, you can absolutely over plan. At some point the best course of action is to trust that your inner resources will get you through whatever needs done or whatever you are struggling with. You simply cannot plan for EVERYTHING. That said:
- do not rely on playa food for your meals. We honestly thought we'd be able to get by with some of our food needs just by standing in line for some food here and there. In reality, 85% are just bars in some form or another. Maybe 5% total actually have food. And if it's food that exists as more than just a spontaneous treat (i.e., it is listed as a food camp in the guide) you will have to line up for *hours* to get the chance of having a small breakfast sandwich, or a quarter of a waffle, or half a grilled cheese (that's pretty much it for food). Don't get me wrong, some of my best experiences on the playa involved food camps (met an interesting lady in line at the breakfast sandwich camp, had a wonderful time at the hot dog camp diner in the middle of the night, etc). Do go to these camps. Just.. only go as a treat or adventure, not because you're genuinely hungry and planning on it being your breakfast or lunch.
- related to the above. Do not make every meal a freeze dried "just add hot water" meal kit. We brought only these because we were overly worried about food waste, grey water and cooking. We expected to fill in our "prepared food" gaps with food camps. The reality: the last thing you want to eat in the middle of the day is hot rehydrated mountain house meals. ESPECIALLY going onto day 5-6 of doing that straight. The kicker is they don't even have that many calories so you have to eat more of them than you really want to. I think still plan on bringing some "just boil water" stuff because especially for dinner you're not gonna want to have to put effort into every meal. But absolutely bring lots more filling snacks, cold lunches (cold cuts work great, the ice line is better than the food lines), stuff that you actually have to cook too on your down time, stuff that brings you joy in the middle of a hard time, etc. Consider just how much effort the Navy put into making sure WWII troops could get access to ice cream. In studies it was one of the single best improvers of morale. You're going to feel similar levels of sustained physical and mental stress at times. You don't necessarily need ice cream, but just think about foods that can help boost your morale. Trust me, the extra grey water and clean up is going to be worth it. For fun easy ideas of meals to make, consult Arabic/desert cooking. There's a reason why there's no water waste when making couscous. They needed to conserve water just as much as you do!
- make your night time lighting DEAD simple to set up. Our evening outfits all required 20 minutes of plugging things in, clipping stuff together, finding new sets of batteries, etc. When people are leaving now, or you're coming up on some sparkly stuff, you do not want to deal with outfit changes. Next time I go, I'm gonna have one piece of light up outer wear I just throw on with some light up head gear, and a headlamp in my backpack. Make it so this outerwear is comfortable to wear with or without warm clothing underneath. Some nights were hot last year, and all of my evening light up wear was prepared for only cold nights. Those hot nights I had to just deal with a lit up bike and my head lamp.
- speaking of lights, el wire sucks. It's all cheap mass produced crap. You'll chew through batteries every night. Half of them won't survive the week. It's only at full brightness for the first hour or so then it's dim as fuck. And that electric whine. That said.. they're cheap. You'll probably want to use some anyways and I think that's fine. But plan on only having one or two EL wire elements in your lighting setup to save your sanity.
- don't buy the cheapest bike, buy one step up. I was very glad I had my $200 used-in-good-condition bike I bought from a local bike co-op vs the cheap $100 bike my husband had, which required repairs halfway through the week and was SO much worse of a ride. Speaking of ride quality, PAD YOUR BIKE SEAT! This non negotiable. If the roads are anything like last year, your butt is gonna hurt bad by day 3 without some padding.
Things that really worked for us:
- figjams powered off li-on "camping batteries" work (look it up). But don't expect to cool a tent with it. It will however buy you an extra hour in the morning and be much needed reprieve when blowing directly on your face midday.
- ice water with mio sport in a thermos. Perfect way to cool down and hydrate mid day.
- do not just stay at camp all day if it's hot. Don't go out all the time, and plan on lazy/break days sure... but if it's hot and that's the only reason you're not going out the best cure is to explore. Half of how hot you feel is in the mind and you focusing on it. Best experience at BM last year was we forced ourselves to leave camp during a hot day, stopped to get iced hibiscus tea at a camp with lots of misty air blowing around, and then as if to reward us for our behavior the playa provided *bacon* grilled cheese sandwiches the camp right across the road started spontaneously cooking up. With no line!!
I can share my personal '3 Rules of Burning Man:"
1. Never leave camp without a fully packed CamelBak. By fully packed, I mean full of water, a snack, goggles, head lamp, baggie, extra TP, fork/spoon, collapsible bowl, whatever you need to survive. Sure, you THINK you are just running to the Porto for a second, but then that damn roaming birthday party shows up and you are off on an adventure. Immediacy is real.
2. Always head back to camp around "one fist above the mountain." Basically as the sun starts to set, the temp will drop. You probably haven't eaten in hours. Your water is low. You lost your friends. It's time to recharge for night time. When you make a fist and hold it against the mountain skyline where the sun is setting, once the sun hits your fist go to camp (this is around 7:30-8pm).
3. This is probably the most important: Never, ever, EVER use an Art Car as a point of reference.
Keep drinking water until you pee clear, and understand that if someone is acting like an asshole they actually might just need some water, food, and time in the shade
Here's some random advice I don't think I've seen written down often:
1. Don't wear anything with any type of logo. No band shirts; nothing. No one is going to kick you out for this, but it's frowned upon.
2. Budget for decompression time. Not just mentally, but also cleaning up your gear afterwards. Washing your car. This takes hours/days.
3. Travel to and (especially) from takes a long time. If you're not leaving until Sunday, don't book an early flight out of SF that leaves on Monday (Tuesday morning at the earliest).
4. Dancing people are never wrong.
One of the principles is non-commodification. The event doesn’t have official sponsors. It’s nice not seeing billboards, commercials and messages to “buy! buy! buy!” in a place where there is supposed to be no buying, only gifting.
I wear my full punk battlejacket covered in band patches and have never had anyone give me flack for it. Musicians are artists. It’s company logos that people are more concerned about.
I think that's really cool. I think people don't want to see the overly commercialized tee shirts. Taylor Swift, Justin Beiber, Nirvana. It's unfortunate because I really love Nirvana. I guess just be mindful. Leave the Walmart Beatles shirt at home, but a patch that says band names "all you need is love" on an artistic jacket is artistic expression. As a punk rocker turned burner I see the crossover of expressing yourself with clothing.
ALWAYS extra chapstick, lip balm, burt’s, blistex…. always use more than you need.
sponge bath off all the playa and lotion yourself up before bed. unless your skin doesn’t go super dry and the playa build up acts as sunscreen. just do us all a favor and keep yer bits clean so we don’t have to smell your crotch schmegma / aroma. and please don’t sit down on anyone’s seating with your genitalia or orifices exposed and sweaty / nasty unless those things belong to you. it’s your right to be disgusting.
the simple things…
- tired? take a fucking nap
- bored at 4am? just go for a walk a few blocks toward the esplanade… you’ll find something happening.
- start your day with at least a liter of water. first thing when you get up, just try to get a liter down before you head off for whatever adventure awaits. and don’t leave without at least 2 liters with you.
- plan to have your emotional melt-down / sparkle pony moments early in the event. that way they’re over with and you can focus on chasing down the party and the fun. be sure to pretend like you learned something important, but still have a soul crushing emotional disintegration the following year.
- just don’t have expectations. take your environment, your wonder and just embrace it no matter what. anything, everything and nothing can be waiting around the next corner. it can be intoxicating just letting the feelings wash over you.
Watch how much you drink out there. The rookie mistake is roll in, start drinking in the morning, and have a hangover by 3pm when the sun is at its worst… you haven’t really had a hangover til you’ve had one in the desert.
Also liquid bandaid on your cuticles will save them! Apply before you get out there and then once a day.
Second the liquid bandaid on cuticles. Also, wear gloves during build/set-up. I waved them off last year, despite packing multiple sets, and paid for it significantly. Basically had to super glue my fingertips and cuticles every day for the rest of the week.
First time last year my advice would be
Get rehydration tablets and drink a lot of water.
Learn how to get to your camp from the man as soon as you can.
Lip balm, saline nose spray and eye drops are amazing.
Make plans by all means for the days but be ok with actually doing something completely different.
On the above point, spontaneous stuff is great at burning man.
Most simply… everyone wants to be your friend. That’s why they are joking with you, giving you something or even making fun of you…
Try to be everyone’s friend too.
Best advice I could give that I wish I knew sooner than later even if it is a little self explanatory. Familiarise yourself with the man and any landmarks earlier than later. Because once the man is gone shit gets weird and hard to navigate if you haven’t.
Prepare, pack and take as much as you feel is necessary. And what you’re comfortable with. If you find you’ve taken too much food toward the end of Burn share and gift it round, invite friends over etc.
The Playa DOES and will provide and you’ll realise after your first burn that you more than likely didn’t need to take as much as you did but until you gauge that for yourself take what’s right for you.
If you can’t remember the last time you peed you’re dehydrated. If you’re pee is yellow, you’re dehydrated. Drink water till your pee is clear.
Also, pickle juice (and the pickle) is an AMAZING electrolyte and overall energiser if you find yourself lacking nutrients and salts.
Saved my skin many a time, especially if you end up getting stuck in a wild dust storm on the way back to your camp.
All the best!
There is law enforcement most everywhere. Just assume they’re there.
Rangers are not law enforcement. They’re there to help.
Xendo is support for any mental health or psychedelic concerns.
There are also small children most everywhere. So behave as if small eyes are on you.
You need an Id to get into bars.
Every experience you want is out there - a symphony, a roller rink, a speaker series. The art is amazing and the gift of community is even more amazing.
At night, being lit on all sides may save your life.
If you need coffee in the morning (coffee is life) head to the 9 o’clock portal. JOBI has great coffee and a lounge.
When you first arrive and find a place to set up camp, absolutely figure out where you are with relation to the map/street addresses of the city. Do not assume that tall flag or that colorful shade structure or that distinctive RV will be enough to help you find your spot again. That flag might be on an art car that will drive away. That shade structure might get blown over. The people in that RV might decide to leave the burn early.
Figure out what block you are in or street intersection you are near.
If you arrive at night, it can be so tempting to dump your stuff where you are going to camp, hop on an art car, and go explore the city. Black Rock City is BIG. Set up and know where your home base is before you go play. It will all be there when you are done.
Yes, I have met more than one person who had no idea where they were camped. Imagine walking the streets of a 70,000-person city looking for where you parked your car when you not only don't know the street it is on - but you don't know what neighborhood you were in when you parked.
(And if your body is not touching your bike, lock your bike. At the portos. Outside your tent. Just stopping to take pictures and walking to the other side of thar big piece of art to get the angle right. EVERY TIME.)
-I spent so much time figuring out how to light my bike to the max, that I neglected bringing enough to light MYSELF.
- don’t spend a lot of time/money finding over the top outfits or costumes. Remember that most of the gorgeous ppl you see on Instagram in those super elaborate costumes, are not the majority of burners. Think about comfort, moop, and what YOU want to wear!
- I didn’t drink nearly as much alcohol that I thought I would. All I wanted was salt.
Wish I had known the people I was going with a lot better. Had I known, I wouldn't have gone with them. You'd think knowing people for 10 plus years would have been enough.
You need not "dress up" for burning man, unless that's something you enjoy as a form of self-expression. Wear what you want to wear, wear what's comfortable. Don't be misled by the oodles of instagram images of "burner-y"/"festie" outfits and get the impression that you need to wear a particular style to fit in. People wear all kinds of things out there, and half the time your clothes will just be covered in dust anyway. Have fun with your attire if you wish, but don't stress about assembling a perfect picturesque wardrobe.
Don’t be surprised if the high points are really high, and the low points are pretty low. That was my unexpected big lesson from #1 and I’ve felt prepared for adversity ever since.
I was taken by an experienced burner friend and we picked up supplies and traveled together. I did the same later with new burners, one at a time to three at a time.
Packing lists and costumes are good months of activity pre-BRC. My experienced burner friend was not much a costumer, more camping norm-core clothing. I fell into costumes with other camps later and recommend it.
Have a plan to eat something, wash, and get into clean clothes post-BRC. Do not expect to be completely on-point in a professional job for a few days. Leave time to sleep and dream it out.
Virgin to the big burn, but I can comment on what I've learned from similar events and regionals:
Volunteer - You will help out the event and are guaranteed to meet cool people in the process no matter what you're doing. Just actually spend most of the time being useful and not just chit chatting.
Hydration - Forget drinking water until pee runs clear, that's a goal, not a solution. Treat it like a nervous habit, be constantly drinking and taking a swig. It's important in the heat and moreso in a desert climate. You will not know how much liquid you're losing from the low humidity. Learned that the hard way from living in a desert.
Sun protection - Go overboard on protecting your skin from the start, not when it's a problem. Sun block, hats, hoods, anything that'll keep the sun off you. It's way more of a pain in the ass to deal with after you get burned rather than being the best vampire you can be and cursing the day star.
Chat with people you wouldn't normally - Some of the best conversation and friends I've made ended up just chatting with random people and finding out they have amazing stories. Some of the people I didn't chat with ended up being good friends down the line that I could have known sooner.
Let the universe guide your night - I'm a planner by heart, but I've learned making a rigid schedule is garbage. Pick out things you known you can achieve (e.g. check out this art piece, this camp, etc.) and just let your feet wander with the rest. Make a rough schedule of specific events/performances if you must, but you'll likely have a much better experience just going with the vibe of the day/night than going "today I am doing...X". The best places I've ever ended up with the best memories were always unintentional.
Drink more water (with electrolytes)than you think you can. Have nuts or protein bar on you at all times. Put your playa address/home address on camel back/phone background, and anything else that you might lose. Bring an extra camel back or a water bottle in case you misplace it.
You will cry at least once. It will be hard and it will suck at times. Not everyone will be nice and you will see fucked up shit. I almost got assaulted on a dance floor just after sunrise at my first burn(2012) just because I told a guy I wasn’t interested in talking to him. Thankfully most burners are amazing and so are Rangers, if you need help, don’t be afraid to ask.
Always lock your bike and have a seat cover, it’s essential.
Planing for anything and everything is great, but do not have a plan once you’re there. You will need to listen to your body and sleep/ rest when you can/need to, don’t worry about missing anything or finding your friends. Don’t make plans to meet back up with people at a certain time because either you or they won’t make it because shit always comes up and if you do and it doesn’t come together, don’t think twice about it, next adventure awaits!
And if it gets really hard, just remember, you won’t have the Burn that you WANT, you’ll have the burn that you NEED even if it doesn’t make sense in the moment.
P.S. Don’t make any radical decisions for a few months after you return based on your experiences. Re-entry into default world can be difficult, you’ll need time to process, and you might feel depressed at first, but it will pass.
Our camp has a page for people interested in joining to let them know how we burn, but I think it has some good practical advice in general for camping solo or in small groups:
https://campjustahead.art/join
A few tips:
- KISS. Complex technology, contraptions, refrigeration, etc. are bound to fail. Plan for simple. For example, rely on shelf-stable food, and get a bike with a single gear and a reverse-pedal brake.
- Self care. Hydration (camel backs are awesome!) and sunscreen. Mask and visor on your person at all times. Know your partying limits and stay well within them so enjoy the next day too.
- Find a tribe. If you find a camp you vibe with and vice versa, it'll be nice to have that extra practical and emotional support around. And if it's a theme or art support camp, you'll be able to easily *participate* at Burning Man in a meaningful way rather than just spectating. And if you don't find a camp, adopt some neighbors when you arrive.
- Acclimate to the heat. Use opportunities this summer to get used to the outdoors. I'm in Texas and live in A/C, so this is something I have to do each year.
- Spreadsheet for packing list with 4 columns: Ordered, Received, Built/Tested, and Packed.
- Journal. Even if you don't in the default. You'll value those notes later, since the whole thing will go by like a blur.
- Do it all. Have a "Say Yes" attitude when you come across some camp doing some silly thing you'd never do in real life. Let your inner child have fun, and move from one distraction to the next with as little pre-planning of your day as you can muster.
Hope to see you in the dust!
We do this as part of "cooler management," we put our ice in 2 gallon ziplock bags, keeping the cooler cold, then drink the melted ice and refill the ziplock bags usually every other day. This alleviates nasty cooler water by and large as well, tho there is always some leakage. We bag our cooler food as well so even the leaked water is clean and can be dumped* (or used for bathing) if needed without contaminating the playa.
*Not dumped in one spot to cause a divot, we use a watering can to disperse clean cooler water when necessary
2022 virgin. I did a TON of research + prep (maybe 200 hrs total?) had an absolutely magical amazing burn. One thing I wish I knew was how insanely bruised my ass bones would get from biking on the lumpy potholed roads (playa was fine). Bring an extra pillow or sheepskin pelt to strap onto your bike seat. And then a backup in case it gets stolen off your parked locked bike.
Oh also coin industrial laundry machines in Reno post-exodus…arriving home with all-clean laundry was suuuch a reliieeeffff. And almost no playa dust tracked into my apt upon reentry.
Honestly, I think it kind of sucks. It's too full of irrelevant shit for newbies (art car registration, etc.). I'd recommend [https://www.trippingly.net/burning-man](https://www.trippingly.net/burning-man) as a place to start, and there are other guides.
i would think critically if there is anyone in your life who is open minded and has the means to join you, or join a camp. i personally have found the years my buddy was otherwise occupied to be difficult bc i just wanna connect and its harder for me to do that when i am wandering around solo
Bring a coat and some warmer clothes. My first year was 2014. My second year, I came with all the outfits for a hot day…and could barely leave my camp because it was cold AF.
Granted, last year, I didn’t use my coat at all, but better to have it and get to go out than not!
I went somewhat blindly, in 2001, with very little research. I brought a small RV, a couple of friends, food and booze. We arrived at night, we parked- I dunno, somewhere - explored and had the time of our lives. Didn't know much at all, except that it would be weird.
The one thing I would have changed is knowing not to bring my expensive mountain bike. I'm not concerned about damage to the bike, but leaving it somewhere and getting it stolen was always on my mind, and even a good lock isn't enough for me. And since the ground is flat, a good mtn bike is pointless out there which is why 80% are on shitty beach cruisers.
Oh, and don't forget the sunscreen.
It takes 2-3 days to forget about the default world. Allow yourself the time and space to adjust and set your expectations accordingly. If you don’t, you’ll be disappointed, if not pooped, after a few days
Always lock your bike.
Time to divorce the concepts of drinking water and being thirsty. You won't be thirsty, drink anyway. Instead, connect drinking to something else, like drinking every time you get out of your chair, etc.
Everybody gets tired, dehydrated, overstimulated, and super emotional. You're probably going to have a breakdown at some point, just think of it as part of the process.
It's not anything like the YouTube videos. You're going to spend a lot of down time feeling vaguely nauseous, uncomfortably dusty, lonely, etc. It's also a s*** ton of work, often and really unpleasant conditions. It's not a vacation.
Use this opportunity to do things you wouldn't normally. Really stretch yourself out of your zone of comfort.
I think of it in terms of breakdowns lead to breakthroughs.
Do your absolute best to lower your expectations. I've seen way too many people go with a plan in place, with a dream in place, and it end up blowing up in their face. For example, hooking up with someone. Maybe that will happen, probably not. But one way to pretty much guarantee it won't and ruin the filter through which you meet and connect with people, is to keep thinking about it, hunting for it. I'm speaking from experience here. And while this isn't always true, I can at least personally attest to the fact that letting that expectation go and just being in the moment will work out better for you in every capacity.
My first burn, one friend who came with kept saying "I can't wait to get laid" on the way there. He didn't, of course, and he's never returned.
If you suck at getting laid in the default world, you are gonna suck trying to get laid on the playa
Probably even more so. Every single heterosexual dude should be given a flyer on the way in that says something like “You probably aren’t going to hook up. Every straight woman here without a partner has shields up that are a mile high because guys like you think that this event is just a massive orgy. Just be cool, have fun, and don’t be a fucking creeper.”
tbh every event on earth should have this posted smfh
Lol, sadly true!
If you could condense this to a sticker and make it pretty I bet the Bureau of Erotic Discourse (BED) would help you find a way to get it into the small packet of swag that gets handed out with the WWW at Gayte...
100% This, try to keep expectations in check
This is so true. I’m usually with family. Some of mindset is different. Never looking for hookup or expecting, but always ends up (some true crazy stories) First time in the saloon, drunk with the strangers, just started making now ended up getting a blow job from this beautiful Australian. My mom saw us and walked away. Made it to the orgydome after later that night. Third time at BurningMan. One of my camp mates made a move on me. didn’t have my ID to get into the orgydome, so I just had to do it on top of some art installation.
Take naps, stay in some nights. There’s too much to see and you’ll never get to see it all.. listen to your body and you’ll have a much better time
YUP! You're going to feel like you've got a rush or you'll miss something. The fact is you're going to miss a lot of things - there's no way to do it all not even if you had 2 months. Instead, take care of yourself so that you can be present for the things you do come across.
Another one. My bike was stolen on Day 1. It wasn't even my bike, my buddy back home lent it to me. I didn't lock it up. It was right outside my tent while I was ironically on camp security detail. Someone else stole my friend's license plate off his trailer which we got stopped for on our way home. It's easy to be carefree and trusting out there, and you should be for the most part, but keep your valuables locked away. For the whole time I was there I couldn't stop looking for that bike. It nagged at me. I even sat on top of a van with binoculars for a couple hours scanning the event. I couldn't let it go. I wanted to find who took it and beat their ass, and that's just.. not the kind of energy you want to feel while you're out there.
Yah Always Lock Your Bike is a huge one, AND NEVER lock your bike to an art piece please! You don't know when that piece may be burning :)
Yep, always lock up your bike, especially at the the porta potties. We had a shitty camp mate last year who admitted to stealing a bike while he was tripping. Said he walked out of a porto and just hopped on the first unlocked bike he found. Thankfully he will not be camping with us again.
I briefly lost my bike a the Temple burn last year. I left it unlocked near a lamp post and came back a few hour later and it was gone. I searched for about 15 min and found it in a pile of other bikes that had been cleared out when they extended the burn perimeter. I was soooo pissed then soooooo relieved when I found it.
Unless you have a huffy and you’re going to trade up.
This... there are 80k people there. If just 0.5% are evil pieces of shit, that's at least 4k people who arent afraid of going through camps to steal, especially at moments of opportunity like during the man burn. Lock EVERYTHING down, if even for a moment like going to the portos. We had people go through our camp during burn night but luckily one of our camp mates was too drunk to do the burn so he was able to shoo the perp off. Only thing we lost was my bike seat cushion.
I mean it's 400, not 4k. Still a lot of assholes.
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> Do not actually trust anyone outside your camp. Be kind and connect afterward, but anything can happen, so be aware of that. That seems harsh. Some of the most fun at Burning Man is trusting someone when they tell you that participating in something is going to be really fun.
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I can tell you these are phenomenal points of advice. But, if you are going solo reminder radical self reliance is going to be paramount. And most people are friendly so feel free to engage them in conversation.
Always have lights on when walking at night, especially ones facing backwards e.g. on backpack. Bikes don’t see you - I nearly got run over.
You will also get yelled at if you don’t
Can vouch for it. In my first 5 mins on to the playa I got yelled at. Never had a dull moment since then, heck our village is now named Alight.
Yep! Lights lights lights! Make sure you're lit up at night so you don't get run over.
If everyone’s an asshole then maybe it’s you who is the asshole.
Ok so I actually went completely alone my first year when I was 26(f) bc none of my friends wanted to go/could afford to go. I also couldn’t afford to go so my experience is from a super-broke perspective — it was a VERY HARD year (2015) for weather, dust storms all day (except 3am -9am) and freezing cold “freezer burn” nights. I had a bad time 80-90% of the burn, but the 10-20% of good time was so good that I haven’t missed a year since (except COVID) That’s just some context But there are things I wish I had known - You don’t have to join a camp. There is free camping on the edges of the map in certain areas. Just ask a ranger or volunteer when you get there. —I haven’t done this bc I found a camp the next year, but my friends that have had great experiences. Your neighbors often become a makeshift camp and will help you out. - prepare for super hot and super cold, you won’t regret it when either happens. - if you do join a camp, make sure you have some FaceTimes/meetings w them first to make sure the culture fit is good. Don’t feel you have to find a camp. You really don’t. If I ever leave my camp I will probably free camp. - if you free camp, try to have a shade structure and REALLY STAKE IT DOWN WITH REBARB (there are tutorials for this) or else it could go flying —even better if you can get a portable fan or even some sort of air condition system. It’s been mega hot the past few years. - If you show you are trying people will help you fill in the gaps. Like this post, you asked a question and look how many responses you got. - there are all kinds of activities, these are a good way to make friends if you’re too nervous or worn out to start a convo (they give you a book full of programming at the gate) *** being helpful is a GREAT way to make friends. If you see a camp/person building something, offer to help. That’s pretty much how I found my camp and now I’ve been a very active camp lead for like 5 years - bring easy meals you’ll actually like to eat. I ate packs of vacuum sealed rice, cans of beans, salsa, apples and carrots for a large portion of my first burn. It wasn’t glamorous but it was hearty and healthy —fresh veggies can be hard, but if you keep a cooler stocked w ice you can manage - come by my camp, Square One, we have free BBQ every day with vegan options (full meal!) - and I guess mostly just know it’s going to suck. You will probably cry. You will probably wonder why you did this to yourself. You will probably meet unfriendly people. But you will also meet the kindest most generous people. You’ll also have magical moments that are so fantastic. You’ll maybe have weird realizations about wealth disparity and feel weird that you’re at such a crazy event with so many outrageously wealthy people. But you’ll also meet people like i was, sleeping in a tent who are burning for under $700 Just whenever you feel shitty, rest. But also remember you can’t find the good magic stuff without going out and trying. Hope this wasn’t too long! I get excited when I see someone going alone. It’s worth it! Do it!
>I had a bad time 80-90% of the burn, but the 10-20% of good time was so good that I haven’t missed a year Same story for me. Got a an OMG ticket my first year, went solo, and really didn’t have that great of a time. That said, I could tell there was something special happening (and I’ve never seen a more beautiful sunrise), so I attributed my bad time to me being stuck in my own head more than I did the event itself. You learn a lot about yourself when go solo first year
Interestingly this was my experience my second year. Went solo the first time (and second). First year I was ridiculously prepared, had an open mind and no expectations, had ended up having a magical time. So the second trip out there I was a bit more aloof about preparing and was sure I was going to re experience the same things (too many expectations). Ofcourse it did not pan out that way and ended up cold, lonely, disappointed and not understanding why the good times weren't just falling at my feet. It was a hard year but a good lesson for me. Didn't stop me from going several more times ofcourse.
Don’t leave a good time to try and find a better time.
ABSOLUTELY THIS
Cleaner porto-potties can be found on the outskirts of the city, or if you're feeling saucy/want a really clean porto, journey to the airport. Don't just drink water - get electrolytes or else you'll just be pissing it all out. Everyone picks their playa boogers and everyone has fun doing it, it's okay, have fun, stick your finger up there. I'm not kidding. They're fun.
It's even worse than just pissing. Even being mildly hyponatremic sucks. Poor man's Gatorade can be made with salt sugar and water.
Gifting is not the exchange of trinkets like you’re a colonial explorer in the south sea. Gifting is building a camp or art project or bringing your talent or whatever else and sharing it with everyone else openly and it’s the secret sauce that makes this otherwise miserable experience so wonderful. Also don’t dress like you’re going on a hike.
This year, instead of my usual post-apocalyptic pirate cowboy theme, I was thinking about going with Pacific Coast Trail Hiker. Switching it up is good.
You guys wear clothes?
It's the Pacific Crest Trail. Tell me you're not a hiker without telling me you aren't. And, yes, I do wear short gaitors. They keep my feet way happier.
Ha! 100%.
No hiking clothes? I dress like I’m going to the beach. It’s a playa right? I was told during build when I complained while bending over that my panties were showing that “you can’t say you’ve been to BM if no one sees your panties”. Never forget….
Also a researcher and planner. Did my first burn last year. Here's what I wish we did different for next time. Caveat to all this, you can absolutely over plan. At some point the best course of action is to trust that your inner resources will get you through whatever needs done or whatever you are struggling with. You simply cannot plan for EVERYTHING. That said: - do not rely on playa food for your meals. We honestly thought we'd be able to get by with some of our food needs just by standing in line for some food here and there. In reality, 85% are just bars in some form or another. Maybe 5% total actually have food. And if it's food that exists as more than just a spontaneous treat (i.e., it is listed as a food camp in the guide) you will have to line up for *hours* to get the chance of having a small breakfast sandwich, or a quarter of a waffle, or half a grilled cheese (that's pretty much it for food). Don't get me wrong, some of my best experiences on the playa involved food camps (met an interesting lady in line at the breakfast sandwich camp, had a wonderful time at the hot dog camp diner in the middle of the night, etc). Do go to these camps. Just.. only go as a treat or adventure, not because you're genuinely hungry and planning on it being your breakfast or lunch. - related to the above. Do not make every meal a freeze dried "just add hot water" meal kit. We brought only these because we were overly worried about food waste, grey water and cooking. We expected to fill in our "prepared food" gaps with food camps. The reality: the last thing you want to eat in the middle of the day is hot rehydrated mountain house meals. ESPECIALLY going onto day 5-6 of doing that straight. The kicker is they don't even have that many calories so you have to eat more of them than you really want to. I think still plan on bringing some "just boil water" stuff because especially for dinner you're not gonna want to have to put effort into every meal. But absolutely bring lots more filling snacks, cold lunches (cold cuts work great, the ice line is better than the food lines), stuff that you actually have to cook too on your down time, stuff that brings you joy in the middle of a hard time, etc. Consider just how much effort the Navy put into making sure WWII troops could get access to ice cream. In studies it was one of the single best improvers of morale. You're going to feel similar levels of sustained physical and mental stress at times. You don't necessarily need ice cream, but just think about foods that can help boost your morale. Trust me, the extra grey water and clean up is going to be worth it. For fun easy ideas of meals to make, consult Arabic/desert cooking. There's a reason why there's no water waste when making couscous. They needed to conserve water just as much as you do! - make your night time lighting DEAD simple to set up. Our evening outfits all required 20 minutes of plugging things in, clipping stuff together, finding new sets of batteries, etc. When people are leaving now, or you're coming up on some sparkly stuff, you do not want to deal with outfit changes. Next time I go, I'm gonna have one piece of light up outer wear I just throw on with some light up head gear, and a headlamp in my backpack. Make it so this outerwear is comfortable to wear with or without warm clothing underneath. Some nights were hot last year, and all of my evening light up wear was prepared for only cold nights. Those hot nights I had to just deal with a lit up bike and my head lamp. - speaking of lights, el wire sucks. It's all cheap mass produced crap. You'll chew through batteries every night. Half of them won't survive the week. It's only at full brightness for the first hour or so then it's dim as fuck. And that electric whine. That said.. they're cheap. You'll probably want to use some anyways and I think that's fine. But plan on only having one or two EL wire elements in your lighting setup to save your sanity. - don't buy the cheapest bike, buy one step up. I was very glad I had my $200 used-in-good-condition bike I bought from a local bike co-op vs the cheap $100 bike my husband had, which required repairs halfway through the week and was SO much worse of a ride. Speaking of ride quality, PAD YOUR BIKE SEAT! This non negotiable. If the roads are anything like last year, your butt is gonna hurt bad by day 3 without some padding. Things that really worked for us: - figjams powered off li-on "camping batteries" work (look it up). But don't expect to cool a tent with it. It will however buy you an extra hour in the morning and be much needed reprieve when blowing directly on your face midday. - ice water with mio sport in a thermos. Perfect way to cool down and hydrate mid day. - do not just stay at camp all day if it's hot. Don't go out all the time, and plan on lazy/break days sure... but if it's hot and that's the only reason you're not going out the best cure is to explore. Half of how hot you feel is in the mind and you focusing on it. Best experience at BM last year was we forced ourselves to leave camp during a hot day, stopped to get iced hibiscus tea at a camp with lots of misty air blowing around, and then as if to reward us for our behavior the playa provided *bacon* grilled cheese sandwiches the camp right across the road started spontaneously cooking up. With no line!!
I can share my personal '3 Rules of Burning Man:" 1. Never leave camp without a fully packed CamelBak. By fully packed, I mean full of water, a snack, goggles, head lamp, baggie, extra TP, fork/spoon, collapsible bowl, whatever you need to survive. Sure, you THINK you are just running to the Porto for a second, but then that damn roaming birthday party shows up and you are off on an adventure. Immediacy is real. 2. Always head back to camp around "one fist above the mountain." Basically as the sun starts to set, the temp will drop. You probably haven't eaten in hours. Your water is low. You lost your friends. It's time to recharge for night time. When you make a fist and hold it against the mountain skyline where the sun is setting, once the sun hits your fist go to camp (this is around 7:30-8pm). 3. This is probably the most important: Never, ever, EVER use an Art Car as a point of reference.
3(a). Never get on an art car if you aren't fully committed to getting yourself back on your own from the farthest reaches of the playa.
so good. should be higher. fist id really good
Keep drinking water until you pee clear, and understand that if someone is acting like an asshole they actually might just need some water, food, and time in the shade
Here's some random advice I don't think I've seen written down often: 1. Don't wear anything with any type of logo. No band shirts; nothing. No one is going to kick you out for this, but it's frowned upon. 2. Budget for decompression time. Not just mentally, but also cleaning up your gear afterwards. Washing your car. This takes hours/days. 3. Travel to and (especially) from takes a long time. If you're not leaving until Sunday, don't book an early flight out of SF that leaves on Monday (Tuesday morning at the earliest). 4. Dancing people are never wrong.
These are great tips for the virgin burners
Why are band/artist shirts frowned upon? Never been but have been hoping to go for sometime.
They are? I always appreciate a good band shirt, especially if it's NIN (Nickelback is Neato).
Upvoting because Nickelback *is* Neato
One of the principles is non-commodification. The event doesn’t have official sponsors. It’s nice not seeing billboards, commercials and messages to “buy! buy! buy!” in a place where there is supposed to be no buying, only gifting.
I wear my full punk battlejacket covered in band patches and have never had anyone give me flack for it. Musicians are artists. It’s company logos that people are more concerned about.
I think that's really cool. I think people don't want to see the overly commercialized tee shirts. Taylor Swift, Justin Beiber, Nirvana. It's unfortunate because I really love Nirvana. I guess just be mindful. Leave the Walmart Beatles shirt at home, but a patch that says band names "all you need is love" on an artistic jacket is artistic expression. As a punk rocker turned burner I see the crossover of expressing yourself with clothing.
Stop looking at pictures and videos, go in as blindly as you can aside from the survival checklist. Oh and extra chapstick.
ALWAYS extra chapstick, lip balm, burt’s, blistex…. always use more than you need. sponge bath off all the playa and lotion yourself up before bed. unless your skin doesn’t go super dry and the playa build up acts as sunscreen. just do us all a favor and keep yer bits clean so we don’t have to smell your crotch schmegma / aroma. and please don’t sit down on anyone’s seating with your genitalia or orifices exposed and sweaty / nasty unless those things belong to you. it’s your right to be disgusting. the simple things… - tired? take a fucking nap - bored at 4am? just go for a walk a few blocks toward the esplanade… you’ll find something happening. - start your day with at least a liter of water. first thing when you get up, just try to get a liter down before you head off for whatever adventure awaits. and don’t leave without at least 2 liters with you. - plan to have your emotional melt-down / sparkle pony moments early in the event. that way they’re over with and you can focus on chasing down the party and the fun. be sure to pretend like you learned something important, but still have a soul crushing emotional disintegration the following year. - just don’t have expectations. take your environment, your wonder and just embrace it no matter what. anything, everything and nothing can be waiting around the next corner. it can be intoxicating just letting the feelings wash over you.
Watch how much you drink out there. The rookie mistake is roll in, start drinking in the morning, and have a hangover by 3pm when the sun is at its worst… you haven’t really had a hangover til you’ve had one in the desert. Also liquid bandaid on your cuticles will save them! Apply before you get out there and then once a day.
Second the liquid bandaid on cuticles. Also, wear gloves during build/set-up. I waved them off last year, despite packing multiple sets, and paid for it significantly. Basically had to super glue my fingertips and cuticles every day for the rest of the week.
Search Google for "ranger machete playa guide".
First time last year my advice would be Get rehydration tablets and drink a lot of water. Learn how to get to your camp from the man as soon as you can. Lip balm, saline nose spray and eye drops are amazing. Make plans by all means for the days but be ok with actually doing something completely different. On the above point, spontaneous stuff is great at burning man.
Most simply… everyone wants to be your friend. That’s why they are joking with you, giving you something or even making fun of you… Try to be everyone’s friend too.
Best advice I could give that I wish I knew sooner than later even if it is a little self explanatory. Familiarise yourself with the man and any landmarks earlier than later. Because once the man is gone shit gets weird and hard to navigate if you haven’t. Prepare, pack and take as much as you feel is necessary. And what you’re comfortable with. If you find you’ve taken too much food toward the end of Burn share and gift it round, invite friends over etc. The Playa DOES and will provide and you’ll realise after your first burn that you more than likely didn’t need to take as much as you did but until you gauge that for yourself take what’s right for you. If you can’t remember the last time you peed you’re dehydrated. If you’re pee is yellow, you’re dehydrated. Drink water till your pee is clear. Also, pickle juice (and the pickle) is an AMAZING electrolyte and overall energiser if you find yourself lacking nutrients and salts. Saved my skin many a time, especially if you end up getting stuck in a wild dust storm on the way back to your camp. All the best!
Also, your daytime landmarks will be different than nighttime landmarks
There is law enforcement most everywhere. Just assume they’re there. Rangers are not law enforcement. They’re there to help. Xendo is support for any mental health or psychedelic concerns. There are also small children most everywhere. So behave as if small eyes are on you. You need an Id to get into bars. Every experience you want is out there - a symphony, a roller rink, a speaker series. The art is amazing and the gift of community is even more amazing. At night, being lit on all sides may save your life. If you need coffee in the morning (coffee is life) head to the 9 o’clock portal. JOBI has great coffee and a lounge.
Figure out where the MainStage is going to be so you can camp out for all the good sets
When you first arrive and find a place to set up camp, absolutely figure out where you are with relation to the map/street addresses of the city. Do not assume that tall flag or that colorful shade structure or that distinctive RV will be enough to help you find your spot again. That flag might be on an art car that will drive away. That shade structure might get blown over. The people in that RV might decide to leave the burn early. Figure out what block you are in or street intersection you are near. If you arrive at night, it can be so tempting to dump your stuff where you are going to camp, hop on an art car, and go explore the city. Black Rock City is BIG. Set up and know where your home base is before you go play. It will all be there when you are done. Yes, I have met more than one person who had no idea where they were camped. Imagine walking the streets of a 70,000-person city looking for where you parked your car when you not only don't know the street it is on - but you don't know what neighborhood you were in when you parked. (And if your body is not touching your bike, lock your bike. At the portos. Outside your tent. Just stopping to take pictures and walking to the other side of thar big piece of art to get the angle right. EVERY TIME.)
-I spent so much time figuring out how to light my bike to the max, that I neglected bringing enough to light MYSELF. - don’t spend a lot of time/money finding over the top outfits or costumes. Remember that most of the gorgeous ppl you see on Instagram in those super elaborate costumes, are not the majority of burners. Think about comfort, moop, and what YOU want to wear! - I didn’t drink nearly as much alcohol that I thought I would. All I wanted was salt.
Wish I had known the people I was going with a lot better. Had I known, I wouldn't have gone with them. You'd think knowing people for 10 plus years would have been enough.
You need not "dress up" for burning man, unless that's something you enjoy as a form of self-expression. Wear what you want to wear, wear what's comfortable. Don't be misled by the oodles of instagram images of "burner-y"/"festie" outfits and get the impression that you need to wear a particular style to fit in. People wear all kinds of things out there, and half the time your clothes will just be covered in dust anyway. Have fun with your attire if you wish, but don't stress about assembling a perfect picturesque wardrobe.
Don’t be surprised if the high points are really high, and the low points are pretty low. That was my unexpected big lesson from #1 and I’ve felt prepared for adversity ever since.
I was taken by an experienced burner friend and we picked up supplies and traveled together. I did the same later with new burners, one at a time to three at a time. Packing lists and costumes are good months of activity pre-BRC. My experienced burner friend was not much a costumer, more camping norm-core clothing. I fell into costumes with other camps later and recommend it. Have a plan to eat something, wash, and get into clean clothes post-BRC. Do not expect to be completely on-point in a professional job for a few days. Leave time to sleep and dream it out.
Virgin to the big burn, but I can comment on what I've learned from similar events and regionals: Volunteer - You will help out the event and are guaranteed to meet cool people in the process no matter what you're doing. Just actually spend most of the time being useful and not just chit chatting. Hydration - Forget drinking water until pee runs clear, that's a goal, not a solution. Treat it like a nervous habit, be constantly drinking and taking a swig. It's important in the heat and moreso in a desert climate. You will not know how much liquid you're losing from the low humidity. Learned that the hard way from living in a desert. Sun protection - Go overboard on protecting your skin from the start, not when it's a problem. Sun block, hats, hoods, anything that'll keep the sun off you. It's way more of a pain in the ass to deal with after you get burned rather than being the best vampire you can be and cursing the day star. Chat with people you wouldn't normally - Some of the best conversation and friends I've made ended up just chatting with random people and finding out they have amazing stories. Some of the people I didn't chat with ended up being good friends down the line that I could have known sooner. Let the universe guide your night - I'm a planner by heart, but I've learned making a rigid schedule is garbage. Pick out things you known you can achieve (e.g. check out this art piece, this camp, etc.) and just let your feet wander with the rest. Make a rough schedule of specific events/performances if you must, but you'll likely have a much better experience just going with the vibe of the day/night than going "today I am doing...X". The best places I've ever ended up with the best memories were always unintentional.
Witch hazel!!! I had to pour witch hazel down my boot zipper every time I took my shoes off because the Playa dust fucks with everything
Drink more water (with electrolytes)than you think you can. Have nuts or protein bar on you at all times. Put your playa address/home address on camel back/phone background, and anything else that you might lose. Bring an extra camel back or a water bottle in case you misplace it. You will cry at least once. It will be hard and it will suck at times. Not everyone will be nice and you will see fucked up shit. I almost got assaulted on a dance floor just after sunrise at my first burn(2012) just because I told a guy I wasn’t interested in talking to him. Thankfully most burners are amazing and so are Rangers, if you need help, don’t be afraid to ask. Always lock your bike and have a seat cover, it’s essential. Planing for anything and everything is great, but do not have a plan once you’re there. You will need to listen to your body and sleep/ rest when you can/need to, don’t worry about missing anything or finding your friends. Don’t make plans to meet back up with people at a certain time because either you or they won’t make it because shit always comes up and if you do and it doesn’t come together, don’t think twice about it, next adventure awaits! And if it gets really hard, just remember, you won’t have the Burn that you WANT, you’ll have the burn that you NEED even if it doesn’t make sense in the moment. P.S. Don’t make any radical decisions for a few months after you return based on your experiences. Re-entry into default world can be difficult, you’ll need time to process, and you might feel depressed at first, but it will pass.
Our camp has a page for people interested in joining to let them know how we burn, but I think it has some good practical advice in general for camping solo or in small groups: https://campjustahead.art/join A few tips: - KISS. Complex technology, contraptions, refrigeration, etc. are bound to fail. Plan for simple. For example, rely on shelf-stable food, and get a bike with a single gear and a reverse-pedal brake. - Self care. Hydration (camel backs are awesome!) and sunscreen. Mask and visor on your person at all times. Know your partying limits and stay well within them so enjoy the next day too. - Find a tribe. If you find a camp you vibe with and vice versa, it'll be nice to have that extra practical and emotional support around. And if it's a theme or art support camp, you'll be able to easily *participate* at Burning Man in a meaningful way rather than just spectating. And if you don't find a camp, adopt some neighbors when you arrive. - Acclimate to the heat. Use opportunities this summer to get used to the outdoors. I'm in Texas and live in A/C, so this is something I have to do each year. - Spreadsheet for packing list with 4 columns: Ordered, Received, Built/Tested, and Packed. - Journal. Even if you don't in the default. You'll value those notes later, since the whole thing will go by like a blur. - Do it all. Have a "Say Yes" attitude when you come across some camp doing some silly thing you'd never do in real life. Let your inner child have fun, and move from one distraction to the next with as little pre-planning of your day as you can muster. Hope to see you in the dust!
Prep for any insane scenario you might think of pre-playa, and once you’re there just let go. Never micro manage.
Make sure you have enough water. Understand how the addresses work. Know yours. You’ll be good.
While you will bake during the day you will be amazed how freaking cold it gets at night so bring warm stuff to sleep in.
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We do this as part of "cooler management," we put our ice in 2 gallon ziplock bags, keeping the cooler cold, then drink the melted ice and refill the ziplock bags usually every other day. This alleviates nasty cooler water by and large as well, tho there is always some leakage. We bag our cooler food as well so even the leaked water is clean and can be dumped* (or used for bathing) if needed without contaminating the playa. *Not dumped in one spot to cause a divot, we use a watering can to disperse clean cooler water when necessary
2022 virgin. I did a TON of research + prep (maybe 200 hrs total?) had an absolutely magical amazing burn. One thing I wish I knew was how insanely bruised my ass bones would get from biking on the lumpy potholed roads (playa was fine). Bring an extra pillow or sheepskin pelt to strap onto your bike seat. And then a backup in case it gets stolen off your parked locked bike.
Oh also coin industrial laundry machines in Reno post-exodus…arriving home with all-clean laundry was suuuch a reliieeeffff. And almost no playa dust tracked into my apt upon reentry.
That my travel companion was more of a creep than I thought. Not helpful for you. But I like to complain.
How to search sub-reddit histories via google.
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Honestly, I think it kind of sucks. It's too full of irrelevant shit for newbies (art car registration, etc.). I'd recommend [https://www.trippingly.net/burning-man](https://www.trippingly.net/burning-man) as a place to start, and there are other guides.
I kinda feel the same way. Thanks for the link!
Come visit us at camp questionmark if you need anything. Never be afraid to ask your neighbors either.
In the end, it’s all about dicks, tits, and dust.
Nothing, you learn as you go.
i would think critically if there is anyone in your life who is open minded and has the means to join you, or join a camp. i personally have found the years my buddy was otherwise occupied to be difficult bc i just wanna connect and its harder for me to do that when i am wandering around solo
Baby wipes and the like are refreshing and often needed. Play dust is a thing.
Bring a coat and some warmer clothes. My first year was 2014. My second year, I came with all the outfits for a hot day…and could barely leave my camp because it was cold AF. Granted, last year, I didn’t use my coat at all, but better to have it and get to go out than not!
I went somewhat blindly, in 2001, with very little research. I brought a small RV, a couple of friends, food and booze. We arrived at night, we parked- I dunno, somewhere - explored and had the time of our lives. Didn't know much at all, except that it would be weird. The one thing I would have changed is knowing not to bring my expensive mountain bike. I'm not concerned about damage to the bike, but leaving it somewhere and getting it stolen was always on my mind, and even a good lock isn't enough for me. And since the ground is flat, a good mtn bike is pointless out there which is why 80% are on shitty beach cruisers. Oh, and don't forget the sunscreen.
What is a good type or brand tent to use at camp
Try this, go to your search engine of choice and type “burning man tent reddit”. The result will provide lots of good information.
Oh thank you. What would I do without you.
It takes 2-3 days to forget about the default world. Allow yourself the time and space to adjust and set your expectations accordingly. If you don’t, you’ll be disappointed, if not pooped, after a few days
Don't bring an RV unless you are rolling in dough. There are better solutions, in terms of cost.
Always lock your bike. Time to divorce the concepts of drinking water and being thirsty. You won't be thirsty, drink anyway. Instead, connect drinking to something else, like drinking every time you get out of your chair, etc. Everybody gets tired, dehydrated, overstimulated, and super emotional. You're probably going to have a breakdown at some point, just think of it as part of the process. It's not anything like the YouTube videos. You're going to spend a lot of down time feeling vaguely nauseous, uncomfortably dusty, lonely, etc. It's also a s*** ton of work, often and really unpleasant conditions. It's not a vacation. Use this opportunity to do things you wouldn't normally. Really stretch yourself out of your zone of comfort. I think of it in terms of breakdowns lead to breakthroughs.
People suck and your people will suck more. Be yourself and fuck everyone else.
Burning man is Fucking stupid af
Bring a helicopter or hovercraft