^,,^ 's B'Man Tips -- What To Bring

This is the Black Rock Playa
    Note that there are no shopping malls, convenience stores, or restaurants.   In fact, once you pass through Reno, there are essentially no supplies other than gas (for which you'll pay a premium so fill up in Reno).
    The bottom line is that you need bring everything you will need with you (and of course take it all home so it the playa looks as untouched as it does in the photo -- and that photo was taken three weeks after the '97 burn).    Either that or go without.    It's that simple.
OK. Below I've listed items that i have found are essential (Group 1); and drek that while not absolutely essential I'm sure you will be glad you brought (Group 2).   Further down the page i've written out a lot of detail about what i have found is the best or most useful types of each of these gewgaws.
Got that? List at top of page, details below.   Good
Or you could opt to follow Major Kong's advice (and likely drop dead on the playa)... see PLAN R
ok, off we go:

List 1: ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO YOUR CONTINUED EXISTENCE:
- One Gallon Of Water Per Person Per Day (at the absolute minimum)
- Enough Food For Entire Your Stay
- A Water Bottle To Carry At All Times
- Sunglasses
- Flashlight (or better still, a headlamp)
- Sun Block
- Lip Balm
- BASH (BigAssedShadeHat)
- Cool & Sun Protective Clothing
- Solid Shoes
- Foam Ear Plugs
- Warm, Windproof Clothing
- Knit Ski Cap
- Warm Sleeping Bag
- A tarp, tent, or other shelter (see my shelter web page)
- Foam Sleeping Pad (or piece of carpet)
- Sturdy Garbage Bags
- Any Rx medications you require
- Common sense, an open mind, and good manners
(details on these essential below - click here to go there)

List 2: Not Essential, But You'll Be Glad You Remembered ...
- Leather Work Gloves
- Portable Shower
- Reading Material
- Costumes, Musical Instruments, Drums, Goofy Props, &etc
- Duct Tape
- 18” Lengths of 1/2" rebar (for tent and tarp pegs)
- Folding Cot
- Dust Masks
- Goggles
- Baby Butt Wipes
- Dr Bronner's Peppermint Soap
- Bungee Cords
- Parachute Cord
- Large Ziplock Bags
- Folding Chair
- Rugs & Carpet Remnants
- Flags, Kites, Inflatable Pool Oddities, Hypno-Glowey Things
- Long Strips of Foil or Mylar
- Bicycle Style LED Flasher Lights
- An Old Beater Bicycle
(details on these non-essentials below - click here to go there)

Details For Group 1 ESSENTIALS:
- One Gallon Of Water Per Person Per Day: Minimum(!) 2 gallons/day is better -- 3 gallons/day if you plan to shower or cook. you can always trade extra water for sex, souls, and the like.
- A Water Bottle To Carry At All Times: the rangers have been told to politely, but firmly, insist that anyone not seen carrying a water bottle (and of course using and refilling it often) do so -- immediately. yes, it is that important to ones survival on the playa. check out my page regarding heat stroke as it is the biggest threat to all of us on the playa -- it can kill you (or worse) remarkably quickly if you are stupid.
- Enough Food For Your Entire Stay, plus some extra in reserve:   Emphasize the kind of food that you're likely to actually eat even when you are hot, tired, and not hungry; things like canned fruit, fruit bars, and applesauce.   Fresh fruit that can take the heat and the battering of getting there -- like oranges, grapefruits, and apples (hard cooking types, like pippins and granny smiths) are super.   Eschew fay and easily damaged fruit like bananas and peaches as you won't want to eat the muck they turn into after a day or two on the playa. Canned tuna wrapped in soft tacos with salsa is a good option for mid day meals.
Remember to also bring some filling and warm meals that will give your body something to burn to keep you warm during the cold (40'F) nights -- things like pasta, canned soup, bagels.
Here are a couple of dinner options that my climbing buddies and I used to eat when out in the snow -- meals that are fairly filling and yet enticing enough that you actually eat it even when you are hot and tired. These are also a breeze to cook with one pot and a simple stove:
     Pasta with fancy bottled sauce. Use rotelli (corkscrews) or some similar sauce slurping shape that you can actually tame with a spoon -- the angel hair olympics loose their charm in the dark. Bring a couple fresh onions and a clove of garlic to spice up this and the other dinners. Also bring cans of green beans, corn, asparagus, and similar canned veggies that you like and throw them in with the sauce to supercharge it -- it makes a big difference.
     Canned Chicken Soup (splurge for a brand that actually has some chunks of meat and veggies in it, like Progresso); then add a can or two of canned white meat chicken (which tastes terrible eaten straight but perks up nicely when heated in soup); add a bunch of canned veggies as well. Bottom line -- you want to bulk up your soup into a stew. Serve this with a lot of rice (3 or 4 of their fay "recommended servings" worth). Uncle Ben's brand makes a type of rice that is boiled in the mesh bag it comes in; it tastes surprising good. Avoid the "MinuteRice" brand as it tastes like shit and has all the nutrients processed out of it.
     Canned Ham (c'mon, blow the extra couple of bucks for a quality brand -- the european imports are usually good); serve this with canned pineapple, apple sauce, and perhaps some Tabouli (be sure to get the instant type of Tabouli, not the type that needs to be boiled, and you'll need a tiny bottle of olive oil).   If you are not game for Tabouli, pasta or rice will do. Another good match is a type of "cocktail bread" that you can get at the deli counter of some of the swanker supermarkets; its usually available in rye and pumpernickel. These are smallish (3" square), tasty, slightly sweet (good to do battle with the ham), moist (important), and holds together well on the playa. Try them if you can find them. A second starch option for this meal is whole wheat bagels (moister and sweeter than other types) served with some salsa to dip it in.   Most other types of bread dry out almost instantly and either get compressed to the size of a dime or turn into bread crumbs.
And oh yeah, take the time to strip off all that stupid and unnecessary packaging (especially for food) and leave it at home -- or better yet, do like ^,,^ and leave it right at the check-out stand. Maybe this way we can convince those slimy corporate marketers that we neither need nor want all that silly trash.
- Sunglasses (protection models - not “fashion” models).   The alternative is sun blindness -- which is more likely on the white playa in summer than on snow in winter. sun blindness is sunburn of the surface of the eye -- and very painful. Like have ground glass in your eyes for days, really sucks. And of course you can't see squat. Sure to flat line your FUN-O-METER. AVOID IT.
appropriate models should block at least 80% of UV light. pay particular attention to getting a pair with lenses that do not distort incoming light (as these will give you headaches in a couple hours of use) – check this by holding the glasses at waist level and look closely at how straight the reflection of the (ubiquitous) fluorescent light bulbs in the store ceiling reflect are. Rock the lenses slowly to move the bulb reflections from top to bottom, then side to side, of the lens surface.   If the straight lines bend funny as you move the reflection across the lens, beware. Check out a bunch of models – use one of the really pricey models (such as nikons) to get a sense of what minimal distortion looks like.   Wrap around models, especially those that fit close to the face (itself bad as it causes ‘steam-up’) are notorious for distortion.
one especially good value are put out by an outfit called “Flying Fisherman” – they have polarizing lenses (essential for fishing, not essential on the playa). The best of them (in terms of minimal distortion) are the aviator style with glass lenses. The ones with plastic lenses are pretty good (for plastic) but distort more than glass. They come with cords to go around your neck (handy, especially while on a bike). Models of this brand go for less than $20 a pop and can be found at many sporting good stores that sell fishing equipment. Fly fishing stores in particular tend to have them. You can call nearby shops first and ask for (specifically) the “Flying Fisherman” brand (and check the price range – some fly shops sell glasses with somewhat similar names for $150+). not an entirely bad idea to get two pair at this price range – perhaps one with dark (grey) lenses for noon and another with lighter (amber) lenses for dawn/dusk (and nightime dust storms).
Campmor is currently having a sale on some excellent brands like Julbo, Nikon, and Bolle -- some priced as low as $19
- Flashlight (or better still, a headlamp) with extra bulb and batteries. a flashlight you can affix to your head or hat is excellent. there is a commercial available nylon strap with Velcro that a small (2 AA cell) “mag-light” fits into. these cost just a few bucks and work well.   the 2AA size maglight is especially good as it is reliable, well sealed (playa dust gets into most everything, though nit these), has an extra bulb in the base, and has an adjustable beam size. You can even take the “head” off and get a lantern (360’ light) effect. they also have mounting in the base you can run a cord through – so you can hand it from the top of your tent. a tad heavy for backpacking or climbing trips, but that's hardly an issue on the playa.    Rechargeable batteries are also a good and ecco-appropriate (of course you have to charge a bunch BEFORE arriving at the playa). Radio shack makes an inexpensive recharger model that holds 4 AA cells. remember you want Nickel-Cadnium rechargeable batteries -- not the silly alkaline “rechargeable” (they aren't very) such as those sold by Rayovac.
- Sun Block Cream: High SPF!   waterproof (i.e., sweat proof) brands are a good idea. try some on before you leave home to be sure you are not allergic to it (a few souls are to a few brands).   once on the playa, apply it liberally and often -- then pretend you will spend a few hours standing on your head and apply it again to the places your missed. remember that the white playa surface is extremely reflective and sends the thermonuclear rays bouncing up under your chin, earlobes, and back of your neck.
- Lip Balm: be sure that it is a High SPF brand - otherwise you're just marinating your smoochers for roasting.   the opaque types are best and look hip
- Sun Hat: (aka a BASH - BigAssedShadeHat) -- get one that is light colored and wide brimmed.   cotton/canvas is the best material as it breathes and you can soak it -- evaporation uses heat and therefore cools your head, like a "swamp cooler."    straw is also pretty good (it breathes better). essentially, you want something roughly like a loose fitting cowboy hat.
- Cool & Sun Protective Clothing: this means light colored, lightweight, loose fitting cotton. Protective = covers most of your flesh most of the time. streaking is fun and relatively common on the playa -- but can be lethal if not kept to short duration or at least out of the sun. SARONGS;OR SKIRTS are ideal. head down to the local thrift shop and grab some overlarge white 100% cotton men's dress shirts. stop in at the fabric store and get some lightweight (and opaque, if you're modest like ^,,^) fabric for 2 or more sarongs. here's a tip from a year round sarong wearer -- always wear two (more if its cold) -- with the "slits" opposing, that way you don't show more leg than you want to (and you don't want to show the raging SUN much flesh for very long.   long sleeve cotton pyjamas (steal these from your dad) also provide stylish sun protection..
- Solid Shoes: may sound obvious, but some people bring only sandals -- this is a mistake unless your feet are already well tanned (few are). having the tops of ones feet toasted red (such that getting back into shoes is agony) is common. frying the soles of ones feet (the playa gets ouchy hot by noon) is also common. Finally, broken glass (a mortal sin to cause and not clean up) and the ubiquitous unmarked rebar foot spike (read "tent peg") lie in weight for bare tootsies. not a good place to get the stigmata.
- Foam Ear Plugs: (essential if you want plan to sleep at all) Get the soft foam models – not hard rubber or plastic models as you want to sleep (i.e., lay on them) with them in.   Best to bring a couple pair as they tend to disappear. Good to keep them in a 35 mm film can so they don't get lost or smooshed flat.   In a pinch I've used cigarette filters (unsmoked! – remember that nicotine is a mighty toxin and will pass through the thin skin within your ears). paper towel frags are, well, almost ok -- though they tend to get hard and uncomfortable then blow up into 400 pieces you have to pick out later...
-Warm & Windproof Clothing: it routinely goes down into the lower 40's ('F) at night on the playa, even in midsummer, and wind is common. Windproof outerwear yields much warmth for its weight.
-Knit Ski Cap: you're thinking "he's got to be kidding! - in the summer? in the desert?" no, i'm not kidding. it gets cold at night (see above) and nothing is more effective in keeping you warm than a knit hat. knot hats are also soft and pliable enough to sleep in. remember that 70% of your body heat escapes through your head (heavy blood flow, no fat). use this to your advantage by trapping heat it in with a knit hat during the cold nights; and wicking heat off by soaking your BASH sun hat and letting it evaporate during the hot (100'F +) days.   when i was a climbing guide i was able to remaine coherent (if not altogether happy) during unexpected (but common) summer snow squaws in a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and a ski cap. i also used to put a large trash bag in my pocket which i'd make into a rain poncho if things got wet or wore it under my t-shirt if it got suddenly cold. a knit hat and a large trash bag make for a sub-4 ounce "survival suit"
-Warm Sleeping Bag: (or, alternately, 3 or more lovers and 60+ pounds of newspaper to wrap yourself with like a mackerel).   count on night temps down into the low 40's, perhaps even into the low 30's this year.   sleeping bag warmth ratings are pretty rough and tend to assume that one is a fookin furnace (or at least a mammal).   on the other hand, a monster expedition bag is hardly warranted -- you can always sleep in a couple layers of clothes, and that knit ski cap will make a huge difference if needed.
-Closed Cell Foam Pad: (or a couple suitably sized pieces of carpet) for under your sleeping bag.   the idea here is that you want insulation under you when you sleep, because the playa "putty" wicks heat away like sleeping on a steel plate (well, not quite that bad).   this is why you want a pad made with closed cell foam (i.e., not very compressible -- you can't breath or blow through it ) or something equally non compressible and hence insulating such as some reasonably plush carpet.   open cell foam (which is sponge cake-like, you can blow through it easily) compresses to almost nil and does not trap much heat.   so while it seems notably more cooshy and comfortable (and is), you'll likely shiver the night away lying on it.   for the same reasons, inflatable air mattresses are poor insulators.   two especially good brand of closed cell foam pads are "RidgeRest" and "Z-Rest" (both are corrugated to add insulation and comfort), though standard ensolite ("blue foam") is fine. be sure it is as long as you are or you'll have to choose to between freezing your ears or your toes off.
Shelter: click HERE to see my web page of shelter issues and options.
- Garbage Bags: of sufficient number and size to pack ALL of your trash back out with you, and ideally of sufficiently sturdy and watertight so you're not swimming in drek as your drive to reno. under any circumstances DO NOT LEAVE TRASH ON THE PLAYA, EVER! -- even if your see what appears to be a "trash can or trash dump" there are no such facilities. each member of the community has the duty to deal with all of their own refuse, and leave the playa spotless. this is something that our community takes justifiable pride in.   in 1997, over 40 TONS of trash was left by nitwits who believed that trash could be left in huge mounds by the gate. it took 80 volunteers and 4 large (expensive) rented dump trucks two weeks to clean up that nightmare. with over 20,000 souls expected this year the logistics of such a repeat screwup would really suck.
- Any Rx medications: that you need, bring twice what you will need, split into two containers and stored into two different spots. The nearest pharmacy is in Reno, 2.5 hours away.
- Common sense, an open mind, good manners, and a positive attitude: the ultimate essentials

Details For Group 2    -- NOT ESSENTIAL BUT GOOD TO HAVE
-Leather Work Gloves: handy for fighting with tarp and tent guy lines in the wind, pickup up hot pots, and pulling your stupid pal from the fire he tried to jump but fell into instead. also essential if you want to join the 500 or so souls that play "tug-o-war" with the B'man himself as he is raised -- much fun and much recommended.
-Portable Shower: you can be a dope consumer and buy one (Sun Shower) or be happily feral and make your own. any dark colored (ideally black and matte finish) heavyweight plastic bag or or container will do.   i've found that the 5 gallon plastic jugs they ship spring water in for the office cooler works, spray painted matte black, works schwell. rig a spray hose for your rig you can control the flow and turn the water off (either that or train extensively to be able to soap and rinse in less than 3 seconds). surgical tube with a clothespin or two works fine.   also be sure your rig has a suitably sturdy means to attach it to a sky hook (or the side of some lucky stiff's RV) -- asking a friend to hold 50 or more pounds of water over your head is impolite and dangerous to both of you.   and of course you'll want to allocate extra water (other than your precious existence gallon a day minimum) to load it with. while you might actually find a faucet on the playa, i guarantee that water won't come out of it.
-Reading Material: while much time is spent in revelry and camaraderie, quiet personal time is important and refreshing.   reading is a good outlet; and the playa environment and burningman community lends itself well to reflective and contemplative topics enjoyed as one lies cosily protected under a tarp and out of from the midday furnace.   some classic and appropriate playa reads (all most magic) that i've swallowed whole in past years include:
                - Desert Solitaire, Ed Abbey
                - The Solace of Open Spaces, Gretel Ehrlich
                - The Snow Leopard, Peter Matthiessen
                - Cadillac Desert, Mark Reisner,
                - The Tao of Poo, Benjamin Hoff
                - News from Tartary, Peter Fleming
                - Wolf, Jim Harrison
                - The Land of Little Rain, Mary Austin & Terry Tempest Williams
                - Much Ado About Nothing, Bill Shakespeare
-Costumes, Musical Instruments, Drums, Goofy Props: and anything else you can think of that might make the experience more fun for you and your playa neighbours. Drums are an especially good idea as the don't take a huge amount of skill to play and allow you to join the 500 or so wild souls who drum and frenzy as the man is lit -- also much recommended.   mylar pulled tight over a large diameter piece of PVC pipe then held fast with a suitable sized hose clamp works fine (be sure to cover the sharp ends of the hose clamp with duct tape to avoid impaling yourself or others. the bigger (i.e. deeper toned) the drum, the more popular you'll be among the drumming lunatics.
-Duct Tape: a full roll. white cloth athletic tape is even better, if you can afford it (or steal it), as you can use it on yourself as well.
18” Lengths of Rebar: read: tent and tarp pegs.   *** be absolutely sure to “cap” the exposed ends of tent pegs ***   many people walk barefoot on in soft shoes on the playa, and hence get “the stigmata” (ugly holes in or even through their feet).   Don't be the cause of this. Empty plastic soda/drink bottles are ideal as safety caps over the sharp exposed ends of rebar.   see my Shelter Options page
Folding Cot: getting that few inches above the playa salt will keep you notably cooler by day and warmer at night. see my plans for a cheap home made variant
Dust Masks: the paper ones sold at hardware stores, the simple ones that look like coffee filters with a rubber band to go around your head. about 8 or 10 is good.
Goggles: -- the inexpensive soft plastic models sold at hardware stores. Not exactly essential (you can use your sunglasses), but nice during the inevitable white outs and sand storms. Also make you look more convincing when you try to encourage new friends to play “doctor” with you in your tent.
Baby Butt Wipes: handy to “wash” up as needed, especially in a dark tent.
Dr Bronner's Peppermint Soap: good because it works for everything (even toothpaste), rinses easily even in hard (desert area) water, and is entirely biodegradable. Also fine reading material “USE #207 – IT'S A LIFE RAFT!” (yeah, right). Do be suspicious about “USE#74 – it's a contraceptive!” (ask my mom, sheesh)
Bungee Cords: the metal clips at both ends of commercially made models are generally unnecessary; better to just buy 10 or 12 feet off a roll at a hardware store or boating supply shop.
Parachute Cord: a strong mid weight woven nylon rope that holds knots well and is pretty visible. it is also easy to tie & untie, cheap enough, reusable, and strong enough for most uses (though not usually strong enough to hang yourself with -- which also a plus should things entirely get out of hand).
Ziplock Bags: big volume heavy ones.    while ^,,^ hisses at these eco-disasters… well, you can (and should) always wash then and reuse them back home. get them as big and heavy as you can -- the standard sandwich size ones are too small for most needs. essential to keep a camera or walkperson in while not in use (remember – playa powder gets in everything, even in you.)
Folding Chair: no, don't buy one, grab one of the millions of them that you see in the trash. a quick splint wrapped with tight string then duct tapped restores them in 2 minutes. wooden models are especially prized on the playa as your can BURN’EM when done with them.
Rugs & Carpet Remnants: definitely bring a couple of remnants or old area rugs. About 5’x7’ is a good size, bring larger ones (or more of them) for orgies. take as many as you can – as when placed in a heap they make for a comfy sleep, and when all spread out they attract new friends the way decoys bring in geese.
Compass: only truly required if you plan to go into the surrounding mountains or off into the East Arm of the Black Rock Desert -- it is surprising easy to get disoriented in the “rollers” (rounded foothills) to the west of the playa or off in the East Arm. But if you stay in or near the encampment you will surely see the dust by day, and the glare by night of "Black Rock City".
Flags, Kites, Inflatable Pool Oddities, Hypno-Glowey Things: or anything else to hang on a flag pole – so that you and your friends can find your 3 man blue dome tent in the jungle of 3 man blue dome tents.
12" x 2" Strips of Foil or Mylar: hang these all over every one of the guy ropes on your tent/tarp/flag pole/clothesline. This keeps you and those around you from “clothes lining” (decapitating) yourself on such hazards at night. the sight of some dweeb riding their mountain bike into a guy line at neck height is uuuuuuugly…. (if hilarious).   the mylar bags that PC cards come in are especially good for this use.
Bicycle Flasher Lights: even if you don't bring a bike (and you really should) at least bring one or two of these to put on top of you hat at night (where it won't blind you).   Why? Because there are 'altered' souls on bikes roaring everywhere around the playa – some without any lights of their own. you don't want tread marks up your chest, chin, and forehead, do you?    fancy bike salon offerings are swank, but overkill; the 3 or 4 dollar LED model (2 AA cells) works fine. bring two, and extra batteries for them.
An Old Beater Bicycle:   as the Black Rock City continues to grow like a mutant fungus, distances between camps grows with it. A bicycle makes for pleasant and efficient transportation.   the playa is a flat as a pool table so fancy 64-speed, 4.75 pound unobtanium racing bikes are overkill (and the highly alkiline playa dust will likely dissolve them within a day or two). my advice? check out local yard and garage sails for some unloved bike -- any bike that is even remotely your size will do (too small is better than too big, unless you are gung ho to sing in the pope's -- or popette's -- choir).   give the bike a cleaning, lube job, and a once over before hauling it to the playa, as repair and parts are entirely out of the question.   if you have a mountain bike, sure, bring it, you'll enjoy it -- just be sure to hose it down and scrub it when you get back. sadly, while "two legged scavengers" were unheard of in the early years of burning man, they too have joined the throng in recent years. as such, it is a good idea to bring a lock and cable or chain. you don't need anything massive (such as a kryptonite lock) as there are so many unlocked and unattended bikes everywhere that just a minimal effort to make walking off with your playa cruiser should be plenty (why carry a 72 pound lock on your 17 pound impossolite bike?)    Do make a point of having at least a headlight (a flashlight solidly secured to the handlebars will do) and its a good idea to put as many reflectors on the bike as you can find. reflective tape is cheap (a couple bucks a roll) -- cover your playa rocket with it so as not to end up under some idiots car, or (more likely) having a head on collision with another unmarked and unlit bicyclist.   No matter how dispossible your $5 playa bike might seem DON'T EVEN THINK OF LEAVING IT ON THE PLAYA, take it home, clean it up, and give it to some kid who doesn't have one.

Plan R
"Survival Kit Check...
- one .45 caliber automatic
- two boxes of ammunition
- four days concentrated emergency rations
- one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills,   tranquilizer pills
- one miniature combination Russian (pronounced 'Rooshan') phrase book and Bible
- one hundred dollars in rubles
- one hundred dollars in gold
- nine packs of chewing gum
- one issue of prophylactics
- three lipsticks
- three pair of nylon stockings
.... Shoot, a fella could have a pretty good weekend in Reno with all that stuff."
[from: Dr. Strangelove, Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb]