Frequently Asked Questions: Look here first.

[gyre]

Info on Expedition RV use.
Some very useful advice, especially on security.

http://www.xor.org.uk/silkroute/equipment/choosevan.htm

[Oldguy]

Bump for location. We're starting to get the newbie questions, right on time.

For new people, notice that there are ten pages in this section this year. You can check those or previous years questions. It has all been asked before...

Welcome to Eplaya...

[D1545ms]

I am going to be attending this year alone...due to my work schedule I need to leave Tuesday morning...aside from the $20 fee is there anything else that would prevent me from getting myself and my car out? Perhaps getting blocked in by other burners?

[ygmir]

I don't think there's a fee to leave......just if you want to return.........

[gyre]

I am going to be attending this year alone...due to my work schedule I need to leave Tuesday morning...aside from the $20 fee is there anything else that would prevent me from getting myself and my car out? Perhaps getting blocked in by other burners?

The tuesday after opening?
There is a way out somehow.
You may have to ask if there is a lot of incoming traffic, but someone can help.

Are you coming back in?

[Absolut Jeenyus]

I assume your leaving the Tuesday after closing. It would be a waste of time and energy to have to leave the Tuesday after opening...

Or do you mean leave the default world to go to BM on Tuesday?

[D1545ms]

Unfortunately it is the Tuesday after opening....It sucks that I can't stay for more but I am traveling through the area on business and who knows when I'll have the time or money (right now I can expense everything but the ticekt!) to return in the future...I figure 2.5 days of Burning Man is better than saying "Yea I drove through Reno while it was going on..."


Unless many of you feel it would not be worth the time, money, or effort...from the people I've spoken with - it is.

[pinemom]

Unfortunately it is the Tuesday after opening....It sucks that I can't stay for more but I am traveling through the area on business and who knows when I'll have the time or money (right now I can expense everything but the ticekt!) to return in the future...I figure 2.5 days of Burning Man is better than saying "Yea I drove through Reno while it was going on..."


Unless many of you feel it would not be worth the time, money, or effort...from the people I've spoken with - it is.

Good luck on getting out...as in it aint going to be the traffic holding you there...it will be YOU! not leaving on your own accord!

[gyre]

I'd go.
You have early entry?

[theCryptofishist]

Yeah. because if you don't have early entry, it's one and one half day. 12:01 am monday to noon(?) tuesday.

[shroom]

As a newbie, this is one of the most helpful threads I have read. I plan to read it again and again before next year. Thanks!

[zachass]

I took the Mon-Wed of this Thanksgiving week off.

I just drank a bottle of cab and read this entire thread.

I'm thankful, since '10 will be my first burn.

[winebuff]

The more important question is "WHAT KIND OF CAB"?

[zachass]

The more important question is "WHAT KIND OF CAB"?

Hi Winebuff. I almost kinda knew this question was coming.

Jordan 2003. That's the last bottle of my 'good' wine. Had the house all to myself today, so I watched the Food channel all day and read this message board. Had some nice Gouda and sausage and crackers with it.

Salud.

[winebuff]

WOW! I am impressed....... I rep Jordan in Oregon. I stayed there 2 years ago for my 50th birthday at their property and had a btl of Cristal to celebrate 50. Of course, we also drank Jordan. Life is good!!!! Sorry guys, had to send a remark. To bring the thread back towards BM, I will bring wine to BM and share with anyone here and open something fantastic on the playa. Just PM me. Of course, I will keeep it chilled in the cooler. Carry on

[zachass]

Q: Paper plates & bowls or real dishes that you wash?
A: I'd assume paper, but I'd like to get an experienced Burner to comment.

[theCryptofishist]

I'd say personal preference. If you bring paper then you save on water for washing and some teeny bit of gas for not bringing something heavier. Consider bringing cornstarch "plastic" forks. IF you bring your own dishes and washing them, then you have to bring that much more water, but you're not using pulp or cornstarch. It is possible to clean your plates with a very small amount of water.

[swampdog]

The answer, of course, is (as it so often is) "it depends". Paper is wasteful of trees and needs to be burned or hauled out. Non-paper needs to be washed and kitchen gray water is stinky and a challenge to deal with.

If you're solo or with a small group, minimalism can work - finger food, eating from cans with a spoon, etc.

If you're with a huge group, you'll need a good gray water solution anyway and you might as well go with non-paper.

[AntiM]

Dishes which are improperly washed can lead to food poisoning. MyLarry spent a bad day in the med tent because the nieces washed the dishes with clorox wipes and did not rinse them. We've done paper, I used to bring enough to share. No more! Now we have four bowls and three plates with our names sharpied on them, plus a lidded insulated cup and stainless steel wineglass each, some shot glasses, chopsticks and individual titanium sporks. We're each responsible for our own utensils and dishes. Visitors must make do with fingers and paper plates. We do have one spare coffee cup, but that's a state secret.

We do boil water to wash dishes, but we use very little.

We used to have four plates, but someone put one in the microwave and melted it. Now they share. The microwave was here, not there!

[zachass]

Thanks for the responses. I'm leaning towards 'real' dishes for myself and paper for 'guests'. Whether I go with a group or not, I'm planning on simply taking care of my own. I mean, this IS a radical self-reliance and LNT event. I know some of the people I would camp with (if that's what I decide...lots of time to mull this over) wouldn't be as into the idea as I am/will be. Makes me sad, but thems the facts.

I know at least one evening I'm going to try to plan on feeding home-made soup to any passerby that would like some. I have a very lovely 18 quart soup pot that is one of my best friends. She NEVER EVER lets me down. I love to cook, and that's as close to art as I get so that's a way I can participate.

[mojo]

Yes, food is a big part of the art for me. I feed about 30 people so I use paper - but I keep burnable trash separate from regular trash (and separate from alum cans) and burn as the burnable trash boxes fill up. I bring cardboard boxes for burnable trash so no mess on the burn platforms with things blowing around or having to dump out plastic bags.

[winebuff]

I LOVE soup Zach

[zachass]

I LOVE soup Zach

Well you'll certainly be welcome at "Whatever the Hell my Camp Will Be Called".

[winebuff]

Shall I bring red or white?

[zachass]

Shall I bring red or white?

Ladies' Choice.

[zyrkaloi]

I have been reading all I can about BM and one of things I have come across is that glass is a no-no. I use the pyrex (glass) tupperware containers to store food because I don't like the BPA's in plastic. Are these allowed? :?:

Zyrkaloi

[C.f.M.]

I have been reading all I can about BM and one of things I have come across is that glass is a no-no. I use the pyrex (glass) tupperware containers to store food because I don't like the BPA's in plastic. Are these allowed?

Zyrkaloi

Yeah, I didn't bring any beer (I'm gluten-free, and that stuff doesn't come in cans) for that reason, and everybody was like,

[theCryptofishist]

The issue with glass is its fragility and the fact that all pieces of broken glass must be picked up and removed from the playa.
Boro-Silicate glass is much tougher (or maybe it's only typically thicker) and has a lower co-efficient of expansion, so it's not as easy to break. Still if it does break, someone will have to go down on his knees and pick up all the little shards and then...well the dust, too. All to often the person picking up the glass isn't the person who broke it.
Have you thought about stainless steel*? It's inert, and you don't have to buy a whole kitchenfull. You can probably get by with a frying pan and a small pot and maybe, just maybe, a larger pot. Chances are you won't do much cooking. It'll be hot and appetites aren't as hearty as you would associate with the great outdoors. Also, who wants to cook in that heat?

*I assume aluminum and teflon are right out.

[gyre]

Borosilicate is extremely tough and good for very high heat too.
I have some with bullet holes that didn't shatter.

Some recent research suggests aluminum is better for cooking than stainless, especially when anodized.

Even plain glass is very strong when not too thin.

I would bring glass if I wanted to, and just be very sure to get empties to the car as soon as possible.
And I wouldn't hand them out to anyone that wasn't going to leave the empty.

The main reason to avoid glass is all the round trip weight.
It's not a good idea if avoidable.

[DesertRat]

I keep burnable trash separate from regular trash (and separate from alum cans) and burn as the burnable trash boxes fill up. I bring cardboard boxes for burnable trash so no mess on the burn platforms with things blowing around or having to dump out plastic bags.

This is a good idea and I'm stealing it.

Can I use this same system for getting rid of charcoal ashes or can they be dumped directly into burn barrels? Sorry for the dumb question, I'm new