Heyo! Two First Time Burners from LA

[admiralburner]

Hey Everybody!
My lady and I have been thinking about Burning Man for a long time and finally pulled the trigger for 2013.
We're based in LA currently, but lived in SF for 6 years.

I'm a filmmaker with a huge hobby of super 8mm film. I've been thinking about putting together a projection show, but am so new I don't want to get ahead of myself.

My lady is excited to ride bikes and experience the art.

We're going to be traveling in a station wagon and am thinking about using BMX bikes since they are easy to get, cheap and easier to transport.

We're also planning on staying in a tent, but am open to suggestion if it's better to sleep in the car.

We have no camp as of yet, but would love any help in finding a good group of kind people.

Any comments, concerns, or advice would greatly be appreciated!

[Earthwalker]

Welcome, good sir. Let me the first to say "hello". (hopefully I click submit before Savannah, so that can be an accurate statement).

This will be my first year as well. You may be tempted to dismiss my advice, since I've never been. I can tell you one thing, I research like a MoFo! My personal advice is, if you are staying in your own "camp", and have any sort of knowledge on how to put things together (experience with Legos counts), then build a monkey hut for shade http://www.chromatest.net/Lovemonkey/ Put your tent under it, park your car blocking the wind, and your level of comfort increased drastically with very minimal effort. You can of course create much better shade structures, but this will be by far one of the cheapest and have the biggest bang (dirty dirty earthwalker, i'm just on a roll today) for your buck.

In terms of a camp, look on the BM website for a listing of all of last year's theme camps. They'll post this year's in a few months. Find one you like and email them and see if you can join.

But, even if you don't join one, I think you'll still have a blast. Since most people seem nice and friendly, you'll likely create something of your own hood with your neighbors.

Like the avatar

[Mojojita]

Welcome you two - great advice Earthwalker! You might just be a "stealth" virgin. Admiralburner, you may want to connect with the LA regional board to make some connections beforehand. Read the Survival Guide and the First Timers Guide. You can answer very specific questions by using google - just add +eplaya to your keyword.

[Savannah]

Welcome, good sir. Let me the first to say "hello". (hopefully I click submit before Savannah, so that can be an accurate statement).

Hi Admiralburner! Welcome.

What you decide to do depends on your ability and inclination. There's nothing wrong with sleeping in your car (plenty of people do it) but a station wagon might be pretty cramped. You could use it for storage (because your stuff will take up more room than you'll imagine) and pitch a tent North of your vehicle and then you would have more options. When you look for a tent, get one with as little mesh as possible and sew the rest shut or use spring clamps and fleece to block the mesh. The dust is like baby powder, and it wants to love you.

Earthwalker's right about monkey huts, and that's a good link. They are reasonably inexpensive, fairly tough, and not too difficult to build. Do a test run in a park or back yard.

As far as joining a camp (which is totally optional) take a look at the 2013 Theme Camps forum on this board. There will be more posts in a month or two. Most camps close by May or June, some don't. If you camp with a group, make sure you like their mission and that you feel comfortable with whatever commitment is required.

You will also want to meet local Burners--you might find kindred spirits to camp with.
http://regionals.burningman.com/us_ca_la.html

Welcome!

[admiralburner]

Thanks for all the info!
I think I'm definitely going to have to figure out how to make a hut of some sort.
I'm pretty resourceful so this monkey hut looks like a great start.

I'll start lurking around the camp forums.

If we don't find a camp, how are you divided up when you get there?
I mean do you just get put along side anyone who is around?

Thanks!

[9ah]

Welcome! Like others have said look into camps that you feel comfortable with and check out regional events. You don't have to say yes to the first camp you see and showers aren't as fun on the playa as they sound.

If you go the monkey hut route, don't use noisy blue tarp, night winds make it sound like a train wreck. Last year I shared a shade structure with a friend/campmate, he has a pretty nice setup that he brings down. I lived in a 3-4 person tent with a full size air mattress comfortably. All components of the shade/camp (minus my two cooler bins and tent) came up in his car so it's possible to live like a king in a tent. Someone moved in behind my tent (the one with the Kelty cover over it) so there was a little more shade in the mornings. I'm not sure what I'm going to do for shade this burn, but I'm never in my tent after 9:30am...Even when bedtime is sunrise.

[Dr. Pyro]

showers aren't as fun on the playa as they sound.

Then you're just not doing it properly.

[Earthwalker]

Also, not to tout a competing brand (jk) but if, in addition to "ePlaya + monkey hut" (or whatever else) searches, you also do "tribes + monkey hut" you'll get some good info. I've never used Tribes, and find it annoying to look through, but there is also good info on there.

Definitely don't use a blue tarp b/c they are crap, but many seem to think a tarp in general is fine.

[Savannah]

If we don't find a camp, how are you divided up when you get there?
I mean do you just get put along side anyone who is around?

At Gate, they tear your tickets and briefly search your car for stowaways and obvious contraband, like fireworks or live plants. One step beyond that is Greeters, where they give you a map and a What/When/Where guide. The map is also released in June or early July. Use the map to pick an open spot in a non-Theme camp area.

When you find a spot that looks okay, talk to any close neighbors to avoid misunderstandings, and watch out for stages, large speakers, & obvious bars or clubs. These will be loud . . .

[9ah]

Just too much effort to end up dusty again...I do like the steam bath though. I swear by Sunday (gate) I was covered in dust.

I just dug up my Tribe log-in... Apparently I thought that was cooler than ePlaya when I started researching for the burn, although I hadn't logged back in since 2009... Eeeek.

[theCryptofishist]

Tribe was pretty damn cool in it's long past heydey...

[jkisha]

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!