Frequently Asked Questions: Look here first.

[gyre]

If you're building a tent from scratch, you don't seem too lazy.

[gyre]

Yes gyre. I will hook the peak of the tent to the uprights of my shade. You were the insperation for a no mesh tent that would cost less than $100. The vinyl is about the same waight as grey tarp but much stronger,and the hh-66 vinyl glue isnt coming apart so i dont have to sew it. I tested it on a piece and cant pull it apart. Good to 170 degrees. $20 for billboard vinyl, $15 for glue, mule tape was free, gotta get zippers, but ive not spent $50 yet........FIGJAM?...........

If you'll have a total windbreak, maybe you could make it square?

And a little reflective material at the top helps too.
Some have used reflective inside a tent with good results, to protect it.

[FIGJAM]

The shade tarp is gray 12x30, stakes 2 1/2ft long. When i get the tent finished ill set everything up to test. we are on the side of a hill were we get 45mph winds that should be a fairly good test. That rear upright can have up to 7 guy lines running under the the tarp (no tripping hazard) and the tent peak suspended from the upright. Shade is not ancored to the back two uprights so wind failure wont have metal flying around with the tarp. 4 bid stakes hold the corners of the tent to the ground.....and thanks for the insperation gyre......

[img][img]http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL706/13015278/23158901/386175199.jpg[/img][/img]

[FIGJAM]

[gyre]

Glad to help.


The gusting seems to be the most destructive aspect out there.
Anything that is loose or can resonate with the wind starts moving.
Bang...bang...bang...for a day last year.
Finally tying down the last loose material with rope or bungees helped me.

[gyre]

I think a thread for this is a good idea.

I'd like to learn how to change zippers.

[FIGJAM]

Two 5ft heavy duty zippers for the door and Four 2ft zippers for the windows $19. I think i have all the pieces and the totel so far is $55.

[FIGJAM]

Gyre, it depends on the material. Im going to have my sister sow the zippers to wide strips of the vinyl so i can just glue them in place. Cant tell you how happy i am to find a glue that works as good as this stuff does.

[FIGJAM]

Please remove my posts from this sticky as without the pictures my posts are next to useless. This thread deserves better. thank you.

[badassmylittlepony]

Thank you everybody for all the good advice!
Also for all the funny comments! :D

[FIGJAM]

These are some of the pictures that disapeared.

[urbanjester]

I am new to the board, and also about to be a 1st timer on the Playa. Read through this entire thread and have found some great advice.

to add the little information i can to the thread - for those asking about how to find bikes: I actually followed the advice in this thread and spoke with the folks at Kiwani bikes earlier. I was a bit slow and they are unfortunately closed for reservations this year, but will still have plenty of bikes for sale. They're more than happy to take any bike donations from the Burners after the event (all proceeds are given for the kids program). There is apparently also a Savemart and shopping center a couple exits after the Mccarrin city limits (coming from the west) where you can also purchase cheap bikes as well as all your groceries, water, etc...

thanks again everyone! great thread! Looking forward to making happy with you all :)

[winebuff]

I believe you can buy bikes from the web page listed below. It is pretty cool. They have a 320 acre wildlife conservation ranch that is 12 miles outside of the bm gate. They sell all kinds of BM things beforehand, including bikes. You can go there and spend the night beofre the gates open and use the ranch as a Pre-landing so you can get in at dawn. She charges $25 for rv's and tents which is reasonable considering she is VERY close to the gate and the money goes to the wildlife conservation project.

http://www.ivesonranch.com/

[NellieX]

I believe you can buy bikes from the web page listed below. It is pretty cool. They have a 320 acre wildlife conservation ranch that is 12 miles outside of the bm gate. They sell all kinds of BM things beforehand, including bikes. You can go there and spend the night beofre the gates open and use the ranch as a Pre-landing so you can get in at dawn. She charges $25 for rv's and tents which is reasonable considering she is VERY close to the gate and the money goes to the wildlife conservation project

That is great information! We're not coming to BM until next year, but I really wanted to leave early enough to get their by dawn the day-of. I'm glad to know about this resource, thank you.

[Daumiercito]

I went to BM in 2009 and sadly missed it this year, but that's given me extra time to save for 2011. I've saved enough money for the ticket, transportation, shipment of my equipment, and have some left over for gear I'll need on the playa. In 2009 I went with an old friend of mine who'd been many times and I was fortunate enough to be able to camp with him and his group of people who had a great, giant shade structure.
This year however, I'm not planning on camping with that crew and am working on joining a theme camp of people in my area (NYC). If this works out, great... but I'm going to be prepared in case I'm on my own.
All that being said, I'm on my own in finding, bringing then constructing my own shade structure. I've got a decent tent (sadly it does have mesh, and as much I'd like to buy the Springbar, it's just beyond what I can afford) but I'm exploring my options of what to use for the wind/shade protection. I've read through this thread and done other research and wondering what new options have come up since the last conversation on this thread about structures. I've heard of the monkey hut but transporting that from Jersey is not something I can do. (I'm flying to reno and shipping my gear in a shared truck container with other burners from NYC, paid for by the square foot). Another option I'm thinking of is one of those picnic tents with sealed walls and zipper opening. I'm wondering if anyone has experience with these or suggestions on how to secure it best from wind and seal any openings from the dust.
OR- Any other suggestions for a (reasonably) inexpensive shade structure that I can ship from the east coast.

Tanks! And my apologies for the lengthy post. : :)

[theCryptofishist]

I think the consensus on those "gazebos" is that they will not stand up to playa wind.

[Nitevenus]

Why couldn't you ship the parts for the monkey hut? Yes, it would take a length of 10' but bundled up tightly, would be a fairly thin footprint. Share the monkey hut with someone else and share the shipping expense. I've heard that the monkey huts are a viable way to go (I plan on using one next year).

[Sic Pup]

Agreed, ship in the container. Theoretically it's the same square footage but TurtleWexler was kind enough to share how he modified the hut to use 5 foot sections if it's any help:

viewtopic.php?p=581102&highlight=#581102

I used a MH this year, albeit in the original 10' length configuration, and it worked out beautifully as did a campmate adjacent to me who flew in from Hawaii.

If you're renting a car you can do what he did, just grab the PVC from the many bigbox stores in Reno/Fernley.

[shykat]

What do you guys think the "per person" camp foot print is.
Like 20 sq feet per person.
Is a 24x24 footprint for 2 people to much???

[ygmir]

What do you guys think the "per person" camp foot print is.
Like 20 sq feet per person.
Is a 24x24 footprint for 2 people to much???

no expectations, no rules.........do what you want, respect your neighbors, and carry on.

Don't measure, just do.

IHMO, that is.

[FIGJAM]

I was solo and my camp footprint was 600sq.ft.

[theCryptofishist]

It depends on where you camp, as well. A Street--you're not going to have a lot of room. G or H, it's the suburbs, you can have your lawn as well as your 2.4 kids. Walk-in? There's plenty of room, but the deciding factor becomes what you are willing to carry the distance.

[brushfire on the playa]

Q: What is a great way to keep my food and drink cool, as well as not have any funky cooler water to deal with?

A: Use frozen water bottles instead of ice! I usually do a bunch of 1 or 1.5 liter bottles, that I have been saving over the year and refill. You need to start freezing them well in advance, and possibly borrow freezer space from friends/family.

Another good tip I've heard is bringing a whole bunch a ziploc bags so that when you're there and you guy ice, you can put the cubes into several ziploc bags and disperse them amongst the food. Then, when they're melted, you've got clean water you can drink (or pour over your head - another good use for cold water on the playa). I thought this was a good addition to the frozen water bottles because it's a way to get ice cold water while already on the playa, after the bottles brought from home have melted early on in the week.

[gaminwench]

Re: cooler management...
Get a couple of water proof shopping bags (Trader Joe's has them in Ca.) and keep your food inside them; my brilliant (vegetarian) coolermate separated the meat from the dairy from the veggies, each in its own bag... so much easier than before! Ice/water stays clean, food doesn't drown, and no chance of icky meat juice in the veggies!

[gyre]

Get coolers with upper trays.

[SilverOrange]

Another good tip I've heard is bringing a whole bunch a ziploc bags so that when you're there and you guy ice, you can put the cubes into several ziploc bags and disperse them amongst the food. Then, when they're melted, you've got clean water you can drink (or pour over your head - another good use for cold water on the playa). I thought this was a good addition to the frozen water bottles because it's a way to get ice cold water while already on the playa, after the bottles brought from home have melted early on in the week.

Don't use the ziplocs with the little plastic closers that help seal the bags. They leak badly.

[Raven9940]

[quote="SilverOrange"][quote="brushfire on the playa"]Another good tip I've heard is bringing a whole bunch a ziploc bags so that when you're there and you guy ice, you can put the cubes into several ziploc bags and disperse them amongst the food. Then, when they're melted, you've got clean water you can drink (or pour over your head - another good use for cold water on the playa). I thought this was a good addition to the frozen water bottles because it's a way to get ice cold water while already on the playa, after the bottles brought from home have melted early on in the week. :D[/quote]

Don't use the ziplocs with the little plastic closers that help seal the bags. They leak badly.[/quote]

Really? I used those to keep my ice in and they worked fine.

[Dr. Pyro]

This is more of an infrequently asked question, but here goes: Any idea when the 2010 Black Rock Yearbook will become available? On their website it says it will be up by December, 2010 but clearly that is not the case. Probably ran by the same people who put together the ticketing method that worked so well this year.

[Dr. Pyro]

I just received an email from Doug who works with BRCYB, and he hopes it will be up by this weekend. Ask and thee shall receive.

[indy]

I read in the survival guide that cars will be searched at the gate and to pack the car in a way that makes the search easy. How should I pack the car? I am going with a group and we have a lot of stuff. I don't want to hold up the line because we are poorly packed.