Solo burner

[Radio]

Hello! Yes I am one of the many virgins hell bent on getting to Burning Man.
If it turns out that I am one of the lucky ones, is going solo a good idea?

Thank you in advance.

[Savannah]

Yes, it probably is a good idea--because 1) it's possible, and 2) if you rely unflinchingly on friends or other people, and plan for their support, you may find the rug pulled from under you in June when the greatest number of individuals tend to get nervous, or change jobs & therefore cancel . . . and then you might lack the confidence to proceed on your own, which would be a pity. One of the Burn Principles is radical self-reliance.

If most of us had waited for our closest friends to go, we would never have gone.

That said, talk to people in your region (and neighboring regions) as it never hurts to have seasoned Burner friends and local wisdom. You might also get in on a local build, which might be fun:
http://regionals.burningman.com/

Welcome to the board.

[mudpuppy000]

Yes, it's a great idea! I went solo my first year after my friend flaked at the last minute... Was incredible!

[illy dilly]

Hey Radio,
Welcome to the board!

Tell us a little more about you!
Where ya from? Where do you live now? What do you do?

[Radio]

This is fantastic news! I only learnt about Burning Man this summer and after reading as much as I
could about it I made the decision that this looks like something worth putting effort into. Crossing my fingers in hopes that it works out!

I suppose I should have introduced myself at first I am from Alberta, Canada and am a child support worker. Burning mans 10 Principles are what initially caught my attention. And then I saw pictures of the art installations and I was hooked!

Thank you again for the replies

[theCryptofishist]

We have Candians on this board! Saskatoon and Edmonton are what stick in my mind. My mind isn't always useful.

[dragonpilot]

Commit to going early. There's a quota on the number of Canadians allowed.

[Dr. Pyro]

I only learnt about Burning Man

What in the world is a "learnt"?

[Shambala]

Doc, it's a Canadian word. Like colour and flavour are!

Radio, my first year I went solo. I planned everything and just did it. At the last minute, someone contacted me and asked for a ride, so I entered Black Rock City for the first time with two hot women who have been before. It all just works out. Make plans and don't depend on anyone else.

Oh, and WELCOME to eplaya!

[Rice]

Go for it!! I did not know any burners at all when I decided to go.

Read everything you can, ask questions, start planning now. Try and put some money away from each payday, so you have the $$ resources as well. $50 every 2 weeks stashed away would give you at least $1000, which is a good start (depending on where you are, maybe not enough). Take a look at the regionals page to see if there are any burners close to you http://regionals.burningman.com/

See ya on the playa....

[jerroc]

Burning solo is such a great way to spend your first burn. It Allows for much more freedom to explore.

Welcome.

[Elorrum]

Burning mans 10 Principles are what initially caught my attention. And then I saw pictures of the art installations and I was hooked!

Points for agreeing with me on what the heart of this event is. Still you may be lured by the oontz, and since you've just started on the first bit of yellow brick, who knows how the road will spiral out for you. Welcome aboard!

I've arrived every year prepared to park and camp anywhere. I've met some amazing friends who've become my wonderful neighbor/family since my second year. Solo is self sufficient, and self reliance is at the core. You won't be alone, and you won't be lonely. It's a camping trip where: you bring your own water; you need some sort of shade; you are prepared for high winds, lots of fine dust, and heat; you pack out your trash, and don't throw your grey water on the ground. Take it from there!

edit to add some good resources I read before my first burn that helped me to plan (in addition to the first timers guide on the main burning man site.) I didn't really look into the eplaya forum until after my first year.
AEZ (alternative energy zone) http://ae-zone.org/2011/03/welcome-to-the-aez/
The civilized explorer http://www.cieux.com/bm/bmtoc.html Phil is an eplayan you'll read here from time to time, but his Burning Man pages are chock, chock full, I say, of good info and links and dream fodder. Thank you to Phil and Louise.

[jkisha]

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!