Well, babes, you start your planning.
Here are the major things you'll need to work out:
How do I get all my crap to the Butn?
As much as we love the Butn, we hate how much waste it generates. We do not recommend that you buy all this crap in Reno, unless that is your only option.
Your city likely has a group of Burners, and they probably have decent infrastructure for getting your gear to the Butn.
For example, DC Burners send shipping containers full of gear (by train and truck), which are delivered directly to the Playa.
So, review your options as part of the planning process. Yay, a research project!
Sleeping Shelter:
What are you sleeping in? Here are a few options:
1. RVs or Camper Vans - these tend to rent quickly, and some companies won't rent to Burners. So, best to book early. If you camp in one of these, there are many tips and tricks (e.g., Reflectix and tape on the windows, to save your interior) that will help you avoid crazy cleaning fees after the Butn and make it more comfortable during the week. Yay, a research project!
Reminder: You'll need a Vehicle Pass for any shelter that doubles as transport.
2. Box Truck - a few years ago, a friend's rental car fell through. So, she drove a Budget truck in, instead. With a real, king-sized mattress. It was basically a palace. This was a pretty solid Burner Hack.
2. Car camping - I've heard this is done. But people also bake cookies on their dashboard at the Butn. So, I don't recommend it.
3. Non-Butn Tent - you can bring a standard camping tent, and the Google can recommend the Burner-favorites, which people like for their a) limited mesh windows (less playa dust on your pillow) and b) roominess. Yay, a research project!
4. Butn Tent - some folks have invented tents that are more Playa-friendly, like the ShiftPod. Maybe try to find a used one on Craigslist (do we still do that?). Shit's expensive.
5. Hexayurts - are the devil. Not really, but they take an army to set up and breakdown. The one exception is the 6-foot stretch design. We got that one up in 13 minutes, our first Butn.
Transport to the Playa:
If you're tent camping, likely you'll need a ride to the Playa and also a Vehicle Pass if you're taking a car or RV/van.
The vast majority of folks drive in from Reno in rental cars. Book early and if you are car pooling, consider all the gear you'll be carrying with you. Bigger is better, if there will be more than 2 of you in the car. Build in time after the Butn to do a solid cleaning, all over the car (even under the hood) or risk a huge cleaning fee.
I'm a huge fan of the Burner Bus, provided that you have someone else bringing in your big gear. I will always take the Burner Bus, if it's an option.
You can also fly in to Black Rock City, provided that you are basically packing sunblock and pasties for the week (the weight limit for bags is restrictive).
Food, Groceries, Kitchen:
Food at the Butn will be a separate post.
For planning/packing, we'll have a basic camping kitchen set up with tables, a camping stove and a camping grill.
Plan to bring your own pots, pans, utensils, plates, bowls, cups (so many cups, have one for water in camp, and another for your day pack) etc.
Plan on having at least one good cooler, we recommend 2, lined with Reflectix. The Reflectix makes a huge difference. Keep perishables in one, drinks in the other. Keep the perishables heavily iced and only open it occasionally.
Here are good cooler tips: https://burningtribe.com/html/CoolerAdvice.html
Shelter, Lounge Area:
We have some pretty large shade structures for the kitchen, lounge, and some tents.
If you have Playa-appropriate shade structures or material (no Costco pop-ups) and you want to bring it for your tent, go ahead. Otherwise, you can rely on camp's shade.
Camp chairs are clutch. As are comfy things for sitting on the Playa, like poufs. The lounge in camp is basically BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair).
Misc. Personal Gear-Must Bring:
I'll address most personal items in another post. But this will get you started.
Bike + lights + bike lock - a pain for travelers, and a must. The Burning Man website has some good local options, which are alternatives to buying new from Walmart and discarding (***donating***) after the event.
Air Mattress - one with a built in pump is best, so you can re-fill over the week.
Day Pack with water bladder (e.g., camelbak)- this is a must. Your bladder should be at least 1 Liter, and the pack should be big enough to hold things like TP, goggles, LED lights, sunblock, and snacks.
Lights - bring many battery-operated light options, including lights for your tent, your bike, and your body. Puck lights, LED light strings, headlamps, and lanterns are your friend and you'll need a plethora. Bring a battery recharger (we will have power when we run the generator, so you can plug in and recharge) and rechargeable batteries.
Water - Bring 1.5 gallons per person per day. If you plan to drink a 6-pack of canned bubbly water each day, you may be able to bump this down to 1 gallon.
First Aid/Body Care - radical self reliance means we will likely have 755 bandaids in camp because everyone will bring some, and that will be a good thing. More in this later.
Cash - for ice (camp ice and personal ice)
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