BIRGINS & RESOURCES
So it’s your first Burn and you’re wondering what you’re getting yourself into?
Don’t panic! you got this and we are all in this together. Here are a few quick things to remember and consider for your first Burn:
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When you buy your ticket you’ll receive a survival guide. If you don’t have one yet by the time you arrive in BRC, ask for it at the gate. The survival guide has plenty of great things to know such as getting around, water and lighting safety, MOOP prevention and critical things to know about the local police and rangers.
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Learn the 10 principles that govern Burning Man. Though not everyone always abides by all of them, as we have seen in the past years, it is crucial to the survival of our awesome community for the rest of us to be on top of it and to educate someone else when they are not doing their part. Here is a link to Burning Man’s site on the 10 principles: http://burningman.org/culture/philosophical-center/10-principles/
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Come prepared! You are entering a hostile environment. Days are super warm and nights are cold not to mention we’re at almost 4000 feet elevation and it’s dusty. The dust is actually a really fine alkaline powder so be ready for a total sand storm. Have some daytime and night time goggles. Water is gold in BRC. Hydrate Hydrate and Hydrate. Always have some fun on you. you might ride far out so have a snack and a bottle of water at all times.
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Lock your bike. and eliminate it so you can find it in the dark. A lock with letters or numbers is preferred. They are much easier to deal with than to have to find a key.
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Porta Potties All rows of porta potties have a little bright blue light about 12 feet up at the beginning and end of the rows. They are not always stocked up so have some napkins with you just in case.
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Secure your camp. I’ve seen a few tents over the years just go flying two streets over because they weren’t secured properly. Tie things down to something more stable like an RV or a car and if not, for tents especially, place all your water inside so it stays down.
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LEAVE NO TRACE – MOOP is the word that’s used a lot. It stands for Matter Our Of Place. So for example, if you smoke a cigarette you can put out the flame on the ground but then you take the filter and stuff it in one of your pockets or what some people do is they have a little container just for that purpose. If you don’t smoke GREAT you won’t have to deal with that but what if you see something on the ground? Be a team player and pick up the MOOP and trash it somewhere where it won’t blow around in the wind.
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NO MONEY EXCHANGE That means no one should come up to you and try to sell something. Everything is free at BRC minus ice. There is a limited amount of ice that trucks bring in and you can buy that if stand in line for a bit and mingle with other Burners. It can be quite fun.
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NO DRUGS If you do them or not is your business. What we don’t want is people 1. trying to come into our camp and selling them, which is just stupid and wrong 2. they come in and ask around to see who has something. If someone asks you anywhere you say “NO I DON’T DO DRUGS” and send them off. And so that goes for you also. We don’t ever know who is a undercover cop (and they are out there) sniffing for something. If you do something do it discreetly and just be aware. Don’t bring people you don’t know back to the camp for the sole purpose of “i know somebody that does”. And here is a last bit: Rangers are more or less on our side. They’ll look out for you if you’re about to do something stupid. The regular cops are definitely NOT.
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There are no spectators. It took me a while to wrap my own head around this one and then i realized of course. There are NONE! Burning Man is such an amazing place with soooo much to see and do that even if you’re just standing looking at a piece of art, you’re participating!!! So with that said, go have fun, hug someone or two, climb something, paint something, or go to one of the kissing booths and share a smooch!!! Have fun!! It’s your BURN. If you come to Burning Man and at some point say I am not having fun, it’s because you’re not trying to have fun. SO HAVE FUN!!! Otherwise Fuck Your Burn!!!! BaaaaHaaaaaaa
See you on the playa kids!
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