Burning Man 1997 | Required Reading

January 28, 1998 Trip Brown

REQUIRED READING!

The Struggle to Survive

As a participant in Burning Man, you must bring all necessities to the desert: food, shelter, water, fuel -- everything you need to survive. Above and beyond this provision for individual survival, we request you help ensure our collective survival. The following rules are necessarily cast in negative terms. They are ultimately intended, however, to preserve the integrity and creative freedom of our community. They are very simple and relate to public safety at this event -- the necessary and shared concern of everyone. Upon tendering your ticket and entering our private site you become a citizen of Black Rock City and will be expected to abide by these standards. Community membership is a privilege. Any violation of these simple requirements could result in the loss of your right to be among us. In short, you can be required to leave. If you need guidance, please speak to a Black Rock Ranger.

1. Do not drive your car in camp. Be prepared to come to Black Rock City and anchor your vehicle at your campsite. No cruising! Except for specially-marked vehicles, no cars will be allowed on the open playa. Black Rock City is designed for pedestrians and bicycles. When entering and leaving our site, please observe posted speed limits within camp. In order to diminish traffic, a limited number of survival supplies may be purchased at our frontier store.

2. Use fire only on the playa. The flat and fuel-free surface of the playa (the dried lake bed of Hualapai Flat) is suitable for fire. The land along its shoreline is not--covered by grass and shrubs it is highly combustible and fire in any form is banned in this area. Furthermore, the use of fireworks (bottle rockets, explosives, etc.) and, in particular, parachute flares, is very dangerous-- drifting to ground in unpredictable spots. These flares present an extreme hazard to our community. Do not use them. Finally, the practice that's grown up in recent years of burning public structures at the finale of our festival on Sunday night, is not acceptable. The Man and other designated artworks will be burned by the artists who created them. Please do not burn the lamp posts, bulletin boards or other people's property.

3. The open display or discharge of firearms is prohibited. Should you bring a firearm, please keep in under lock and key within your vehicle. Neither our campground nor the greater playa are suitable areas for recreational shooting. We have scheduled no such events.

4. Respect public boundaries. The immediate margin of the playa we will occupy is private land. Its boundary will be clearly marked. The area of the playa beyond this boundary line is administered by a federal agency, the Bureau of Land Management, for purposes of public recreation. You're free to travel here on foot or bicycle. Do not, however, attempt to install artwork in this area. The land to the north and south of our location is marked by fences. Travel in these areas is an act of trespass. Our campground is large; its borders clearly marked. Do not camp in any area overgrown with brush.

5. Burning Man '97 supports both federal laws and the laws of the State of Nevada. Very practically, this means you should comport yourself, with regard to these laws, as you would in any municipality. We intend to cooperate fully with State authorities. Burning Man also supports the 1st Amendment. We are devoted to radically free self-expression. We recommend that you behave as you would anywhere, with intelligent discretion. Burning Man does not promote or condone the use of drugs or public sex acts. A participant in last year's festival was arrested by local law authorities for purveying and openly consuming drugs -- we respect your right to privacy and we have no intention of harassing individuals in their private space. We do suggest that drug use in a physically challenging and hazardous environment may be ill-advised. We offer one general thought: Individuals take drugs to alter their consciousness, but the consciousness of Black Rock City is already altered -- it is an environment filled with bizarre creative visions. Perhaps the best response is a creative one.

6. No one will be admitted without a valid registration ticket from Burning Man '97. Your ticket is a revocable license. Violation of rules, recklessness, disruptive conduct or nuisance will result in revocation of your ticket and ejection from the event without refund. No one under 18 admitted without an adult. The vending or sale of commercial products at this event is prohibited. Our gate will be open at Noon on Wednsday, August 27th. Admission price is $75 per person. The Man will burn at sunset on Sunday, August 31st. Our community will disperse on Monday, September 1st.

THE DESERT

The desert is a place worlds away from that to which most of us are accustomed and governed by physical laws which cannot be ignored. You are responsible for your own survival, safety and comfort. Read this handout carefully, and make sure everyone in your group reads it as well. WHAT YOU MUST BRING:

Two gallons of water per person per day. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times.
Enough food/beverages and ice for your entire party.
First aid kit.
Bedding and shelter of some type; the winds can reach 50 mph. A good camp tent is recommended along with warm sleeping bags.
Each vehicle should bring a shovel.
Garbage bags.
Any required prescriptions, contact lens supplies (disposables work great), or whatever else you need to maintain your health and comfort in a remote area with no services. WE STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU BRING:
Sunscreen/sunblock lotion and sunglasses.
Shade structures, umbrellas, parasols, hats, sheets; something to break the cruel midday sun.
A cooking stove if you expect to heat food or liquid.
Flashlights and spare batteries.
Bicycles (mountain bikes or "cruisers" with balloon tires are best).
Earplugs! (not everyone is going to want to sleep when you do).
A set of warm clothes for cold desert nights.
Watertight protective bags (i.e. heavy ziplocs) for cameras or electronic gear you may bring.
Lotion/lip balm to treat cracked skin; insect repellant.
Smokers: portable ashtrays (i.e. an empty candy tin).
Costumes, musical instruments, props, banners, signs, and anything else you can think of that might make the experience more fun for you and your Playa neighbors.
A Radio.
Common sense, an open mind, and a positive attitude.

YOUR BODY VS. THE ELEMENTS

The Hualapai Playa is a 3-mile diameter, thoroughly flat, prehistoric lakebed, composed of hardpan alkali, ringed by majestic mountains. Daytime temperatures routinely exceed 100 degrees and the humidity is extremely low, which rapidly and continually wicks the moisture out of your body. Because the atmosphere is so dry, you may not feel particularly warm, but you'll be steadily drying up.

To stay healthy and enjoy the weekend, drink water all the time. Drinking one gallon of water per person per day is the rule of thumb. Users of alcohol, caffeine and other drugs are particularly at risk for dehydration, and should pay careful attention to their water intake. Dehydration can cause headaches, stomach cramps, abdominal pains, constipation, or flu-like symptoms. It exacerbates both heat-related and cold-related conditions (i.e. both sunstroke and hypothermia), and makes it difficult for the body to mend itself. If someone you know complains of these symptoms, or shows signs of either severe overheating or (worse) a case of the chills under the mid-day sun, get them to shade immediately and seek prompt medical help.

In case of emergency, go to our medical station in center camp. Medical aides are always on call and evacuation is available.

Some signs that you may not be drinking enough water:

You don't carry a water bottle with you at all times
You "sip" instead of drinking deeply
You wait until you're thirsty to drink (too late!)
Your urine is anything but clear and abundant

BEATING THE HEAT (AND THE COLD)

Make sure you bring some kind of shade for your camp and try to lie low during the hottest part of the day (save your strength for the night). Use sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and water. If you don't take a few basic steps to protect yourself, the desert's mid-day sun will cook you like a hot dog! When the sun drops over the horizon, temperatures can quickly plummet fifty degrees. Overnight lows in the 40's can seem exceptionally cold after all that daytime sun, so you'll want a warm jacket and a good sleeping bag. If you want a campfire, you'll need to bring your own wood and something to act as a fire ring, and you'll need to haul out the ashes when you leave.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT STORMS

The playa can be subject to sudden bouts of fierce, unpredictable weather. Storm cells, fed by rising thermals that stream upward from the surrounding mountains, may arise in the late afternoon or evening and bring high winds, lightning and (sometimes) rain into camp. Likewise, dust storms can prowl the playa in packs or sweep, in a broadened front, across the plain. Suddenly besetting us, they may produce instant "white-outs." Seek immediate shelter and stay there. If you are caught outside of shelter during this condition, simply sit down, cover your face with your shirt and wait. Severe conditions rarely last more than half an hour. Storms often come in with little or no warning, you need to keep your camp battened down at all times. This is especially true when you're away from your camp. Objects as large as sleeping bags, chairs, card tables and empty ice chests have been carried away by occasional high winds.

SECURING YOUR CAMP

Try to position your tent and any shade structures to present the smallest possible profile to the wind (prevailing south-southwest to north-northeast). Weight the interior corners of your tent; stakes which are 12-inch or longer are recommended. Lengths of rebar make excellent stakes, but all exposed ends must be capped (empty 1-liter plastic soda bottles will do the trick) to prevent foot/leg injuries. Secure objects at your campsite (paper products, clothing, tarps, everything) against the wind. Ropes or cables used to secure tents should be flagged, preferably with a white or reflective material. They are hazardous to pedestrians at night.

SAFTEY POINTERS

Keeping in touch

The designated CB channel for Black Rock communications is Channel 23. Public information will also be broadcast by our community radio station, Radio Free Burning Man at 99.5 FM. The Black Rock Rangers will be in contact with all local authorities should you need assistance.

Hot Springs

Always test the water temperature before entering, some of these pools are boiling hot!

TRAVELER'S ADVISORY:

The state highways leading to Gerlach (the closest settlement to Black Rock City) and all other roads in the area are patrolled by the Nevada Highway Patrol. 25 MPH, as posted in nearby towns, means exactly that. Local kids and pets have been known to play in the road -- be careful. Outside of town, be prepared to share the road with livestock and wildlife.