Chai Guy
01-09-2006, 01:34 PM
For everything you ever wanted to know about protecting yourself from the elements on the playa, but were afraid to ask.
The Basics:
1. Camping Tents
These store bought tents will usually work just fine on the playa provided that you properly secure them. Leave those cheap plastic or aluminum tent stakes at home, as they are utterly useless on the playa. You'll need rebar baby, and lot's of it. Also, set your tent up at home so for practice and to ensure you have all of the pieces.
Once at the event, spread your tent out on the playa (but don't "erect" it yet) now find your tent loops (where the tent pegs go) and drive in a piece of rebar about 1 foot or so away from each tent loop. Now tie a piece of rope securely on each tent loop, tie the other end onto the piece of rebar. Now you can erect the tent safely (even solo) without it blowing away in a gust of wind. Once the tent is up you can adjust the ropes to provide maximum tension and strength.
If your tent is the "dome" style or uses flexible, fiberglass poles, you may want to add a few guy lines to it to make the structure stronger in a wind storm. Simply tie off a piece of rope to the exposed pole near the top of the tent and anchor it to a piece of rebar (this may require extra rebar). When using rebar be sure to "cap" it with an empty water bottle or tennis ball so that it does not impale you or a camp mate. Mark your guy lines with bright tape or orange ribbon so that they are visible, even at night.
The major problem with camping tents is that they will heat up and start cooking you by about 9:30 am. they are designed to allow light in, and light = heat. There are a few things you can do to help lessen this effect. First, attach the tent's rain fly. Second, utilize any available shade, i.e. place your tent near an R.V., or large dome.
If you have an E-Z Up type structure, you can place that over your tent as well, and hanging fabric from the sides fo the E-Z Up will also help mitigate the effects of the sun. The simplest way to secure the EZ up is to place it over your tent and drive a piece of rebar next to each leg. Then duct tape the leg to the rebar (use some saran wrap on the ez-up leg to avoid getting it covered with glue when you remove the tape). Finally, you'd be wise to add a guy line or two to the Ez up, again, rebar is your friend.
Another option is to secure a tarp to your vehicle creating a "lean to", by securing the other end to the ground with rebar, and then placing your tent in that space. It's not pretty but it's effective. This works well with taller vehicles like SUVs and rental trucks, not so much with compact cars.
Some people experience problems with tent zippers sticking, especially on tents that have been to the playa the year before. Lubricate your zippers with wax or a non-petroleum based lubricant (lip balm will work in a pinch).
2. Live In Your Car
Some people over look the fact they already have the perfect living structure, it's the vehicle you drove to the playa with. We're talking SUV, rental truck, hell, even the back of a station wagon will probably do. Don't leave the tent at home, you'll need that to store all your gear (or you can just use a tarp as a "lean to").
Now that your gear is out of the way, all you have to do is cover those windows. With the sun pouring through them your car will heat up like a solar oven. I suggest buying several "Space Blankets" (simply large pieces of mylar) and then attaching them to the inside of your windows. Another option is to go to your hardware store and buy the rolled silver "bubble wrap" looking insulation for a hot water heater, and then cut it to fit your windows, this stuff will be more rigid, and you can use it over again. The goal here should be no visible light coming in the vehicle. Your car is still going to heat up, but it will be cooler than most camping tents.
3. R.V.
Some people love them, some people hate them. You'll be sure to catch some shit from a certain segment of the population for bringing one, until, that is, they want to use your shower or toilet. Here is my take: R.V.'s are wonderful provided that you realize you won't be able to shit in the toilet (ask anyone that has ever been on "tour" to explain this to you). You also need to realize that your coveted private shower is pretty much null and void after the grey water tank fills up (usually 2-3 days). If it's a rental or you're borrowing it from Mom & Dad, you'll spend a good 8-10 hours cleaning it when you get home, or risk loosing your cleaning deposit (in the case of Mom & Dad, you'll be written out of the will). You'll spend 2-4X the amount of money in fuel that you would in a normal car getting to the event. The bottom line is that unless you already own an RV, and are willing to sacrafice the interior to the Gods of Playa Dust, bringing an RV is probably not going to be worth $$$ and effort. The playa is a dirty, dusty and hot place, become one with it.
4. Domes, Yurts & Other Large Commercial Structures
Geo Domes, Army Tents, Yurts, Disaster Shelters, are all present on the playa. They look pretty cool, and most are proven to work well. The drawbacks are they cost $$$$ and sometimes take as long as a full day or more to set up and take down. That's a lot of work for me considering that I've gone some years literally NEVER sleeping in my own tent! Of course, your mileage may vary. Here are some links, enjoy.
http://www.thepod.net/
http://www.pacificdomes.com/
http://shelter-systems.com
http://www.grunch.net/synergetics/domes/domeman.html
4. DIY Sturctures
It is an Art Festival after all, and what better way to express yourself than with a unique living structure. Just remember that better women/men have gone before you and failed. My advice would be to go to the event prior to homebrewing your own structure, there is nothing that I've experienced wind/weather wise that would have prepared me. The word "bomb proof" really does apply, literally. If you're serious about this endeavor, please check out Bob Stahl's extensive website here (http://www.geocities.com/potatotrap/tech/bluetarp.htm#basics). The life you save, could be mine.
More DIY links:
http://www.lostmachine.com/projects/orbbject/index.html
http://www.maxicon.com/Burning_Man/PVC_Structures/pvc_on_the_playa.htm
http://burningman.rengeekcentral.com/Dome.html
http://stevelerner.com/geometry/
http://www.zomadic.com/
http://graphics.stanford.edu/~munzner/dome/
http://www.monkeyc.org/dome/
http://www.desertdomes.com/
http://geodome.sourceforge.net/
http://www.blackrockcitylabs.com/dome/
http://www.efalk.org/OasisDome/index.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/dome/
http://www.applied-synergetics.com/ashp/html/domes.html
http://www.shelterpub.com/_shelter/shelter_book.html
http://www.spacelounge.com/burningman.html
http://www.cieux.com/bm/argyre.html
I hope this helps, feel free to post your own thoughts, tips, and tricks about desert architecture here.
The Basics:
1. Camping Tents
These store bought tents will usually work just fine on the playa provided that you properly secure them. Leave those cheap plastic or aluminum tent stakes at home, as they are utterly useless on the playa. You'll need rebar baby, and lot's of it. Also, set your tent up at home so for practice and to ensure you have all of the pieces.
Once at the event, spread your tent out on the playa (but don't "erect" it yet) now find your tent loops (where the tent pegs go) and drive in a piece of rebar about 1 foot or so away from each tent loop. Now tie a piece of rope securely on each tent loop, tie the other end onto the piece of rebar. Now you can erect the tent safely (even solo) without it blowing away in a gust of wind. Once the tent is up you can adjust the ropes to provide maximum tension and strength.
If your tent is the "dome" style or uses flexible, fiberglass poles, you may want to add a few guy lines to it to make the structure stronger in a wind storm. Simply tie off a piece of rope to the exposed pole near the top of the tent and anchor it to a piece of rebar (this may require extra rebar). When using rebar be sure to "cap" it with an empty water bottle or tennis ball so that it does not impale you or a camp mate. Mark your guy lines with bright tape or orange ribbon so that they are visible, even at night.
The major problem with camping tents is that they will heat up and start cooking you by about 9:30 am. they are designed to allow light in, and light = heat. There are a few things you can do to help lessen this effect. First, attach the tent's rain fly. Second, utilize any available shade, i.e. place your tent near an R.V., or large dome.
If you have an E-Z Up type structure, you can place that over your tent as well, and hanging fabric from the sides fo the E-Z Up will also help mitigate the effects of the sun. The simplest way to secure the EZ up is to place it over your tent and drive a piece of rebar next to each leg. Then duct tape the leg to the rebar (use some saran wrap on the ez-up leg to avoid getting it covered with glue when you remove the tape). Finally, you'd be wise to add a guy line or two to the Ez up, again, rebar is your friend.
Another option is to secure a tarp to your vehicle creating a "lean to", by securing the other end to the ground with rebar, and then placing your tent in that space. It's not pretty but it's effective. This works well with taller vehicles like SUVs and rental trucks, not so much with compact cars.
Some people experience problems with tent zippers sticking, especially on tents that have been to the playa the year before. Lubricate your zippers with wax or a non-petroleum based lubricant (lip balm will work in a pinch).
2. Live In Your Car
Some people over look the fact they already have the perfect living structure, it's the vehicle you drove to the playa with. We're talking SUV, rental truck, hell, even the back of a station wagon will probably do. Don't leave the tent at home, you'll need that to store all your gear (or you can just use a tarp as a "lean to").
Now that your gear is out of the way, all you have to do is cover those windows. With the sun pouring through them your car will heat up like a solar oven. I suggest buying several "Space Blankets" (simply large pieces of mylar) and then attaching them to the inside of your windows. Another option is to go to your hardware store and buy the rolled silver "bubble wrap" looking insulation for a hot water heater, and then cut it to fit your windows, this stuff will be more rigid, and you can use it over again. The goal here should be no visible light coming in the vehicle. Your car is still going to heat up, but it will be cooler than most camping tents.
3. R.V.
Some people love them, some people hate them. You'll be sure to catch some shit from a certain segment of the population for bringing one, until, that is, they want to use your shower or toilet. Here is my take: R.V.'s are wonderful provided that you realize you won't be able to shit in the toilet (ask anyone that has ever been on "tour" to explain this to you). You also need to realize that your coveted private shower is pretty much null and void after the grey water tank fills up (usually 2-3 days). If it's a rental or you're borrowing it from Mom & Dad, you'll spend a good 8-10 hours cleaning it when you get home, or risk loosing your cleaning deposit (in the case of Mom & Dad, you'll be written out of the will). You'll spend 2-4X the amount of money in fuel that you would in a normal car getting to the event. The bottom line is that unless you already own an RV, and are willing to sacrafice the interior to the Gods of Playa Dust, bringing an RV is probably not going to be worth $$$ and effort. The playa is a dirty, dusty and hot place, become one with it.
4. Domes, Yurts & Other Large Commercial Structures
Geo Domes, Army Tents, Yurts, Disaster Shelters, are all present on the playa. They look pretty cool, and most are proven to work well. The drawbacks are they cost $$$$ and sometimes take as long as a full day or more to set up and take down. That's a lot of work for me considering that I've gone some years literally NEVER sleeping in my own tent! Of course, your mileage may vary. Here are some links, enjoy.
http://www.thepod.net/
http://www.pacificdomes.com/
http://shelter-systems.com
http://www.grunch.net/synergetics/domes/domeman.html
4. DIY Sturctures
It is an Art Festival after all, and what better way to express yourself than with a unique living structure. Just remember that better women/men have gone before you and failed. My advice would be to go to the event prior to homebrewing your own structure, there is nothing that I've experienced wind/weather wise that would have prepared me. The word "bomb proof" really does apply, literally. If you're serious about this endeavor, please check out Bob Stahl's extensive website here (http://www.geocities.com/potatotrap/tech/bluetarp.htm#basics). The life you save, could be mine.
More DIY links:
http://www.lostmachine.com/projects/orbbject/index.html
http://www.maxicon.com/Burning_Man/PVC_Structures/pvc_on_the_playa.htm
http://burningman.rengeekcentral.com/Dome.html
http://stevelerner.com/geometry/
http://www.zomadic.com/
http://graphics.stanford.edu/~munzner/dome/
http://www.monkeyc.org/dome/
http://www.desertdomes.com/
http://geodome.sourceforge.net/
http://www.blackrockcitylabs.com/dome/
http://www.efalk.org/OasisDome/index.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/dome/
http://www.applied-synergetics.com/ashp/html/domes.html
http://www.shelterpub.com/_shelter/shelter_book.html
http://www.spacelounge.com/burningman.html
http://www.cieux.com/bm/argyre.html
I hope this helps, feel free to post your own thoughts, tips, and tricks about desert architecture here.