Autosub FAQ
READ THE BURNING MAN SURVIVAL GUIDE!
This may take a while, so grab a Gin & Tonic, some sorbet & be prepared to be prepared by those of us who have been unwise enough to keep coming out here year after year after year...
Reno?
It's the closest commercial airport to BRC. Since we come from the East Coast, we keep a lot of gear in storage in Reno, and buy supplies there: food, water, fuel, building materials, and scaffolding. Most of us travel through Reno, and many spend a few days in Reno before and/or after the event to take care of camp and personal errands.
How can I help in Reno before Burning Man?
There are several tasks to do there. Picking up the rental truck, unpacking the storage locker, getting water, food, and construction materials. This all takes about three days, and happens from Wed-Sat before Burning Man begins. Most of this is taken care of by the Early Crew, but the food shopping uses up everyone in town at that time. Keep the logistics crew appraised of your travel plans and we'll let people know where help is needed.
What personal errands should I do in Reno?
Beside the camp stuff, people usually do specialty food shopping (Trader Joe's), hit Twin City Surplus (Army/Navy store), and whatever else they need to before heading to BRC for the week. Cowboy hats, Big Ass Sun Hats, extra sunscreen etc.
Where do I stay in Reno?
The casinos are cheap lodging at its best. Watch the list to see where folks are staying. Otherwise, just pick a place 'downtown' and you'll be a short walk from nearly all the other hotels. We usually stay at the Sand's as they have a pool, great truck parking and are near a pretty cool bar.
How do I get from Reno to the playa?
Rideshare! Typically camp members rent an economy car and split the rental for the week. The e-playa has a rideshare, and we publicize everyone's travel plans to help facilitate people organizing car rentals. New for 2007 is the BioBus which will run Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and cost $55-65 each way.
That was great - how do we get outta here?
As a camp and as individuals, we are directly responsible for something like a third of the Burningtruck containers' capacity. That means there should be a HUGE contingent of us at the container loading on Sunday and Monday after the Man burns. Then, back in Reno on Tuesday the truck needs to be unloaded into the storage locker and the contents inventoried for next year's campers. Then the truck has to be washed and returned to the rental company.
What are we doing?
As a camp, our gift to the City is the theme camp Automatic Subconscious. Specifically, the public space of the Dome, and all our other projects/installations in addition to our fine selves and lots of Moxie. The dome serves as a venue for the various arts practiced by camp members and friends, a sturdy public shelter, bar, and observation platform. We also host some playa art installations, in 2007, that included Moldover's Octomasher, Rob's Blinky-Go-Round & Doug's Galaxy. This year we will have, ata minimun, Rob's Spinny Wheel, Doug's Galaxy MkII & Thunder Box, the camp-wide CAmerican Dream Carnival Midway along with several other, as-yet-to-be-disclosed wonders.
How can I help?
Everyone who is part of AutoSub is expected to help make the camp happen. Setup/breakdown and kitchen shifts represent most of the on-playa work. All are expected to perform 2 kitchen shifts, which can consist of being head chef, prep cook or bottle-washer. Try to either arrive early or stay late to help with setup and breakdown. Staying late is especially helpful, as everyone is exhilarated but exhausted, and have imminent real-world responsibilities.
Where do I set up my tent?
The camp will be laid out by the Early Arrival crew before the majority of us arrive. Ask where's a good spot. We will have a camp layout posted in the public shade structure near the kitchen whiteboard. We have a set amount of space and need to fit everyone in, so please set up tents densely. Maximize space by setting up as close to another tent as possible; at the beginning it will look silly because we appear to have room to spread out, but as people arrive over the week it will get crowded. Bring stakes for your tent, there are too many of us to supply rebar stakes for everyone!!! Don't be the poor sot crying in the heartless dark & cold because your tent blew away.
Where are the camp bikes?
There ain't none. This cultural meme is a relic from when we were a quarter of our current size; bikes don't store well and we simply do not have enough for everyone. If having a bike at Burning Man is important to you, see to it that you have one. It is a VERY GOOD idea to make sure that basic maintenance is performed on it BEFORE you leave for the Playa. Bring a tire repair kit and spare tubes for peace of mind and continued conveyance. There will be a resident bike mechanic to help with minor bike problems in camp, BUT they will not be your personal bike butler, treat them well and you shall receive in kind. Remember, this means that you should have your bike ready, and your truck-share purchased, to be shipped out to the Playa on the Boston Burning Truck.
Vehicles in Camp?
The past few years we have only had the rental truck parked in camp. This is mainly because having all those cars on valuable Esplanade property reduces the space for interesting other stuff to sprout up! We park all of our cars several blocks back as Auto Sub is a Vehicle-Free-Zone this year and every year henceforth.
Drinking Water?
We supply all of your drinking water for the week. Drink as much water as you need to, and more. Remember to Piss Clear! In the unlikely event that we were to run low, all other uses might have to be cut, but you must stay hydrated, remember you can only drink so much from your car's radiator before deleterious effects set in. We have budgeted just over 2 gallons, per person, per day of expected playa time. This includes drinking (1 gallon/day), cooking and kitchen cleaning (1 gallon/day) and a small shower allowance (~ 1 quart/day). The shower allotment isn't a lot, but it can be stretched far with some creativity. So be creative! Baby wipes, sponge baths, WATER TRUCK!, braided hair, or beard, sweat lodge, easy to clean up meals; all easy examples of how to use less. Sharing drinking water with guests and friends is fine, but we did not budget for this, so (as with all communal resources) keep your campmates in mind and be judicious. In 2007 we started using an ice-filled "jockey box" with two spouts, one for cold drinking water, and the other? Cold beer! Hooray for Cold Beer! Again this year we will have "Virgin Fruit Drinks" available for thirst quenching missions during the day. There will be a tap with drinkable water in the kitchen area and portable 5 gallon cubes. If all else fails, we probably will have some beer left to help your dessication into a dried up husk accelerate along its oh so sad trajectory.
Showering?
A shower enclosure of some kind will be built which will drain into the evaporation pool. In 2007 a re-circulating shower was made, and made available, by a fellow camp member. This year, perhaps someone new will take up the torch for this project. What does this mean? Well, you'll start with a clean unit of water, and a pump will re-circulate the same water over you a few times so that you have enough time to suds up and get all the dirt and dust off you with a minimal amount of water used. After getting mostly clean, you will refresh your water supply and rinse off. A few solar shower bags are available. If a hot shower is important to you, please bring your own shower bag, as they take a while to heat up and others can't be expected to wait that long, besides some lucky soul might think that your shower bag is a random gift from the Playa Gods and use it up for you. The water trucks come around a couple times a day and serve as great quick refreshers WARNING! DO NOT DRINK water from a water truck, some is from cattle ponds, and none is fit for consumption). We'll have specific barrels earmarked for showering. When this Utility water runs out, there will be no more shower water. If you want to be sure you have shower water for late in the week, or like to shower a lot, you ought to bring a few gallons as a personal shower water source. Remember when you shower not to let the water RUN! Also, it's worth noting that it's so dry that you won't smell bad; even one day in sweaty ole Massachusetts is worse than a week on the playa, odor-wise. If you're new to the playa, just take it on faith. Hear me now, believe me later. The shower will be shut off late Saturday in order for the Evap pond, lovingly known as Lake Woodward, to dry up & blow away. Alternatively seek out the Steam Bath Camp and sweat it all out, you will not regret it. They also are very appreciative of gifts of clean water.
DUST!
It is dusty. It is NOT sand. It is NOT like a windy day at the beach. It is floury, 0.3micron, and suspends in the air. In a high wind you can be whited out, blue skies above, but no salvation/orientation in the X-Y plane. Storms can pop up with very little warning. So: Have some bandanas (you can wet then down) and/or dust masks (carpenters' nuisance dust masks are fine). Always carry a mask - and water! - when you leave camp. Bring a pair of goggles, and a backup pair in case you lose your first pair - goggles that seal to your face, not safety glasses.
SUN & HEAT & COLD
We are in a high altitude desert. The sun is strong and it gets hot during the day and cold at night. We have experienced temperature swings of 117?F in the day to 42?F at night in 6-hours or less. You can actually suffer hypothermia on the Playa if you are not prepared. Think nothing but sunscreen during the day & fabulous-tastic furs at night. Be prepared with sunscreen and a few sun hats. HEAT If you are working during the day and start feeling grumpy or ill,
DRINK WATER AND TAKE A SHADE BREAK!!!
Do NOT feel guilty about this, we have all been there and will understand, besides we can then flog you into working harder after dark under the harsh lights of the white gas lantern. You'll be of no help to others if you don't care for yourself first. Be aware of the symptoms of heat exhaustion and rest until you feel better. Ask for advice or get medical attention if you have any doubt. Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink water, head dehydration off at the pass and keep chugging the H20. That's what pee jars are for, if they look yellow, keep drinking, eventually your body will reach an equilibrium where you are not having to pee every 20-minutes or so. Electrolyte balance is nearly as important; if you are craving salt on your food, indulge. Fresh fruit and sports drinks help too. Anyone for a slice of watermelon with sea salt? SUN Wear sunscreen from when you wake up (or the sun rises, as the case may be). Don't become one of the horribly burned people you'll see walking around after a few days, like that porn-star dude that just walks along the Esplanade all day, you all know who I'm talking about. This also pertains in Reno, by the way. COLD It gets from "rather chilly" to "fracking cold" at night, it is totally exposed, and it can be very windy. Bring plenty of warm clothes - including windproofs - and warm sleeping gear. Hats/gloves/scarves/thermal undies are not overkill!
NOISE
Yes, the playa is a rich sonic environment. But there may come a time when you wish to tune it out and sleep. Bring earplugs for sleeping and for hazardously loud art. And feel free to set up a tent in a quieter district if the noise becomes too much. John finds he adjusts to it in a day or so. Doug finds that he stays awake until he can keep his eyes open in a stumbling manner no longer and sleeps the sleep of the wicked without consciences. The cacophony of many different sounds and music can also be disorienting and unsettling. While this feeling may partially be due to dehydration and/or overheating, it can also be due to sensory overload. Many campers find that tuning out with a DiscMan or MP3 player to your favorite music for 30 minutes can do wonders for one's constitution.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Tempers have been known to flare over trivial and dumb things. Remember this is a TOUGH environment to work and play in, and if you find yourself losing your temper with someone, it is probably a sign to take a break and drink some water. This should always be your first option - we are all people of good will! If the conflict has reached the point where this isn't an option, get an *uninvolved* person to arbitrate. BRC Rangers have a lot of experience with this. Call them if you need them! DO NOT wake me up, make me come out there and choke-hold your sorry ass.
Matter Out Of Place (MOOP)
In everything we do in BRC, we must minimize the debris we leave. This is a matter of survival for the Burning Man event and an obligation under their BLM permit. Please be conscious of your actions and how they might contribute to "MOOP". Be especially thoughtful when building/tearing down (yes, sawdust and steel filings are MOOP). We have an exceptionally strong magnet in the shop to clean up your steel filings anyways. Pick up trash as you see it, whenever and wherever; but the best option is always, say it together:"Don't let it hit the ground!" And remember, that the better we keep the camp, and Playa, free of MOOP, the easier it will be for us to clean it up at the end when we are all at our frazzled, bitter, uncaring, yet rewarded and breezily happy end.
INFRASTRUCTURE
It is best to have as many people as possible know how the camp works. If you see someone who knows what they're doing tending to something, ask them to show you how, too. Many hands make light work, and distributed expertise is more likely to be on hand when it's needed. No-one wants to feel tied to the camp because they are the ONLY one that knows how to fill the genny with petrol.
ELECTRICITY & GENERATORS
New for 2007! & continuing onward through the Ages, we will have pretty much all of the electricity that we need. The camp (and the greater Boston village aka The Hive) is powered by a 45kW, 5% bio-diesel generator. Only a handful of people in the whole village will be permitted to operato this generator. Ideally we will have 24/7 power, but realistically that will use a shitload of fuel, so the genny will definitely be running all night. During the day it will be on an 'as-needed' basis. We will be able to run our own gennys to provide incidental power. Feel free to bring devices which require small amounts of electricity. Examples include: battery chargers, laptops, small power tools for camp construction, etc. Do NOT bring high power consumption devices like hair dryers or air conditioners. These things gobble up electricity and we don't have enough power to go around for everyone. The camp also has a series of "backup" generators in case the main generator fails. At our disposal are three gasoline generators: a 5000-watt, 3000-watt, and a 1000-watt model. The Power & Water Meister will show anyone who is interested how to operate these infernal machines. Many hands make light work and it is important to have knowledge of camp operations spread around as well.
SHADE STRUCTURE
There is a large communal shade structure for everyone to use. It will be adjacent to the kitchen shade structure. It will be minimally lit at night with LEDs and compact fluorescent light bulbs for minimal power usage. The shade structure is a PVC and poly tarp quonset hut - elegant but spartan. If you like, bring something to decorate the shade structure with. It's shared space for some 40 people, and friends. Please do not leave your stuff lying about, or it will end up in the 'Gear Drift'.
GEAR DRIFT
A large crate will be marked 'Gear Drift'. When the communal space gets tidied up, abandoned personal gear accumulates in this box. If something has gone missing please look for it here first before railing at he cruel fate that the Gods have saddled you and your material possessions with.
SEATING
Bring a camp chair. We do have couches and pillows, a bunch of folding chairs, and a couple of Rab Darman Special picnic tables - but more seating can't hurt.
GARBAGE
The kitchen garbage is for kitchen waste only! Please pack out all of your own personal trash including glass beer bottles if you're so inclined.
RECYCLING
We'll separate out recyclables. Besides aluminum cans, there is no provision to actually get the metal & glass to a recycling center. Anyone with interest in doing so should seize the opportunity. Otherwise it all goes to the transfer station.
WASTE SEPARATION CATEGORIES
Aluminium Cans (*only*) for Recycle Camp. Steel cans separated for possible recycling. Glass separated for possible recycling - the camp does its best to avoid waste glass (heavy & messy) so there should be only a small amount of this. If feeling compelled to bring beer in glass, remember you are personally responsible for those bottles. Paper (goes in dry trash, see below). Just because something will burn, doesn't mean it's a good idea. Google "dioxin" and "low-temperature combustion", or find Mr. John Payne by his sweat lodge & you shall be eloquently edified. Wet but dryable - place on the drying rack at the evap pond or put in the 5 gal pail. Wet, not dryable (i.e. leftover sausage!) - place in the 5 gal pail, or let Pete know where it his so he can consume it in 2-days to the horror & disgust of his campmates & secret glee of himself. All other refuse - place in large contractor bags. Compost - If it is food related and compost-able, we'll be collecting food waste and donating it to the "Compost Camp"
EVAPORATION POND
Gray water (i.e. cooking and washing waste water) can't be dumped on the playa. For us, the disposal method is evaporation from a big shallow pond. All water poured into the dehydration pond MUST be strained through a pantyhose, hopefully not a pair that you yourself, or another person is wearing at the time. But, whatever floats your boat.... This keeps "grummlies" of solid food out of the pond, helps prevent the sump pump that powers our Super-Duper evaporator from clogging up and reduces the oil film that prevents evaporation. Adequate soap in the wash station also helps, see below. The exception to straining is shower water, which may flow directly into the pond. We will have a squeegee on a pole so that water can be pushed around to dry places in the pond to promote more efficient evaporation.
FOOD
You Gots To Eat!
Cups/Plates/Utensils/Etc.
Auto-Sub does not provide personal gear. You need to bring your own mess kit!. A Tupperware with a lid works well; see the conversation on Bostonburns for ideas. Also, bring a fork, knife, and spoon. Bonus points if you bring a spork!
WHO DOES DISHES?
Everyone is responsible for washing their own dishes. There is a cleaning station for personal gear.
How Do I Do Dishes?
This is a 4 step process. First: scrape clean your dish into the drying bin Second: clean your stuff in the soapy water Third: rinse your stuff in clear water Fourth: rinse your stuff in the 10% bleach-solution water. this sterilizes your food-bearing gear, and the bleach evaporates quickly The cleaning station is NOT maintained by the kitchen pod. If you find it's getting nasty, then please change out the water and re-fill everything. Don't be shy with the soap!
I heard something about Kitchen shifts?
Everyone should take at least two Kitchen shifts at some point... but feel free to take more! Especially if you're not able to help with setup/teardown work. The 'day' shift has the following jobs: Store and tidy up the kitchen once around lunch time, and again before dinner prep starts like 5:00PM; and make sure the coolers get filled with ice for the day. You do not need to stay in the kitchen all day, but should check in a few times. The 'dinner' shift means you'll be helping to cook and clean up after the night's meal, including all of those nasty big pots & pans. Time commitment for dinner is 2.5-4 hours depending on the meal. A schedule will be posted where you can sign up for specific days' shifts. Just note that each evening's dinner wil NOT be served until the cleaning crews have been signed up.
Breakfast/Lunch/Snacks
There is self-serve breakfast/lunch/snack food available 24-hours a day to help keep you in tip-top partying form. Help yourself to self-serve food anytime. It will be clearly marked, or make up a platter of something for whoever's around (except when dinner is being prepared). Whatever you do, please clean up after!
DINNER
Dinner is a group meal each night which is usually served a bit before sunset. Food for the dinner meals are put into marked containers. Please do not use food marked for meals. This is also the only time each day when we are all, or mostly all, guaranteed to be in one place at the same time. We use this opportunity for camp announcements, and a chance for folks to share what they have experienced that they think the rest of us would be interested in. It's great to have your own, personal scouting party out there all day seeking out the cool and unusual in this desert of creativity.
BEER/LIQUOR
Some beer and liquor is provided by the camp. We also supply drinks for the few happy hours we sponsor. Feel free to drink what is available. We will have a few kegs of fine ales from the Cambridge Brewing Co, and only have standard liquor available - vodka/gin/rum. If you want other or better quality stuff you should bring it from home or Reno.
TEAR DOWN
Saturday we start packing up the camp, the cube goes away on Sunday, and by Monday afternoon we should be ready to bounce. Although there are only a few people who do the initial camp setup, EVERYONE is responsible for the camp breakdown. And by camp breakdown we are specifically EXCLUDING all of the labor that you have to put in to take down your tent's shade structure. We have all enjoyed the amenities of the camp & a small price to pay is to help take it down, pack it up, load it on the trucks & go through the camp & our general neighborhood cleaning up MOOP. One of the reasons that we think that the BMORG always smiles on us benevolently with great placement is that we do what we say we are going to do & that WE CLEANUP AFTER OURSELVES. Making sure your personal gear is out of the public space will help this process immensely. Please be ready to help out with breaking down the larger structures or packing up the camp gear. OTHER STUFF READ THE BURNING MAN SURVIVAL GUIDE! AGAIN! Burning Man Survival Guide
I hope that you have found this torrent of verbiage somewhat useful. If you have suggestions, critiques, additions or WTFs, kindly send them to Ruuskado.