Having a bicycle at the Burn is something I recommend to everyone. Anything with knobby tires can handle the terrain, but if you want to ride with style I've put together this short tutorial with suggestions for customizing your playa bike:
Playa Guide: How to Eat Healthy at The Burn
Before my first burn I was told that it was impossible to have fresh fruit or vegetables because they would go bad. So I spent an unhappy week eating canned food and dried fruit. Fast forward to the next year when my friend, who is a vegan chef, showed up with four coolers to feed three people and force fed me kale for an entire all week.
Dusty DIY: How to Add El Wire to Your Playa Coat
I searched high and low to find the best instructions to add El Wire to my new (Goodwill scored) playa coat. When I didn't find anything simple I decided it was time to write my own blog.As I've mentioned in previous blogs, having a long, very warm playa coat is critical for late night excursions, but sometimes you are just going out for a few hours, and hauling around a huge coat that is unnecessarily warm just doesn't make sense.
Dusty DIY: How to Customize Your Goggles for The Burn
Playa Guide: Veteran Burners Review SHIFTPOD Tents
One of the tents that recently hit the market and has been making a big splash on the playa is the Shift Pod. Now, full disclosure, I have not camped in a Shift Pod before. But I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so I reached out some experienced burners to ask them what they thought of their Shift Pod tent. Here's what they had to say:
Playa Guide: Tips and Tricks for Comfortable Tenting
If you're anything like me, you prefer to maintain some level of comfort in your surroundings regardless of where you are. When it comes to tent comfort at the burn, I don't expect the Four Seasons, but I do want to get a decent night's sleep, and not be covered in dust every morning. Assuming you are using a tent at the burn, here are the things I bring to create comfortable living accommodations:
Dusty DIY: Leather Covered Lighters as Playa Gifts
While gifts aren't expected on the playa, it isn't uncommon to meet people who have brought special items to give to their fellow burners. It can be especially nice to have items on hand when someone is generous with you, or just brightens your day. This craft is so easy, and relatively inexpensive.
Breaking Down the Cost of Attending the Burn
I know old school burners love to talk about the good old days, which seemed to have no rules and people shooting guns out of moving cars and trips to the hot springs that have since been closed. But as things evolve, so do the costs. So, I have broken down what it actually costs to go to Burning Man:
Playa Guide: Five Fashion Staples for Women
When it went to my first Burn I was fashion aspirations were overly ambitious to say the least. Contrary to what I thought my days would be like, I found myself spending most of my days in outfits that were more comfortable, and easy to bike in. So below I'm sharing the five staple fashion items that I wear burn after burn, even as my handmade pieces come and go.
Dusty DIY: How to Make a Feather Collar
Understanding the Gifting Economy of The Burn
There are only two things you can buy at the burn: ice and coffee. If you didn't bring it, you can't buy it. A common misunderstanding about the burn is that the city is built on a barter system. The truth is, the city is built on a gifting model, and this works because everyone tends to bring enough, and then share with those around them.
Playa Guide: 10 Critical Items Every Burner Needs
Preparing for the burn can, at times, feel overwhelming. Packing lists can grow to hundreds of items, and if you're on a budget, you may start to question what you can omit from the list. But there are some things you just can't do without, which is why I've created a round up of the ten most critical items you need for your burn. These things don't necessarily have to be bought, many of them can be borrowed, but none of them should be left behind.
Radical Ritual: Top 5 Women's Outfit Ideas for The Burn
This year's art theme is Radical Ritual, and according to the organizers, they are inviting "participants to create interactive rites, ritual processions, elaborate images, shrines, icons, temples, and visions.”
What better way to participate in the art at Burning Man than donning costumes that pays homage to the sacred and the sacrilegious.
Playa Guide: How to Stay Warm
When it comes to weather, most people who have never been to Burning Man think about how to deal with the heat. And what they don't realize is that there is a good chance they will also have to deal with the cold. Before you fill up your suitcase with bikinis and tank tops, you need to consider how you are going to stay warm when the temperatures drop into the 40s and your shivering in deep playa.
