10/30/2012
Post-Burningman Notes
Upon arriving in Vancouver, Shel asked that I post some notes on the camp and point out things that worked and things that could have been better, so after some reflection, here are some notes for next year in order to make things even better, and maybe even more organized!
Kitchen:
- Have multiple pots/pans and different sizes of those items (i.e. 2-3 frying pans, 3-4 pots with 2 big and 2 small pots) – also have tops for those pots!
- Multiple spatulas/stirring utensils
- Bring serving dishes and utensils! – large bowls, plates and spoons for serving up the food.
- Have a protein in EVERY dish – include ham/turkey bacon in grilled cheeses etc…it’s not enough sustenance without it.
- Know how many people you are cooking for, and if you are going to have something like hotdogs/brauts, make sure you have AT LEAST one per person, no fudging the numbers!
- Make sure that your cooking area is shielded from the wind and sand, but especially the wind, it makes boiling impossible.
- We need a better system for washing dishes – larger tubs?
- Set a time for when you will be making meals – i.e. I will start cooking at sundown. This way people will be able to get back in time for dinner and won’t miss out.
- Make sure you know where dry ice is available
Camp:
- The tent canopies are not strong enough to withstand the wind. We need to find something sturdier.
- Tarps are not ideal shade structures as they tear and do not reflect heat.
- Investing in more illuminets and military canvas is recommended!
- Investing in a dome is also recommended!
- A shower is necessary, and makes for a much more enjoyable burn.
- The camp structure should be a bit more organized, where we make sure that all tents will be shaded from the sun. This includes making sure that we have enough shaded structures to cover everything. I know that is a difficult task because it’s hard to know how much room all the tents will take up, but I think if we give it a bit more planning and forethought we can be a bit more prepared.
- Investing in tent stakes like Chris Berry had, or more rebar, is a good idea.
- I also really liked the carpets on the ground; I thought that made everything a little more comfortable and home-y. I think that is a good idea for the future.
- In the coming years, I think it will be important to expand our decoration beyond the recognizer and stage. I think that we can use up more of our space in a creative and interesting way.
- Clean-up should be given two days and can’t be rushed. The second day is essential for picking up anything extra that was missed on the first day, as it is easy to get burned out on mooping all day.
Travel:
- It would be ideal to have more people who are able to drive.
- Depending on the amount of cars and people going, the amount of gas money that each person contributes should probably be increased from $100. This was not enough to cover the money that was actually spent on food and gas.
- Have snacks for the ride there as well as the ride back, and make sure they are reachable!
Tickets:
- I think it has become apparent that it is not necessary to rush to get tickets; it only results in spending way too much money. Tickets become abundant between July and August, and the prices reduce dramatically. While it is not as “safe” as having tickets early, it makes more financial sense to wait and frees up that money for other things like supplies.
These are the notes/ thoughts that I had when looking back on the trip. I did not make any notes/suggestions about the stage area because I didn’t work on that aspect of the camp. If you have any thoughts or recommendations on anything from the general camp to the stage, please feel free to leave a comment so that things can be taken into account when preparing for the next year. Hope this helps, and gets people inspired to come up with new ideas for the camp!
Hopefully this helps you guys with planning and preparation for next year :)
