Alright, buckle up, Buttercup, because navigating the dust-choked expanse of Black Rock City without a bike can be tricky at best. This expansive city calls out for two wheels to get out to the deep playa and see all the cool artwork.
Full Disclosure: I have done Burning Man without a bike.
If you’re a walker, you’ll meet neat folks along the way, instead of scooting out to the deep playa. Even if you have a bike, take at least one day to check out your neighborhood on foot.
Now, listen closely, you glorious dust bunnies: DO NOT bring your fancy, carbon-fibre bikes to the sandbox. The playa eats nice bikes for breakfast, leaving behind a rusty husk of regret. If you absolutely MUST bring something decent, kiss your savings goodbye, because a post-playa spa treatment for your ride will be pricey. Wider tires? YUP. Chain lube? YUP (and not WD-10). Bike repair camps exist, so seek ’em out.
> Read also: I Need a Playa Bike!
LIGHT ‘EM UP
Oh, and pro tip: attach lights. I mean A LOT OF LIGHTS. Unless you’re auditioning for a Darwin Award by becoming a hood ornament for a rogue art car or a stumbling darkwad (that’s an unlit glitterati), illuminate your path. Think of it as your personal “don’t run me over” beacon.
Now for the fun part: decorate that beast! Turn your mundane mode of transport into a mobile masterpiece of questionable taste. (At this point we shouldn’t have to state it, but one more time for the folks in the back NO FUR OR GLITTER OR SEQUINS!! For you or your chariot.) Not only will it scream “this is MINE, back off,” but it’ll also make finding it after a hazy night of questionable decisions slightly less impossible.
And finally, a harsh truth: even in this bastion of radical self-expression, some people are just garden-variety jerks. Lock your bike. Especially near the porta-potties – apparently, the aroma isn’t the only thing being pilfered there. And for the love of all that is playa, DON’T be that eco-villain who abandons their bike. “Leave No Trace” isn’t a suggestion; it’s the freaking law. Pack it in, pack it out, you magnificent bastards.
