I haven't blogged lately about preparing for Burning Man because, well, I haven't done anything since reserving an RV last month. Oh wait, I have bought three skimpy outfits that I'm not sure I would wear to the pool here but might even be too much clothing on the Playa. I've also found my box of outfits and costumes from last time I went, and I'm happy to report that two babies later and the clothes still fit. Oh, ya. I also decided that this time I'm going to spray paint my motorcycle boots silver with purple, orange, and pink stars.
Obviously, I have my priorities.
Maybe I have thought, too, about what the kids are going to wear. I'm less concerned with their costumes and more concerned with their comfort. And their safety, too. I want them to be protected from the sun without being too warm and from the dust, especially if we're caught in a dust storm. I'm also preparing for the idea that they may not want to wear much of anything since temperatures above 80 degrees typically force them to shed their clothes immediately.
So, these things I know I will be packing for the kids (and for me, too):
- Sunscreen in many different forms, including lip balm and travel sized containers for my "mom at burning man purse type thing" (see future post), and lots of it. When we're on the playa, the rule will be no leaving the RV without SPF. I'll make sure a large thing of it is always by the door.
- Hats and lots of them. I'm going to start searching dollar stores for cheap, funky hats to add to our existing collection. Maybe I'll put together a box-o-hats to make the idea of picking out a hat to wear fun for the kids.
- Cheap sunglasses and lots of them. Enough to share with other kids?
- Blousy cotton shirts (button down or just Ts?) that we tie dye and make funky before we go. I think it will be fun for the kids if they participate in making their own costumes. It will give them a sense of anticipation about the trip, too.
- Face masks. To protect against dust in the event of a dust storm, we'll bring face masks and make sure enough for the family are with us at all times.
Because we're staying in an RV, I'm less concerned with protecting them from the harsh elements of the desert than I might be if we were camping solely in a tent. And because we live in a sunny suburb and spend lots of time outdoors during the summer, I feel that I already am concerned with their protection from the sun and know how to make sure they don't get burned. We'll have to be especially vigilant at Burning Man, but we're basically applying our standard rules of living to survival in the desert.
What's next on my To Do list? We're thinking one of our bikes will be a family bike and have a trailer attached to it for transport of the kiddos. I need to start perusing Craigslist and my moms club mailing list for a used bike trailer; we're really only looking for something for Burning Man since we don't do much (okay, any) recreational biking when we're off the Playa.
