Hydration

No... I did not say drink a Beer...
No... I did not say drink a Wine Cooler...
No... I did not say drink a cup of Coffee...
No... I did not say drink a glass of Ice Tea...
I said...

Drink Water !

Maintaining enough fluid in your body is probably the single most important thing that must be done! The Black Rock Desert can be a very harsh environment year round, especially during the summer months (and during the month of August when you will be there is the worst)! The nights may be cool or even cold. The mornings and evenings may be very pleasant. However, the mid days can be a downright killer. Temperatures will easily reach 105 degrees on a relatively "cool" day. The winds may be light and lull you into a false sense of security. If you don't drink enough water, you're done!

As a general rule, drink at least 2 Gallons of Water every day. I know that sounds like alot, but it's really not. If you drink one (1) 20oz bottle of water per hour for 12 hours, that equates to approximately 240 ounces per day or just 16 ounces shy of 2 gallons. Not really too tough to do in an environment of this nature.

Watch for the warning signs of non-sufficient hydration:

1) Lack of energy
2) Dry lips, tongue or mouth
3) Lack of sweat
4) Infrequent urination or no urination whatsoever
5) Dark urine or urine with a strong odor (by day 2, your urine should be close to "clear" if properly hydrated)

Whatever your thing may be...
"Sweating on the Playa" during the day or...
"Sweating up the sheets" after dark...
It all begins with proper hydration !!!

Either that or... a visit from the Paramedics, a trip via CareFlight & Emergency Room charges in the $5000.00 range! Your choice !!!

I'LL SAY THIS ONE MORE TIME...
Drink Water !