non-theme camp camping

Juju · Post by **Juju** » Sun Feb 08, 2004 8:37 pm

This seems to be a newbie type question, and I feel for some reason I should know already, but I've not gotten a clear answer, so here goes.

Do I have to register as a theme camp to assure that i've got a place to live?

I've been a part of a camp the last 3 years, but this year I'm not sure that my ideas jive with what the rest of us want to do, so I'm considering going with a smaller group. I've always been so focused on getting myself set up that I never really looked around at how much empty space there is, if any.

What's the deal with empty lots? If I decided that I didn't want to register my theme camp, and I showed up on Monday, would I have an easy time finding a suitable spot to live? We've heard stories of and had a few interactions with what I'd thought of previously as "squatters." Will that fate befall me?

I really like having an address, knowing where I'll be and letting others be able to find me, so this might not work for me, but I'm curious.

Anyone have experiences with not having an assigned spot? How'd it work out?

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Sun Feb 08, 2004 9:36 pm

Ahh... a question I've wondered about myself actually. I don't want to just barge in and start asking, "Hey, can I camp here?", though I haven't really found guidelines for such a situation (doesn't mean they aren't there, just that I haven't found them). What are the protocols for a "walk up camper”? For the moment I don't know of much else to do than just show up and see what happens. Don't want to seen as a "squatter". I look forward to any answers you receive.

Dustdevil · Post by **Dustdevil** » Sun Feb 08, 2004 10:18 pm

I have been six times and never had an assigned spot. My group usually arrives on Tuesday or Wednesday. I have always been able to find a good spot. I did show up at night once and it was a little difficult. I would suggest getting there in the daylight hours.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:07 am

Quoting from http://www.burningman.com/themecamps_in ... hemecamps/:

Each year, for a few months before Burning Man, the Theme Camp and Village Questionnaire will be available on this site for a limited period of time. If you'd like to receive a reserved spot for your theme camp you'll need to fill out the questionnaire so you can be properly placed. If you do not wish for your Theme Camp to be pre-placed at the event, you do not need to fill out the questionnaire.

Theme camp or not, you don't have to register as a theme camp to camp at Burning Man.

Walk-in camping is what you might expect.

Registering (filling out the questionnaire and going through all the other hoo-haw) is what you do if you want to be among the camps mapped on or near the Esplanade or Center Camp -- see the maps of previous events on the main website, which show the areas typically reserved for registered theme camps.

Nothing prevents you from registering if you think there's a chance it will be a viable theme camp, and bailing out with reasonable notice.

And nothing prevents you from camping elsewhere, including walk-in, and being a de facto theme camp.

III · Post by **III** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:45 am

to answer the question more broadly, there are 3 types of camping areas at burning man. they are marked on the maps that you get from the greeters or in your survival guide package.

- walk in camping is towards the back of the city. a lot of people camp there, just on the other side of the fence from their cars, but some actually walk in a couple hundred feet to get away from everything. there's always room there, but for someone who's used to keeping all their stuff in their car it's not all that convenient.

- open camping is most of the city a couple blocks back from the esplanade. you find a spot that looks like its got space, and go there. if you show up after all the senior staff have already reserved their friends spots, you'll probably be towards the outskirts, but there's always been room, somewhere, even on the last day. i've had people set up camp right in the middle of our camp, though, because we were nicely located and they didn't want to go look for something more open. if i went this route again, i'd head towards the outskirts anyways, or make my space a bit more hostile to incoming campers.

- reserved for theme camps - along the esplanade, or at center camp, you put in a theme camp application, explaining how you'll be interactive and contribute to the city. because of the desireable nature of this property, along with the fact that you'll know where you are, a lot of people seem to make up something that in practice ends up being "chill dome for me & my friends". note that what you're promised ahead of time is not always what you'll get. if you camp in this area without having a theme camp, expect assorted levels of pissed of people to yell at you.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 4:11 pm

WRT "squatting", as I recall from last year, the group that marked their overly-large spot with an overly-large large herd of couches and left for a few days was sorely lacking any sort of reservations.

BlueBirdPoof · Post by **BlueBirdPoof** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 4:19 pm

Bob wrote:WRT "squatting", as I recall from last year, the group the marked their overly-large spot with an overly-large large herd of couches was sorely lacking any sort of reservations.

And then on Monday they burned the entire herd?

Yeah, yeah, I just had to ask.

Beeze · Post by **Beeze** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 8:10 pm

just adding a note about address... even if you are not registered as a theme camp, that doesn't prohibit friends from finding you. If you do "squat" and build your camp, give it a name and head on over to Playa Info and register it. It won't go on any printed map or anything, but you can have entered into the PI computer database, that anyone can use 24x7 to look up camps and get their addresses, and/or fill out and file a camp registration card that is in a 24x7 accessible filing cabinet... PI is staffed by volunteers during the day to help... you can register your "theme" camp name, or yourself as an individual so friends can find you...

burnin' steph · Post by **burnin' steph** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:51 am

I have been going to BM since 98, I missed last year, but found that in 2002 the theme camps are creeping further and further into suburbia. I had been in the same spot on the fourth street back for three years, when we showed up early Monday morning 2002 that it was fairly full in my neighbourhood (about 3:45 on the clock system) and people were part of small theme camps. I was kind of shocked to have to spend over an hour trying to find something on that fourth street and ended up having to move over a couple of blocks as no one would let our two vehicles and small dome camp with them in their alloted space.

We of course did end up finding the best neighbours but I was really surprised at the sheer number of people already setting up camp and reserved spaces on Monday.

You will of course be able to find somewhere, it just may not be exactly where you want, unless of course you want to be further out, then there is always tons of room!

Juju · Post by **Juju** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 1:30 pm

Thanks guys for your insights. My group is still trying to decide what we want to DO this year, and I have a feeling we will end up registering our camp, just to avoid hassle of having to scout for a location. On the other hand, I'm contemplating having it be a low key type of thing, where we can offer a service to the community without having to go whole hog on a "theme." I really want to do a playa No-tell Motel, but I also don't want to be tied to my camp round the clock. I also emphatically do not want a generator in my camp, so that limits what we can do during nighttime hours. And so I keep on thinkin.

Just so y'all know, I for one appreciate input, and think it's great to have a sounding board where I can toss out ideas and receive objective answers without anyone saying "why don't you know this already?"

thank you, please drive through.

III · Post by **III** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 4:52 pm

>>still trying to decide what we want to DO this year

seems to me that should be decided before you decide that you need to register.

one of my pet peeves is that the registration process encourages people to want to get a reserved space, and only make a token effort at fulfilling the "doing a theme camp thing".

(this isn't directed completely at you, btw - a no tell motel sounds like not a bad idea, especially if there's a barter redlight district light outside...)

Juju · Post by **Juju** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:27 pm

III wrote: seems to me that should be decided before you decide that you need to register.

one of my pet peeves is that the registration process encourages people to want to get a reserved space, and only make a token effort at fulfilling the "doing a theme camp thing".

Precisely why I'm still on the fence about it. I don't want to commit to a "theme," and allow expectations if it's going to be done half-assed.

Not that I'd ever do *anything* half assed, but, I'm just one person.

And yeah, it's annoying when you're expecting something neat from a camp whose name is on the map, and you get there to find a chill dome and a sound system, but nothing interesting at all about it.

Who's gonna build me a red-light district?!
git on it.
Maybe I should camp in Gigsville.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 6:36 pm

Hey Juju,

If you wanted to do the B&B camp this year, I would be willing to swing by each and every morning with my chai cart to deliver chai in bed to everyone. I also have some ideas on how to build the individual cottages. Let me know if you are interested! : )

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Feb 13, 2004 8:57 am

Is it possible to registor a theme camp and resever a spot in the burbs? I'm hoping to set up for max sun and need a bit of space. Say like that Ghost Town camp.

Tiara · Post by **Tiara** » Fri Feb 13, 2004 11:22 am

In 2002 and 2003, all pre-registered and mapped theme camps were within a few blocks of the esplanade, in center camp, or out along the 10:00 and 2:00 edges of the city (large scale sound area). I haven't heard any plans to change this.

But there's no reason why you can't just show up and claim some empty space further back in the city streets to build your camp, if that's where you want to be.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Fri Feb 13, 2004 12:08 pm

there's no reason why you can't just show up and claim some empty space further back in the city streets to build your camp,

Keeping in mind that 'showing up' means doing so sometime after the event officially opens.

kelliy · Post by **kelliy** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 12:26 pm

:D
i am very excited to be going to my first bm with two other first timmers.we will not do a theme this year since we have no idea what we are jumping into other than the obviose. we are raveling from fl. cant wait to see all my new ready to be found friends.
kelliy in pcb

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 3:32 pm

I've done both theme camps and camping in the non-theme burbs.

Half the times I've done a theme camp we didn't get the spot we were originally slated for (due to squatters or camps bigger than they thought or what have you) but we always got a decent enough space nearby.

Finding a spot in the non-theme burbs area in my experience can be sometimes frustrating when you drive around early Monday and see large expanses roped/blocked off and no one there. I've thought about just moving in and whenever whoever showed up, saying "too bad, you weren't here" but I haven't. We always end up with what turns out to be a great spot even if it wasn't exactly what we'd hoped for.

Can't set too many expectations or you'll spend too much time being disappointed for no reason. There's always room somewhere.

For people who arrive mid week, please don't squeeze in on obviously existing camps. I came back from the porta one day last year to find an RV nestled up between my tent and my car. I asked nicely, we shared a few beers, and he found space elsewhere.

shitmouse · Post by **shitmouse** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 5:04 pm

it's good to have a non-registered theme camp 'out in the hood'.
it makes for a better city all around and helps the burbs not be so burby.
plus it gives wanderers a nice surprise out in the sticks.
-b

Gus High · Post by **Gus High** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 7:10 pm

I'm in for the NOTELL MOTEL, can I be the desk clerk that doubles as a giggalo? If you're serious about doing it then please keep in touch, I'd love to help out. I think it would be a riot!

Have fun,

Gus

non-theme camp camping

non-theme camp camping

finding room

first year is for scoping