Marking out internal camp placement - how are ya doing it?

[wilks]

hey, here's one i'd like to get some feedback on - our theme camp this year is very tightly packed in, and i need to mark out the parking and camping spaces for everyone (my turn to be the camp curator this year) pretty accurately before every one arrives or it is gonna be frikkin chaos...

if i was out in a non bm non leave no trace place i would use one of those construction site day glo orange spray cans and mark out each spot fully - the paint is actually bio degradable but i suspect that bm powers that be might not be too happy with orange spray paint on the desert floor, even if it will all disapear as soon as it is in contact with water, here's some for instance

http://www.seymourpaint.com/index.cfm/products/?id=163

i was also thinking about chalk/calcium carbonate based products, as used in grass tennis courts, which also are available in a bio degradable form. that would work well too, i would bring one of those line marking machines like they use on football fields, they're only 50 bucks

the alternative is measuring it all out with little metal flags and police style tape, but that will take us a few hours and will be a windy blow awayable MOOP hazzard too

any one got any feedback re this?

beep beep!

wilks

[geekster]

I watched AEZ mark theirs out last year. I seem to remember them having someone hold a string and then someone else dragged something pointy (trying to remember what that thing was exactly) that carved a line in the dirt while using the string as a guide. Then the string was used to mark out the next line.

Our camp isn't quite that worried about stuff like that. It is kind of a "cars go over there, tents go over here" sort of thing with us and if you put something in the wrong place, someone asks you to move it and points out where it should be. We just have a general area for tents and it is first come/first served as far as where to pitch your tent. Not having RVs in camp makes things easier in that regard.

[we0ne]

Kidsville uses excavation string (think that's what it's called) and we stake each section down with very small corner stakes.We have a map done up ahead of time too so it's easier to outline when the camp sets up.

[phil]

Surveyor flags are fairly inexpensive and completely removable. And reuseable.

[Dork]

Water jugs, if you're bringing water that way. As long as nobody runs over them, you're cool.

[unjonharley]

Yellow string and barn spikes. Don't even cut it. Run the string from point to point and drive a spike. Just take it with when leaving. Way to do that, count the spikes. Or take it up right after camp is set.

[wilks]

yep i have been leaning towards the yellow string and 6" spikes driven all the way in to the ground solution...although also the marking a scraped line sounds appealing, as we only need the markings until folk are parked...

the prob is we have to fit 30 (mostly rvs) into a 100 x 150 slot...and if folk don't park exactly where they are planned we are gonna run outa room

there is method in this madness actually as we are then covering all the common areas with shade parachutes secured on each rv and filling it all with xmas lights...

happy burn and more

wilks

ps come and say hello to us when we are out with our art car, the LOVE SUB the airstream trailer chill pad that drives itself around without a tow vehicle (http://www.lovesub.org)

[diane o'thirst]

To give you an idea as to how chaotic we used to be...

Robert and I were pretty much the infrastructure mavens of Opera Camp. We knew what structures and equipment the group had, what the size was, and how much room it took up. The two of us always came up with a camp layout map ahead of time and when we got out there, the camp's actual layout was turned inside-out. Not just adjusted, but dispensed with and ignored entirely. We always wound up having a *very* organic camp. Wherever things fit, influenced by sub-groups of campers. The first night or so on the Playa was usually marked with some rather strident...errr, let's say "discussions."

This year, there's a whole hell of a lot less politics and only four members who are all arriving about the same time, of fairly like minds and reasonably centred, so we're going to roughly arrange ourselves with a pre-laid out camp map as a guide. Best of both worlds, structured theme camp with personal camp wiggle-room and only three cooks stirring the pot.

[geekster]

What was really a cool move was the nice couple from Poland who were camping by themselves. Then planted their tent almost exactly where AEZ, Hushville and our camp merged. Basicially they camped directly on top of the corner. They never bothered anyone, were nice to talk to, didn't make a fuss or leave any trash ... basically good neighbors. They were squatters that really knew how to squat.

My point is (and it isn't aimed at anyone in particular, just a general observation) that getting real anal about exactly what goes where and who gets excatly how much space and suzie got 6 inches more than dick did ... just makes for a lot of wasted energy. If they turned out to be a pain in the ass, we would just call the placers to "re-place" them. If they are cool ... cool! They kept to themselves and were quiet and clean ... so ... sometimes things turn out different in reality than it does on paper.

[robotland]

Hushville started using a system of "marking whiskers"- Spikes with Da-Glo nylon bristles that stick up from the ground about 6-8". Very visible, and safe as long as they're driven in completely.
Here's a fun idea, one that I'd considered too late for this year but that I'd like to try next time...Grab a few cheap laser levels and mount them on poles or your structure, depending upon logistics. Laser camp lines! Sure, daytime visibility would be iffy, but....DUDE! LASER CAMP LINES!!!

[diane o'thirst]

Don't be passing ideas like that this late, I'm down to my last $50 in the Burn budget!!!