Playa condition and spot

dj big E · Post by **dj big E** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 12:41 pm

HEy hoping someone can give me an honest update on playa condition this here. DId it flood? Is it hard etc. Did they plop us in same place?

dj big E · Post by **dj big E** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 12:42 pm

This year lmao.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 2:08 pm

It varies, but figure same as last year.

sgrunspa · Post by **sgrunspa** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 3:01 pm

sad to say, some people who are setting up the airport told me there was no rain this winter, and as a result, the playa is very very soft, like 2001. I expect there to be mucho dust.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 3:02 pm

The airport isn't being set up yet. Read the permit.

sgrunspa · Post by **sgrunspa** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 3:10 pm

Bob wrote:The airport isn't being set up yet. Read the permit.

I think the people who set it up have already been out there for initial survery stuff. Though they aren't starting the actual setup until Aug 9th.
I am not sure what permit you are talking about, but the airport is a FAA registered airport that I don't think is part of the city. whereas, the airport port of entry is a registered camp.

I admit this is second hand information, but I have found the airport manager to be pretty reliable.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 3:53 pm

Doubt whether dj big E is concerned with the airport, but it may depend on what he's flying upon. The FAA is just one of the agencies. There are a lot of agencies. The BRC airport operating plan wouldn't exist if it weren't prepared in concert with the BLM and the rest of the permitting agencies.

Suffice it to say, I've been out there a bit, and I don't think the playa around BRC is much different from the last time I saw it, which was about a week ago. We don't stake out anything until early-mid August.

In any case -- there's dust. Good luck landing.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:24 pm

but the airport is a FAA registered airport that I don't think is part of the city.

I believe you're mis-informed here. Verify with [email protected].

She runs the airport.

She'll set you straight.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:51 pm

Sometimes I wonder how much people really want to know, you know?

I think dj big E knows, he just forgot.

sgrunspa · Post by **sgrunspa** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 6:02 pm

Badger wrote:
but the airport is a FAA registered airport that I don't think is part of the city.
I believe you're mis-informed here. Verify with [email protected].

She runs the airport.

She'll set you straight.

Holyhshit.
Yes, I asked tiger tiger how the runway was and she said, soft and bumpy, soft like 2001. I don't know if she performed a gelogical survery, but I assume she knows what she is talking about. but as I said (third time now) it is second hand info, take it or leave it.
as far as the exact relationship between the airstrip->BRC->and the BLM I don't know and I don't really care so long as I can land my pony there.

sgrunspa · Post by **sgrunspa** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 6:11 pm

Bob wrote: there's dust. Good luck landing.

thanks. dust ok, soft squishy, fuzzy playa surface less ok. BTW I didn't mean to sound angry in my last post, I just have been in contact with the airport manager, am voluteering at the POE, read the various drafts of the airport opretating plan, etc.

I don't like the speculative posts about weather (the alpha storms), drug enforcement, banning nudity etc.; I just wanted to inform not inflame.

on the other subject, I can't say if the city is in the same spot as last year, but the airport's GPS coordinates are identical.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 7:11 pm

sgrunspa wrote:...the airport's GPS coordinates are identical.

Jesus, give me a rest.

For the purposes of GPS wonks who always show up on the BBSs in July & August, the above statement is not equivalant to saying the final surveyed location of the airport or any other landmark in BRC is precisely identical with anything. Close enough for some, but YMMV.

sgrunspa · Post by **sgrunspa** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 10:29 am

take your own advice bob. give it a rest. and if you need to respond to this post, be my guest -you can have the last say, I'm unsubscribing.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 3:22 pm

Ahem... you're not the only person who reads this BBS, this thread was *not* about your airport, and TWIAVBP.

Somebody just posted in another thread wondering whether the GPS coordinates of their camp location last year would be valid this year. What, exactly, would you tell them?

Fact is, the city center is surveyed in by people who are *not* registered land surveyors. They're DPW just like me, Lissa the airport manager, and most of the rest of the site crew. So, the city center, the city corners, and the city airstrip may be 50 to 100 ft off the published location. Might not make a difference to some tourist flying in for the weekend, but it might to someone looking for the gold bars or time capsule they buried at their old camp location. 'Nuff said.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 4:22 pm

take your own advice bob. give it a rest. and if you need to respond to this post, be my guest -you can have the last say, I'm unsubscribing.[

really, bob - you're a prick. you with your i'm-mister-burningman-i-know-the-rules-i-work-so-selflessly-for-you-who-don't-understand-because-i-i-i- you drive people away who would otherwise participate in these forums. nuff said.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 4:27 pm

Feel free to post anything truthful or on-topic... I'm quite happy with my own approach to things, and if you really have a problem with that and not camp locations or playa conditions, there's another topic area just for that.

Hope this helps.

Lysergic · Post by **Lysergic** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 5:12 pm

I'd have to second that opinion, BoB is in dire need of a girl and a life.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 6:31 pm

Welcome Home to Camp Hug-A-Rainbow!

Re: offers of services rendered, I'm sure there's yet another topic area more appropriate than Q&A. Hope ya'll aren't implying a Hunting for Bambi-style paintball scenario.

Stormy · Post by **Stormy** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 8:16 pm

sgrunspa wrote:sad to say, some people who are setting up the airport told me there was no rain this winter, and as a result, the playa is very very soft, like 2001. I expect there to be mucho dust.

I've also heard very dusty. Though I believe someone mentioned short rains lasting 15 minutes or less every now and then. The year of 2001 had some nasty rain and hail in the evenings close to the Burn.

_tears_ · Post by **_tears_** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 8:56 pm

I wasnt at Burning Man 2001, but I have heard that the dust was so fluffy on the top that when you steped you would sink slightly. I am not sure if this is true or not.. Is that the type of condition the Playa floor may be in this year also?

Will it be harder to get the steaks into the ground for me tent?

Sensei · Post by **Sensei** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:20 pm

_tears_ wrote:I wasnt at Burning Man 2001, but I have heard that the dust was so fluffy on the top that when you steped you would sink slightly. I am not sure if this is true or not.. Is that the type of condition the Playa floor may be in this year also?

Will it be harder to get the steaks into the ground for me tent?

When you got on your bike (beach cruiser) in 2001, it did sink slightly; thereby making you pedal, pedal, pedal instead of pedal, pedal, coast coast, coast, coast like on nice hard playa... The dust in the busier street corners was at least 6", probably deeper, and where it was packed in the streets it was often a washboard surface. The surface of the open playa looked more like a baked brownie instread of that concrete-like surface of some years. Throw in a little wind. A little more. Now you got it...

And getting the stakes in isn't the problem; keeping them in could be if they're too short.

Who cares. The pros walk, and you fuckin' love the dust.

Stormy · Post by **Stormy** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:20 pm

I recall soft ground, but don't recall sinking into it. Not enough to slow me down anyway. But that's just my recollection.

Lysergic · Post by **Lysergic** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 11:21 pm

If the playa conditions are as mentioned by airport lady and the ground is soft like in '01, then is there any chance that it might harden up in the next month, if so what would be needed?

Sensei · Post by **Sensei** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 11:31 pm

Who cares. The pros walk, and you fuckin' love the dust.

Seriously. Ok, maybe not that part about pros walking, but make the last part of that statement your mantra. Trust Sensei on this one...

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 11:33 pm

http://arch.ced.berkeley.edu/kap/gallery/gal188.html

Sensei · Post by **Sensei** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 11:36 pm

And Lysergic, your "opinions" are your own. Thanks for sharing!

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:48 am

BTW, if you still haven't bought a ticket, you might wait until the PlayaCam's set up.

SealBoy · Post by **SealBoy** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:25 am

Lysergic,
Whether it's like 2001 or 1997 or 2003, doesn't make much difference -- there'll be plenty of dust storms, so count on that. And I don't recall it being THAT much harder to ride a bike in '01. On the other hand, I was out on the playa in May this year and it was very very soft... about an inch of powder above the hard caked sediment. With a sudden storm it turned to sloppy muck that we almost got stuck in on our way out of the hot springs near Black Rock, which was a fun adventure... Anyway, there have been plenty of downpours to harden the playa in the meantime, so I'm sure things won't be too far from "ordinary".

And by the way, don't let the Grinches get to you. If they had it their way, everybody would just start out with six years experience. Poor teachers deserve poor students, I say.

SealBoy out.

dj big E · Post by **dj big E** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 7:38 am

lmao, I love my family we all get along so well lmao. Anyways i am hooking up with some people from back east who have no bikes. I have found them some basic ten speeds with little tires. Which i think would be fine for 2002-2003 playa conditions. And i would think a little hard to drive in 2001. I attended all three lmao. Anyways i crashed my plane last year docking with the mother ship. Dust but of course what would bm be without it. Thanks for the info thoe bob if it poors in nekt couple of weeks let me know please.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:30 pm

I'd guess smoother and skinnier bike tires would experience less of a drag on any playa, but I'd carry along a few helium balloons to reduce the normal forces. Good luck, dj big E, and don't bother hatting the unhatters, they've already been out in the sun too long, lol.

Playa condition and spot

Playa condition and spot

oops

very very soft

actually.......

brutal to you

hmm

Re: very very soft

Question

lmao