How to Found, Start, Run, Destroy and Torch your own Burn Theme Camp!

[Lonesomebri]

How to Found, Start, Run, Destroy and Torch your own Burn Theme Camp!

That's exactly what I did! And you can too! All these people wondering what camp to join, join your own! First detail, this is a warning, not an example. Following this lead is disaster; fun, dusty disaster. Don't be me. Play for profit. Consult Chip Conley. Be a success in
the playa paradigm.

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I never wanted to run a camp. I'm not good at giving orders. Worse at taking them. Ask Just Joe. I just wanted to camp in the desert, get drunk, watch stuff burn and blow-up, the simple things. But Paris Hilton, the BMorg, and Robot Heart fucked that all up.

I remember walking with Jackass on the outer ring the year we lost the hinterlands to the rave, dj, techbro popsicle camp take over. Even seeing it we didn't understand the extent of rot at the time. I was mad, but that's just me, what I do. So was Jackass. Turned out a lot of people were. (See Cultural Shift and the BRCCP).

The most remote area, farthest out, no placed camps... We showed up with gate, as before, but here, already set up, were 2 story pole tent boutique domiciles, flat bed trucks lined up loaded with still boxed stacks of air conditioners, small refrigerators, electric bikes... Their porta potties had air conditioning...

How did they set up before gate, where there wasn't placed theme camps, with the confidence of all those deliveries? That's a lot of money. The fix was in.

Years later we would line up our old spot, the camp Paris Hilton was in, and the largest red spot on the moop map. Once the org catered enough, these influencers and elites would bring Burny change back to the default world. You know, have servants, vogue, instagram, shove lesser people aside, leave their shit for others to clean up. If I can't imagine the person doing a moop sweep, I DO NOT want them on the playa. LNT: IT'S THE LAW.

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So, after the loss of our beloved outer ring to the douche camps, I learned a lesson. The future was camps. It's what the Org wanted. Entertainment, housing, food, infrastructure, with a infinite drive to hype and sell to high bidders.

But how? I'm no Chip or Paris, or the really cool people running those really cool camps. I can't really run a grift, or be spirituality enlightened with a straight face long enough to have a cuddle session.

So I answered a post here on eplaya, from Just Joe, and joined a very organized and well run, sharp, service providing, diverse camp aimed to help people coming in on the new Burner busses.

So, how do you start a camp? I knew what I was doing, was self sufficient with shade, stoves, tents, etc, I networked and was social in the eplaya Burn community, reached out and offered help to others, and promised things I would never ever deliver on. But now I was in an official Theme Camp. Next step: taking over.

[Lonesomebri]

Cliches, but true, network with other Burners. Find other Burners. Offer your abilities and enthusiasm. Finding Just Joe and getting in his camp was a very great thing. It opened so many doors. Many, like a porta door on an unsuspecting morning dump. We are opposites. He is organized and centered. A family man. Responsible. Drives a staff golf cart at the Burn, doesn't get arrested at the Burn... His camp was beautiful, functional, so many wonderful people.

After Just Joe realized most the stuff I brought was broken, he assigned me a road front corner of the camp's lot. I asked all about camps. Found out the little red survey flags marked the edges of a camp. I told him one-day I wanted red flags. A day later, after the full extent of the disaster on his camp's front corner became, I arrived back to find red flags separating my junk pile from Just Joe's block dreamland. He had given me my own camp, as a form of deniability, when the law came to visit, as they have, so many times...

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Just Joe's camp was better than anything I could do. Too many capabilities, too many responsibilities. Fuck that. But my issue was the non-intamacy, non-affinity, for me, too many people in camp, not a bad thing, but not what I can handle, or wanted. I still brag about how Just Joe's camp had people from dozens of countries. Oh, I'm an international annoyance.

The hot Norwegian woman contingent; every single time, on those rare occasions they were in camp, with tanned shirtless cool guys, I would make sure to ask, Who are you? Are you in this camp? I wanted to make them feel welcome.

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Once a camp provides something (having drinking water=cooking water=showers=heated showers=people using conditioner and rinse repeat=grey water disposal=water delivery and pump service=what bikes do you have available=how will my luggage be delivered from Reno? I don't know, I'm trying to shove all the beer cases behind my truck seat) it's a necessity. People expect everything. People are assholes. I didn't want a camp catering to people, people with growing expectations. And later I fucked up on this completely.

I wanted a village, where Just Joe did his superb thing for people, and my camp would have people who wanted to camp in the desert, with booze, explosions, etc.

By joining his camp I gained knowledge to start a camp, learned about the paperwork and regulations, etc. Learned I could do it. And got I legacy; I had been part of a camp with a good, clean, service providing, LNT adhering record, Just Joe's camp. Of course my first application for a theme camp included that resume building fact. And my first year as a camp, my camp, I bought a Elon ticket for, like $900 or something back then. I had to make sure I could be there to have my camp.

Just Joe decided to shift his community service downtown, I picked up a couple of the useful idiots from Just Joe's camp, Magina and Kitten. Magina is the middle of imagination. And Kitten volunteered every day his first year!?!?

By this time my friend who I had camped with out on the fringe was out of jail, so this was my core. I was fortunate to have a few other remnants of Just Joe's camp, good people I could count on. But....

Already I was being placed beyond my capabilities or wants. I can take care of myself, but others? And truth be told, I can't take care of me.

Immediately I realized I needed water delivered, since I could, it was expected and needed, and I didn't want to deal with people not having water.

And friends of friends joined. Their friends stopped by. Once more I wasn't exactly clear who was in my camp.

With that is issues with moop and responsibilities. Your buddy leaves and empty beer can, no problem, you pick it up, you know his heart. But this stranger who keeps leaving shit out? I had a person leaving on the Burner bus after camping in my camp, they can take a trash bag full of recyclables as part of the deal. So we asked this person to take a bag, we'd get it to the bus drop off, it would go into the recycling as intended, a bag of bottles they contributed to... But they saw it as a hassles and didn't care, and they were an asshole, not my friend. Yet here they were in my camp...

I knew that groups tend to fracture around 8 to 12 people. Going out on the playa at night with 3 other people was a dream. Going out with 12 people, oh man... Nothing wrong with a larger group/camp. Just different, and I wanted small.

I saw a value in a small intimate camp. And that only grew. And my capabilities are limited.

We all knew each other as a human. Everyone was on the radar. Someone feeling ill? We know who's here, what's up. We care.

One of those huge camps, catering to people from all over, international, free spirits, lonely souls... Dude has issues, talks about it... to strangers who wanna cuddle party. He's alone, in a huge cool camp, on the playa, wanting to be something, create meaning, without a buddy saying, hey, let's go smoke a joint out by the fence, and not run into the fire. I wanted a camp where no one slipped thru that kind of crack.

I knew the city offered it all, I didn't need that in my camp. I could sleep in my dusty tent, sit in front of the tents at night and burn one in peace, and walk across the street to dance on the bar with nude people. We had the people working shifts at the bar at the cool camp down the road stop in by our fire to have a nice human chat, get away from the noise. We were the camp the staff went to... not the cool camp with a big bar.

But for a camp you need events, a theme, a resume, ideas, motivation. As it turns out, you don't need many people to make a camp. Just the right people.

Man, there's a lot of paperwork to roll a camp. Those good people and good ideas go on the camp application.

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[Lonesomebri]

Can't find a ticket, can't find a spot to camp...
So, you're forced off the land by the popsicle camps and their celebrities being catered to. A bunch of shiney videos and photos of beautiful people bring in more garbage. The Burn becomes a "bucket list" destination, to people who have zero idea about any of it, other than those shiney videos and celebrities. Where are you supposed to camp?!?! Ha, how do you get a ticket?

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The BMorg wants you to have a camp. If you want tickets, or even a place to pop a tent, you better get in a camp. Going as an individual, people not in camps, are the best. It's just not what the BMorg is building on. The camps are service providers for revolving bucket listers and celebrities. There's a critical mass for ticket demand, so... well, you better be in a camp, or be a celebrity, or work out financing and choose your camp experience package off the internet.

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As for the cultural shift, it was forced thru from the bottom up. It wasn't some sudden epiphany by the board and BMorg; it was us, complaining.

And now we end up camp dominate. Many Burners have never been not with an official camp. And all those perks. I've done the 12 hour drive from Reno on Sunday night into the heat of the rising sun, waited 4 hours behind the Gerlach gas station turnoff, listened to the radio say there is a 3 hour wait...for 5 hours, surged, partied til the pavement. I've looked endlessly for a spot for my shitty little tent, dashboard dinty moore, triple bagged 5 gallon bucket, detergent bottle pee jug, I've done the time, I've paid the dues. Then, out at the airport, the flight from LA lands and a neon and spandex pile of festival goers gets out to ring the bell. Their knowledge of their own camp is in the brochure. Club Burn.

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Drive lags, pound rebar, sling grilled cheese sandwiches, serve cold drinks to others, or GTFO!

Anyway, back to how to run a Burning Man camp and attract that type of cliental...

Do whatever I never did.

[motskyroonmatick]

Much love for Camp Threat and the BRCCP!

[Lonesomebri]

A camp needs people, but really only 2 or 3. Depends on your intent and ambition. The big operations is what you should do to make money and be impressive, but you can make a very small camp, which is better, metaphysically and spiritually.

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The layout for the city really does need small and big camps. I didn't want to compete, or be, a big camp. And, as said, there is definitely places for small camps. Definitely easyier for the Placers to use your small footprint camp to fill in the City, rather than shift around other large camps to find room for your 50 campers. It's a fiction, driven by the org wanting bigger entertainment, that big camps are the way. There is always that 50x100 that needs filling, more than a spare 200x200.

The best camps are friends, not clients. People who already like each other, can work together.

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But, man, it takes labor to build a camp, and physical distance matters. Last burn I drove in and off the playa 3 times, two different trucks and trailers. Every other campmate flew in...or were no help. I had a core crew who held it up.

You want campmates who own a truck and live within 1000 miles of Nevada.

But, as said, huge camps are different animals. Enough money flowing, dozens of people... hell, I have no idea what that is about.

But, for a camp, there is some structures, and the formalities can be soul crushing; the most numbing question in all of free wheeling Black Rock City, "when do you start your shift?"

But, yeah, a couple people could put together, say, some lame BRC marathon camp, with only 2 on-fire Burners who know their worth and bring it, and there you have it. A great camp! No need for big bullshit.

But money, ego, showing up your old campmates, etc, might want someone to follow the cliche Burner camp profile; dozens of people, shifts, a stripper pole, etc. Bigger is better...

That wasn't me though, I've never worried about size. You don't need a big camp. Just a good one. All the other fun can happen across the street, or down the block.

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Anyway, keeping up on the list: Be self sufficient, network, reach out, offer help, app ear to be an asset, have close allies, with people who have trucks who live within 1000 miles of Gerlach. These things matter. And what storage do you have in Carson City, Reno, Empire, etc?

[Lonesomebri]

Your camp needs events, a reason to be there, a purpose. Such is life. You need to bring something if you want your camp placed. Continuing on a theme, big camps do whatever. That's not us.

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Just Joe served the city a thousand grilled cheese sandwiches. That takes a lot of people, money, freezer, generator, health dept form, generates trash... But that kind of thing kicks ass.

Motsky fricken welds out there, like the steel he is. Big service to the community.

My events always aimed at low energy, passive, little supervision, little mess. Things that were, became an event. I brought a wooden bench, put it along our camp facing the porta potties so people could sit, called it a flirting bench, carried the idea over into an event, where I encourage people to flirt.

You come up with events that play to your strengths; a workshop or lecture even.

Though it can be very hard to get campmates to do an event they're not passionate about.

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But I feel you need to be careful opening your camp to strangers, your are responsible for their moop, not everyone at the Burn is peace and love and leave no trace.

The front of the camp has public shade, chairs, tables, hammock, etc. Behind that is the enclosed kitchen. And in the back, to my way of thinking, is the private tent sleep area for the camp. I don't want strangers wandering around out back, sniffing around vehicles and tents and luggage and coolers. Some stranger sitting out front in my chair resting at 4am, no problem.

One idea for an event from a open hearted free love campmate was having an open tent in back, comfy with padding and blankets, and anyone could chill there, at any time. Personally I didn't want to pick up strangers condoms every morning, ignore where the person peed on my trailer, and host hippies for the week. Things like that and bars, late late at night when some nutjobs is hopped up on meth, they recall where they sat down and was welcomed comfy like earlier... wasn't it right down this road? There's the spot!

So having part of the camp for campmates, with a separation from the public no privacy or security space, to me, is very important.

We always had plenty of booze, and drinking, but we had an actual bar, posted as an event, for a couple hours one afternoon. People came, people stayed, people got drunk, people threw up, people passed out, we had to figure out a way to take a person back to their mystery camp with their plastic bag full of vomit.

So having events and providing services can bring on more work than planned, as the public is unpredictable. And there's going to be trash and moop left.

So you helped other camps, and art, or whatever. Networked with Burners. Offered help. Provided for yourself. Paid your dues. Conned some fellow travelers into joining your pathway to Burn success. Came up with events. Submitted all the paperwork and forms in a timely fashion. Now the real sucking is about to begin.

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[Magina]

What a great read.

"The best camps are friends, not clients. People who already like each other, can work together." - Lonesomebri

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[Just_Joe]

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

[Lonesomebri]

What does a Burning Man camp need? Ha. Just me. But if other people are involved? I go by myself and provide everything I need. I'm self sufficient. What I don't have, I don't need, and that is on me, I deal with it. People go with me, they have everything they need, or I feel guilty if something is lacking.. They think they are self sufficient. Everything came out of a magic box. They can see the camp that way, not the person and actions needed, who created and brought things and ideas, but as "what does the camp
provide?"

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I build a structure by hand, build a museum, a monument to hubris, create questionable art and stolen sign exhibits, picking up road side 2x4s, spend tons of cash, always looking to improve, always spending, accumulating, nursing ideas, justifying all my strangeness that is so cool, opening that museum door for others. Having participants say, "I can do all that too, here, see, I also can open the door..." Most the people think the solar lights and lag screws and pots and pans and fence posts and signs and shade... all come out of a magic box. It's not something they brought. I was my camp.

You realize that other people think having a bunch of personal outfits and costumes, tricking out their bike, finding out where naked grilled cheese is served... is directly helping build and maintain our camp. That's the extent. Every year I'm putting up lights and decorations, presentation for camp, while camp decorates their bikes. Some of this is just me knowing what I want, what the camp needs, and what I brought.

And it was my fault for not running a theme camp like a workplace or business, with dues, and fees, and job assignments, work shifts, be a boss, etc. But that, oh lord, you know my lazy irresponsible heart, was NEVER my dream. I could not run it, I failed my campmates as a theme camp lead, I'm too disorganized and disinterested in that. I excelled as a Burner.

I thought I could run a camp off my back. I'm already bringing a bunch of stuff, I can let others use it also. I have a carport, a table, a propane stove. That saves others from bringing those things, if we share, and that was my idea.

But that quickly becomes expectations and responsibilities, as said.

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So, for a theme camp you need; public shade, lot's of it, chairs, lots of them, outdoor lighting, a kitchen carport, stove, propane, 50 gallon water storage, a syphon, 50 grey water storage, stakes, lag bolts, tools and more tools, ratchet straps, more solar lighting, posts or something to mark your camps boundaries, flags to intimidate neighboring camps, more ice chests than you have, and then more, a Hudson sprayer, a leaf blower, a megaphone or two, tables, tarps, rugs, canvas, a hammock, 10 fire extinguishers, a burn barrel, logs to burn, bricks to elevate the burn barrel, something to put ashes in, drywall pans to place fuel containers in, 5 gallon buckets in case the portos get shut down, trash bags, and more trash bags, paper towels, a gross of 1 ply, can opener, pots, pans, utensils, knives, wash basin, some way to wash hands, extra masks and everything for people in need, enough booze for yourself, double that, now figure in special occasions using calculus, extra water just in case, a pallet of energy drinks and Cactus Coolers, sound system, 8 track player with banana jacks, extra propane, some sort of shower set up, pen and paper, first aid kit, ace bandages, bone saw, bike tools, tire pump, hammer, hippie fishing pole, mirrors, bail money, whatever is needed for events, and all kinds of stuff I forgot, but someone will ask for while I'm finally trying to leave camp.

Then you need a way to get it all out there, and off. Trucks, trailers, rope, straps, tarps. Some place to store it all between Burns.

And, that simple, your camp is ready to bedazzle the playa. Later you will have memories to savor, but what do you have now, in the immediacy? Liability and expectations, followed by responsibility for other people's moop and resentment. That rant, in tomorrow's episode.

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[Lonesomebri]

But first, A Playa Morality Play.

Maybe you can do some good with your camp? Enact your values, be the change you want to be, by any means necessary. Sure, change the world.

There were only 4 of us making up my camp. Magina (the middle of Imagination) looked over at us 3 guys and complained about the sausage fest. "You need to get more women in camp." This wasn't me justifying bird dogging, this was a direct order from on top of the only pair of legs I liked in camp.

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The next night, after Magina had left, looking at the 3 paleo amigos in a row, I knew I had to do something. I voted that I would not recruit any more white straight guys to camp. That's who I mostly know, and associate with, for some reason, but the Burn didn't need more straight white guys, and I was going to do something about it!

This was actually a difficult move, as I wanted people who fit into camp and personal connection, and the list of potential attendees I knew always contained straight white guys. And I knew I would be accused of bigotry, or whatever, for my exclusive search.

I just didn't want to recruit another straight white guy, I was cool with gay, person of color, gender fluid. But where do you recruit such a combination with a potential campmate Burner? I posted a few times on craigslist. Actually received positive feedback, but no fit. My friends? Krys, Victoria... they couldn't manage the time and expense, though they wanted to. I offered tickets, support... The obligations of the default world kept them. I contacted Eve Angle, one of the greatest fb Burner trolls. That was not to be.

I had 3 straight white guys and one other. It was me versus the math. First, I made sure to keep Magina in the fold. She is Gold. I managed to interest a woman in me, for a short while, and she was a great Burner captain, can run a camp. That's 2.

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In my quest I found Meercat, she had never been, always cut out of the ticket sale. She Burns. That's 3. I'm a hero, right?

One night I gave a ride on my chariot to a woman, and she hanged out with Magina and Meercat and me. Now she was in the rolladec. I had it! Parallelity!!!!

A year later

The woman who liked me decided I sucked, though I got her older fantastic burner friend, white straight male, in the camp, along with her. So that's a wash. Magina, spreading the magic, brought her very helpful and creative friend, a great straight white guy. Meerkat had picked up a pretty boy... I turned to the rolladec, and she brought along her straight white boy fiance.

I dedicated myself to only recruiting non white straight guys, taking that ethics and burden on my soul.

I was never good at math. Has anyone here been keeping count on my dumbass attempt? Did I do it?!? Did I achieve gender equality?

My last year I decided to grab a couple people off the Burner Bus and integrate them into camp. Camp agreed. I knew what I was looking for; competent campers, with nice tight packs, no dangling stuffed animals, alone, getting ready to set up a tent in the Bus area, not straight white guys... When it was time to go meet the incoming bus, I looked at my camp and knew this was a job for me.

40 minutes later we had two new fantastic campmates, bringing the balance from 6 guys like me, and 3 others, to 5 others. All my dedication and work almost kind of paid off, in some nonsense abstract way. Right? I have no doubt that if those 2 new recruits joined camp again they would bring along straight white guys.

I mean, I tried, right?

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[Lonesomebri]

Liability. I have no idea about lawsuits, but in one way or another, you're responsible for the people in your camp.

In a basic way they represent your camp. If they throw up in your neighbors camp, you're whole group is gonna get stink eye. 4am megaphone lectures by the porta potties given by one of your star talents? Expect feedback about your camp from the light-sleepers down the block. Anyone's moop from your camp is your moop.

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You are responsible for how loud their generator is. You are responsible for their grey water disposal. You are responsible for the quality of their playa friends creeping thru camp pre-dawn. You are responsible for their fuel storage. You are responsible for their fire.

What if someone gets hurt? What if they need transport to Reno? What if they are hurt, say a burn or cut or concussion, and they don't want to leave, but you're unsure about care? Are you willing to fight your campmate?

Sometimes we don't even know the full name of a campmate. What if someone just disappears, never comes back to camp? Is the camp small enough so someone notices? How long before panicking? We had a very capable and sexy campmate disappear for 3 days. Who would you contact?

There should be a copy of everyone's identification held by the camp, and emergency contacts. And accessible to some competent members. Good luck with that.

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And law enforcement... Do you control everything in your camp? What if some visitor or rouge camp member, or even yourself, when the temptations bite, resorts to illegal drug use, while your other careless dumbass campmembers get a ride back to camp with law enforcement Rangers. Adults invited law enforcement to fuck up their Burn. Someone leaves out a roach, a kilo is spilled on the carpet. It takes very little for a K9 to be called in, your camp completely tossed, every tent searched, your friends arrested. Those cops are actually there to do a job. It's not party and be cool. I've see bad news. They aren't there to be cool and vibe, just like you, no matter what your PLUR hippie code, and their cool accessories tell you. The need to cater to authority at the Burn astounds me. I see it as a real threat, and have personally watched, every Burn, as a handful of happy people have their expensive and special week destroyed by inquiring law enforcement. I don't want that. Every year we have some law enforcement walk thru our camp, even without the idiot invite.

And then they invite in, and make welcome every khaki kilt wearing earth guardian ranger neighbor watch HOA smiling patrol into my camp, to sit in my chairs, under my shade, while looking for flaws, what I did wrong, what they need to correct, just doing their job, whateverthefuck I don't giveashit about. But, yeah, the people not responsible for your camp will invite all that in on your head.

That's why I run my camp under an alias, and a warehouse address out of the Bahamas. And I always blame others.

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[Lonesomebri]

What's the up side?
"Does it all Suck? Could this maybe be a *you* problem?" I know what you're saying. I hear the voices. Why even have a camp? Other than you have to have one for the BMorg to approve... Because the money, babes, studs and drugs will flow, suckers!

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I think, after wake and bake in Fernley, I want a 2x4 judgement platform in front of camp, 8 foot tall. I want to look down on on the Burn community, figuratively and literally. Though, looking at this community, I'm figuring literally is mostly graphic novels, probably japanese inspired. So I tell my camp lackies, we're stopping at the hardware store, before hitting the playa build, but after the liquor store, because we are going to build me a judgement platform. Try that if you don't have your own camp. I'll wait.

You can seek a better society, in the circle of your camp, seeking equality and banning authoritarianism. This will fail.

It's like Captain and Commander, the movie about old timey sailing ship swashbuckling, with that Crowe guy as the captain... what character do you want to be? There's a major hint in this question.

Placement stops by, asks, who runs this camp? It's like the Spartacus moment. I get to explain that we want to be by the porta potties. Hero to placement.

You get to create your own utopia. Again, failure will also be an experience. What an interesting life!

You wanna spray paint something on the shade tarps, on the judgment platform, do it. It's your camp. Spray paint "orgy dome" on your campmates tent, Droit du seigneur, as they say. It's my camp.

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And, as the week rolls on, coming home late, smashing your bike war wagon straight into the judgment platform, stepping off with my drink in hand, while onlookers say what the hell, and I say, it's my camp.

We checked out our neighbors huge camp, after hours, drinking while they were out, as a camp, official, not just creeping weirdos in their tent when no one was around.

Getting kicked out of the Temple, opening night. It was as a camp, as a unit, not just some lone asshole. (A lone asshole, most likely nude, with crystals, would have been escorted thru by the man watch dweebs) I wasn't kicked out. It was us. Camp THREAT. We're a camp. These are my people. We did that!

I love my camp. I love the people in it. Most of the very positive of the Burn isn't "camps", but the magic of people. Their strangeness and creativity, their sacrifice for a vision only they see, a lone little flame, and feels. Shared out there on the stark playa. So, that's not about camps, so much. But I grasp

When a camp member performed at Center Camp, that's what WE brought. The Big Guns. We aren't fucking around. Except most the time

So, yeah, the magic of the Burn, you people, is aside "theme camps", so that's not what most of this thread has been about. This thread is about a small slice, and a big rant

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[Lonesomebri]

So, a lot of work, and responsibilities, and liabilities, and planning and figuring out funding. It's not self sufficient leave no trace camping in the desert anymore, it becomes big and complicated, keeping up on dates and registrations, assignments and who paid what, rentals, and depending on others.

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The camp infrastructure requires funds. The camp requires storage. So who pays what? Is it a sliding scale? Some folks drive in supplies, contribute labor, or goods. With larger camps I imagine this is very complicated and corrupt. We me the camp was so small most of it all was just on me. You realize how little people want to actually take on the responsibility of running their own camp.

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A lot of people want and need direction. It can be chaotic out there. So having order and discipline in camp is good. And fees. Charts. Shifts.

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And, as this tale is nearly played out, maybe a few more antidotal examples from the playa before the finale. Just me venting. Warning the hopeful and innocent. But, yeah, more me whining and moaning to come.

[Elorrum]

I see what a huge investment this is, (whether it is done well or not or learned from or) over years, that I have sidestepped. I regret the vehemence I used calling a majority of dgs “entitled.” They should fucking pay you guys per noob. All the deaths averted!

[Lonesomebri]

Yeah Elorrum, but you have your own dream and vision you are working on, and you go out there trying to create and live it, while some... members of a camp are going along with whatever program gets them tickets, or just being a Burn cliche. Babysitting those people, and stocking an amusement park, is time consuming and expensive, but not noble. Those people might create an official theme camp but they don't contribute more than you. It's a tough nut for me, knowing I'm helping populate the city with people who aren't self sufficient, and do not share my dream, but that is what a camp is, and what the BMorg wants, and that will allow me a sliver to try and build my dream. For us it's, what do I want to do? How will I do this. For many members of a camp it is, I'll go along, be directed, and see what happens.

I see what a huge investment this is, (whether it is done well or not or learned from or) over years, that I have sidestepped. I regret the vehemence I used calling a majority of dgs “entitled.” They should fucking pay you guys per noob. All the deaths averted!

[Elorrum]

Babysitting those people and stocking an amusement park… but that is what a camp is, and what the BMorg wants, and that will allow me a sliver to try and build my dream.

Is this the requirement for being able to return now? Make this investment for your “sliver?” I have identified so strongly with this event, but It’s moved beyond my capability. I can’t justify the expense, and that is a moot point if I really have no expectation of a ticket without “proving myself” or begging. Not too dignified in either case. Solo is a dead proposition.

[Lonesomebri]

As you can see, this journey took a toll. My last year I hardly rode my chariot at all. I was busy all the time. People in camp said it was our best year ever. It was. And I knew I wanted out.

Back to the bitching. We all want a utopia, surrounded by our people. We create the Burn society. But there are unintended consequences. And every failure in my camp was an arrow straight to my heart. Not one real grief was a structure failure, though that happened. Some of those failures I invited in. Other disappointments I could have avoided had I been less giving. But sometimes you end up with people in camp who are on a different level, don't share your vision, are stupid assholes, who just aren't thinking things thru, who really aren't a part of Team THREAT. Sometimes you are forced to sit with this person in your tent while you are there alone by yourself. The best allies can also be a drain. But you always end up with what you didn't plan on.

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You end up with half full beer cans laying all over the place. You notice it must be someone else than you leaving them around, but it's only you seemingly concerned with picking them up. No matter how anal you are policing your own moop and supplies, some people... You end up with comrades sharing beers who never do actual math on what a 10 day supply is. The kind of people who think a tip is $2, and not a percentage. Beware the common pantry. They bring 6 energy drinks for the week, you notice the first day them drinking 3, and they offer you one. Make sure you have your planned out stash hid.

First off, you get questions on what you are providing. Water, shower, etc. Once people ask about these you know they don't understand what all that entails. Because if they handled it, they would not be asking. People think grey water, dirty dish water, it just evaporates or something. You end up with people who think grey water is easy, the whole shit show is easy, because they personally have never dealt with it ALONE from start to finish. I deal with it and everyone thinks, that's easy.

You end up with trash. I used to backpack and minimize trash, break down boxes, flatten it all. But you up up finding whatever bucket or bin full of crumpled mixed trash. You can't leave out a bucket anywhere without it becoming a trash can. You realize the shaky grasp some people have on recycling. You don't want to gamble taking other people's bags of cans down to the recycling camp. No telling what they threw in. You have plastic burning in your burn barrel. You end up with grey water and piss jugs that your campmate left because they could, it wasn't on them, it is on the camp. Had I left it I would not have a camp. You end up with people bailing early, before clean up, to go bird dog other good looking campmates heading to Reno. If I left gear, I would not have a camp. You end up with a couple in an open relationship, he loves her and doesn't want to oppose her, so they're both so happy and carefree, as she's out, and he and me sit drinking in camp, him wondering if she's alright, what she's doing, and he thinks...
You end up with a camp mate who tells you, once on the playa, that they aren't going to do anything, not help me, but they will cook, when they feel like it. They're mad at me. Then they won't tell me when they might cook, I ask, they laugh at me, so I end up eating my dinty moore like every other year, then they go fix something for camp. You end up with a campmate taking off on a road trip with your ex, while you wonder when they plan to pay for the ticket you got them. You end up with people who refuse to moop sweep. You end up telling them to just pull their truck ahead when leaving, and glance underneath. They say no, their back hurts. Then they go talk to the camp next door, 15 minutes later they return to tell me the people in the nextdoor camp, who I have had no interaction with, think I'm abusing my campmate!!! I ask why for a week her friends in our camp never noticed? What are they talking about? The campmate says, I don't know, you'd have to ask the neighbors. I'm supposed to ask people I don't know why they think I'm an abuser? A year later this former campmate joins that neighboring camp, and asked me for an early entry pass? I ask, for who, the people saying I was an abuser? The former campmate says they don't know who they are asking me for one of my camp's passes? Surreal. I explain those passes are for the assigned camp, they are for core members helping MY camp. They laugh and offer me a fifth?!?! Later this person who can't fulfill or follow basic mooping and noncomodification will chill with the serious Burners down at Earth Guardians. You end up very cynical. You end up with a person who wants the entire camp to pack it in on Sunday before the Temple, because they have reservations in Tahoe. You end up with sweaty ball prints on your chair, from a doofus who has been planning to attend for years, has memorized the who, what, when guide, but never gets ice, doesn't know where to get ice, and then has no money to buy ice, you know, because the barter economy, or whatever the fuck. I ended up giving this guy in my camp money for communal ice, he never bought any on his own, he drank others drinks, he totally and completely sees himself as an excellent Burner, because he was sporting a loincloth. I had lent him a tent, before this lesson. He wasn't poor, just bad mannered. You end up with a guy like me who complains about everything. You end up with heartache.

If I did what people camping with me did, we would not have a camp, beyond the paperwork and supplies

Mind you, when Just Joe took me in I promised to bring a carport for the camp, so funny. I brought 3. Not one complete! I was the experienced Burner he was taking in to help him with all the newbs! I screwed that all up, was 12 hours late, managed to bring this personality. My sins are as great as any I listed.

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But, yeah, you end up with people in a camp, even people you pick, even you, who bring unexpected experiences.

All I wanted was to camp in the desert, get drunk, watch fire, ride my bike, carry people on my chariot, be strong, be generous, be entertained, entertain others, show people who I liked, the magic and wonder, share that with them. And, then, I ended up with a theme camp...

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[Lonesomebri]

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If you look to the right of shiney me in the photo above at my camp you can see a small green tent (and out of sight next to it on the further right is the guys car). That black SUV is the neighboring camps border. The green tent guy slid in overnight, between placed camps, along the border, alone... He stayed the week. Prime location. He took it. Washed in a bucket. Had a bike. Was out all the time. In no camp... A wild and wonderful mystery

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But then, not everyone is "has anyone seen whoever's in the green tent" guy. One time my campmates traded cigarettes for an interloper to camp behind us, pulling in this solo ran over a solar light belonging to our Placers (people who let us, or not, have a camp). I remember being asked who he was by our Placer... Some guy my campmates got cigarettes and fresh vegetables from... Shout out to fabulous Machine, our Placer!!!! Retired, like me, I believe. So this isn't sucking up

I dream of back when I didn't need a camp, tickets didn't sell out immediately, I didn't know what festival season meant, DJs had to drop it in two foot of snow going uphill both ways, Chip was, I don't know, just a wealthy child...

You're living in the past, LonesomeBri

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[Elorrum]

The Oven Bird
BY ROBERT FROST

There is a singer everyone has heard,
Loud, a mid-summer and a mid-wood bird,
Who makes the solid tree trunks sound again.
He says that leaves are old and that for flowers
Mid-summer is to spring as one to ten.
…
He says the highway dust is over all.
The bird would cease and be as other birds
But that he knows in singing not to sing.
The question that he frames in all but words
Is what to make of a diminished thing.

[Lonesomebri]

I explain to my people I can't carry the camp anymore. We are reaching the end of my experiment. I tell them the various options. Join a big service camp, pay dues, work shifts. Contact build crews, see if they'll need help next year. Come up with art. Start your own camp. Volunteer a lot and work that. Try to give them info and direction.

They don't do any of that. They wait and see...

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I ditch the camp, that's it, but I work to get a grandfather clause for the core camp members to stay on one year in the new camp, though this is based on less than a handshake. But it's solid. It's based on me.

The pandemic hits, and all bets are off.

This year the new management was to take over. My old crew was welcome, but there's geological distance and close friends and various aspirations.

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What is valuable in a crew is a truck, within 1000 miles of the playa, shade shelters, a trailer, storage... None of my crew are holding all those cards. I explain once more to my crew, my reign is over. They need to make themselves valuable to camps, or make themselves captains, or make themselves paying customers of a camp.

They tell me they'll wait til after this year to decide. Don't want to rush... But by now it is decided.

My ego wants one of them to say, yes, they will get some shade structure, get some storage, ...when are the new camp applications due?

Instead, it will be: When are the camp fees due? When is my shift.

But at least I won't be getting bothered all year about somebody's bike seat they left with the camp gear, and do I have it, and will I bring it, and do I care? But that's it, a bike seat is part of running a camp. They can go ask the next camp about it now.

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[Canoe]

> paying customers of a camp
Sigh. Whatever happened to simply going and Burning your own way...

Amazing accounts by the way...

[Lonesomebri]

Having a theme camp in good standing is valuable, not just monetarily. It takes time, effort, labor, money, word play, marketing, real concern and persistence to build up a camp that gets placed repeatedly. Way more than money. Don't think Placement is going to be impressed that you brought a gin bar and dj.

Those wanna be plug n play bastards, bucket listers, festival people, would all love to have the placement of an official theme camp in good standing. I knew that to other Burners having a way to go was invaluable. All my work, add in my supplies, and I had something I didn't want to throw out or walk away from.

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I recruited a college age person who lived 40 miles from me, figuring that with their youth, energy, and proximity, they would be a good next generation. It was the plan. They agreed. From the time I dropped them off still dusty, until the next year's Burn, I never saw them once. I thought about that as I loaded gear alone at storage during the weeks before the next Burn. It wasn't to be.

So I made sure to let everyone know they should look at contingency plans, other future Burn options. I told them about joining other camps, buying gear, getting storage, volunteering with builds, etc. They all figured to ride it out.

My life was very drastically changing across the board, I was committing financial suicide, speeding up the process. I had to dump the cost of storage, the responsibility for gear, carrying on a camp. I was dry.

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My mentor and I joked about selling, I mean, receiving a donation, for the camp from some fat wallet non-Burners, something I learned from the BMorg. But I'm not smart enough to make money off an official Burning Man Theme camp. I can't work a grift. I can't fake greed as generosity. I can't hustle. Think how stupid I must be to not be able to make money off a Burn camp.

My mentor offered to buy my trailer at blue book, all the camp gear and supplies inside going along for nothing. He said that half my camp he would drop off at the dump the day he got it. He didn't share my vision. The other half of the gear he'd rent out to, probably, the people who used to be in my camp. He had warned me about having a camp, and didn't want mine. There would be no camp continuation in any way with them. He knew how stupid I was with my camp.

I remember seeing a classified ad in the back pages of the kind of magazine often found hid under dirty mattresses. A Burner kinkster looking for a loose camp to violate. They had Burned before, had experience, we shared some beliefs, and he had been persecuted for his beliefs, as was I, and when I was in my anti plug n play rant back with popsicle camp, and I was facing grief from many on here, clears throat, this Burner sent me a message of support. I knew he had no camp now, wanted to return, thought he had storage space, and hoped he had money for my trailer.

After intense negotiations they agreed to buy my trailer at blue book, taking all the camp gear inside. We had some hippie dippy commie anarchist deal where the gear was still vaguely the camp's, but he could do whatever he wanted with it, he would try to field a camp, and my core people would be invited into the continuation, at least the first year. This wasn't based on any contract, just trust. Either of us could try to take advantage.

My mentor told me the truth. Once I wasn't the official lead, that camp would not be mine. Time would go on. A new thing. They wouldn't know me. They wouldn't care. Ha, this was the warning from the guy who would dump my camp in the ashtray of human history, given the chance. I was between a dust and an ash space. This played out as I realized, again, with my brain, taking a couple years, that the new camp never asked one single question about any activities or events or... continuation of the old camp. Totally honoring the agreement, just carrying on with another vision, their vision, the people now going and bringing it. I had my King Lear moment, wanting to retain control, while not having responsibilities. Though it reminds me of a time I had a house I lived in part time. Had a big burly biker guy move in as a roommate full time. He told me that he and the ladies he brought home really loved my furnishings and decor; western, tex-mex, native art, natural themes, rustic, rugged... Once he'd been there long enough to feel at home, he took down some art to put up a Harley Davidson flag, Harley Davidson pictures...

I did good though, maintaining a semblance of camp for a few people, getting paid for my trailer... Keeping a continuation with dedicated Burners, who will use my old equipment as god intended.

I gave away what wouldn't fit in the trailer to other camps I found on Craigslist, to other people, other families. My mentor got the remnants, and the last camp scraps left in the Carson City storage, including the old generator.

I was stepping away, and the camp was being reborn.

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[The Rod]

OK, well now that Our Glorious Founder is done with story time, I am happy to report that the Camp THREAT Leadership Team just had its very first video conference earlier this evening and it was a resounding success. We plan to have several (biweekly) of these meetings where the core group of camp leads can come together and bicker about what we think we should spend all the money on, money that comes to us in the form of dues that we plan to charge our clients. I mean campmates.

...

So far it appears that this stage of the experiment is off to a good start. The pre-existing members have seemed to welcome me a as a newcomer stepping into leadership in their beloved community. It's not like there's some big shoes to fill here either or anything... Fingers remain crossed that they mix well with my own cadre of old friends and few scraggly misfits from here 'n there or wherever.

Introducing some levels of organization to the THREAT equation, lots of spreadsheets. We're even gonna track a budget of camp expenses! Biweekly meetings as mentioned above. The real trick here is going to be to maintain the intimate vibes you create in a smaller camp, while simultaneously growing, in essence combining two smaller camps. The Corporate Merge. Lots of paperwork. And as in all facets of life, Bureaucracy is the Answer! By dividing the functions of camp into "departments" and assigning "volunteers" to lead positions I can now shift all of the responsibilities of camp planning to other people! I don't know why the last guy never thought of that. Everybody keeps talking about how hard he worked. Burning Man is supposed to be a vacation.

MY vacation.

Play to your team members strengths. Some of the THREAT veterans are in construction, now I've got my build team, see if one of them wants to be in charge of keeping the power on and the shower working. The guy who was a chef for 30 years wants to run the kitchen and plan meals. Fucking Awesome. We need a Leave No Trace Lead to make a plan to be absolutely sure we leave a spotless playa. And someone to run the bar. Everyone wants to be in charge of the bar. I need a co-lead, someone to help with the budget and planning and make spreadsheets, lots of spreadsheets. Decor, shwag, logistics, events, you name it. Theres endless possibilities of arbitrary titles you can make up for people in order to justify their access to Stewards Tale Tickets and WAP's (work access pass)

[Lonesomebri]

End of my storytime? As if. At some point, involving drinks, I'll get around to read this epitaph. My eyes glazed over at the introduction of weekly video conferencing. Right now I'm designing the "missing man" memorial my campmates are going to erect this year in my honored absence. Please feel welcomed to stop by camp out on the playa and ask for your own personal time for reverence at this memorial, which I have utmost faith the new management is erecting.

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As is obvious now, this narrative has been to elevate my aura of leadership, instilling a cult of personality within the camp, radiating out into the the grubby default hellscape, leaving nothing but respect and honor on the streets of Black Rock City.

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I'm sure that after seeing my version of events here, the remaining campmates, actually great friends and assets to any camp, burning desire and hope for me making it back to the playa is at an all time high. I know they will dominate

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[Lonesomebri]

One of my babies.... They grow up so fast. Proud to be a part of this!

The Camp OGs reaching out to the newbies.

"Hi virgin blood! If you are a virgin to the burn, this post is directed your way. As one of my gifts to camp and to you, I will help guide you pre burn. Once you are there, it's your stage, and I will give no fucks.
I need to know who is a virgin and has an actual ticket. I will be setting up a "popping cherry" FB chat and a few meetings leading up to the burn.
I promise that you will want some guidance from a burner. It does not matter how much fucking research you do on burning man and all the survival guides out there, YOU ARE NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT IS COMING!
I will help with survival items, transportation guidance, tools and resources, etc. The first Monday we are at the burn, I am also gifting a tour of the city to you and the public virgins, so that your asses don't get fucking lost without H2O on the playa.

Any questions, please reach out to me. Or don't."

[The Rod]

Faith... New Management... Erecting... theres a joke in there somewhere involving office-space politics and the absurdity of juxtaposing it unto the sacred ground that is Black Rock City, but I'm too busy planning the next video conference meeting to find it.

[ygmir]

Faith... New Management... Erecting... theres a joke in there somewhere involving office-space politics and the absurdity of juxtaposing it unto the sacred ground that is Black Rock City, but I'm too busy planning the next video conference meeting to find it.

you might want to ask for ideas for the "missing man memorial" design. Might be fun and informative. I'd see it in white glazed porcelain....

[The Rod]

I'd see it in white glazed porcelain....

Ahaha yes, like the vacant throne of Gondor awaiting it's king. For I am merely a steward..

[ygmir]

I'd see it in white glazed porcelain....

Ahaha yes, like the vacant throne of Gondor awaiting it's king. For I am merely a steward..

you're in all... of it.

[Lonesomebri]

As you can see, it isn't all glitter and feathers running a Burn Theme Camp. Bunchabullshit. But, jah damned, ain't it fun as hell!

And now, walking away from a camp in flames... Flames of awesomeness! I look at what is left and ponder, do I really have another entry for this thread? Wasn't there some warning or advice? Someone who needed further insulting? ...oh, something about running a camp?

The Camp, now? The people in it are free spirits, the lead is strong and opinionated, there's artist and heart, it is not formulated, or pompous, or pretentious or plug and play. Literally, it Rocks. God, I hope they shred!

I'm not going but I am hoping my newbie younger, older (married, grandkids, works for a bank, etc) brother can join the camp, Camp THREAT 2022. I know the people in camp are just great Burners and compassionate people. He worried he wasn't hip enough. That's it, Camp THREAT people got fuckin hipness to burn, from the heart, and heat a mid-size city. That'll keep my brother warm.

So, making a camp puts into place an infrustucture to throw good people into the playa fray, bring the heat, and offer a crack for the playa-curious to taste the scene. Live your dreams.

I love my brother. Sending him to some Burn plug and play or Coachella or Disney, would be spirituality cheap and formatic. Where, maybe, I, in my actions and pursuits, mistakes were made, created, and fought for, a place where some regular Joe/Josephine outcast not sure of things person can fit in, while also seeing and experiencing what a wild and wacky thing humanity is!

And that, much more than this, I did it my way