Good Camp sites

lebarondescarteun · Post by **lebarondescarteun** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:43 pm

What do you look for in a good camp site or is it everyone for themselves,a mad dash for the best site?

Cabana Springs · Post by **Cabana Springs** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 3:06 pm

It's a mad dash for the assholes that go in on Saturday and rope everything off for their friends that show up on Thursday. I heard that in 06 the rules were going to be so much stricter cause BLM was charging for early arrivers. That was total and utter bullshit. We got their at 1:15 a.m. Sunday night and the place was packed. Packed full of camps with all their shit already up so you know they had been there awhile.

I say go whenever the hell you want cause they will let you in. Self-reliance in this case means the rules don't apply to you and get away with whatever you can.

MikeVDS · Post by **MikeVDS** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 4:13 pm

I got their on Sunday as part of a theme camp and there were plenty of people rejected at the gates and camping out until later that night.

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 4:29 pm

I got there early Monday, and was pretty annoyed at how much of the city seemed to be marked off already for people who hadn't arrived yet. I set up in one of the outer rings. (Maybe next time I will give in to temptation and set up directly in front of one of the JOTS....

)

B.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:07 pm

I got in Friday night to help set up the Big Round Cubatron. We were shock by how many people were in early and not doing shit... But then by Sunday afternoon the gate had to let people in due to the massive crowds in Gerlach.
By Monday night it felt like Thursday already...

Blackbird · Post by **Blackbird** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:19 pm

Dang, you guys make it sound so awful.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:37 pm

Blackbird wrote:Dang, you guys make it sound so awful.

I'll save you a spot for.. humm.... about $10,000.00

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:56 pm

Blackbird wrote:Dang, you guys make it sound so awful.

Nah... all it means is you probably won't be able to get a "prime" spot near the theme camp areas unless you're actually a part of a registered theme camp. Even then, you're at the mercy of the person who places the camps.

Bring a bike to cover the extra distance and don't worry too much. When you arrive, what you do is head towards an area you think you might like (proximity to porta-potties, center camp, theme camps you might enjoy, rave camps you might not want to be within earshot of), park, and start walking around looking for a suitable open space. When you find one, talk to whoever might be lounging nearby and ask if you can camp there. They're not SUPPOSED to be able to say no, but if they do and you camp there anyway you're probably in for a rough week so it's best to find another spot.

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:40 pm

lebarondescarteun wrote:What do you look for in a good camp site or is it everyone for themselves,a mad dash for the best site?

You know the people who go to public campgrounds and always have to get THEIR spot with the trees just so and the creek here and shade there and the perfect level tent area? HAHAHAHA! Laugh at creatures such as they for at BRC there's best sites everywhere. Its all flat

and like the pros have said its mostly just deciding which general area of the city you want and then prowling for an open space.

Street frontage goes first, then the spaces in the middle of the blocks. The outer 3 streets are gems for finding nice places. I've always camped there.

By scientifically calculating the prevailing wind factors traffic patterns sun angle at noon camp orientation and mating potential of neighbors my perfect site is around E 8:15. MINE MINE MINE!!

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 11:50 pm

Yeah, although I was intitially annoyed, the spot I wound up with wasn't bad. I was far enough away from the noise and stuff of the inner circles (I was sick most of the time, and kept crashing for the night early [early enough that a guy camping nearby commented on it-- I really want to be healthy for next time!]).

Weirdly, the last B.M. dream I recall having was me coming into the City looking for a place to camp-- and the City was laid out like a big camp ground, with metal posts marking the sites, and a strip of concrete (or blacktop?) to park your car on. Apparently spaces were assigned, because when I found "mine" I was upset to find my site was a steeping sloping one! I think it was right about then that I figured out something was wrong, and woke up.

(Out on the playa, there are no steeping sloping sites!)

Huh, I should be about due for Burning Man to show up in another dream. Need to talk to the programming committee....

B.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 12:42 am

Pick a camp site by the tree.
That's the good one.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 12:44 am

Being near the portapotties is not bad really.
Some of the 'choice' high traffic areas are loud and far from the porta things.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 8:00 am

Parking near a potty may sound good >>>BUT>>> Will you enjoy the slamming of the doors 24/7¿¿¿

No matter where you camp you will have to travel to see the rest of the city..

EvilDustBooger · Post by **EvilDustBooger** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 8:23 am

...a good way to find spots closer in, is to find camps that are already set up that have empty space in front or behind. Do not assume that you are entitled to the spot, but go introduce yourself, and ask the people if it would be OK to set up near by. Be sure to ask how much room they want for their camp, ...and then respect those boundaries even if they aren`t roped off. We`ve gotten some nice spots and met really nice people people this way.
By the end of the week it starts to really get packed in most areas, so try not to take more space than you really need, or you might have frustrated late-comers angrily invading your perimeters.

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 8:50 am

Hushville was across from the potty banks, and we had a fairly empty quarter downwind. No one wanted to camp there, although the smell wasn't all that bad. By Thursday we had some bozo frat boys in an RV trying to set up there. They weren't allowed because Hushville has the no generators rule, and we knew these guys would run their genny no matter what they promised. We let them park long enough to scout a spot on their bikes, but that RV was like a clown car, frat boys and some really irritating ladies kept climbing out of it. And then one of them approached me, and asked if he gifted the placement guy in Hushville the $80 he "found" on the playa, would that "gift" be enough to let them stay?

Oh. Hell. No.

lebarondescarteun · Post by **lebarondescarteun** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:08 am

How far back away from the streets are you allowed to camp?

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:28 am

Wherever you want. You don't need street frontage for your camp, (and there is lots more room mid-block than there is frontage) - just make sure you check with the neighbors to be sure you have an easement for ingress and egress! Then drive right on in & set up. Mid-black placement may help to shelter you from the worst of the wind, too.

EvilDustBooger · Post by **EvilDustBooger** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 11:15 am

...you might have a mixed bag of luck with this; but when looking for
camping sites that are on or close to the Esplanade,... it is sometimes helpful to send the more artfully tattoo`d female members of your group out sporting purple merkins and gallon sun-tea containers filled with vodka infused lemonade.

...but it`s a REAL mixed bag of luck up there I tell ya.

.

Post by **trilobyte** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 4:53 pm

It's not the spot that makes it a great site, but the people.

But the general rule of thumb is...

Esplanade and Center Camp get the most foot traffic/visitors, and tend to be pretty loud with regard to crowd noises and general playa excitement. The further you get back from Esplanade, the more low key things get (but keep in mind, nothing in BRC is really low key).

The avenues at 4:30 and 7:30 are developing into something cool - there's a nice slice of Esplanade excitement, but in more of a small-town kind of way.

The 2 o'clock and 10 o'clock spikes are where the big sound systems wind up being placed. If you're a light sleeper, put some distance between your camp and those streets. But if you like that sort of thing (and I do), then setting up camp within stumbling distance might be a great thing.

When the map for this year's event comes out, you'll see the space that's marked as reserved for registered theme camps. When the event officially begins on Monday, that space will be marked off or already in use, as will some of the spaces adjacent to those blocks.

~Trilo~

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:32 pm

Camping near the potties lets you know when the cleaning crew has hit them. Clean potties!! Get 'em while they're shiny!!!

We were about fifty feet from the potty bank last year. Didn't notice bad smell at all, and the door banging quickly fades into the background soundscape.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 11:30 pm

There seems to be more nudity the further you are from the esplanade.
Maybe more craziness in general.

StevenGoodman · Post by **StevenGoodman** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 2:54 am

gyre wrote:There seems to be more nudity the further you are from the esplanade.
Maybe more craziness in general.

I disagree. The farther out you are the quieter, and the cleaner the potties. I always try to cruise the outer burgs, and they are normally quiet and empty (compared to the inner burgs).

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 6:28 am

When I got to the gate last year, the guard in the fuzzy hat looked A LOT like the guy with the hot air balloon. I hope he brings that big green head THIS year!
I had lots of pleasant experiences while visiting the Outer Streets. If I weren't perennially involved with theme-camp stuff, I'd make camp out there- It'd be nice to have a mountain view instead of A View To A Tarp.

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:16 am

It'd be nice to have a mountain view instead of A View To A Tarp.

Very true. I got to see the mountains while cooking breakfast, and that part was very nice. Early morning, before the weather got hot, but wasn't cold, either. Fairly quiet. Being in the Outer Streets was something I lucked into. I wouldn't have minded being closer to the potties, though. (I would NOT want to be camped on one of the Inner Streets without my own potty! Just too far to walk to use the can.)

Anyway, being able to see the mountains IS nice.

B.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:26 am

I don't think any one person can say what a best camp site is..Last year we were closed in after we set up..Some one use the jack point on my van to tie down..Then six naked ladys camped off street behind us..I didn't growl once when they walked through my camp..My single son didn't seem to mind helping with there little troubles..Like a flat tier or lose tent lines..

Fex · Post by **Fex** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:24 am

unjonharley wrote:I don't think any one person can say what a best camp site is..Last year we were closed in after we set up..Some one use the jack point on my van to tie down..Then six naked ladys camped off street behind us..I didn't growl once when they walked through my camp..My single son didn't seem to mind helping with there little troubles..Like a flat tier or lose tent lines..

It's weird how naked ladies always seem to have this uncanny ability to find the really helpful people wherever they go

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:38 am

Fex wrote:
unjonharley wrote:I don't think any one person can say what a best camp site is..Last year we were closed in after we set up..Some one use the jack point on my van to tie down..Then six naked ladys camped off street behind us..I didn't growl once when they walked through my camp..My single son didn't seem to mind helping with there little troubles..Like a flat tier or lose tent lines..
It's weird how naked ladies always seem to have this uncanny ability to find the really helpful people wherever they go

Yeah, where if *I* take my clothes off, I have trouble finding ANYONE at all!

B.

falk · Post by **falk** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:10 pm

The theme camps start setting up Saturday & Sunday. The inner two blocks and the blocks along the keyhole streets will already be filled up by the time the gates open on Monday. That's life. If you really want one of the "prime" streets, you'll need to join a theme camp.

unjonharley made a very good point -- no matter where you camp, most of the city is still far away.

Last year, I camped right off the Esplanade -- never again. There's no getting any sleep that close.

Good Camp sites

Good Camp sites

Re: Good Camp sites