Going camp-less?

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 2:57 pm

I'm considering not having a camp at all next year. My art car (if I finish it) will have enough room to sleep in and store my gear. I should be able to leave my shower and extra fuel with my old camp.

Has anyone done something like this? I know there have been "homeless" people living out of suitcases, but what I'm planning is a little different. Would anyone have a problem with me parking out on the playa each night? Any other complications I'm not thinking of?

BitterDan · Post by **BitterDan** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:23 pm

Not really sure what the rules are on that particular topic but the only problem i forsee is that everyone gets the same idea in 2010 and all of the sudden there are huge RV camps out on the playa. Another problem, though it may be fine for you, is when you are parked out there and you are trying to sleep and you have 100 people trying to climb up and into your art car. Not to mention the people knocking and asking, "When is this bus going to center camp?". Other than that, as long as it's an art car, i have no problem with you parking out there. BMORG, on the other hand, might.

BitterDan · Post by **BitterDan** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:24 pm

And, since you are mobile, you could always go park in the Walk-In area when you are ready to pass out. There is usually room at the back of the city, even for a bus.

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:29 pm

> Would anyone have a problem with me parking out on the
> playa each night?

I don't know enough to know, but I recall there being restrictions on where some art cars can drive, and I also recall prohibitions on camping on the playa. (You're talking about the space within the esplanade, right? The area where the Man is?)

I know one year Louise had a broken leg when we went to the Burn, so she had a gocart to drive around in, with special permission for it. Rangers stopped us fairly frequently to assure us she couldn't drive around in the gocart, so we'd show them the permit on the back ("Oh, is that what they look like this year?"). If you have permission to park on the playa overnight, expect some interruptions when people wake you up tell you you can't park there.

One of my friends has an art car that he lives in; he says the biggest burden is all the friendly people who come up and want to chat when he's sick, on his way somewhere else, gotta go to the bathroom, tired, and so on. You may find people gathered around your car yucking it up and yelling while you're trying to sleep (even if they don't know you're in there).

On the whole, though, it sounds like an enjoyable enterprise. My friend takes his live-aboard art car out the the Burn, but I don't know whether he just camps in it or drives it around. Either way, you won't be homeless.

Have fun.

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 4:00 pm

Thanks, all. I don't think it will start any sort of trend of undecorated RVs on the playa, since those are already restricted from driving there. The main DMV restrictions are day/night licenses and for vehicles too large to run on the streets, none of which should apply to my car.

Actually now that I think about it I'd have to run the lights all night if I sleep on the open playa - I'd better come up with a low power lighting scheme or plan to find a parking space in the city.

It's not a bus BTW - it will be based on a cargo van.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 8:44 pm

I have tried staying out on the playa overnight on my land yacht mutant vehicle, and been told by the cops (the real ones) that I couldn't. I think I did get away with it once several years ago.

I can tell you from experience that Phil and Bitter Dan are spot-on when they say that you'll be constantly interrupted by random passers-by climbing on.

I don't think you'd necessarily have to run lights all night. I think you only have to be running lights if you're moving. I frequently head out to the deep playa and shut everything off.

It would be no problem at all to live aboard your mutant vehicle as long as you park overnight within the designated residential area.

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:43 am

Captain Goddammit wrote:It would be no problem at all to live aboard your mutant vehicle as long as you park overnight within the designated residential area.

That's the key there. Might be fun to have different camp neighbors each night too. This could be done by a creative person on a bike pulling a pup tent on wheels or somesuch too : )

skygod · Post by **skygod** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:42 am

I think a Mobile Camp is a great idea! It gets kind of crowded toward the end of the week but you could always find some kind of spot to park in the residential sections. The only drawback I can see is that you couldn't get to know your neighbors as well, since you would have new ones every night.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:20 am

Cars get hot inside by day. Got a shade structure?

Teo del Fuego · Post by **Teo del Fuego** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:26 am

since its mobile, just park it at night on the outer ring of the residential area. Probably not a good idea to try spending the night in the deep playa area, kinda would ruin the esthetics of my late night bike rides to have folks camping out there

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:38 pm

Captain Goddammit wrote:I have tried staying out on the playa overnight on my land yacht mutant vehicle, and been told by the cops (the real ones) that I couldn't. I think I did get away with it once several years ago.

Bummer! Were you in view at the time or below deck? I'd be hidden enough that it just looks like an empty bit of mobile art.

I don't think you'd necessarily have to run lights all night. I think you only have to be running lights if you're moving. I frequently head out to the deep playa and shut everything off.

I figure it would be like lighting any kind of playa art - enough that bikers won't accidentally ram into it. Not necessarily see-from-miles-away lighting.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:25 pm

Last year, after having a large theme camp every year before, I did something close to what you're talking about.
I had a camper on the truck I tow the Land Yacht with... all I did was go out to the outer ring and roll to a stop. Done. Not very "burny" maybe, but I did bring a mutant vehicle and cruised lots of people around. Even Unjon Harley. He's even uglier in person!

Remark · Post by **Remark** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:00 am

How does your "old camp" feel about you dropping off your extra fuel and shower?

Kind of makes that your camp doesn't it?

you have time. keep thinking. go 100% camp-less. Aux. gas tank. Grey water evaporator on the top of the van. Shower on top of the van. (Has anyone else seen a "5 mph shower" out there? You could be very popular with the exhibitionists!)

Love the idea, don't just go half way with it.