Space

[tamarakay]

Hello you beautiful peoples. My husband is wondering about how much space is normal for two people to stake out. We are of course willing to share our shade with people, but have an old 20ft excel travel trailer, truck, and then shade with stakes. This is really worrying him. Yes, he is very sweet.

[Elorrum]

sorry, I'm not link savvy yet this morning. There are several hi-res aerial images of the city from other years to view.

They give a good idea of how tents and cars and other structures fit together. Look on the outer streets and see some big open areas. If you staked out a volleyball court, even a basket ball court, it could work out there. I've never had the feeling that things were too close to my space even at the end of the week, when spaces between neighbors start filling in.

Edit to add: I've never had to set a perimeter for my camp either, but I camp out in the outer rings.

[AntiM]

You can get as cozy as we do in Hushville where we are right on top of each other, or stay a few streets back and spread out a bit. Just chat up the potential neighbors when you pull into a likely spot, see if they're expecting friends. If it is open camping, go for it, No need to set a fence or perimeter unless you are a group with a desirable looking short cut through your camp.

There are no Space Police, although land grabbing before the gates open is frowned on. People do it though. You should be fine with just the two of you.

[sputnik]

In 2007 I setup camp for 2 in a space of about 60' deep and 30' wide. This was more than enough space for the van, tent and shade and a place to play jarts along the street. This was out on J. By mid week we had neighbors closing in, and someone at one point tried to setup camp on the jarts court, but we shooed them off.

[tamarakay]

We don't really want to "stake out" any space. we like neighbors, I think Ken is trying trying to get a handle on how to structure our setup. We like the whole idea of getting to know people around us etc. Toyed with the idea of trying to join a theme camp, but after reading lots of sites have decided we will see how we just survive this year, look around at all the camps and then just pitch in where we think we have something to offer. Thank you for your reponses!

[TomServo]

I would get there as early as posssible! Perhaps when gates open, at 12am. Non theme camp spots filled up fast this year. As mentioned, if you find a spot, ask the neighbors if its being reserved. Normally, the polite thing to do would be to set up tents or gear, to save a spot...but people don't always think that far ahead. Its good y'all are figuring these things out early. Also, if you do get in that early, take a good lookat the map, and have an idea where you'd like to be, so you can drive directly to that area.

[Fire_Moose]

Space Space space Space space space

[Savannah]

It's a good idea to know ahead of time where theme camps are supposed to be (a map of where they are is released a few months before the event) so you can avoid camping there.

Theme camp territory is usually marked with a double-flag system, but the flags are small, and easy to miss at night (the edge of the road is marked with a single flag system).

It's not as scary as it sounds though.

[theCryptofishist]

It's a good idea to know ahead of time where theme camps are supposed to be (a map of where they are is released a few months before the event) so you can avoid camping there.

Actually, the first time you see the map is when it's given to you at the gate. Previously, addresses were released a few weeks before the event, and people would use the info to make maps. This year, addresses were given only to camps and the maps made relied on camps posting where they were. In any case, the map is not the territory. This year Terminal City didn't know they had been moved to the 2:30 block until after the arrived on playa.

[Dr. Pyro]

Fishy, that is not completely accurate. In fact, it's rather bass-ackwards. Barbie Death Village had our placement in writing by August 10th. That's how we were able to have our address on our shirts which were ordered on the 11th. The people at Terminal Village just assumed they would be where they were every year and did not bother to make sure. It's their own damn fault. Now that being said, Barbie Death Village and Terminal Village are already going to battle it out for playa supremacy in the age-old tradition of fizzball. Let the games begin.

[theCryptofishist]

How were we supposed to make sure? I wasn't the contact, but we were told what we were told.

[Dr. Pyro]

Nonsense. Killbuck or whoever the main contact person was got an email prior to receiving the early arrival passes. He just didn't bother to read it carefully. It seems extremely unlikely that TV was the only village on the playa not to get the memo. Everyone else knew where we were going to be. And to that regard, I give the BMOrg kudos for a job well done.

[Bay Bridge Sue]

Not really... we do know it was a frackup by placers, and they allegedly even admitted to us that it was their frackup. We were told via the email 3:30. My guess was it was a typo in the email.

Then again, tho, it wouldn't be the first time Placers told us something and did another. I've fought that battle 3 times (when I was first on scene for Apok) and finally realized that what you ask for, what you are told, and what happens on playa are 3 different things... and there ain't jackbunnyshit you can do about it anyway, because of the wesayso rule.

Realized this year... it doesn't matter. Stay fluid, and don't commit to anything, because it won't work. (Personally, I'd rather have our corner on 3:00 and A back - that spot worked hyperwell.)

Strangely enough, they never seem to do that to First Camp. Wonder why that is - who do they think they are, Larry Harvey or something? Yeesh!!!

[Bounce530]

I had planned on being on the south west corner of 4:30 and H this past year. It was across the street from where the "reserved for theme camps" was supose to end. When I got there at 11:30 Sunday night there was already a camp set up on the corner I wanted. I talked to the guy that was on "my" corner and he was the artist that was doing the art installation at the 4:30 plaza. His camp got pushed all the way back from the plaza to H. He didn't know that till he got on playa. He spent the first couple days running people off of his reserved land, since it wasn't on the map as being reserved.

[jkisha]

He spent the first couple days running people off of his reserved land, since it wasn't on the map as being reserved.

That's not unusual, even if your reserved space is on the map.

JK

[AntiM]

He spent the first couple days running people off of his reserved land, since it wasn't on the map as being reserved.

That's not unusual, even if your reserved space is on the map.

JK

That's what we do in Hushville through Thursday.

[buckycat]

There are no Space Police

I'd disagree. The Placement crew qualify as the space police, or at least the space rangers. I was drawn into many incidents that involved folks being relocated by Placers, after they had started set up of their camp.

...what you ask for, what you are told, and what happens on playa are 3 different things

I found myself in a Kafkaesque situation on playa this year regarding my camp's placement. Damned if I do, damned if I don't. I got conflicting info and actions from different members of the Placement team. In the end it all worked out, in the sense that all my campmates were able to camp together, but it was a significant energy suck for me (and for the Placers, I imagine). I hope that all their team members are more on the same page next year. And I hope that Placement, as a group, is on the same page as the Gate crew, because conflicting info between Gate and Placement was also an issue. No hard feelings; it is a logistical challenge. And I totally appreciate the help from the Placers who were sympathetic to my situation and worked on my behalf.

In any case, the map is not the territory.

Props for the Korzybski reference!

[theCryptofishist]

In any case, the map is not the territory.

Props for the Korzybski reference!

Dang, it must be common wisdom now, because I've never heard of that Polack.

[CapSmashy]

Nonsense. Killbuck or whoever the main contact person was got an email prior to receiving the early arrival passes. He just didn't bother to read it carefully. It seems extremely unlikely that TV was the only village on the playa not to get the memo. Everyone else knew where we were going to be. And to that regard, I give the BMOrg kudos for a job well done.

Dr Jet was our contact person and we were told not once, but twice, by our placer (who we've had every year for TC), that we were back at our same location. I can probably get Jet to post the email correspondence she had with placement on this issue if you'd like.