finding a camp

[dapratt]

Hi. I am a first year burning man attendee I dont know how to go about finding a camp. How do i do this? any tips?

[phil]

When you get to the greeter station, tell 'em it's your first burn and you want to know where the theme camps are. They'll give you a map and show you the areas for theme camps - you may not camp there, as people in theme camps are in a group. You then may camp pretty much anywhere else.

My suggestion is to pull up to a likely looking area where there's space for you, get out, and ask whoever's around about camping there. People are not allowed to save spaces, but some probably will try to, and you don't want to pitch your tent in some place they're trying to save.

More likely they'll hug you, say welcome, and ask if you need any help. Now, here's the key: is there something you don't like? Country music real loud 24 hours; drunk frat boys yelling at girls and mooning them; xtians; loud generators -- basically you want to ask them what they're going to be doing that's going to drive you crazy while you're there. If nothing sounds too bad, thank them for the offer of help, accept it, and get together with them and throw your camp up.

[Elorrum]

Last year when I arrived at the greeter station, I asked where a good place to camp might be for a solo first timer. I was told that there was plenty of open space all around the man. Not sure if that was mean spirited or just a goad towards self reliance. Glad I didn't follow that advice. It was very late at night when I arrived, dark and I had no idea of where I was or where I was heading. I just parked at the edge on Landmark, in an open unreserved area and figured I'd get my bearings in the morning. There was a full moon, so I set up my tent to "just get some sleep" and would likely re-locate in the morning. I was in a good spot with relation to the porta-potties. I woke up to the offer of coffee from a wonderful neighbor. I was cheerfully assisted in setting up my shade shelter too. The fear of "finding the right place" vanished. I stayed put and had a great time. We found the neighbors were a "drum camp" but it turned out that the outskirts were sort of a bedroom community and all the drummers went elsewhere for drumming. It was a quiet neighborhood.

[BurningJim]

I looked through the whole alphabetic camp listing. Contacted a few that shared my interests. I told them what skills I had that I thought they might need. One replied.

Now, instead of camping solo in a pup-tent under a shade cloth and living out of a small cooler, I'm going in a motor home with a group of like-minded individuals-and I'm going getting in on Saturday, 8/23, to set up our camp.

[Colonel Monk]

[quote="BurningJim"]I looked through the whole alphabetic camp listing. Contacted a few that shared my interests. I told them what skills I had that I thought they might need. One replied.

Now, instead of camping solo in a pup-tent under a shade cloth and living out of a small cooler, I'm going in a motor home with a group of like-minded individuals-and I'm going getting in on Saturday, 8/23, to set up our camp.[/quote]

Right On!