start Preparation Leaving S. F. On to Reno Reno Leaving Reno Playa-bound Black Rock City Camp Vermeer The Man Temple of Joy Dust Storm Playa Shabbos Bicycles Planes Art Cars Theme Camps People Panoramas Miscellaneous Leavetaking Leaving Ranger Shift Ranger Lefty Ranger Norman Ranger Mickey
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Burning Man 2002: Camp Vermeer
For the first time we arrive at the playa in the daylight, which confuses us. Ranger Lefty dumps out the contents of several bags onto his camp cot. The reason for this absolutely escapes me. I'm guessing it's time to pack the cooler, since I see the beer. Usually we do this in Reno, as soon as we buy the ice. I guess this year we were a bit excited.
As we do in most years, we pitch a camp consisting of a large cargo parachute attached to the truck. I'd planned on pitching my Israeli paratrooper 'chute as has become traditional, but we tried to use the two poles and spreaders to make the big top a bit better this year. (Yes, you do see the tent guy ropes held down by our water containers. This is a very poor practice, but one which makes it very easy for us to figure out how to orient and divide our space. I replace the containers with 12-inch yellow plastic pegs at the earliest convenience, hopefully before any serious wind.)
Oh, I forgot to mention WHERE we wound up this year. In 2000 we camped near Kid's Camp. This year we'd done some scouting around via the 'net and were interested in the Alternate Energy Zone, a collective which eschews generators. Upon arrival we petitioned the Mayor, and were granted a plot of land unclaimed by a stake-holder. Yeah! We were in the land of solar panels and windmills.
Stepping back, to just where the recently-departed red car had been, we see a spare beige tent in the foreground (used for holding extra supplies that Ranger Lefty wanted to keep handy, his blue tent (where he sleeps), and in the background, our parachute (under which I sleep). In the left of the picture you see a white structure, with a tie-dye covering and matching flag. That's the tent / radio station of an ex-coworker of mine, Andy. Coïncidence.
Stepping out to the nearest intersection, 165 and Mainmast, we take a look around.
Inwards, we face The Man (too small to see in this panorama).
Outwards, we see the portable toilets (in the middle of the panorama). Twice - because it was moving - you see the truck carrying a life-sized replica of Larry Harvey (the founder of Burning Man).
On another corner we see a bar with an adjacent white open-faced tent structure. What could it be?
Crossing the yellow caution tape we're amazed to see sod. Yes, green grass rudely transplanted onto the alkali playa surface. Ephemeral, yes, but soothing in a bizarre way. Other plants have been spread around the incredibly hot and humid place of tranquility. Interesting, but too hot for me.
And for our last view of Camp Vermeer, although I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, is this view during the one-and-only dust storm.
And what happened to our Vermeer? Well, Ranger Lefty put it under the truck for safe-keeping during the storm. And she saved the day by alerting us to a slow oil leak from the truck, at great expense to her poster visage. She'll be replaced.
We've got a rudimentary camp set up, our food is cooling, and it's time to sign in at Ranger central and go out on patrol, perhaps to visit The Man.
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