I arrived earlier in the day this year, and there was more of a wait to get through
the gates.
This is why traffic is bad on the playa -- cars kick up the dust.
I picked a place all by myself so I could watch the area around me fill up with
newcomers.
Don't worry, I won't be alone for long.
I tried a totally new camp structure. First, a frame made from 1 and 1/4 inch PVC pipe, attached to
the van.
I conceived of the final structure and cut the pieces on site.
I drove rebar into the ground at the base of each pipe, leaving at least a foot of
rebar above ground. I slid the PVC pipe over the rebar to (hopefully) hold the pipe in
place
during strong winds
.
Ropes on top to provide support. (I tightened all of the ropes after they were stretched
by the first, windy dust storm.) I brought glue, but didn't use it -- I wanted to see if
I could build a structure that could be easily taken apart.
A friend, John at Cadillac Jacks, gave me the idea to use tennis balls as a way of
tying the parachute securely to the frame without cutting any holes. It worked like
a charm. We had winds of at least 40-50 mph, and my camp held together.
Getting the parachute into place.
The shower hangs nicely from one of the pipes.
I cut some windows into the parachute.
Inside -- it looks pretty roomy.
The only three tools I needed to build my camp -- a kitchen knife, a hacksaw and
a mallot.
My golf cart turned to ice cart idea.
There she is.
Arrival / Setup
Black Rock Desert. I'm here.