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High Level Plan

Before we start

  • Create a plan
  • Publish the plan & start advertising HARD
    • Facebook has several (many!) BM groups
  • Establish leadership (part of the plan creation)
  • Reach out to ex campers:
    • Some will want to come back regardless (hardcore fans)
    • Some may need convincing and will only come back if things improve (see comment)
    • Some have already abandoned to other camps or events (for example Africa Burn)
    • Some just won't go in 2024, regardless of anything

Note: It is always a good idea to make joining the camp irresistible, and I believe this is something every camp should be doing (and some of them are doing a great job with this).

Ticket sales

The FOMO Sale is January 31, 2024 at 12 PM PST–February 4, 2024 at 6 PM PST.

Stewards Sale is March 1, 2024 at 12 PM–March 8, 2024 at 12 PM PST.

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Build Plan

Here's what we need to accomplish this year BEFORE anything else:

  1. Existing van: Pull the bike rack + Carry some campers
    - This van will be parked in Reno / North of Reno
  2. Purchase: Box truck for kitchen & food, stored in Reno, easy to refill (from Costco, etc.)
    - Move our kitchen equipment into the Kitchen truck/trailer
    - This truck will be towing the interstate trailer
    - A/C permanently mounted into this truck
    - Store Tables & Benches on this truck
    - Store propane on this truck (only during the event?)
  3. Clean up / Sort out Empire
    - Interstate Trailer: Take everything out, decide what to keep, chuck the rest
    - Small bike trailer: Sell the smaller bike trailer
    - Bike trailer: Figure out how to load onto the large bike trailer
    - Optional: Sell bike trailer, replace with an enclosed trailer
    - Bike storage: Throw away bikes that are beyond repair
    - Bike: Sell most bike, only keep the good bike
  4. Infrastructure unit - We have two options:
    1. Option 1 - Rental: A container/trailer from some vendor that services & drops off & picks up
      - Strap shelving units
      - Put our stuff into labeled boxes
      - No permanent solar infrastructure
      - Use Integrarack for solar panel mounting
      - Mount power board / solar controller / breakers (leave it on the wood for now)
      - Sandeep thinks mounting panels would take an hour
      - Requires a lot of manual labor in the beginning and at the end
      - Estimated cost:
      $100/month storage (for year round storage)
      $2330 Dropping off on playa & pick up from playa
      Monthly cost: ($2330 + ($100 x 12)) / 12 = $294/month
      Includes 2~3 times a year visit to the facility (close to Empire)
      Reach out to Paper Crane to discuss this to ask for advice/tips
      - No need for engine maintenance
      - No need for vehicle related insurance / registration (DMV crap)
      - No need for fuel / maintenance / new tires / etc.
    2. Option 2 - Purchase: Another 26' Box Truck ->  Solar / Infrastructure / Water
      - Shelving units (permanent)
      - Put our stuff into labeled boxes (permanent)
      - Stored in Empire
      - Mount power board / solar controller / breakers (leave it on the wood for now)
      - Boost our power storage capacity (more batteries)
      - Manufacture an easy apparatus to deploy our solar panels upon arriving on Playa
      - Fit the power truck with infrastructure for water (pumps, hookups, etc)
      - Estimated cost:
      Cost of truck
      Cost of storage somewhere (Empire?)
      Insurance / Registration / DMV Crap
      Cost of Remote Start kit that turns the engine on/off remotely
      Cost of one time retrofit / labor
      The more permanent, more self reliant option
  5. Reliability / Legalese: Make sure the trucks or trailers are in great running condition (and legal)
  6. Storage: Fit both trucks with secure shelving for all of our crap, including water jugs, propane tanks, shade structure, etc.
    - Figure out how to store everything we need into those trucks/trailers
  7. Get rid of storage in Reno because now everything's permanently on two trucks/trailers
  8. Figure out where to store those trucks/trailers while we're home & sign agreement (so we know we have a place for sure)
  9. Consider renting a shower trailer (USS, etc).

Planning Requirements

  • Planning
    • Plan what build looks like (especially considering the new equipment projects)
    • Plan what the week looks like (fun & exciting activities)
      Find a lead for our activities
    • Plan how nutrition & hydration works
      • Consider food prep / meal prep
      • KISS & LAZY!!!!
    • Plan how LNT & Garbage works (and find a lead)
    • Plan how bike are handled (and find a lead)
    • Plan what breakdown looks like (in detail!)
    • Frontage (Lead: Neil Tygar)
  • Prepare our basic/core infrastructure
    • Design it such that the laziest, smallest team can EASILY build & breakdown
  • Design our volunteer structure (deposit + refund on successful volunteering)
  • Advertise our “job openings” and start soliciting members (other camps have already begun)
  • Designate our lead team members and create one Discord room for each team - WIP
  • Actually get our asses to Gerlach and build our infrastructure
    • Can ship a bunch of the stuff to LA and I can drive with it upstate
    • Build it & Test it and make sure it’s perfect!
    • Make sure we schedule service to move this stuff to Playa on time

Deployment Plan

Silver Springs Arrival

We arrive at Silver Springs, unlock our containers and take stock of gasoline and propane. We power on the generator and turn on the freezers and refrigerators to prepare them for receiving food. We turn on the A/C, clean filters if needed, etc.

Restocking Run

We take the van and drive it to Reno to pick up:

  • Food from RestaurantDepot.com
  • Propane
  • Gasoline
  • Anything else we need for the burn
    • Sunscreen
    • Water
    • Etc.

Driving to the Playa

We make sure everything is secured within the containers, and that batteries are charged so they can carry the refrigerators & freezers. We then leave to the Playa.

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