"Doors" opened at Burning Man at 12:01 AM on Monday the 27th, and our goal was to get there at that time. But since we stayed up all night making food, we decided to check into a hotel for a good night's rest before the work-intensive first day, so we arrived to the playa at around 8 or 9 in the morning. From there, I was kindly forced into a devirginizing ritual since it was my first time attending Burning Man, and after that we unloaded the truck at our designated camp location. Our camp is called "Gang Green," and everything we build is a reflection of that.

Foundational Structures

The first task was to assemble the major shade structures to protect us from the relentless sun. In reality, I found the heat more than tolerable. It's a more comfortable dry heat, as opposed to moist heat, and the ever-flowing breeze was our constant friend, always there to cool our skin. While some were lying around exhausted from heat and whatever else, I was eager to get started on what needed to be done.

The scaffolding was quite high. Many people pitched in to its construction, passing metal poles up from the ground to the people at the top. I climbed all the way to top, helping to assemble the upper layers. At times, the breeze was strong, and I grasped the structure for dear life. With energy to spare, I twirled the long metal poles around as in a scene from the Matrix Reloaded when Neo was fighting the duplicating agents. The scaffolding is really the most important part of the setup, and its strong foundation will be central in ensuring that the entire structure will endure the week. We tied it down to rebar with several 500 pound strength ropes.

At the same time, we assembled the dome. The idea was to use the dome as an atrium inviting people into the rest of the camp under the parachute. There would be lounge areas under both structures. With the help of a large ladder borrowed from our friendly neighbors, the final stages of assembly at the top on the dome were completed successfully.

The Parachute

Draping the parachute over the scaffolding required the participation of everyone available, and the gusts of wind that puffed up the massive parachute created an awe-inspiring display, like a peacock unleashing its magnificent array of feathers. Finally we were beginning to see the fruits of our labor. Strong guys with good coordination hammered the rebar into the hard ground to secure the parachute, and pvc tubing was mounted on top of the rebar and propped up on the edges of the parachute.

Final Touches

With all the big things in place, we were ready to apply the finishing touches. Some green fabric was unraveled over the top of the dome by balling it up and tossing it over to the other side. The furniture and tarps were moved in, and the tents popped up like bubbles on the surface of soapy water. There's nothing uncomfortable about any of this. Everything I need is right here at our camp, and if there's something we don't have, it will likely be available at other camps. Shower camps, food camps, drinking, dancing... the works. Everyone is generous and eager to share what they have brought to the playa.

Off to Play

Construction of the camp finished around sundown, and we kicked back and had our first group meal. There were a few more things that needed to be finished, but we were ready to go explore the playa. We put on our costumes and journeyed out to experience Black Rock City nightlife.