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(Aug 23, 2006) -- An Black Rock City brouhaha is brewing this weekend, as hundreds of Theme Camp setup crews are due to arrive Saturday
and Sunday. Vehicles may be denied early entry to the city if even ONE occupant is not on the Early Arrival list, which closed for
entries several weeks ago.
In the past, just knowing the name of your Theme Camp and producing a printout of a confirmation email was enough to get you swiftly
through the Gate ahead of the official opening at midnight on Monday.
On the Tribe.net bulletin board service, a contibutor named Timber
posted this excerpt from an email message he sent to the federal
Bureau of Land Management:
"Due to a change in the BM policy this year, it seems that there will be several people who thought that they were going to be able
to get in before Monday who now cannot. Are there places nearby the event, but outside its boundaries, that people are able to camp u
ntil the gates open on Monday? And if so, where would we acquire a permit? Thank you in advance for any insights you can provide."
And here is their response, from from Jamie_Thompson@nv.blm.gov
(which is a comfort to people who thought they might have the Sophie's Choice of ditching the Unlisted or returning to a Reno hotel.)
"Tim, you do not need a permit to camp anywhere on BLM administered public lands in the vicinty of Gerlach. You cannot have open
fires, but can use a propane or similar campstove. The only prohibition on the camping is that you cannot camp within the Burning
Man Closure Area or remain in the same location longer than 14 days. I am attaching a map that indicates where the closure is. I
hope this helps."
The map that Timber posted shows 'open access' to the
playa at the 3 mile and 12 mile 'on-ramps.'
Although there are many people responsible for names not being on Early Arrival list, there was a huge sense of outrage over the
rules on the Burning Man Tribe site. New regulations seem too strict for the circumstances, in the opinion of many respondents.
Bearing in mind that the people on the Early Arrival list are all volunteers, who have more than likely spent a couple thousand bucks
to get there, will (or would have) be busting their gonads for 48 - 72 hours setting up Theme Camps and the like so as to be ready on
time, this could be a really big fucking deal.
Many, many folks - through real world circumstances - illness, cancellations, substitutions, good-natured but last minute ride offers
and the like, look like being thoroughly inconvenienced unless some leeway and flexibility is used.
How many? Hundreds would seem likely. Potentially ANY vehicle carrying even ONE person not on the list would be denied early entry.
Also likely is that most people in this situation do not even KNOW they will have a problem until they get to the Gate.
Perhaps,not enough was done to publicize the new regs, and many old timers thinking it will be the same as last year may turn up
at the same time if Murphy's Law applies!
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