August 24, 2000

The desert is hot, dry, and windy. But you knew that already. Too burned out from a quick round trip to the desert to post this last night.

Found a spot for the runway and have gps coordinates for it. It may require about 5 minutes work with a shovel to remove one baby playa serpent. I will try to get a map up right after this, showing anticipated location.

WARNING!!! If you are flying in before Monday morning, the 28th, I recommend landing to the northeast of Black Rock City where the surface is smooth and taxi down to the Airport. Don't taxi right next to the fence, big playa serpents there. Try taxiing just beside the road. Don't ever land on the desert roads. They are often rutted and always dusty.

By Monday morning, I hope to have the runway marked with a centerline and numbers. If the striping device is not available, we'll try at least to mark the numbers. There are playa serpents on both sides. The area to the southwest of the Airport Camp is filled with playa serpents. For those who don't know, playa serpents are little dunes, lumps, bumps, curvy hillocks in the otherwise smooth and flat dry lake bed. They are numerous in areas that were smooth last year. They may all be gone next year. Don't take the desert for granted.

The windsock is installed a few hundred feet out from Airplane Camp. It's not next to the runway, but should be close enough. Some night flights are in the plans and I didn't want the windsock in the way.

The perimeter fence this year is in the shape of a pentagon. The gate and box office are just off the paved highway. Then there is a curving road fenced or flagged on both sides (maybe a mile?) to the orange fence of the pentagon. We are at the first corner to the right as you enter the pentagon at the Greeters Station.

Preferred driving route is not certain but either way you should always drive beside a fence. The most expeditious route for arrivals is to take a ninety degree right turn after you go through the Greeters station. Follow the fence to your right until you get to the corner. Traffic from the camp (art cars or official vehicles on, ahem, important Airport business) should drive along the fence that blocks off the walk-in camping and is an extension of 5:00. Carl the Fence Guy is camped along that stretch, and prevailing winds blow dust into the walk-in camping area, so the 5 MPH rule is kind to your neighbors.

No structures, tents, airplanes, or anything should be within 50 feet of the fence. Carl will be driving along the fence line doing fence repairs. Ranger patrols will be driving along the fence looking for gate crashers, fence smashers, and persons intending malicious harm.

I used blue colorant to make a dotted line the appropriate distance from the fence where the pilot's lounge and BRTA go. I also sprayed the words BRTA and The Phoenix at that corner, so the first arrivals know for sure they are in the right spot. We need The Phoenix to go right in the corner nearest the gates because The Phoenix is not only the bar, but the gate watch, the Unicom, and the weather reporting station. We have a clear view of the windsock there, and sort of a view of the runway. Not much of the runway will be visible, just because it's so far away. Anyway, The Phoenix needs a space of 40 by 40 feet, starting in the corner where the lettering is. I assume the Black Rock Travel Agency will stake out their preferred spot and after that everything back towards the main camp is available.

Try to keep within hollering and waving distance. Camping is allowed "at the airport" or in main camp, or in the walk-in camping area. If you set up halfway between main camp and the airport, you are likely to get run over because that area is a no man's land. Oh, you may also walk into the walk-in camping area which is right next to us. Pilots may camp next to their plane in the tie-down area.

The view above is looking to the northeast and the proposed landing area is right in the middle of the photo. The perimeter fence is barely visible to the left, running off the left side of the image. The tiedown and camping area is not shown, but is off to the left. The main desert road (do not land) is the line running under the wing. The track running off the lower right corner is just one of many tracks in the desert. It's ok to land across or on. You can see some discolored areas in the lower center. These are just color variations and are smooth and firm. However, some discolored areas are bumps. When landing anywhere on the desert other than the marked runway during the event, it's a very, very good idea to make a low pass to see what's down there.