finding your camping spot amongst the masses

[lovethelake]

How do you guys find your spot amongst the giant ass rows that all look alike? During the day? At night? While hammered? Last year, this guy next to me has a giant inflatable palm tree on top of his car, so we just looked for that as a reference point. Now assuming inflatable palm tree man doesn't camp next to me this year, what are you guys doing to make it easy to find your campsite at night? Or even the day?

I am looking for suggestions, and I will have an EZup that can have various things attached to it for support for seeing from far away... or even high tech solutions, like mapping it out on GPS on my phone, but I'd prefer low tech, drunk-proof ideas...

[LickTheLizzard]

http://coachella.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46733

edit: i'm not pointing out there is already a thread. this thread is my answer to your question.

[DFrank]

There are cross street signs. Yeah, believe it.

[lovethelake]

Remembering street signs when I'm drunk is not exactly drunk-proof... maybe I'll sharpie my street on my arm or something. Flag pole might be good for the day, but not so visible at night though... are there any kinds of lights that people can think of that are not only easy to hoist up high, but bright enough to recognize from far away, yet not so bright that it annoys neighbors trying to sleep? And as far as people trying to sleep, yeah as soon as my people stumble back to my campsite safely I'd turn it off anyway...

maybe I could rig up one of those green laser pointers at night, and just point it straight up into the sky? drunkenly walk closer and closer to the green beam at night until I trip over my tent/destination? Or are there gonna be so many floodlights near the tents that it'll keep me from seeing the laser beam visible at night? I know absolutely nothing about lasers/if it's legal to point them in the sky (thinking about airplanes)/if lasers can even be constantly on for hours, (battery-wise/safety melting explosion laser boom-wise)... your thoughts?

[Theijuiel]

The entire campground is lighted, you'd be able to spot your flag.

[baily]

You could use the app 'Park N Find'...it works the same way...it'll even show you arrows of which way you need to go and exactly how many feet you are away from it.

Just download the app and activate it at your tent....you'll never be lost.

I use it for my parking at Coachella and it's been a life saver...it would work for you with your tent.

[Fourthisto]

The entire campground is lighted, you'd be able to spot your flag.

Depends on where you're at, really... I think this year I'll use one of those "Drop a pin and find your car you drunken oaf" apps, since I don't think we'll have a flag or anything up.

[BROKENDOLL]

Hopefully all we have to look for is an 8 1/2 foot wigwam that glows in the dark.

Last year I was able to get a small tank of helium in for balloons, but Coachella had better and bigger, not to mention a whole string of balloons that must have intimidated our balloons because the damn things would be like used condoms laying on top of my truck, while there's stuck together in the sky

[MusicIsMyBoyfriend]

Does anyone use those fancy mylar balloons filled with helium?!



I want my shit to look like it is about to float away, UP style!

Not sure it would last the whole weekend though.

[Dustin da DnB Soulja]

Does anyone use those fancy mylar balloons filled with helium?!



I want my shit to look like it is about to float away, UP style!

Not sure it would last the whole weekend though.

You should get more balloons than the glowsticks in the glowruption, that'd be so awesome.

[yuliana333]

This is a really good idea!!!!

[lovethelake]

I want my shit to look like it is about to float away, UP style!

You know, the National Geographic Channel actually made a real Pixar "UP" house, and successfully lifted it off the ground with just weather balloons? Maybe I'll do this to my camping spot this year...300 8 foot balloons...

This is a really good idea!!!!

What is? There's been several ideas mentioned...

So far, I'm either leaning towards a flagpole, or maybe several of those fancy Mylar balloons might work too, with new glowsticks attached each night. Though I'd need someone to confidently verify that those types of balloons will last all weekend, AND support the weight of some glowsticks. Probably going to do a GPS based app on my phone no matter what, though I am concerned about this ability being hindered due to cell reception clusterfuck/data usage. I'm not concerned about actually having to use data, I'm concerned about having enough cell reception to use any of the available programs that require data to see what you're looking at. Of course worst case scenario the programs might still theoretically work since GPS is independent from cell service, I"d just have to walk back towards the dot with no map or picture or anything.

[Theijuiel]

the damn things would be like used condoms laying on top of my truck, while there's stuck together in the sky

Don't say this again, please. *shudders*

[BROKENDOLL]

Hopefully all we have to look for is an 8 1/2 foot wigwam that glows in the dark.
like used condoms laying on top of my truck, while there's stuck together in the sky

Don't say this again, please. *shudders*

There, their, they're, calm down and maybe we can come to an agreement, Theijuiel... If my rare faux pas in grammar(Pfft! lol) caused your erector pili muscles to expand and then retract, my apologies...I was still in the midst of A.M. "stupid time." And if saying, "used condoms" brought on that pathetic pili activity, If I had known you had never had sex before, I would have been more discreet with my words.

As for an agreement between us, the only time I can imagine a need and overlook the stupidity for saying the word, "shudders," is if you ever happen to come across an 8 1/2 foot used condom that glows in the dark or you're describing your last orgasm.

[lovethelake]

brought on that pathetic pili activity, If I had known you had never had sex before, I would have been more discreet with my words.

That should be a lower case if.

Sincerely,
Disappointed

[ambient sounds]

start a search party with other lost people and make some friends.

[lovethelake]

But seriously though, back on topic... anybody have a good GPS program app suggestion? I don't have an iPOS, so it'd have to be an Android recommendation. Although there are a lot of apps that are cross-platform...

[BROKENDOLL]

That should be a lower case if.

Sincerely,
Disappointed

Such a small, compact faux pas. You could have easily overlooked it, or worse, deliberately neglected it. But, noooo, your concern and care are genuine, and I thank you for that.


Sincerely,
Doesn't Giveashit

[BROKENDOLL]

But seriously though, back on topic... anybody have a good GPS program app suggestion? I don't have an iPOS, so it'd have to be an Android recommendation. Although there are a lot of apps that are cross-platform...

And you're nit-picking me about my fucking uppercase instead of lower case, I???

[lovethelake]

I don't have an iPOS

was followed by

And you're nit-picking me about my fucking uppercase instead of lower case, I???

I'm going to assume you that you live under a rock buried deep in Somalia, and have no knowledge of pop culture references. In most of the modern developed world, there is this device called an iPhone. Yes, the "i" in "iPhone" is deliberately lower case. It is absolutely mind-bottling that you don't know this, yet you have enough intelligence to connect to the world wide web via the internet and post on discussion forums. Google it if you don't believe me. This of course assumes you know what "googling means", but that might be pushing it at this point. Anyhoo tieandtheblowfish, I stated "iPOS" as a reference to the "iPhone." I was implying that the "iPhone" is a "Piece Of Shit." Wither or not the "iPhone" is actually a piece of shit, is definitely up for debate, but that hardly is of concern to you. So yes, the "i" in "iPOS" was deliberately lower case. But I applaud you in your pitiful attempt at correcting me. As far as your other concerns in my grammar...

Sincerely,
Disappointed

But seriously though, back on topic...

was actually followed by this little gem:

And you're nit-picking me about my fucking uppercase instead of lower case, I???

In case it wasn't clear, I wasn't being serious. I immediately followed up a non-serious post with a statement clarifying that I actually didn't give a shit. This all started when you called someone else out on their grammar, yet failed to adhere to proper grammar yourself. This isn't new. When you yell at someone for grammar, please check your own insult for mistakes. This could have been avoided. But do I care? No. Do I care that you are hijacking my thread with your defensive maneuvers, and dramatizing your insecurities to all these internet strangers? Mildly.

Again, back on topic... seriously though...

(OMFG I hope he responds back at me all cereal and angry, internet flame war in T-minus 5, 4, 2, 1,)

(actually, I don't hope he responds, I want the thread to return to the original topic. And for BD to kill himself.)

Sincerely,
Doesn't Giveashit

Sincerely,
Still Disappointed. <3

[lovethelake]

Was doing some research regarding good "find your car in a parking lot with GPS" apps for Android, and 2 of them caught my eye and stood out above all rest with almost entirely positive reviews.
First one, Carrr Matey, is free, simple, and pirate themed. Drop Anchor/Find Vessel? What's not to love?

QR Code


The other highly rated one is called "Car Finder AR" AR being Augmented Reality. This one isn't free, but for those of you with the newer smartphones that have a built in digital compass in addition to GPS, augmented reality is pretty cool. It uses your camera, and compass, and then shows you in "reality" where your car is. An example of augmented reality car finding on your phone:



QR code for Car Finder AR


Either of these will be awesome in helping me find my campsite. I think.

[Inthecolumbiagorge]

Was doing some research regarding good "find your car in a parking lot with GPS" apps for Android, and 2 of them caught my eye and stood out above all rest with almost entirely positive reviews.
First one, Carrr Matey, is free, simple, and pirate themed. Drop Anchor/Find Vessel? What's not to love?

QR Code


The other highly rated one is called "Car Finder AR" AR being Augmented Reality. This one isn't free, but for those of you with the newer smartphones that have a built in digital compass in addition to GPS, augmented reality is pretty cool. It uses your camera, and compass, and then shows you in "reality" where your car is. An example of augmented reality car finding on your phone:



QR code for Car Finder AR


Either of these will be awesome in helping me find my campsite. I think.

I have used the car finder app before and it worked great!

[BROKENDOLL]

I'm going to assume you that you live under a rock buried deep in Somalia, and have no knowledge of pop culture references. In most of the modern developed world, there is this device called an iPhone. Yes, the "i" in "iPhone" is deliberately lower case. It is absolutely mind-bottling that you don't know this, yet you have enough intelligence to connect to the world wide web via the internet and post on discussion forums. Google it if you don't believe me. This of course assumes you know what "googling means", but that might be pushing it at this point. Anyhoo tieandtheblowfish, I stated "iPOS" as a reference to the "iPhone." I was implying that the "iPhone" is a "Piece Of Shit." Wither or not the "iPhone" is actually a piece of shit, is definitely up for debate, but that hardly is of concern to you. So yes, the "i" in "iPOS" was deliberately lower case. But I applaud you in your pitiful attempt at correcting me. As far as your other concerns in my grammar...



was actually followed by this little gem:
In case it wasn't clear, I wasn't being serious. I immediately followed up a non-serious post with a statement clarifying that I actually didn't give a shit. This isn't new. When you yell at someone for grammar, please check your ownThis all started when you called someone else out on their grammar, yet failed to adhere to proper grammar yourself. insult for mistakes. This could have been avoided. But do I care? No. Do I care that you are hijacking my thread with your defensive maneuvers, and dramatizing your insecurities to all these internet strangers? Mildly.

Again, back on topic... seriously though...

(OMFG I hope he responds back at me all cereal and angry, internet flame war in T-minus 5, 4, 2, 1,)

(actually, I don't hope he responds, I want the thread to return to the original topic. And for BD to kill himself.)
Sincerely,
Still Disappointed. <3

How disappointed will you be when you find out that BD is a girl, and instead of depending on an iPhone or GPS to tell her where her campsite is, she's smart enough to look across a flat horizon for as far as the eye can see and find it because she knows what it looks like and approximately where she saw it last?

[BROKENDOLL]

BTW...If "cereal and angry" means the same thing as, "go fuck yourself," and you and I were to have an internet flame war after that, will you promise to fight fair and do it without your pocket protector on?

[M.Romo]

You could use the app 'Park N Find'...it works the same way...it'll even show you arrows of which way you need to go and exactly how many feet you are away from it.

Just download the app and activate it at your tent....you'll never be lost.

I use it for my parking at Coachella and it's been a life saver...it would work for you with your tent.

Did your GPS still work since I know there is poor cell phone reception?

[Stickjohn]

I don't think it's an issue of reception; it's just overload on the towers. I have no idea how that impacts GPS.

[lovethelake]

How disappointed will you be when you find out that BD is a girl, and instead of depending on an iPhone or GPS to tell her where her campsite is, she's smart enough to look across a flat horizon for as far as the eye can see and find it because she knows what it looks like and approximately where she saw it last?

Now I that I know you're a girl, I know that I can't take anything seriously that you say, since you're probably bleeding out your vag and PMSing hard. Stop hijacking this thread.

Sincerely,
Tampon Warrior.

[lovethelake]

I don't think it's an issue of reception; it's just overload on the towers. I have no idea how that impacts GPS.

That is what I was wondering. If I'm correct, an overload on the towers shouldn't affect GPS signal, but an overload on the towers is still an overload on the towers, meaning it can affect data consumption. These programs, like Google Maps, require data, so you can see the streets/patches of grass you are camping on/etc. Hopefully even with the overloaded towers, we will get enough data to show on our phones where our GPS is saying we are.

[M.Romo]

That is what I was wondering. If I'm correct, an overload on the towers shouldn't affect GPS signal, but an overload on the towers is still an overload on the towers, meaning it can affect data consumption. These programs, like Google Maps, require data, so you can see the streets/patches of grass you are camping on/etc. Hopefully even with the overloaded towers, we will get enough data to show on our phones where our GPS is saying we are.

That's what I was wondering since those programs do require data.

[lovethelake]

yeah we hope that it ends up looking like this (with GPS and data both working flawlessly)



...but I'm worried it might look more like this (GPS still works regardless of congestion, but due to congestion, no data = no image. Note the GPS location is still there with the little blue arrow, but no image)


Anyone try any GPS programs last year that required data? Did it work fine, or did you have data issues, leading to the lower image?