Click on any photo to see a larger version with more detail. :-)

Most of the two days was spent setting up the nose structure. It was a blessing that a neighbor named Bart stopped by to see what we were doing and offer some help. He worked with us for the next two days, sometimes joined by his friend Greg. The two had been planning to work on a structure at the Black Rock City airport, but a snafu with the materials meant they had a lot more free time.

Here I am placing the flag which marks the rear of the nose (farthest from the nostril doors). Everything else was to be based on this position. I planted several other flags to mark where the front and sides would reach.

As in all projects, I begin with visualization, even if only in the rough. So I dragged a strut around on the playa and scratched the basic shape of the base of the nose. Then it was time to get started with the assembly. I wondered how long it would take.

Early in the day I took a shower and found I could not take care of my hair effectively. So I asked Yvonne to give me a haircut.

What happened to all my hair! Actually, it was fun to get it cut off and it felt great!

Here the base of the nose has been assembled. The sheriff watched us build the nose for an hour or more. I suppose they decided to look for their keys under the streetlight after all.

Here the first struts that aren't part of the base are being attached. Notice the sarong. I'm finally settling into my Burning Man attire.

The structure is now three dimensional, a bit. Notice that one of the benders has already broken in the dry desert air... good thing I had a backup bender. :-)

The septum still needs to be built, but most of the first rank is done.

The sides are up and the septum is being assembled. It still won't support its own weight and as we build we have to add more and more 2x4s to stabilize the structure.

Yea, it's a bit chaotic in there. The dust on the camera lense is left over from the last dust storm, which must have been at least 10 minutes ago, at the most.

Here's a view of the Man taken from just inside the nose structure next to the septum. The man is fairly invisible. He's located on a white base behind the first lightpost to the left of the septum in this photo. Behind and to the left of that slightly is the Mosoleum.

There's Bart flashing the victory sign on the deck. The deck is being supported by 2x4s, but it is stong enough for two people to stand on as a scaffold to make it possible to build the rest of the structure, which reaches 15 feet in height. I brought only 8' ladders.

By the end of Thursday the nose structure was almost complete. Only about 25 struts remained to be attached. It was a hard couple of days and I had cuts all over my body. The cuticles of my fingers had cracked and bled and mixed with playa dust enough times that they hurt constantly and my fingers lost some of their dexterity.

Reward for working hard
Quiet, fiery sunset
Now I'll go to sleep

The next day we finished up the structure and added the vertical plywood sheet which keeps people on the front part of the deck.

Before the tarps could be attached it was necessary to attach some plastic foam (from pipe insulation) over any outward-facing bolts, so they didn't tear the tarps when the wind blew.

Now the structure is complete and all the foam protectors are on. The next step is to add the covering.

Here's a view of Center Camp from the deck.

The Penguins are pleased.

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