Aug 7-11, 2024 ✵ Camp Navarro, CA

FAQs about DWeb Camp

Here are the actual questions (and answers) you've posed to us in the lead up to the DWeb Camp. 

 

Getting ready for Camping:

WHAT TO EXPECT, WEATHER-WISE:

Temperatures range from  85 to 56°F degrees (29-13°C). There is almost no chance of rain; in fact, the area is suffering through a historic drought, so the swimming holes and river may be low. The good news: Camp Navarro gets warm in summer! So bring your shorts and t-shirts.

ACTS OF NATURE: The last few years have made all of us aware that acts of nature (pandemics, climate-related events) can disrupt events. The Western United States is in a period of severe drought and that can lead to forest fires. We encourage everyone to plan for as much flexibility in their travel arrangements as they can.

 

THINGS TO START PACKING:

Yes there will be toilets, showers and electricity!  But remember, you are still camping in tents, by and large, so you’ll need to bring the necessities for camping:

Partial list:

  • Sleeping bag + pad
  • Tent
  • Picnic blanket (for picnicking and extra warmth)
  • Flashlight/torch/head lamp
  • Camp light
  • Camp chair
  • Soap & Shampoo (biodegradeable only please)
  • Towels
  • Sunblock
  • Hat/wool cap
  • Bandana
  • Shorts
  • Long pants
  • Layers on top (Fleece, thermal, t-shirt)
  • Warm Jacket
  • Windbreaker jacket
  • Shoes or hiking boots
  • Sandals
  • Water bottle
  • Coffee mug
  • Board games to share
  • Snacks to share
  • Tea/drinks to share
  • Beverages/alcohol to share
  • Sports equipment (balls, Frisbees, slack line)
  • Computer and equipment for hacking & play
  • Yoga mat
  • Ice chest/ice for your drinks
  • Camp chair (important)

Please be aware that drones cannot be flown at the camp.

 
Here's the official Camp Navarro Packing List:

We’ll be offering you three hearty meals each day with vegetarian, vegan and non-dairy options. But we encourage you to bring extra snacks and beverages to share.  We’ll be setting up a DIY coffee/tea/cocktail station to get the party going. Please bring your alcohol of choice!

Also, we are striving for a low-waste event, so it would be great if you could bring a few cups, and other utensils—just like when you camp.

HACKING & CONNECTIVITY:

Camp Navarro has fiber optic internet access at 10-50 mbps upload & download with smart queuing. The site has little to no cell service. Wi-Fi calling is available, but not guaranteed that all devices will connect to the system.

In the 4,000-square foot hacking zone, we’ll supply power, ethernet drops, projector, screen, 6 large monitors, tables & chairs.  The rest is up to you! For questions about technical set up please contact our Technical Coordinator at: DwebCamp@archive.org

We are also looking for some volunteer network experts to set up a local mesh network throughout the site so we can communicate and work offline with the decentralized tools you bring. We have the plans and equipment! Contact us at dwebcamp@archive.org to volunteer.

HEALTH & SAFETY:

We take your safety very seriously, so there will be a 24/7 nurse and medical station at the Camp. Our Code of Conduct team will also be there 24/7 should you need support or want to raise a confidential concern.  Questions about the Code of Conduct? Email ethics@archive.org.

Like all natural settings, there are toxic plants and wild animals to be aware of at Camp. Mountain lions, coyotes, and rattlesnakes have been seen upon occasion. Poison oak is growing wild. There are mosquitoes and ticks. We will give you a thorough safety orientation upon arrival, but children should be supervised at all times.

-Please do not leave food out overnight or keep open food in the tents and Adirondacks.

-Please observe animals from a distance.

-Please do not attempt to approach or feed any animal.

DO YOU HAVE YOUR SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE?

Self-camping spots are abundant and free to registered campers.

Please be sure you've arranged for one of these options for sleeping:

  • You can bring your own camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc.)
  • You can rent a deluxe tent and bedding from us.
  • You can rent an Adirondack (open air) cabin, with cots and bedding.
  • You can rent a bunk in a shared cabin, with bedding.
  • You can rent an entire cabin for you and your team/friends. These have electricty and come with bedding.
  • We will have spaces for 15 RVs for a nominal RV parking charge. 7 have electrical hook-ups.
  • If you REALLY hate camping, you could stay at a nearby Inn or AirBnb. But we don't recommend it. The closest accomodations are from 20-40 minutes away. (In 2019, those who stayed off-site regretted having to leave.)
     

GETTING YOUR PARKING PASS or RENTING ACCOMMODATIONS:

When you are purchasing your tickets, you will see the parking and accommodations as well.  Select your options and then check out as usual.

Even if you rent accommodations and bedding from Camp Navarro, you should still bring:

  • lantern/torch/flashlight
  • towels
  • Optional: extra blankets for cold nights

About Transportation:

Q: I live in San Francisco and I don't own a car.  I would have to figure out transportation and lodging.  

A:  We will be setting up an informal RIDESHARE SPREADSHEET for people looking to offer/need rides to and from Camp. If you have 3 people in your car, parking is free.

We will also be chartering a bus for an additional fee. Buses will depart from the Internet Archive (300 Funston Ave. San Francisco, CA 94118) in San Francisco's Richmond District and return there as well. We will have one bus departing for the BUILD on Monday, June 19 and one departing on Wednesday, June 21 at 11am for regular campers. Return buses will be on Sunday, June 25 at 11am and for TAKE DOWN volunteers at 4pm.

Q:  Can we bring bicycles?

Yes! Bicycles are permitted on the dirt roads with-in the camp.

Q: Do you have an Electric Car Charger on site?

At this time, Camp Navarro does not have an electric charger on site. There are several Superchargers in the Anderson Valley at:

  • Navarro Winery (8.0 miles away) (Tesla SC)
  • Handley Cellars (5.5x miles away) (Charge Point)
  • The Bewildered Pig (4.2 miles away) (Tesla SC)
  • Greenwood Ridge Vineyards (7.8 miles away) (Tesla SC)

 

 

About Location and Weather:

Q.  How warm should we dress?

A:  Temperatures at Camp Navarro range from  85°F  in the day to 56°F degrees at night (29-13°C).  So be sure to bring layers!  

DAYTIME:  shorts, sandals, t-shirts, sun hat, dark glasses.

NIGHTTIME: Fleece jacket, sweatshirt, shoes, socks, wool cap.

Q:  Are there flush toilets and working showers?

A:  Yes! You are in luck. There are working facilities throughout the campgrounds. There are beautiful outdoor hot showers throughout the Camp. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: at Camp Navarro all water runs into the stream, so please only use 100% Biodegradeable soap (like Doc Bronner's!)  Showers will be provisioned with biodegradeable Doc Bronner's bodywash. Also please do not use toxic bug sprays (like DEET) and only mineral-based sun screen.

Who Should Come?

Q:  Would this camp be something useful for someone pretty new to decentralized apps?  (and would I be useful?)

A:  Yes! We believe this event will be exciting, enlightening and maybe even transformational for coders of all abilities, as well as creatives, scholars, community leaders, legal & policy folks, and anyone deeply engaged in creating the web we want and deserve.

Our holy grail: in 2016, a woman who was just graduating from coding school told us she found her future employer, life partner and best friends at our Decentralized Web Summit.  We want to open doors and create new paths that don’t exist today so the Decentralized Web will be a wide open space, where everyone can discover a way to contribute.

Q:  I want to attend myself, plus encourage 5 of my coworkers/friends to join. We all work to decentralize the internet. I'm curious about the events, as we may want to have some events ourselves while there.

A:  We encourage radical sharing:  bring your talents, workshops, musical instruments, topics to discuss, or hacking projects.  But we also encourage solitude, or small group time with your colleagues.

If you'd like to plan an activity for workshop for the entire group, just fill out this Project Proposal Form and we'll help you figure out the details and publicize your idea.

Q: I live nearby, so can I join people before the event to setup and test things?

We will be hosting 4 Open Dialogue calls between April-June. These calls are a good time to discuss how you’d like to get involved! 

 

Ways to Participate:

Q:  How can I be involved?

A:  There are so many ways to participate:

 

  • Volunteer: Become a "Link" VolunteerYou can come help us build (June 19-21), run, or take down the camp from June 25.  That could be anything from erecting tents to painting signs to setting up AV equipment.  It will be a time for a smaller group of volunteer “Links” to bond and build community. Plus we’ll have a blowout staff party Sunday night to celebrate our hard work.

 

  • Lead a Project: You could bring your talents and ideas and workshops.  This Camp will be crowd-sourced and community driven, with lots of opportunities for both planned and Pop Up workshops and sharing.

  • Lead a discussion: In an "Open Space" format, you could lead the kind of cross-sector talks that get to the heart of the matter.

  • Become an Organizer: You could become a Space Steward or Weaver. To volunteer email us at Weavers@archive.org or apply to be a Space Steward for 100% rebate on your ticket. Check our Help Wanted Postings in GitLab (coming soon) to see what kind of help we need right now.  

  • Suggest a new role: Offer up the role that best fits your skills!  For instance, we were thrilled when one camper offered to bring his video gear and run the Live Streaming for us--something we hadn’t thought possible. Just email us at DWebCamp@archive.org to suggest a role for you!

 

Q:  What are some ways of furthering more "peer discovery" to initiate important and challenging conversations?  Maybe some of this has to do with the "ideological topology" of scheduling and layout?

A:  This is one of our true goals.  To help participants connect internally with the values that drive their work; to connect with each other in new and surprising ways, and to connect with the environment.  So we'd love to have your input and help in creating the right “topology” or "containers" to enable that to happen.

That's why we decided to camp--it breaks down barriers and encourages community and communication.  We'll be cooking, clearing dishes, hiking, hacking, dancing, making music, swimming, building sculptures—together.
 

Financial Support:

Q:  Due to my financial circumstances, I would very much like to volunteer to cover 100% of the related costs. 

A: Read the Participate page and fill out the Volunteer application. (Closes March 31)

Here’s what we are planning:

If you come during the camp June 21-25 (Wednesday-Sunday) and volunteer for 5-three hour shifts (total of 15 hours) on a team like parking, food service, welcome & information, set up--you can get a 50% reimbursement of your registration. If selected, we will reimburse you after you have completed your volunteer hours.

If you can spare more time and come for the Build portion of the camp (Monday-Wednesday, June 19-21) or the Take Down portion (Sunday, June 25) then you can qualify for 100% ticket reimbursement by dedicating 18 hours before/after camp and 4-three-hour shifts during camp, (total of 30 hours.)  

Q:  I live in New Zealand, and I'd love to know if there's any support for people traveling from further afield - scholarships around tickets or travel.

A:  You can apply to be a DWeb Fellow:

DWeb Fellowships: We will have a number of travel stipends (up to $2200/each) and ticket reimbursement for our DWeb Fellows, "outstanding individuals who are creating or employing technologies in ways that uplift communities facing systemic inequality and help bring about justice and social equity through network technologies." (Applications close on March 7.)

The number of DWeb Fellows is based on the sponsorships that come in, so the number will vary over time.

 

About Families and Pets:

Q:  Will it be kid friendly?

A:  Yes!  And the first 15 children under the age of 12 can come for free.  Children ages 12-17 are $200. We will have a family camping area, where you can pitch your tent in a quiet zone, away from the music and late night gatherings. We will also have a family area with activities that young kids can enjoy.

However, you will be expected to be responsible for your children at all times. We won’t have much babysitting and you can’t just drop your kids off at an activity. So if you imagine yourself fully participating in workshops,  hack-a-thons and more, I think you should plan on bringing another adult who can take turns supervising the kids.

Q: How friendly is the camp to children? I would like to make it a family event.

We welcome kids and teens of all ages! We will have a full kids program, with super-talented arts educators leading the way. We’ll have part of the camping area dedicated to families with small children. And during free time there will be many activities that we think will appeal to kids. Here are some examples:
 

  • Nighttime stargazing hike
  • Archery lessons
  • Rock climbing wall
  • Yoga 
  • Building with Raspberry Pis
  • Game night
  • Campfires & storytelling & smores
  • Live music jams
  • Juggling, stilt-walking & puppet making 
  • Volleyball and badminton
  • Playing with drones
  • Movie nights
  • DWeb Library storytime for kids

Q:  Will you have a tent big enough for 2 adults, 2 kids, and baby? Or cabin?

A:  Good question!  Navarro is renting deluxe tents which come with a queen and single mattress & furnishings. There are also private cabins to rent.

We will have spaces for RVs for $250/space, with electrical hookup. Online, RV rental prices range from $100/night to $300+ for RVs that sleep 6.

Q:  Would like a little more information on the schedule and activities to know if I will actually bring family.

A:  Over the years our family programming has expanded. This year we plan to have two family coordinators, both of them experienced arts educators. You can expect a mix of science experiments, storytelling, martial arts, guest speakers, art projects, and a great cohort of parents to hang with.

Some details:

  • The first 15 children under 12 will be free

  • We'll have a separate family camping area, in a quiet spot

  • There will be lots of kid-friendly activities, see above.

  • Children must be accompanied by a parent at all times--we won't be offering babysitting services.

  • Our Camp is also 11 miles away from the Mendocino coast and 3 state parks.

Q: Are small dogs allowed?

A:  No, sorry absolutely NO pets.  There are coyotes and mountain lions roaming the area.  Per Camp Navarro policy: any guest who arrives with a pet, that is not a service animal, will be denied access to the property and not refunded.

 

About Accessibility:

Q: Are you wheelchair accessible?

  • Cabins 2, 11, and 12 in the lower, main cabin area have wheelchair ramps, and Cabin 23 is also accessible.
  • There is a wheelchair ramp behind the Lodge with access to the main Hackers Hall
  • There is an ADA bathroom in the main hall of the lodge.
  • The lower, main shower house has an ADA toilet stall in the women’s room and an ADA shower in the women’s room.
  • We can arrange for designated times for men to use the shower if needed.

 

MOBILITY
Camp Navarro spans 80-acres and much of it is along dirt paths, uphill.

Anyone who has trouble walking on uneven or sloping surfaces, or walking for distances more than a city block, may want to arrange to get a ride in a golf cart from level to level of the Camp. Perhaps this could be an organized “Camp Taxi” service with a way to contact volunteers to do the taxi driving. 

CLEAR AISLES

Liz Henry, DWeb Camper in 2019, offered these suggestions about accessibility:

I have suggested for the Hacker Hall areas, that we use blue painter’s tape to mark off travel lanes to be kept clear. This needs some signs as well and a little community education (announce it every morning that people should avoid standing in the travel lanes or putting backpacks in them).  

Everyone can help with this issue, set up all areas so that there are clear ways to enter and exit and get through them that won’t be blocked by tables, trash cans, people, etc. This is helpful for many people (not just wheelchair users). If you notice an area without a clear aisle, stop and gather help to rearrange the space. It’s super helpful!

Part of accessibility is community education to establish norms of being aware of access issues. Here are some reminders:

  • Don’t pet or feed service dogs
  • Maintain clear aisles in all the spaces
  • Speak up in discussions and use a microphone if there is one 
  • Respect people’s privacy about disability and medical history
  • Offering help is lovely, but, please respect “no” if you offer help and it is refused


HEARING
There is going to be music everywhere and often. 

There may be microphones in some areas, so, in a group setting for discussions or talks, maybe it will be possible to ask for Mics to be used and passed around.


SIGHTEDNESS
As noted above in the “mobility” section the Camp is big and multi-level. 

I am not sure of the accessibility of the schedule, web site, etc for screen reader users. The Camp schedule is in the app "Sched". There will likely be other notes, schedules, and signs around the camp on whiteboards.

Q: What is the lighting situation?

The main areas of camp and paths leading towards the cabins and Adirondacks are illuminated with bistro lighting. There are many unlit areas so please bring flashlights or headlamps.

Q: HOW CAN I DONATE TO  "ADOPT A CAMPER?"

A: We appreciate all donations to help defray the costs of camperships for those who need support to come. 

There are two ways to donate:

1) When you check out on the Ticket Tailor site, make a donation.  That will go to create more lower-priced tickets available.  Your donation in US Dollars is tax-deductible and we will send you a donation letter for your taxes.

2) Donate to DWeb Camp in Crypto.

To donate in cryptocurrencies, here is our DWeb Camp cryptocurrency address:

Make payments in or ETH here:

USDC (on Ethereum)

0xfcf0347f49d00f01555154c240b572ece24a9d7c

 

Please email dwebcamp@archive.org and let us know that you have made a donation. We will arrange to send you a tax letter if you would like one.