Hello out there, all you MOOP maniacs and line sweepers extraordinaire! After a nail-biting interlude, we are BACK with the results of the next round of MOOP Map Live 2012. Our brave Playa Restoration moopers are nearly done combing Black Rock City, and let me tell you, this year they’re going above and beyond to cover more of the city than has ever been mooped!

Some of you diehard fans out there have noticed that there’s a significant delay between when each round wraps up, and when we post the score here. That’s because mooping is an art and a science! Read on to find out more.

How the MOOP Map is Made

When you’re working in the middle of nowhere and details matter, your most important tool is your GPS unit. DPW’s tech wizard Bubblegique maintains a GPS-coordinated map of the entire Burning Man site. Throughout the season, everything from art sites, to roads, to photographs can be added to that map. As the MOOP Line wends its way through the city, it adds its own records of hot spots and other significant locations.

The key players here are the Scribes, a team of no-nonsense, hard-working women whose job is to record everything accurately. They’re equipped with GPS units, as well as tablet computers with block-by-block maps of the city. As the MOOP Line discovers hot spots, the scribes note exactly what was found. They color each block of the map while it’s being walked, and record GPS locations for significant hot spots.

At the end of the day, all the Playa Restoration team leaders meet at the Black Rock Saloon, and the Scribes fill in the physical map to match the maps on their computers. The rest of the team leaders discuss the day’s results and make a plan for the following day.

Still, the map isn’t done yet! Next it goes to D.A., Playa Restoration Manager. He verifies each block, checks the Scribes’ notes and makes a higher-quality MOOP Map which we can then share with you on this blog.

Finally, all the GPS hotspots will be matched with the map, all the data double- and triple-checked — and THEN, only then will we see the final, high-resolution MOOP Map 2012 in all its detail and glory!

Day 4 Results

With no further ado, here is the next set of scores. On Day 4, the MOOP Line marched all the way from 7:00 to 10:00 between Foxglove and Iris, then turned around and marched right back to 7:00 between Columbine and Foxglove!

MOOP Map Legend:

GREEN: GO! GO! GO! The Line Sweep moves quickly because it’s clean. Minimal time and effort spent in this location.

YELLOW: Caution! The Line Sweep moves at a stop-and-go pace. Moderate time and effort spent in this location.

RED: Full stop. The Line Sweepers are on their hands and knees. A ton of MOOP. Extensive time and effort in this location.

Yikes! Well, Black Rock City, you threw us a few curve balls today. With scattered hot spots and yellow zones — even a few surprise red zones — stretching all the way from 8:30 to 10:00, our MOOP Line Sweep just couldn’t get a rhythm going. But they powered through for another victory nonetheless, and you can be sure that those blocks are now spotless and ready for the BLM inspection!

How did your camp fare? Did the results surprise you? What was your MOOP prevention strategy this year? What will you do differently next time?

We’ll be back real soon with more results and updates from the field. ‘Til then, this is The Hun signing off.

Photos by Vertumnus. MOOP Meter by Ballyhoo Betty!