Camping stuff

Well, my camping has been in two, very different styles. (1)When I was
young ...backpacking and mountaineering, bivy bags, MSR stoves, etc (2) For
my business and in my current not young state .. travel trailer, TV,
microwave, generator, shower, etc

But, each of the last few summers I've wanted to go visit a stream(s) where
taking the trailer was too big a pain, or no place to park it exists. And
my bivy bag days are long gone ... comfort is priority #1 for this old
grump.

So, I'm thinking of getting a minimal amount of in-between "car camping"
gear so that I can leave the trailer and go stay in the Slough Creek
campground ( example) for a night or two and thus make the FDR ( fishing to
driving ratio ) reasonable. I have plenty of storage room in my truck, but
I'd like suggestions on what I need to consider getting and taking to be
reasonably comfortable in tent camping mode.

Fellow roffians ( ok I'm just a fringe roffian, but you get the idea ) how
about a car/tent camping check list? Be specific if a particular brand/
type of item is preferred

"Larry L" wrote in message
...
Well, my camping has been in two, very different styles. (1)When I was
young ...backpacking and mountaineering, bivy bags, MSR stoves, etc (2)
For my business and in my current not young state .. travel trailer, TV,
microwave, generator, shower, etc

But, each of the last few summers I've wanted to go visit a stream(s)
where taking the trailer was too big a pain, or no place to park it
exists. And my bivy bag days are long gone ... comfort is priority #1
for this old grump.

So, I'm thinking of getting a minimal amount of in-between "car camping"
gear so that I can leave the trailer and go stay in the Slough Creek
campground ( example) for a night or two and thus make the FDR ( fishing
to driving ratio ) reasonable. I have plenty of storage room in my
truck, but I'd like suggestions on what I need to consider getting and
taking to be reasonably comfortable in tent camping mode.

Fellow roffians ( ok I'm just a fringe roffian, but you get the idea ) how
about a car/tent camping check list? Be specific if a particular brand/
type of item is preferred

Coleman's two burner gasoline stove is still the best I've seen for camp
cooking. A lot of people prefer the newer propane models. John told me a
couple of weeks ago in NC that he refills his propane tanks, thus
eliminating one of my major objections to them, but others remain. Propane
cylinders don't deliver fuel very well at below freezing temperatures. And
I've never seen a propane burning stove that puts out the heat of gasoline
models. Gasoline.....despite the recent rape of the American consumer....is
also still cheaper than propane. I used one of the gasoline models for
thirty-five years, until it was lost somehow.....it still worked
beautifully.

Coleman also makes excellent gasoline fueled lamps that put out a LOT of
light and burn for a long time.

As long as weight isn't a consideration, you can't beat cast iron for
cookware. It's virtually indestructible, cheap, thick enough to minimize
hot spots, and you can cook directly in the campfire if necessary or
desirable. Lodge makes a very diverse line of high quality cast iron
cookware. At the very least, you should have a cast iron Dutch oven....the
model with the flat top with a raised edge. These are designed specifically
to cook in a bed of hot coals.....the raised rim on the lid makes it
possible to heap coals on top. This makes it ideal for baking.

Wolfgang

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...
//snip// Coleman's two burner gasoline stove is still the best I've seen
for camp cooking. A lot of people prefer the newer propane models. John
told me a couple of weeks ago in NC that he refills his propane tanks,
thus eliminating one of my major objections to them, but others remain.
Propane cylinders don't deliver fuel very well at below freezing
temperatures. And I've never seen a propane burning stove that puts out
the heat of gasoline models. Gasoline.....despite the recent rape of the
American consumer....is also still cheaper than propane. I used one of
the gasoline models for thirty-five years, until it was lost
somehow.....it still worked beautifully.

I also have a Coleman two-burner, and it's good if you're cooking for more
than one. I've tried both gasoline and butane/propane, and I like the newer
ones better. The butane/propane mix puts out a LOT of heat, and is easy to
control with no worry about spilling fuel. But Wolfgang is right about cold
weather. Also, in moist weather the propane/butane canister will develop a
layer of ice as it cools during use.

Coleman also makes excellent gasoline fueled lamps that put out a LOT of
light and burn for a long time.

As long as weight isn't a consideration, you can't beat cast iron for
cookware. It's virtually indestructible, cheap, thick enough to minimize
hot spots, and you can cook directly in the campfire if necessary or
desirable. Lodge makes a very diverse line of high quality cast iron
cookware. At the very least, you should have a cast iron Dutch
oven....the model with the flat top with a raised edge. These are
designed specifically to cook in a bed of hot coals.....the raised rim on
the lid makes it possible to heap coals on top. This makes it ideal for
baking.

That is very good advice. If weight is not a consideration, you can't beat
cast iron. But Wolfgang enjoys cooking almost as much as I enjoy fishing.
And he's good at it, which I ain't.

Bob

Wolfgang wrote:

Coleman's two burner gasoline stove is still the best I've seen for camp
cooking. A lot of people prefer the newer propane models. John told me a
couple of weeks ago in NC that he refills his propane tanks, thus
eliminating one of my major objections to them, but others remain.

You can buy an adapter (approx. $25) that lets you hook an ordinary
propane tank to your two-burner Coleman stove. That stove isn't exactly
backpacking equipment. There's no excuse to throwing away those little
green tanks.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

"rw" wrote in message
m...
Wolfgang wrote:

Coleman's two burner gasoline stove is still the best I've seen for camp
cooking. A lot of people prefer the newer propane models. John told me
a couple of weeks ago in NC that he refills his propane tanks, thus
eliminating one of my major objections to them, but others remain.

You can buy an adapter (approx. $25) that lets you hook an ordinary
propane tank to your two-burner Coleman stove. That stove isn't exactly
backpacking equipment. There's no excuse to throwing away those little
green tanks.

I'm not sure whether you're suggesting that a propane burner can be adapted
to run off the big tanks, which is a good idea both economically and
ecologically, or that the gasoline burner can be converted. In the former
case, that sort of thing has been around for a long time. I rigged a torch
to run off one of the big tanks a few years ago when I was doing a lot of
soldering. In the latter case, it would be a neat trick (if safe) but
personally I don't see any great advantage to the propane that offsets those
of gasoline. I view it more as a matter of individual taste than any real
practical significance.....once we get passed the tiny propane tanks.
Anyone looking to buy a new stove should get whichever he or she prefers.
The only people in the market for such a conversion would be those who
already have a gasoline burner and then discover that they prefer the
propane.

Wolfgang

"rw" wrote in message
m...
You can buy an adapter (approx. $25) that lets you hook an ordinary
propane tank to your two-burner Coleman stove. That stove isn't
exactly backpacking equipment. There's no excuse to throwing away
those little green tanks.

Wolfgang wrote:
I'm not sure whether you're suggesting that a propane burner can be
adapted to run off the big tanks, which is a good idea both
economically and ecologically, or that the gasoline burner can be
converted.

Coleman makes adapters (high pressure hoses with big and small ends) for
this and also has a three outlet 'tree' so you can run two stoves and a
lantern off of a bulk tank. The one I used to have was obsoleted when they
changed the connector on the bulk tanks a couple of years ago. I could
screw a propane lantern on top of the tree, and run my stove and portable
grill at the same time.
--
Stan Gula
http://gula.org/roffswaps

"rw" wrote in message
m...
You can buy an adapter (approx. $25) that lets you hook an ordinary
propane tank to your two-burner Coleman stove. That stove isn't
exactly backpacking equipment. There's no excuse to throwing away
those little green tanks.

Wolfgang wrote:
I'm not sure whether you're suggesting that a propane burner can be
adapted to run off the big tanks, which is a good idea both
economically and ecologically, or that the gasoline burner can be
converted.

Coleman makes adapters (high pressure hoses with big and small ends) for
this and also has a three outlet 'tree' so you can run two stoves and a
lantern off of a bulk tank. The one I used to have was obsoleted when they
changed the connector on the bulk tanks a couple of years ago. I could
screw a propane lantern on top of the tree, and run my stove and portable
grill at the same time.
--
Stan Gula
http://gula.org/roffswaps

"rw" wrote in message
m...
Wolfgang wrote:

Coleman's two burner gasoline stove is still the best I've seen for camp
cooking. A lot of people prefer the newer propane models. John told me
a couple of weeks ago in NC that he refills his propane tanks, thus
eliminating one of my major objections to them, but others remain.

You can buy an adapter (approx. $25) that lets you hook an ordinary
propane tank to your two-burner Coleman stove. That stove isn't exactly
backpacking equipment. There's no excuse to throwing away those little
green tanks.

I'm not sure whether you're suggesting that a propane burner can be adapted
to run off the big tanks, which is a good idea both economically and
ecologically, or that the gasoline burner can be converted. In the former
case, that sort of thing has been around for a long time. I rigged a torch
to run off one of the big tanks a few years ago when I was doing a lot of
soldering. In the latter case, it would be a neat trick (if safe) but
personally I don't see any great advantage to the propane that offsets those
of gasoline. I view it more as a matter of individual taste than any real
practical significance.....once we get passed the tiny propane tanks.
Anyone looking to buy a new stove should get whichever he or she prefers.
The only people in the market for such a conversion would be those who
already have a gasoline burner and then discover that they prefer the
propane.

Wolfgang

"Wolfgang" wrote in message ...
"Larry L" wrote in message
...
Well, my camping has been in two, very different styles. (1)When I was
young ...backpacking and mountaineering, bivy bags, MSR stoves, etc (2)
For my business and in my current not young state .. travel trailer, TV,
microwave, generator, shower, etc

But, each of the last few summers I've wanted to go visit a stream(s)
where taking the trailer was too big a pain, or no place to park it
exists. And my bivy bag days are long gone ... comfort is priority #1
for this old grump.

So, I'm thinking of getting a minimal amount of in-between "car camping"
gear so that I can leave the trailer and go stay in the Slough Creek
campground ( example) for a night or two and thus make the FDR ( fishing
to driving ratio ) reasonable. I have plenty of storage room in my
truck, but I'd like suggestions on what I need to consider getting and
taking to be reasonably comfortable in tent camping mode.

Fellow roffians ( ok I'm just a fringe roffian, but you get the idea ) how
about a car/tent camping check list? Be specific if a particular brand/
type of item is preferred

Coleman's two burner gasoline stove is still the best I've seen for camp
cooking. A lot of people prefer the newer propane models. John told me a
couple of weeks ago in NC that he refills his propane tanks, thus
eliminating one of my major objections to them, but others remain. Propane
cylinders don't deliver fuel very well at below freezing temperatures. And
I've never seen a propane burning stove that puts out the heat of gasoline
models. Gasoline.....despite the recent rape of the American consumer....is
also still cheaper than propane. I used one of the gasoline models for
thirty-five years, until it was lost somehow.....it still worked
beautifully.

Coleman also makes excellent gasoline fueled lamps that put out a LOT of
light and burn for a long time.

As long as weight isn't a consideration, you can't beat cast iron for
cookware. It's virtually indestructible, cheap, thick enough to minimize
hot spots, and you can cook directly in the campfire if necessary or
desirable. Lodge makes a very diverse line of high quality cast iron
cookware. At the very least, you should have a cast iron Dutch oven....the
model with the flat top with a raised edge. These are designed specifically
to cook in a bed of hot coals.....the raised rim on the lid makes it
possible to heap coals on top. This makes it ideal for baking.

Wolfgang
Ole took a skydiving class and when he fihished he went up for his
first soll jump. He dove out of the airplane and pulled the ripcord.
The chute
emerged, tangled, and he cut it free. He then pulled the cord on the
reserve chute, and it also was tangled. He prayed to his God and
looked
down to the ground below. To his amazement, a woman was coming up with
equal velocity. "Hey, you know anything about parachutes?" he shouted
to her, as they passed by. The reply: "No... you know anything about
Coleman stoves?"

Wolfgang wrote:

Coleman's two burner gasoline stove is still the best I've seen for camp
cooking. A lot of people prefer the newer propane models. John told me a
couple of weeks ago in NC that he refills his propane tanks, thus
eliminating one of my major objections to them, but others remain.

You can buy an adapter (approx. $25) that lets you hook an ordinary
propane tank to your two-burner Coleman stove. That stove isn't exactly
backpacking equipment. There's no excuse to throwing away those little
green tanks.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.