My New Cookset

I was asked by a couple guys over at Hammock Forums to show my new cookset using the Olicamp XTS as a cooking pot.  I should probably note a couple things before going on.  First, a camping cookset is an ever evolving thing and the only thing that's really possible is to show you what a cookset looks like at a given moment in time.  Its kind of like those machines they use to track atomic particles.  You never see the particle at the time it exists, you just see the tracks of where it was. 

Secondly, one cookset is not useful for all conditions.  What you would use for a weekend or overnight hike will have different requirements than one you might use for a 5 day long distance hike.  Having a set or sets that are adaptable through mixing, matching, deleting or adding components depending on camping circumstances should be the goal.

Its also no secret among those with whom I camp and hike that I prefer canister stoves for a variety of reasons.  While most of the rest of hiking world is out chasing alcohol stoves in the name of being Ultra Light, I like other methods for reliability or speed of boiling, and I think that there are lighter alternatives to alcohol when weight is of prime consideration, mostly because of the weight of the fuel.  That means my choices of components is going to reflect that bias.

A Bit of History

 

Yes, there will be little to no Math, but there will be some History.  I put together a cookset after the Cheapo Chinese Pocket Rocket stove beat the JetBoil stove hands down in a head to head race.  The principal advantage the JetBoil had over the Cheapo was that it was a self contained system (and I love systems).  I wanted a lower cost, lower weight cooking system that could carry the stove and all other implements need to make a boil in bag meal.  Traditional methods were attempted at first:

 

 

The Country Time Lemonade bottle just wasn't going to work.  I stumbled across a 10 oz. coffee can and the diameter was large enough that the small size fuel canister fit well, and there was plenty of room for other utensils.

 

 



The coffee can and the pots that I've used with it were covered in reflectix to keep dehydrated food hot while rehydrating with boiling water.

The cookset has gone through several iterations, with two basic variations:

10 cm IMUSA cup on top.  Inside the 10 cm cup is a Country Time lemonade bottle cover to use as a bowl or coffee cup:



But I later settled on a 12 cm IMUSA cup with the reflectix wrapped coffee can inside as it took up less room in the pack:

 

 

The contents have also varied, sometimes depending on the camping situation, but generally have always included the stove, canister, and canister stand already shown along with a piece of ladies ankle length hose to make coffee in:

Just pour ground coffee in, then a couple cups of water and let it sit for a while.  Works like a champ and weighs nothing at all.

 

Since I'd taken the handle off the cup to make the cookset pack better, I had a pot grabber:









 

 

And at Christmas time it was found that the lid from some promotional cookies sold at Lowes fit the 12 cm IMUSA pot perfectly, I added it and a magnetic cabinet catch to use as a lid lifter

 

I also ditched the orange plastic box provided with the Cheapo in the name of weight savings, and decided to use sporks I was picking up at Long John Silvers for free and started using a collapsible cup I found at Wally World as a coffee cup/bowl, and a small sponge and travel sized bottle of Hand Sanitizer for clean up.

 

 

So, Here It Is



The Olicamp is heavier than the IMUSA cup, but it does allows for some small weight savings to partially make up for that.  Since it has a handle, I ditched the pot grabber and since it has a lid, I no longer need the cookie can lid and the magnetic catch either.  So here's the contents, minus the ladies hose, just cuz I fergot:

 

The collapsible cup fits at the bottom of the cozy that I used on the outside of the coffee can

 

 

 

As well as the canister and stand



and that cozy fits inside the Olicamp

 









 

 

Then the stove and hand sanitizer

Then the sponge, and the hosiery coffee maker get crammed into the crevices

 

 

The lid gets slapped on, and the whole thing fits inside the cozy I made for the 12 cm IMUSA cup.  Weight is just over 1 pound 5 ounces.  Heavy for the gram weenies, but just right for an overnight and actually ends up weighing less than an alcohol stove set up if you're carrying alcohol for a week:

 

 



In a couple of weeks, I'm going to be doing some testing using the Olicamp vs a Stoic Titanium pot with an alky stove and over wood using an Evernew DX stand.  There's been some concern mentioned about the lid on the Olicamp melting if flames rise, so I checked to see if the cookie can lid fit the Olicamp and it does.  The weight difference between the two is negligible:

 

 

 

Especially once one considers that I'll have to carry the magnetic cabinet catch to pluck it off the pot.

If you're one of the guys who put together a cookset like mine, or who I have given one to in the past, most of the components in that set will work with an Olicamp, and that's a good thing.  I think that it adds a significant degree of adaptability.

Keep in mind, this is what works for me.  I'm no Andrew Skura, I'm an old man who's been out in the woods a few times is all.  This cookset is heavy by most standards, but I consider it medium to light weight (but not ultra light) depending on the camping circumstances.

Hope this helps and gives you some ideas.

 

 

 









I Believe It.

This was recorded at the church I go to.  As soon as this service was over, I went and talked about being Baptized.  It wasn't long afterwards that I began my walk in Newness of Life.

It is my fervent hope and prayer that it might do the same for you, or at least set you on that path.

"Creed"

I believe in God the Father,
Almighty Maker of heaven and Maker of earth,
And in Jesus Christ
His only begotten son our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary.
Suffered under Pontius Pilot
where he was crucified dead and buried.

[Chorus:]
And I believe what I believe in
is what makes me what I am.
And I did not make it,
no it is making me
It is the very truth of God
and not the invention of any man.

I believe that He who suffered
was crucified, buried and dead.
He descended into hell
and on the third day He rose again.
He ascended into heaven
where He sits at God's mighty right hand.
I believe that He's returning to judge
the quick and the dead of the sons of men.

I believe it, I believe it. I believe it.
I believe it, I believe it. I believe it.

I believe in God the Father,
Almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of earth
And in Jesus Christ His
only begotten Son our Lord.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
one Holy Church
The communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sin
I believe in the resurrection
I believe in a life that never ends. 

I Want To Go Backpacking For The First Time



There was a post on Hammock Forums a couple of days ago:

Moving from car camping to backpacking

I'm looking to make the move from car camping to backpacking, but I really have no idea where to start. I love to do hiking, but I've never really trekked longer than a day hike, or very far away from the safety of a base camp.

Looking at all the vast array of gear, hearing all the talk of weight weenies, and figuring out what I actually need makes my head spin. Where did all you guys learn the ropes? Is there a backpacking forum that is as informative and supportive as hammock forums?

I know I have a far way to go from my current setup for it to be backpack friendly, as I'm currently using poncho UQ/TQs. I figure this will give me something to obsess over as I save up some money for gear.

There followed a couple of pages of very good advice---all of which missed the point. The guy didn't know where to start.

I'll have to confess right now that I really can't remember the first time I went backpacking, or camping for that matter.  My Grampa gave my Dad a half acre in the woods as a wedding present and he dragged an old line shack onto it, then built onto it until he had a fairly decent little cabin that we lived in during the summers.  I literally lived in the woods while I was in diapers.

My earliest memory of car camping is a trip my Dad took my brother an I on.  We slept on a mattress in the back of an old Nash Rambler Beachwagon.  I was probably 5 years old.

I remember a frying pan, eggs sunnyside up, and bacon.  We were camped at the base of a mountain in southern NH where Pawtuckaway State Park is now.  At the top of the mountain was a Fire Tower.  When my Dad was a boy he used to hike up there and visit the Ranger.  I remember that before we could eat breakfast Dad said we had to hike to the top of the mountain to watch the sunrise.  It wasn't a long trip, we were parked in what was the parking area for the tower.  It was in that time of the day called "the gloaming," just before the dawn.  My brother and I were hungry and complaining a bit, but Dad told us we'd like the tower.

The sky was just turning purple when we got to the tower and climbed the stairs.  Dad was hoping to get into the observation room, but there was a padlock on the trap door, so we sat on the last couple of steps and I watched the sun rise for the first time in my life.  I remember Dad making a sound like "poop" when the last bit of the sun crossed the horizon on its way up and the sun formed a full circle.  The tower has now been refurbished and is a popular hiking destination at the Park.  I was surprised to find so many pictures of it on the web.  The one below is exactly the view I remember.

We went back down to the Rambler and Dad pulled out that frying pan and some eggs and bacon and made us breakfast.  I remember my brother and I saying that the eggs looked just like the sun rise.  I still think of that when I eat eggs sunny side up.

Now I'm straying off the subject, but Old Men are allowed to do that aren't they?

Here's my advice to folks who want to go backpacking for the first time:

Ignore all the advice you're going to get regarding equipment.  Don't worry about being a noob, and don't worry about going out in the woods looking like a noob.  Here's the ugly truth on that:  you're going to look like a noob no matter what you do gearwise, so don't even bother trying to find the "He doesn't look like a noob." gear before going out.

One of the most famous hikers of all time was a lady named Grandma Gatewood.  The first time she ever took a hike was when she just one day up and decided to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail.  She was 67 years old and her equipment consisted of an old Army blanket, an old shower curtain for shelter, and a raincoat---she carried that stuff in a canvas tote sack.

She carried canned and fresh food, and wore tennis shoes the whole length of the trail---several pair.  Then she went and did it one more time before she died

Now I'm not saying you should do what Grandmam Gatewood did.  Its actually pretty insane, but I mention her just to make the point that the equipment is not the secret.  Its not about the gear, its about the journey.  You're going to be dissatisfied with the first gear you get anyway.  Once you get hit with the bug, you'll always be looking for improvement on gear, technique, destinations, and all sorts of variables impossible to think of ahead of time.  I've been hiking and camping since climbing that fire tower 55 years ago, and I still don't have my gear the way I want it.

So here's what you do:

Set an achievable goal: one night in the woods.  Let's plan for that, OK?

The watchword is KISS:  Keep It Simple Stupid.

First, we're going to go out in Summer.  We're keeping it simple and cold weather camping takes experience in using and selecting your gear for safety.

You will need one lunch, one supper, and one breakfast.  To keep things simple, lets not cook anything.  Lets go to the store and get one of those pre-packaged Lunchables for lunch, make a couple of sammiches for supper, plus maybe a can of mandarin oranges for desert, and some Pop Tarts for breakfast.  Bring about a half gallon of water, and a cup to drink out of.  If you want you can bring some Tang or other drink powders to flavor the water you drink with your meals.

Get a sleeping bag, almost anything will do.  You could get a cheap tent, but keeping it simple really means checking the weather and making sure there's little to no chance of rain.  You could also get a small tarp to put on top of you or to lay on.  You should get a small First Aid kit and a flashlight.  Get a good book.

Now put all that stuff together, look at how much room it takes up, then go to WalMart and buy a backpack that will fit all that stuff.  One good way to figure that out is to put it all in a box, calculate the cubic inches of the box, and buy a pack of roughly the same capacity.

Now.  Stuff all that stuff into the pack, go to a State or National Park that lets you camp on the trail, or has a parking area a mile or so from one of their developed campsites.  Sling the pack on your back and start walking.  If you're camping on the trail, don't go too far from your car, just far enough away that you can't see it, maybe out of earshot of the road. 

Toss your sleeping bag on the ground, lay down on it.  Eat your lunch.  Read your book.  Close your eyes and listen to what's going on around you.  Eat your supper.  Go to sleep.  Wake up.  Eat breakfast.  Walk back to the car and go home.

Congratulations. You've gone backpacking for the first time.

Now come the most important part:

Evaluate your experience.  Think of what you needed and did not have.  Think about what you liked and didn't like.  What mistakes do you think you made?  What did you do that you think you can pat yourself on the back for?

Now, do your research.  Google Andrew Skurka and Ray Jardine. Join Whiteblaze or Hammock Forums.  Look for meet-up groups in your area.  Get gear that will address the results of your evaluation.  One of the great things about hiking and backpacking is that it is an intensely personal experience and each individual tailors his gear to his own needs and desires.  If you really think that pink fur anklets enhance your experience, get some pink fur anklets and wear them on the trail  Criminy, you'll become a frikkin local legend.  (I'm not recommending anklets of any sort here, just making a point, OK?)

If you're like most people, you have set yourself up for a lifetime.  You will never be in want of something to do with your weekend.  You will meet wonderful people and you will see wonderful things.  You will be intensely uncomfortable, and will thank the Lord for the experience.  My worst night in the woods was better than my best day at work.

I'll leave you with two bits of advice that are probably the most important words of wisdom I could impart on you as a first time backpacker:

Get out into the woods.

Hike Your Own Hike.

See you on the trail.





Camping

HIKING, CAMPING, AND BACKPACKING

"Camping" is a term that is used and abused by a lot of folks.  That's mainly because its a very general term for a lot of different outdoor activities.  Below is just my philosophy, an opinion, really.  Take it or leave it, you're the one who clicked on the link. 

There are, according to me, three distinct activities which many people erroneously lump together under the rubric "Camping."

First, there's Hiking.  To me, Hiking is a separate activity from camping, although can be included as a component of "camping" activities.  The folks who I define as "Hikers" are those who's activity on the trail is confined to walking distances with no real purpose at all (as opposed to going to the store), and that walk is planned to begin and end on the same day, usually at the starting point.  A hike is quite simply a long walk, usually in a wild or semi-wild place, but can also be done in urban or sub-urban settings.  It is usually done along a distinct trail or road, public or private.  The duration of the hike is usually long enough that it is necessary to carry along one or two meals and a quantity of water.

When we get to discussing "Camping", there are many different types. While these can be divided up into the various modes of transportation used to get to the campsite, "camping" is generally a sedentary activity.  Sometimes its a means to have a place to eat and sleep between destinations, sometimes the campsite is the destination in and of itself.  Car camping, Bike Camping (motorcycle or human powered), Kayak or Canoe Camping, RV Camping, etc. all fall into the general category of "Camping" as they generally fit that description.  Camping, when defined this way (and its my durn blog so we'll define it that way), allows the participant to bring along as much equipment, food, water, etc. as his mode of transportation will allow, and if he's on a long trip, the ability to re-stock between destinations.  Gas or charcoal grills, boom boxes, TVs, cots, multi-room tents, volleyball nets, coolers, chairs----you get the picture----that's what camping is.  Its popular with families who have children and fat old men who have given up on backpacking because they haven't discovered hammocks yet. Sometimes, Hiking is included as an activity during Camping in that the trip is a mile or two and begins and ends at the cooler on top of the picnic table.  Campsites are generally developed, easily accessed by road with parking nearby, usually with firepits and picnic tables, and there's probably running water and some kind of toilet facility nearby. The campsite can be commercial or public, or it can be on private property.

Now we come to Backpacking. Hikers use backpacks, whether or not they have just left the house that morning and plan to return there the same day, or if they're doing something to keep the kids busy while camping, but they are not backpackers.  The difference between Hikers and Backpackers is that Backpackers intentionally stay overnight after hiking.  The difference between Backpackers and Campers is that the backpacker's mode of transportation between campsites is his feet, and all of the food and equipment he needs is carried on his back.  He has no ability to restock along his route, unless he has pre-planned and pre-located sites to cache supplies.

So.  Are you a Hiker, a Camper, a Backpacker, or a combination of all three?

Perfectly Legal

Democrat Representative Linda Sanchez attended a briefing on the NSA snooping programs and says in the video shown here that we've only seen the "tip of the iceberg", and twice makes the point that "all of these programs were legal".

Godwin's Law notwithstanding, I'm going to point out here that, under German Law of the time, it was perfectly legal to kill six million Jews and that for four score and eight years it was perfectly legal to own a slave in this country.

Parthenon On The Prairie

Significant Other and I went to the movies last night.  Saw The Great Gatsby at the new Santikos Palladium on Highway 99 or, as I like to call it, The Parthenon On The Prairie.  I found it ironic that I was watching a movie about ostentasious opulence in a building that was ostentasiously opulent.  It has an absolutely huge lobby with restaraunts flanking the sides and second floor galleries all around.  There is so much going on in there that there is a "Guest Services" booth in the middle of it all.  I have been in airport terminals that were not as big or as busy.  Bas reliefs on the walls depicting the Greek military victories of eons past, paintings and etchings of gods and godesses, parquet flooring, Greek columns with pediments and caps, brass bling, and bright lighting everywhere. It looks as if Busby Berkely's set designer did this thing  with an unlimited budget after a long night of hashish and amphetamines.

There are 21 theaters, two of which are called "Art Theaters" and several of which are "VIP" theaters.  With my budget I can only wonder what the appointments of the VIP theaters might be.  It is rumored there is a bowling alley in there somewhere, but I cannot confirm.
There did not appear to be a ticket booth.  There were a dozen or so large flat screen TV  monitors on each wall flanking the entrance, about three feet high and proportioned so as to look like very large tablet computers.  I began operating said device and we found the movie we were going to see (Now You See Me)and several screens later I found, to my horror, a screen where one must choose the seat one wishes to occupy.  That's right:  assigned seating in an American Movie Theater.  In a Texas Movie Theater.  S.O. and I took a moment to survey the available seating options, chose two together, then advanced to the next screen, which informed us that the seats we had chosen had been sold while we were making the choice. A quick review of the remaining available options suggests that Now You See Me  will have a fairly good box office come Monday.

Thus we ended up choosing Gatsby as it seemed not as popular as the other, but alas the only seats available were down in the front and off to the right. The theater was up on the mezzanine by way of a set of stairs guarded by a blue shirted minion who checked our tickets to see if we were allowed access, as the mezzanine is also where the VIP theaters are and I'm sure they want to limit participation by the hoi polloi in all that goes on in close proximity to VIPs.  It was one of those sweeping staircases with brass rails and carpet and it was wide at the top and bottom and narrow in the middle but proportioned in such a manner as to only appear opulent---as the narrow part was so narrow that S.O. and I could not traverse them side by side (which was likley caused by the contents of her purse, those being some bottles of water, some candy, and other contraband disallowed in order to boost the bottom line of the theater).

The mezzanine is layed out much like the first floor with a restaraunt on one side and a bar at the end.  On the side opposite the restaurant is a large seating area with two very wide screen TVs.  There is no charge to sit in these areas, but one supposes their primary purpose is to provide seating for those who wish to spend their days and evenings at the bar.  The two "Art Theaters" are located in the corner of the mezzanine furthest away from the top of the stairs and next the bar which has to be sixty feet long (do you KNOW how many bottles of booze and bar impedimenta can be arrayed behind a sixty foot bar?). The entrance, of course, was guarded by two minions, these clad in white shirts with bow ties and black trousers rather than the blue shirt we encountered downstairs.  Apparently the duties of the staff is identified by thier attire, much like that of the crew of the Starship Enterprise. I wondered if there was a division clad in red shirts, thought of what thier duties might be in such a place, and prayed for them.

The Art Theater itself is one of those Stadium affairs we're beginning to see where the owners try to fit a large number of people in as small a footprint as possible, and thus array the seating vertically telling us the lie that its done so as to see the screen without the heads and hats of taller persons in front of interfering with the view.  This particular Art Theater was fairly narrow and the seating was arranged on a steep incline, the only other seating I recall having to negotiate that was as steep are those in the nosebleed section at Kyle Field.  One got the feeling that one was inside a submarine in an uncontrolable crash dive heading rapidly for crush depth.  I suddenly felt lucky that our seats were not at the top as I'm sure the vertigo induced would have killed me for sure, if not the need for oxygen.  I did, however, despair about getting out of there in the event of a fire or other event without suitable climbing gear until I saw another exit close to our seats and felt a bit better.

The seats are arranged behind long tables.  They are just slightly higher than would be optimum for eating from, and I'm six feet tall. They had a shallow ridge around them and were about 18 inches wide by twelve to fourteen feet long and thus resembled feeding troughs for Lilliputian pigs with exceedingly long legs.  Each seat is an entity itself with two, count 'em, TWO cup holders---but affords no opportunity to snuggle with your sweetie.  I wondered why there might be two cup holders, then rembered the bar, just a long climb and a short walk outside the entrance and deduced that they made provision for whiskey and chaser.  Large whiskies and large chasers.  Twelve ounce whiskies, at least.  The seats are on tracks and slide up to the table or, rather, are supposed to slide up to the table---mine did so in fits and starts while S.O.'s slid back and forth with the grace of a gazelle.  The seats are very roomy and lean back---but do not remain so.  The movement is not so fluid that it could be used as a rocking chair, but as soon as one gets leaned back far enough to see the entire screen when seated near the front and off to the right, it begins to lean you back forward to a position some designer thought would be better for viewing.  It is a constant battle to maintain equilibrium.  My guess as to who might have designed them was informed by the sudden unemployment of Soviet Special Police in the late 1980's.

Gatsby, however, was not the disappointment I thought it would be.  The sound track, while not the early 20th Century Jazz one associates with the story, was not as obnoxious as I thought it might be.  The story is well told and well acted, the pretty people are all as pretty as they are supposed to be, and the dreary ones are all as dreary.  The narration of Nick Carraway is well handled as a means to tell the story in as literary a manner as possible, but of course none of this is Fitzgerald and so much is lost in translation no matter how well the period is reproduced (or exaggerated where it needs to be). The book will always be better no matter how much money one throws at the screen. It is definetly an Art Film, but one with a big budget, big stars, and a well written story to follow.

In sum, I'd recommend the movie, with caveats, but the Parthenon On The Prairie is for those who go in for excessive opulence married to alcoholic high technology with a high maintenance mistress.  It was like someone took Astroworld, shoved it into a cube a hundred feet on each side, then dumped in the contents of Liberace's jewelery drawer and gave over management of the establishment to Paris Hilton.

The President Wants To Debate Me

President Obama wants a debate.

OK. Fine.

Here's my opening and closing remarks:

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Now if you want to see who I've been talking to on the phone, what I've been posting on the Internet, and buying with my credit card, show probable cause that you have reason to suspect I'm committing a crime to a Judge and get a Court Order that names me specifically and lets me know what proof you have.

Or you can continue with your ridiculous justification that you need to get all that information without me knowing it and without a court order in order to keep this country from being taken over by a Tyrant.

All I Know Is I'm Not Home Yet

For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. Hebrews 13:14-15 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Sometimes it feels like I'm watching from the outside
Sometimes it feels like I'm breathing but am I alive
I won't keep searching for answers that aren't here to find

All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

So when the walls come falling down on me
And when I'm lost in the current of a raging sea
I have this blessed assurance holding me.

All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

When the earth shakes I wanna be found in You
When the lights fade I wanna be found in You

All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

Where I belong, where I belong
Where I belong, where I belong

Don't Try So Hard

Another Monday comes and I just wanna breathe
Cause it's a long,
long week for someone wired to please
I keep taking my aim, pushing it higher
Wanna shine bright, even brighter now
Wish I would tell myself

Don't try so hard
God gives you grace and you can't earn it
Don't think that you're not worth it
Because you are
He gave you His love and He's not leaving
Gave you His Son so you'd believe it
You're lovely even with your scars
Don't try so hard

Do you remember how the summers felt when we were kids
Oh we didn't think much about it,
we just lived
Taking our time,
beautiful leisure
When did we start,
trying to measure up
And all this time,
love has been trying to tell us

Don't try so hard
God gives you grace and you can't earn it
Don't think that you're not worth it
Because you are
He gave you His love and He's not leaving
Gave you His Son so you'd believe it
You're lovely even with your scars
Don't try so hard

God gives you grace
You can't earn it
Stop thinking you're not worth it
Because you are
He gave you His love and He's not leaving
Gave you His Son so you'd believe it
You're lovely even with your scars
Don't try so hard

The Fish Rots From The Head Down

When a low level flunky in a Government Agency asks you to provide the content of your Prayers, then there's a problem at the bottom.

When the guy at the top can't tell you whether its right or wrong to ask that kind of question, then its systemic rot.  Its an indication that the low level flunky feels he is carrying out the wishes and desires of Leadership.  Its an indication that people who ask those kinds of questions and can't make the value judgement as to whether they are right or wrong get promoted to Leadership positions.