September 3, 2016. I arrived to my home in the Mojave River Forks campground about 6:00 PM Saturday evening and was greeted by nearly 100 fellow campers who had come for a Labor Day weekend reprieve from city living. A very happy crowd at that! Though the sky was unmarred by clouds it was filled with wind. And a lot of it. In fact, nearly all of SoCal was swept with a brisk, humid breeze flowing off the Pacific Ocean. No matter where campers set-up home, cooking was a challenge if they were not enclosed in an RV or carried their camp stoves inside a tent. Everyone camping on this side of River Forks are in tents.
My 1970's era two burner Coleman was right where I left it on the campground table when I left earlier as the sun was climbing to the mountain's ridge to the East. A simple dinner was planned and I needed one sauce pan on each burner. First though, I had to heat water in order to cleanup last-night's "leftovers" from those pans. And, so, I put a larger pot of water on the main burner and turned my attention to opening the all-important can of Alpo for Spot, and a beer for me. Water was warming quickly and I squirt in some dish soap, stuck a temperature-test-finger in; it was just right for washing dishes.
Meanwhile, the family to the North of me was busy stringing up tarps between the trees for a wind block. Whoa! There went a flying hat and it was mine! Across the road are a group of locals from the high desert, family and friends, lots of kids and one elder Cocker Spaniel. Undeterred by gusting wind they were occupied with moving stoves and grills to anywhere they could find respite from the wind. The ladies room? Okay, that works and, so, the other side of the facility becomes the multi sexual restroom.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my pans and spoons and bowl are clean and rinsed and water is starting to steam in the sauce pan for the pasta. Tomato soup and fresh broccoli are on the other burner and I have to take care not to heat it to quickly and burn the tomato soup. What's up with the wind? I reach for the not-so-smart Samsung and hit Wunderground.com. Hmm, gusts to 32 mph at the nearest station at Deep Creek, a few miles due North. I go back to stirring the soup and have to adjust the flame under the over-boiling pot of pasta.
So, what's up here? My leftovers on the stove stay warm for a second helping as the rest of the world struggles to get a hot bite.
Check it out in person at the Lucas Oil Off Road Expo, space 6107 October 1-2 in Pomona. Keep posted here for more information on the greatest camping tool invented since the Coleman stove.
My 1970's era two burner Coleman was right where I left it on the campground table when I left earlier as the sun was climbing to the mountain's ridge to the East. A simple dinner was planned and I needed one sauce pan on each burner. First though, I had to heat water in order to cleanup last-night's "leftovers" from those pans. And, so, I put a larger pot of water on the main burner and turned my attention to opening the all-important can of Alpo for Spot, and a beer for me. Water was warming quickly and I squirt in some dish soap, stuck a temperature-test-finger in; it was just right for washing dishes.
Meanwhile, the family to the North of me was busy stringing up tarps between the trees for a wind block. Whoa! There went a flying hat and it was mine! Across the road are a group of locals from the high desert, family and friends, lots of kids and one elder Cocker Spaniel. Undeterred by gusting wind they were occupied with moving stoves and grills to anywhere they could find respite from the wind. The ladies room? Okay, that works and, so, the other side of the facility becomes the multi sexual restroom.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my pans and spoons and bowl are clean and rinsed and water is starting to steam in the sauce pan for the pasta. Tomato soup and fresh broccoli are on the other burner and I have to take care not to heat it to quickly and burn the tomato soup. What's up with the wind? I reach for the not-so-smart Samsung and hit Wunderground.com. Hmm, gusts to 32 mph at the nearest station at Deep Creek, a few miles due North. I go back to stirring the soup and have to adjust the flame under the over-boiling pot of pasta.
So, what's up here? My leftovers on the stove stay warm for a second helping as the rest of the world struggles to get a hot bite.
Check it out in person at the Lucas Oil Off Road Expo, space 6107 October 1-2 in Pomona. Keep posted here for more information on the greatest camping tool invented since the Coleman stove.
