Been a lot said about Gennie etiquette and caravan space manners and such. Just thought I would throw out for thoughts on Camp Fire etiquette.
Me I love a campfire but since we stopped lighting one I have noticed all kinds of attitudes. What do you think?
bowlerbear said
04:40 PM Jun 5, 2014
Why did you stop lighting one and what sort of attitudes have you noticed?
Chris
dING said
04:43 PM Jun 5, 2014
A must have tis one of the most enjoyable
Parts of camping out bush but firewood can
Be a problem nowadays but I alus carry a
Small amount enough to get started cause
I cook 90% of my tucker on the fire and
It does not taste the same on the gas
And not to mention billy tea n damper
A absolute must where tis not banned
NeilandRaine said
04:55 PM Jun 5, 2014
I am not anti campfire I love to sit around one but unfortunately Raine has been diagnosed with emphysema so we now we steer clear.
I don't advocate people not have a fire and if they are that bad we have the option of closing the windows or moving on.
I may have been guilty of some things myself. Like being extra careful when setting up my fire that smoke doesn't get into our van............. but forget about other vans
camping right in the middle of a lot of vans at a free site and lighting my fire (never did that one)
Just thought it was a good discussion point and some things may come up others didn't think about
GaryKelly said
04:57 PM Jun 5, 2014
Yep, one of the things I'm really looking forward to is a campfire... probably not at every camp but at least some. Can't wait for a sausage on the end of a stick, or toast, or whatever. Sounds awesome!
jetj said
05:52 PM Jun 5, 2014
A small cooking fire in Winter for a bit of warmth as well, and a raging campfire in Summer or Fire Season are very different. I have nothing against the first.
dING said
06:02 PM Jun 5, 2014
Well tis true I like a small fire for cooking
And keeping warm by But SWMBO likes
A large fire so I keep warm by the fire
She keeps warm collecting wood and a
Damper made into a sausage like form\
And wrapped around a stick and cooked
In the fire tis pretty good to
-- Edited by dING on Thursday 5th of June 2014 06:04:05 PM
neilnruth said
06:09 PM Jun 5, 2014
We recently camped with our kids. It was bitterly cold so they turned the weber charcoal BBQ into a campfire so we could sit around it (No open fires allowed). It wasn't long before son no 2 was remembering our family camping days and damper on a stick drizzled with golden syrup. 'Mum can you make a damper to put on the coals?' I did and they loved it.
"Drovers, Dreamers, Poets and Aborigines" pity John didn't put "Nomads" in there as well
Willow said
08:32 PM Jun 5, 2014
We don't have a stove at home and cook on a fire every night so it is no big deal to cook on a fire when camping. If we can't have a fire we move on as that is our only means of cooking.
yeoeleven said
09:10 PM Jun 5, 2014
After spending a couple of weeks at Boulder Creek last year, every night round the campfire, I decided to have a box fitted on the rear of the coaster specially for campfire implements.
I have a cut down gas bottle, chain saw, axe, tripod, camp oven, jaffle iron and frying pan. Also spent 2 months looking after the fire at Greens Lake last year.
I rarely use an open fire and only fire up the choofer for cooking but in the last 2 days have cooked up potato bake and damper, after running out of bread and wraps.
After lighting a fire you cannot control the direction of the wind especially when it is gusting and swirling but I try to avoid lighting up when those conditions apply or in close proximity to other campers.
I am all in favour of lighting campfires unless there are fire bans in place but only responsibly and with due regard to the neighbours.
A campfire can be a great opportunity to create a get together and enjoy a good yarn or two.
John
wendyv said
09:59 PM Jun 5, 2014
I like a small and cosy campfire, but get really cross with those who insist on having huge great bonfires - unnecessary waste of wood.
Mousey said
04:06 PM Jun 6, 2014
gotta love a camp fire
pondsmob said
12:28 PM Jun 7, 2014
Love a good camp fire!
neilnruth said
12:44 PM Jun 7, 2014
We stopped at a rest area just out of Peterborough SA. It was amazing the stories that were told and the sense of friendship with total strangers around the camp fire. Those who didn't join us were the ones who missed out on a good night.
moblet said
04:16 PM Jun 9, 2014
You don't necessarily have to give up campfires if you have an issue with smoke. I rarely lit campfires because of the smoke (especially having the smell of it permeate all my clothes) but now do most of my cooking using a fan-forced wood-gas stove, which can cook a meal on a few handfuls of twigs. It smokes while the fire's getting going (the wetter and greener and wood the worse the smoke, just like any other fire) but once it gets going it's basically smokeless, with the exhaust smelling like a coal fire and doubtless laden with carbon monoxide, just like it says on the warning label. It reduces wood to fine ash like a slow combustion stove, and, once hot, can run entirely on burnt coals scavenged from the ashes of fireplaces. The key disadvantage is that it needs electrical power.
cooee said
10:19 PM Jun 9, 2014
Hi Moblet
I have just viewed a few videos and the wood gas fires look good.
How do you get on in the summer ? You would not be able to use one during the bushfire season would you.
What sort of cooking utensils do you use ? I imagine it would be too hot for most stuff
moblet said
08:59 AM Jun 10, 2014
cooee wrote:How do you get on in the summer ? You would not be able to use one during the bushfire season would you.
Correct, as an open fire and solid fuel stove it's one of the first things to get banned. I have a liquid fuel stove that I can use most days through summer.
cooee wrote:What sort of cooking utensils do you use ? I imagine it would be too hot for most stuff
A light saucepan or billy for boiling, a camp oven for frying. Between the controllable fan speed and controlling the fuel (i.e. how much of it and what size twigs) there is a fair amount of control over the output. It's not as easy to control as my pressurised liquid fuel stove, but my liquid fuel stove struggles to sustain really low heat outputs too, e.g. simmering a single serve of rice. I have the XL size (2nd from smallest).
If you were into fancy cooking you'd likely find yourself acquiring a tripod.
Been a lot said about Gennie etiquette and caravan space manners and such. Just thought I would throw out for thoughts on Camp Fire etiquette.
Me I love a campfire but since we stopped lighting one I have noticed all kinds of attitudes. What do you think?
Chris
Parts of camping out bush but firewood can
Be a problem nowadays but I alus carry a
Small amount enough to get started cause
I cook 90% of my tucker on the fire and
It does not taste the same on the gas
And not to mention billy tea n damper
A absolute must where tis not banned
I don't advocate people not have a fire and if they are that bad we have the option of closing the windows or moving on.
I may have been guilty of some things myself. Like being extra careful when setting up my fire that smoke doesn't get into our van............. but forget about other vans
camping right in the middle of a lot of vans at a free site and lighting my fire (never did that one)
Just thought it was a good discussion point and some things may come up others didn't think about
A small cooking fire in Winter for a bit of warmth as well, and a raging campfire in Summer or Fire Season are very different. I have nothing against the first.
Well tis true I like a small fire for cooking
And keeping warm by But SWMBO likes
A large fire so I keep warm by the fire
She keeps warm collecting wood and a
Damper made into a sausage like form\
And wrapped around a stick and cooked
In the fire tis pretty good to
-- Edited by dING on Thursday 5th of June 2014 06:04:05 PM
Gday...
I'll let Johnno say it for me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WzQLy5cGQU
Cheers - John
Wow, Just about a perfect anthem for Grey Nomads.
"Drovers, Dreamers, Poets and Aborigines" pity John didn't put "Nomads" in there as well
We don't have a stove at home and cook on a fire every night so it is no big deal to cook on a fire when camping. If we can't have a fire we move on as that is our only means of cooking.
After spending a couple of weeks at Boulder Creek last year, every night round the campfire, I decided to have a box fitted on the rear of the coaster specially for campfire implements.
I have a cut down gas bottle, chain saw, axe, tripod, camp oven, jaffle iron and frying pan. Also spent 2 months looking after the fire at Greens Lake last year.
I rarely use an open fire and only fire up the choofer for cooking but in the last 2 days have cooked up potato bake and damper, after running out of bread and wraps.
After lighting a fire you cannot control the direction of the wind especially when it is gusting and swirling but I try to avoid lighting up when those conditions apply or in close proximity to other campers.
I am all in favour of lighting campfires unless there are fire bans in place but only responsibly and with due regard to the neighbours.
A campfire can be a great opportunity to create a get together and enjoy a good yarn or two.
John
You don't necessarily have to give up campfires if you have an issue with smoke. I rarely lit campfires because of the smoke (especially having the smell of it permeate all my clothes) but now do most of my cooking using a fan-forced wood-gas stove, which can cook a meal on a few handfuls of twigs. It smokes while the fire's getting going (the wetter and greener and wood the worse the smoke, just like any other fire) but once it gets going it's basically smokeless, with the exhaust smelling like a coal fire and doubtless laden with carbon monoxide, just like it says on the warning label. It reduces wood to fine ash like a slow combustion stove, and, once hot, can run entirely on burnt coals scavenged from the ashes of fireplaces. The key disadvantage is that it needs electrical power.
Hi Moblet
I have just viewed a few videos and the wood gas fires look good.
How do you get on in the summer ? You would not be able to use one during the bushfire season would you.
What sort of cooking utensils do you use ? I imagine it would be too hot for most stuff
Correct, as an open fire and solid fuel stove it's one of the first things to get banned. I have a liquid fuel stove that I can use most days through summer.
A light saucepan or billy for boiling, a camp oven for frying. Between the controllable fan speed and controlling the fuel (i.e. how much of it and what size twigs) there is a fair amount of control over the output. It's not as easy to control as my pressurised liquid fuel stove, but my liquid fuel stove struggles to sustain really low heat outputs too, e.g. simmering a single serve of rice. I have the XL size (2nd from smallest).
If you were into fancy cooking you'd likely find yourself acquiring a tripod.