Once in a blue moon...outfitting for a new century

DOC-CANADA said:
... in fact we could possibly qualify for some kind of senior citizen considerations. :D

Doc
Click to expand...

The last time I bought liqour a few years back, I offered the young lady my license (proof of age I.D. required sign at register) and she said.. quote: "I'm sorry sir, we don't give senior discounts". :o This week I did get senior discounts at a motel and resturaunts.

You would be more than welcome to come along Doc. I plan these trips to be relaxing and not too physically demanding, but still present a challenge. I don't body-surf rapids or rappell waterfalls, or carry my canoe and contents over trails thru bogs. Nearest airport is Little Rock Arkansas. I can pick you up there on my way to the river.

I went thru one of the new mega-sports stores that recently opened about fifty miles away, a Gander Mountain. Someone wanna loan me a credit card? :D Whata assortment of gear! There is also a new Dicks there. I'll walk it next time I am in that town. And an REI about eighty miles to the East of me near Nashville.

I looked briefly at stoves, sleeping pads and freeze dried foods. Man, they had a Nalgene assortment I never dreamed existed! I still didn't see a ferro rod or those folding bowls, or good individual cookware pieces. I may have just not looked hard enough.

I cruised at speed thru the hunting aisles and past the looooong gun counter. I had to stop briefly and scan the three knife displays made like glass porta-pottys. Nothing jumped out at me. Their canoe prices were...ok, but the models presented were mostly sport/rec models for duck hunting. I don't need a square stern and motor for my wilderness trips.

My own canoes, like myself, are long in the tooth and leak a bit. I need Mewolf to come down here and re-glass Opal. Of undetermined make, she was salvaged from Hurricane Andrew, then spent hurricanes Opal and Erin strapped to the steel posts of my garage in Gulf Breeze. When I first saw her, she was sunk in a bayou next to an ancient swamped cabin cruiser. Tall weeds grew from her bow and at some point in her history, someone had reworked aluminum lawn furniture into "new" seats and thwarts. I swapped the owner a sawbuck for salvage title and took Opal home for refitting. Old Towne supplied the new ash thwarts and caned ash seats. Dang if I didn't have as much in the refit parts as I did in the original price! I cut foam to fit in the bow and stern under the new wood deck plates... you gotta have floatation! Well, this summer I took Opal to the lake for a fourth of July party and the kids sunk her. Not swamped, SUNK. I guess ants or whatever carried off the foam. The deck plates are cracked. The keel is worn thru from dragging over rocks, docks and sand and the epoxy I last repaired her with is gone.

A fifteen foot fiberglass canoe from the 1970's, possibly a Ted Williams sold by Sears, she is already very heavy. I'd like to get a new plastic canoe of a longer length and wider beam, but that may not happen. It depends on how construction work goes between now and then. I'll repair Opal in any event, but it is possible that I could buy a livery canoe in Arkansas when I get to the river.

Codger
 
Codger,

If you're still looking for a little cookstove, I built this little wood burning one using the instructions below and it cost me a total of $1.48 (only needed the paint can) It works like a charm - boiled coffee in under 5 minutes and all it took was a handful of dry sticks. It nests together with both MY MSR Titan Kettle as well as a cheap 6-cup coffee perc. One option anyway.

IM002962a.gif


http://site283.webhost4life.com/afm...pactstove/falk-compact-stove-instructions.htm
 
Thanks Brians! A very nice design and well done tutorial! I'm thinking of using a fuel stove design though. Wood fired campfires will be my mainstay, but for socked-in weather, I'll be cooking/heating water under a shelter tarp or inside the tent itself. Even the best woodfired stove will give off too much smoke and fume there.

Being an old Codger, I am naturally gravitating toward the stoves I used as a youth, the Optimus gas fired "box" type stove. I am finding them available on the secondary market, but collectors seem to be driving the prices to and beyond the magical "half-a-hundred" mark. Several more modern designs seem feasable, coming in below that price (sans fuel bottle), but for the most part they have "lunar lander" skeletonized legs or bases that don't look too stable to me.

I'm still looking though. Your suggestion is greatly appreciated!

Codger :thumbup:
 
Codger_64 said:
You would be more than welcome to come along Doc. I plan these trips to be relaxing and not too physically demanding, but still present a challenge. I don't body-surf rapids or rappell waterfalls, or carry my canoe and contents over trails thru bogs. Nearest airport is Little Rock Arkansas. I can pick you up there on my way to the river. Codger
Click to expand...

Hey Codger,

Thank you! I would love to, but it just wouldn't be possible. I will be there in spirit, of course, and will be looking forward to the pictures.

Doc
 
The billycan my Aussie mate sent me arrived today! In fact, he sent not only the modernized stainless version I had spied on ebay, but the traditional version as well!

The new style has a handle like a tea kettle and a round fireproof knob on the lid. The original style looks like a paint can with wire bail and a wire loop handle on the lid. Weights are about the same in spite of the size difference. Neither would make good ultralight backpacking implements, mostly because of the size, rather than weight.

The modern is of drawn metal (no seams) 5 1/2" diameter by 5 1/2" tall and has a small steel plate nested under the lid. The lid sits on a flange outside the billy. The original style is rolled sheet metal with a side seam 6" diameter by 6 3/4" tall. It's lid fits inside the top of the billy with a flange.

With two billys I can boil water to purify it or make some cuppa while I cook stew in the other. He sent a tin cup too, but I had my fill of them back when I was in the Scouts last century. A good way to brand your lip!

So now I only need to find my spondonical and my skillet. And buy a light-my-fire spork.

The kit is coming together bit by bit. And I cleaned and butchered another deer with the Becker Necker last night, so it should be well broken in by trip time.

Codger
 
I found an old gray Navy packing crate that the ex missed! All camping cookware. I now have all my old pots and skillets, three sierra cups, three knife-fork-spoon sets and... my spondonical! It is the original one that came with my old Optimus white gas stove circa 1974. Alas, the stove is still missing. But at least I am this much closer to reassembling my kit. Still thinkg spork over the KFS sets though.

I've been looking at the "White Box" alcohol stove mentioned earlier in this thread. It is like a coke can stove on steroids. Anyone here tried one?

Codger
 
Codger_64 said:
With the help of a forum member I've settled on a tent. Slightly used, the price was quite attractive.
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/mountainsmith/sanctuary/

Now to find a "lightly used" new century tarp like the Kelty Noah for a song!
Click to expand...

The Mountainsmith Sanctuary tent arrived today. I'll take the time to set it up tomorrow and get familliar with it. Might even borrow a camera and post a picture of it. There is nothing like getting a slightly used high quality tent at a price equal to a new Wal-Mart cheapie!:thumbup:

Now, back to the stove hunt!

Codger
 
I saw this and just couldn't resist posting. Sounds like you're going to have a heck of a time, Codger. I'm sitting here wishing I could tag along!

I know this probably isn't what you're looking for, but this little beer-can stove is just too doggone neat for me to resist posting: Penny Alcohol Stove

I do wish I could be of more help, but I'll be thinking of you. (And I'll try not to do so too jealously... ;))

Josh
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top