A thread about campfires.

[EmMay]

Qoute: '...there is something primal about a fire though...'

shenrie: my pops would tell me to keep an eye on the folks around the fire; at some point, or maybe for the whole while, that we're setting around we stare off, deep into the embers and flames. Where do we go, what source are we touching. He always hinted at the fire being our harbinger of the past we can not escape, a deeper collective consciousness...

Oh, and you're right, it is dry as a bone down here...

[daveb]

Originally Posted by EmMay

Qoute: '...there is something primal about a fire though...'

shenrie: my pop always hinted at the fire being our harbinger of the past we can not escape, a deeper collective consciousness...

I always think of how many tens of thousands of years man has told stories around a fire.

If the wood is wet I use a teepee but if dry I use the log cabin procedure. I try not to make new fire rings and use existing pits if possible. I don’t add rocks to a pre-made fire ring unless to make a spot for a grill.

I really like cooking a potato in foil overnight.



I don’t care who runs the fire as long as its kept going. When I was injured I had to use a cane to walk with. It soon turned into my master poker stick. That thing has been on many an adventure.



At times on trips where I want to bust camp and leave out early, a morning fire with coffee hits home and I don’t mind using a presto type log if wood is scarce.



Usually I use my butane torch to start a fire. For a long time when I carried small propane bottles I used a torch head which is a valuable tool to have on board anyway. Pine needles and twigs usually work as a starter fuel to get things going.



I only burn paper garbage and pack out glass plastic and metal.

[86Scotty]

Originally Posted by shenrie

part a: log cabin or teepee?
part b: deep pit or no pit?
part c: tall ring of rocks, low ring, or no ring period?
part d: other methods, fake fires, restrictions, etc. I know not all places allow open fires, especially come fire season. what do you in lue of such a circumstance?
part e: are you the fire master of your clan? if not, who commands control of the pokin stick?
part f: do you travel with a poker or do find one at each site? if the later, do you craft one or use as is?
part g: ever use fake wood?
part h: old school methods for starting like flint & striker, or gas and lighter?
part I: what won't you burn garbagewise?

So many questions. I had to quote for a refresher.

a. Teepee, actually. Looks like this is unusual. I'll have to try the log cabin trick.
b. No pit if it's not there already. Enough to do at camp without digging.
c. Any ring of rocks will do. I can't remember the last time I camped where there wasn't a ring already. I like dispersed sites but seldom find one without a previous fire or three.
d. If there is no fire I struggle to call it a camp. It's basically just sleeping in a van.
e. Whoever, but usually me. Oddly, my kids are not pyromaniacs like me.
f. Used to, until some kids threw it in the fire after I went to bed early one night. Damn kids. GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!
g. That's what she said.
h. I keep newspaper in every vehicle I own. Handy stuff. Also, a baggie of lint from the dryer works awesome. My camp kit always includes a plumbers torch, though.
i. Plastic of anything I don't like the smell of. I burn all the paper trash I can to cut down what I carry out. I also usually gather up any trash around camp that will burn not only to clean up but to cut down on need for kindling or using my own supplies.

Wow, all this thought is making me itch for a campfire. Think I'll load up and head to the East Coast meet. I hope there's a fire!

[rallypanam]

This thread needs more multimedia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSQ-1dtqw1A

[86Scotty]

Spot on Rob. It IS amazing! [emoji1306]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shenrie]

multimedia?! great thinking! these silly iphones take really cool slowmo footage of fire. ill get some this weekend!

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

g. That's what she said.

...totally left myself open for that one. well played sir, lol.

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

Wow, all this thought is making me itch for a campfire. Think I'll load up and head to the East Coast meet. I hope there's a fire!

off in an hour and wife should have everything packed. throwing motorbikes on back and were headed out ourselves

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by rallypanam

This thread needs more multimedia

Interesting perspective. To me, one of the primary joys of sitting around a fire is to decouple from all things technological. Staring into the embrace of dancing flames is completely hypnotic and mesmerizing for me.


Herb

[gcvt]

Originally Posted by shenrie

multimedia?! great thinking! these silly iphones take really cool slowmo footage of fire. ill get some this weekend!

Indeed! Allow me to waste three minutes of your day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDTFe-36DZA

[arctictraveller]

Prior to our Moab trip, I saw a video on fire rings. The author no longer used rings, but instead made a three straight sided enclosure. Two lower sides and one taller one in the back. The idea was that the oxygen will be pulled into the fire from the front creating far less smoke and the back wall reflects the heat towards the user. I tried it twice, and both times we were able to sit around the fire all night without the smoke following us and there was plenty of heat feflected forward. In addition, there was far less smoke in total. So, this will be my go to method unless further testing proves it dosen't work as well as it did the first couple times.

[86Scotty]

AT, can you post the video? That sounds pretty dang cool.