Converting a SUV into a RV is basically backpacking on wheels. We use much of the same gear. Recognizing that weight is not so much of an issue with the SUV, conserving space certainly remains critical.
To the surprise of many, we do not carry a cooler with us when we travel. Space is at a premium. Coolers are bulky and difficult to keep cold when out in the “hinterlands” for more than a day or two. When ice melts in the cooler, the contents often get soggy. Also, we have found no convenient way to refreeze gel packs.
We eat simply when we travel. The majority of our foods are the kinds of things you would eat while backpacking, except that we carry a small supply of canned goods. We always keep fresh fruit on hand. When available, we purchase pre-cut fresh vegetables and dip them in condiment size packs of dressing. In cool climates, veggies will last several days without refrigeration. We’ll offer some recipes and other food options in another post.
When cooking, we use a backpacking stove. Coffee is essential for us in the morning and most of our entrees require only hot water. We have tried a variety of stoves and heating elements over the years and found none to boil water faster than the backpacking stoves.
As an example, MREs are bulky, generate a lot of packaging waste, and their single use heating elements do not warm the water (or food) sufficiently. Our 1967-era two-burner Coleman stove has served us well over all these years. However, when backpacking on wheels, it is too heavy, takes up too much room, and can be cumbersome to set up quickly. Alcohol stoves are too sooty and heat rather slowly. Heating elements that plug into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter take well over a half-hour to bring the water to a satisfactory temperature even for instant coffee.
For years we used a little MSR Whisper Light stove for backpacking. We currently use a tiny Snow Peak Gigapower Stove (it measures 3.5” high x 1.5”x2” wide in its carrying case). The Jet Boil systems also look very promising for quick water boil, although they do not appear to be as flexible when accommodating different size cooking pots.
We use both ground and instant coffees in the morning, depending on how quickly we want to break camp. More leisurely mornings offer time for a scoop of our favorite Café du Monde coffee and boiling water poured into individual coffee presses. (A bit messy clean up but great coffee!) We use instant coffee in travel cups when we are on the go.
To purify our drinking water, we use a small Katydyn water filter (see http://www.katadyn.com/katadyn-products/). After several bouts of amoebic dysentery over the years, purified water is a must for us. We stow a three-gallon water jug behind the front seats and keep water bottles handy at all times.
To keep the kitchen items dry, we pack the stove, fuel, matches (including water proof matches), funnel, etc., in a small plastic tub that is lashed tight with a backpacking strap.
Cooking utensils include a small backpacking non-stick cooking pot and skillet, small cutting board, two collapsible bowls and mugs, a can opener, a stirring spoon, spatula, and two fork/knife/spoon sets. I also carry a zip storage bag filled with spices in old film canisters. As an added safety measure, we try to store all food and cooking items in OP Sak odor protection bags when in bear country.
We'll dive deeper into the kitchen on our next post.
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