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Pacerized · 06-24-2009, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkowalyk

Sounds like the political correct crowd is moving into the campground -- no secondhand smoke allowed. For those of you -- try the the Walmart Parking lot.

:-)

I thought that's what KOA's were for.

Isadora · 06-24-2009, 09:52 PM

Count me in as one who loves a campfire in the evening, sipping a drink, telling tall tales and solving the world's problems over a toasted marshmallow........and then there is the morning campfire, waking up with coffee before starting the day. And the noon campfire, cooking hot dogs and making squaw bread, and potatoes roasting in the coals....ok I confess, I was a Girl Scout leader in a former life. I love the smell of wood smoke, and I make a fire in my fire pit at home every chance I get.

mello mike · 06-24-2009, 10:00 PM

Put me in the crowd of those who loves campfires. I mostly boondock so I enjoy that aspect of camping. Smores and weinies on a campfire!!! Yummmm!!

JDL · 06-24-2009, 10:11 PM

Love the heat hate the smoke. I have asthma too. So I try to say downwind a lot...

mandolindave · 06-24-2009, 11:37 PM

Consider the psycological aspects of being gathered around a campfire.

It brings us closer to a more primitive social setting. I think a campfire
enhances interaction. Don't know why, but it sure seems to.

P.S. Not good to cook with duroflame

BDandTTs · 06-25-2009, 07:11 AM

I hate campfires -- the smoldering ones, that last from my neighbor's checkin to checkout. Smoke lingers and hangs and drifts in every direction, but especially into our open windows and roof vent. Even the airconditioner brings in the smokey smell.
Yes, I have a particular past experience in mind -- a private park in Chattanooga, TN. It rained on Friday night, their firewood was evidently uncovered. Then, Saturday morning the hissing and smoke began, not a bright flame in sight. By early afternoon Saturday, my eyes were stinging and watering even when inside. The campfire ring was usually deserted but smoldered on. Noticed some activity, approached and asked if they'd noticed that the smoke was excessive and drifting right over my trailer. Would they try to get a fire going so there was less smoke? "WE ALWAYS HAVE A FIRE, THIS IS WHY WE CAMP". Well, OK. I slink away, try to ignore the glares, and wait impatiently for checkout time.

On the other hand, a good flaming campfire in the evening, encircled with family and old and new friends cannot be beat.

digger bear · 06-25-2009, 07:28 AM

The only time I really have a problem with it is when someone throws in one of those copper tubes stuffed with God knows what to get colors. They are pretty but - I am scared to death to know what metals and plastic are being inhaled into our systems.

Paul&Dee · 06-25-2009, 08:09 AM

On our trip last weekend, the temps were in the 80s and we had 3 campfires going around us the entire weekend. The guy across from us sat and looked
at his fire all day long. No camaraderie, no cookng smores, just lots of smoke.

Can't wait until the drought comes back and they ban outdoor fires again.

overlander63 · 06-25-2009, 08:26 AM

As long as there's not more smoke than fire. I really don't like encountering a "campsmoke". We were next door to one that was so bad, the smoke alarm in the trailer kept going off--with the windows closed.

76sovereign · 06-25-2009, 08:52 AM

Amen!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandolindave

consider the psycological aspects of being gathered around a campfire.

It brings us closer to a more primitive social setting. I think a campfire
enhances interaction. Don't know why, but it sure seems to.

P.s. Not good to cook with duroflame

newroswell · 06-25-2009, 11:17 AM

There are a lot of experiences being shared that are basically "bad neighbor" stories. You could replace the campfire with loud music, drunken shouting matches, screaming kids, running toys into your vehicles, or barking dogs. Critiquing drinking, kids and dogs is harder here than campfires though.

On our last trip someone had their car alarm going off for probably a total 4 hours, 10-20 minutes at a time, over 3 days. After the first day of this, several people in the park would just hit the panic button on their own car alarm key fob to honk back. I'm sure he had lots of suggestions for various ways to fix it! But the honking continued.

Same trip, someone had a storage compartment door that sounded like nails on a chalk board run through a loud speaker (unbelievably loud for some reason). They would open this thing every hour, real slow. I had my can of dry lube spray out on the picnic table, but he wasn't even near us and I never could figure out who it was to offer to quite the squeak. Too be honest, I might have not asked for permission and just put a good long spray right down the hinge when they were out.

I'm told even the garbage trucks and street sweepers are inconsiderate to the parking lot boondockers. Who makes that kind of noise at 3am? Jerks.

Fyrzowt · 06-25-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Critiquing drinking, kids and dogs is harder here than campfires though.

Oh I don't know - I could carry on for a while...

dnrtheil · 06-25-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digger bear

The only time I really have a problem with it is when someone throws in one of those copper tubes stuffed with God knows what to get colors. They are pretty but - I am scared to death to know what metals and plastic are being inhaled into our systems.

Garden hose works great in side the copper pipe, air hose will also work. A nice medium heat fire works best, colors last the longest. If the fire is too hot the colors do not last but a couple of minutes. I have yet to get a bad smell off a fire using the copper and garden hose.

Derek

warbler5 · 06-25-2009, 12:00 PM

I enjoy a campfire now and again, but most campgrounds have their sites placed too close together for campfires not to bother the neighbor toward which all the smoke blows from those stinky, wet-wood fires. And, some campgrounds that sit in a small valley...ugh...the smoke from morning fires just sits there all day. One thing I enjoy about camping is breathing some fresh air!

I guess if I had to vote one way or another, I would vote no to campfires

dstalzer · 06-25-2009, 03:42 PM

We like campfires if the wood used is dry and does not create much smoke and conditions are good for fires. We think some people burn any kind of wet wood or garbage. One camping trip to Davis Mountains State Park at Thanksgiving time there was almost no air moving and most of the campers thought they needed to have a campfire. Guess what, with the campground being in a valley, the smoke was terrible making eyes burn and there was no way to get away from it. If campers would only consider other campers! That is the problem with some campers being incosiderate of others who just want to go out to a park and enjoy fresh air and nature. We may not go back to that park at that time of year again. We have camped there at other times and really enjoyed the park.

Dennis

tin sista · 06-25-2009, 06:13 PM

Lots of great discussion.

Personally, I can't stand trash burning at campsites. Its awfully inconsiderate.

Seems like they could make a fire free section to accomodate everyone. Maybe put the sites with lousy campfire set ups there--many are too close for comfort to the neighboring site.

klattu · 06-25-2009, 07:13 PM

Camping is not for everyone, many should stay home inside

sempi2 · 06-25-2009, 11:14 PM

To date, we like "real campfires". But do like some of the other options posted here. The portable propane fire pit and/or duraflame logs might work also. Since we do not have the propane pit, don't know if it will spread the same heat as a wood fire does. Any comments???
Also the last two trips to WA state did not allow pit wood fires, so wonder if you could have the duraflame logs in a little Weber BBQ???
Don't care for the smoke much

purman · 06-26-2009, 12:29 AM

styrofoam makes a good fire starter, Just make sure the wind is blowing away from your trailer, that black smoke stinks

I think it you use dry wood, and keep it a reasonable size it shouldn't smoke or bother others..

I like them and my kids love em....

nvestysly · 06-26-2009, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sempi2

Since we do not have the propane pit, don't know if it will spread the same heat as a wood fire does. Any comments???
Also the last two trips to WA state did not allow pit wood fires, so wonder if you could have the duraflame logs in a little Weber BBQ???

The propane fire pits do generate heat. The fire pits I've seen (we own one and we've seen others) generate the equivalent of a small fire and consequently make a small amount of heat. The "logs" in our fire pit become hot similar to a gas fireplace in your house and that helps radiate heat to persons gathered around the fire pit. After turning the propane off you can still feel heat radiated from the "logs."

A propane fire pit is certainly not the same as a campfire. But it also has a number of advantages that make it appealing to me. A friend of ours (Sugarfoot on the forums) purchased a product that I think is called Volcano (send her a PM) and she likes it. It's not exactly a fire pit, it's not exactly a campstove - it's a little of both.

Fire pits can be used where Duraflame and campfires cannot be used since they don't generate sparks or other flying embers.

Lucius