Campfires

[Thiss]

I like "messing with wood" as my great aunt would say. There is nothing better than a big roaring fire, built from some premo, pitch filled, old snag that many other campers overlooked in favor of a green wind blown tree. I like to collect every bit of cordage from our daily allotment in National Forrests.

And running this guy:



Makes it all the more easy. Always having a splitting maul, shovel, fire extinguisher, and an extra full water jug. I like to kick back with a hot fire. But it isn't Elk Season or wet and cold spring and there is no need, nor is it safe since it is fire season, so I bought one of these for the rest of the summer and for our trip to Canada in a couple of weeks.



My wife has already made fun of me on Instagram, but it is all worth it when having a nice relaxing fire and not worrying about embers hitting the wind.

Happy camping!

[Rich W]

Nice chainsaw. My wife's grandfather had a 2 person chainsaw that was truly something to behold. I tried to talk him out of it but he refused, although he was too old to ever use it himself. He just wanted it for bragging rights. He gave me an old worn out leaf blower that I managed to keep going for about 5 years. Would have loved to have had the chainsaw instead.

In Florida state parks they have a rule that you can't burn the wood that's laying around. You have to buy approved packages, can't bring your own in either. I never saw them inspect anybody's vehicle but I never saw anyone with a pile of what I would call good wood.

I like a good campfire and I know how to build one. Too often I see people that don't and they smoke up the place pretty good. On my last outing with our Scouts there was a person who had managed to get a nice thick morning haze over the entire area with just his little smoking attempt.

There's plenty of signs that tell you how to put one out, maybe there should be one to tell you how to build a nice fire too.

[Thiss]

Originally Posted by richw46

Nice chainsaw. My wife's grandfather had a 2 person chainsaw that was truly something to behold. I tried to talk him out of it but he refused, although he was too old to ever use it himself. He just wanted it for bragging rights.

There's plenty of signs that tell you how to put one out, maybe there should be one to tell you how to build a nice fire too.

Thanks! I steal my dad's worn out saws. He is still crazy enough to be falling timber in his 50s.

My grandfather had some good stories about running those two person buck saws. After he quit falling timber, he kept one around his saw shop he owned for old time sake. It would come out for the occasional county fair timber show.

That's a shame about not letting you collect wood. Around here it is preferred, since it is just that much less fuel for a forrest fire.

[AnnArborBob]

I like a good campFIRE, it's those darn campSMOKES that most people seem to make that drive me nuts!

[Hittenstiehl]

Thiss,
You said in his 50's did you mean older. That's pretty young around here.

[Thiss]

Originally Posted by Hittenstiehl

Thiss,
You said in his 50's did you mean older. That's pretty young around here.

Haha I am going to tell him that next time he is telling about his work aches.

[tvketchum]

Made the mistake of gathering gum pine once at Ocala Nat Forest. It smoked black and smelled like turpentine. But yes, store bought wood is not well seasoned, and some now is imported from places like Latvia! I seek out the people near the campgrounds selling the home grown stuff, and never have had problems in FL or MI or IN...


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Tom
TVKetchum

[Tyvekcat]

LOL, Awesome, Now that's a saw!
Have a good one ! ( and a safe trip)

[urnmor]

Thanks! I steal my dad's worn out saws. He is still crazy enough to be falling timber in his 50s.

I also laughed when I read this. In todays world fifty is to many the young twenties. Just ask us who are in our seventies and still cut logs etc. I suspect your Dad will be cutting timbre for many years to come. I for one am looing forward to camping into my eighties.

[SunniStream]

Hello. I too LOVE to have a fire. We recently were in Indian Peaks Wilderness here in Colorado,
and there is a total fire ban going...and we used our propane camp fire...just like yours, and enjoyed it so much. As long as it had a shut off valve on the propane, it was allowed. We love our fire bowl and it is easy to transport. We just got a small 4.5 lb propane bottle for it...and it is great. I highly recommend it...and NO campfire smell.

[Thiss]

Originally Posted by SunniStream

Hello. I too LOVE to have a fire. We recently were in Indian Peaks Wilderness here in Colorado,
and there is a total fire ban going...and we used our propane camp fire...just like yours, and enjoyed it so much. As long as it had a shut off valve on the propane, it was allowed. We love our fire bowl and it is easy to transport. We just got a small 4.5 lb propane bottle for it...and it is great. I highly recommend it...and NO campfire smell.

I definately agree. It is nice to have an option. Last year we were camping during fire season and we had nothing. It was super odd to have no fire. Propane is a compromise, but better than going to bed at dark.

[Ray Eklund]

Somers, Montana was a big lumber town on the north end of Flathead Lake and closed in the late 1950's. When Anaconda was operating the mill, the smell of fresh pine in the air was probably the stimulus to can it within an aerosol and spray into the bathrooms and house interiors of America.

Lumber would be cut to length after kiln or air dried lumber, graded and trimmed. The trimmings were piled up. The sawdust was burnt on site. The trimmings were available to the locals to use in their wood burning cast iron stoves and to heat homes in the winter months.

My grandparents, parents and fellow residents would stock up with all the best firewood availalble at the time. Considering, Somers, Montana was also 'owned' by Anaconda at the time and property sold to those residing there when the sawmill closed for good.

Campfires were still a staple when along the lake. You would be led to believe that with all of this firewood and charcoal to dispose... you would be reluctant to picnic or camp with a wood burning fire.

Nope. Fire and humans are knitted through thousands of years of dependence on fire. Even Indians in Michigan 'mined' native copper building a fire to soften the metal for removal. Those who find reasons not to have a campfire... must have had ancestors living in trees.