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| -rw-r--r-- | guides/coffee.txt | 41 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | guides/expert.txt | 17 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | guides/headlamps.txt | 88 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | guides/heater.txt | 25 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | guides/intro.txt | 1 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | guides/portable-coffee.txt | 5 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | guides/women-alone.txt | 34 |
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diff --git a/guides/coffee.txt b/guides/coffee.txt deleted file mode 100644 index fd8785d..0000000 --- a/guides/coffee.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,41 +0,0 @@ -A good cup of coffee is less a thing than a collection of things. There's the taste, but also just as important the sound of the brew, the gurgle of the pour in your mug, the sight of the heavy black liquid, the smell -- much of the "taste" of coffee actually comes from the smell -- the tang like creosote, the dark smoky richness reminiscent of chocolate. - -Coffee is also a state of mind. Or a way of establishing a state of mind. I mean beyond the strictly biochemical action of caffeine. Coffee implies a readiness. It's an open gesture for the day. For those of us that love it, a great cup of coffee is as necessary and reliable a thing as the rising sun in the east. - - - -The hissing boil of a mokapot as it finishes brewing. - -The metal click of the stove grating heating up. - -The curling splash as it hits the bottom of the cup. - -Though I rarely do it, the best cup of coffee is made over an open fire. Coals banked over night and then stirred back to life, I couple of extra pieces of wood perhaps, not so much of the coffee as for warmth. A percolator, nothing fancy, one of the blue speckled enamelware percolators that every outfitting store in America sells. There's something about the clatter of enamelware on stones early on an otherwise silent, still morning that speaks of great things to come. The smoke of the restored fire, squatting or standing, hands out stretched to warm over the fire, the fog of your breath in the air, waiting. I think maybe it's that waiting, the anticipation, that almost as good as the coffee. And of course the coffee coming out of the enamelware percolator is not the best tasting you've ever hand, but it's the best cup because the experience is greater than the sum of its parts. This, you know as you sit there squatting by the fire scalding your tongue on that first sip, this is how humans were meant to live, this is how we were meant to start out days, outside, part of the world, enjoying the fruits of the world around us. - -Even living as we do in an RV, outdoors, I'll confess I very rarely stir up a fire first thing in the morning. I almost never make coffee over it when I do. I fire up our trusty tattered but still great green Coleman stove and make coffee in the somewhat fancier mokapot. The mokapot does not make the best coffee I've ever had, but it's combination of good enough coffee, simplicity of brewing and clean up, make it the method I return to. - -### Which Moka Pot should I buy? - -I've tested dozens of ways to brew coffee for WIRED. Some of them costing nearly a $1000, which is would be an absolutely insane amount of money to spend for coffee, but in the end, after all that stuff is available, nine times out of ten, I make coffee in my trusty moka pot. - -Every mokapot I've tested produces more or less the same good, strong, but smooth cup of coffee. The one I happen to own is this [stainless steel model ($20)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K2ZVJC7/ref=psdc_14163721_t1_B0744CQYJD){: rel=nofollow}. It brews what I would call two cups of coffee, but what manufacturers call six cups. - -If you want something a little larger, [this $25 model](https://www.amazon.com/Stovetop-Espresso-Machine-Stainless-Electric/dp/B07XD8YG1R/){: rel=nofollow} looks about the same and probably a better deal. If you hate having so much money in your pocket and love shiny things, this [bonVIVO Intenca](https://www.amazon.com/bonVIVO-Intenca-Stovetop-Espresso-Stainless/dp/B0744CQYJD/){: rel=nofollow} is a very handsome moka pot. If you're a traditionalist you'll want the original, the [Bialetti moka pot](https://www.amazon.com/Bialetti-06800-stove-coffee-Aluminum/dp/B000CNY6UK/r){: rel=nofollow} that started the whole moka pot thing back in the 1950s. - -### How to brew the best cup in your Moka Pot - -I've seen at least half a dozen ways to brew moka pots, but here's what I find to be the best: cold water in the chamber, fresh grounds on the cup, put it on a low flame, or if you have electric, only half way on the burner. The lower and slower you brew, the better the results in my opinion. - -That said, some people swear by hot water in the chamber and hardly any time on the stove heating up. This method is not for me, but worth trying to see how you like it since it does make a faster cup of coffee. Though I'm not sure you should rush coffee. - -The best results will come from the best beans. When I can I get beans Jittery Joe's roasting company in Athens GA, specifically the [Wake-n-Bake](https://jitteryjoes.com/collections/blends/products/terrapin-wake-n-bake?variant=41287296589) blend. I've known Charlie, who roasts all of Jittery Joes beans, for twenty years now and his coffee is some of the best you'll ever have. - -I've also tried a few roasters on the road. The best has been [Fahrenheit Coffee Roaster](https://www.yelp.com/biz/fahrenheit-coffee-roaster-mancos) in Mancos, Colorado. The espresso blend roast are the best beans I've purchased in the United States in two years of traveling. A close second would be the French Roast from [Catedral Coffee Roasters](http://www.cafecatedral.com.mx/) in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. There was also an excellent roaster up in the UP, Michigan, but for the life of me I can't remember the name or find it online. - -Coffee is the most widely traded commodity in the world. Chance are, wherever you happen to live, there's a good local roaster. Get your beans from them. Not only are you supporting a local business, but you'll (probably) get fresher beans. The more freshly roasted your beans are, the better the coffee you'll brew. That said, sometimes it's hard to find good coffee on the road. In that case I tend to get [Cafe Bustelo](https://www.amazon.com/Bustelo-Espresso-Ground-Coffee-Packaging/dp/B01ERBUCM8/){: rel=nofollow}, or if you can find it, [Medaglia D'Oro](https://www.amazon.com/Medaglia-DOro-Italian-Espresso-Coffee/dp/B01M5B4Y34){: rel=nofollow} (I find Latin American groceries are the best place to look for both of these). - -### Worthwhile coffee accessories - -Once you've purchase a moka pot, some good beans, and are happy with the results, there are two thing I highly recommend you get to go with your new moka pot. The first is a good insulated mug or thermos. The Moka Pot is a great way to brew coffee, but it's a terrible way to keep it warm. - -burr grinder. diff --git a/guides/expert.txt b/guides/expert.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 580534f..0000000 --- a/guides/expert.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,17 +0,0 @@ -If you grew up in modern industrial society like I did you were conditioned to seek out and respect authority. We were conditioned to want someone to tell you what to do. This is simply the way our educational systems are currently designed. That doesn't mean there aren't well-meaning people within those systems, but in the end most of us end up spending our lives looking for authorities to shape them. - -I like to call this system what I once heard Noam Chomsky call it: "the star system". Assign special value to certain "stars" and do whatever they do. - -This is very comforting to us, being told what to do. It removes the burden of choice from our minds, and that can be a huge burden. - -If you're planning to live on the road though, this system is going to cease to work for you. There are not enough people doing this to have enough stars to assign things too. - -If you're planning to live on the road, and I mean really live on the road, not just drive around for a few months posting selfies, which, if that's your goal (posting selfies), by all means, do it. I have nothing against people who treat life as a performance, but if you are this sort of person, the rest of this post is just going to make you uncomfortable and angry, so skip it. Here's [a cool place you can take a selfie](https://utah.com/zion-national-park/angels-landing){: rel=nofollow}, head for that instead. - -The rest of us, those of us who are planning to live on the road full time because we don't for whatever reason, really fit into the various molds that are available for fitting into these days, have some work to do, unlearning that need or desire to give our decisions up to someone else, someone we think is a "expert". - -There's a good chance that you came here because you thought I was an expert. I do have some experience and I am always happy to share that (it's why this site exists really), but I am not an expert. - -More importantly, we all need to stop looking for experts. We need to start being experts at our own lives. I wish there were some formula I could give you for becoming an expert in your own life, but there really isn't. Or rather there is, but it's so far outside the realm of acceptable discourse in our society I am not putting it on the internet. If you're really truly interested, email me and I will send you some links. - - diff --git a/guides/headlamps.txt b/guides/headlamps.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 62d9016..0000000 --- a/guides/headlamps.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,88 +0,0 @@ -https://www.amazon.com/Black-Diamond-Revolt-Headlamp-Nickel/dp/B01LE9Z5DM/?tag=lxf0d-20 - -If you live like we do, full time in an RV or van, you really live outdoors. Sure, we love our rigs and we retreat to them when the weather is bad, but most of the time this is a very outdoor life, which means you're often outside at night, in the dark. - -I love the dark, and I try to do everything by fire and moonlight, but even I need extra light sometimes. Headlamps are one of the unsung necessities of living outdoors. For the love of gods, please do not use a lantern camping. Many of us like darkness, we seek it out in fact. Don't ruin that. Get a good LED headlamp instead. - -Headlamps offer focused light, shining where you need it and not where you don't. The LED bulbs last forever and are easy on the batteries (and you can get some rechargable AAA batteries so you never need to worry about running out of juice). - -Which headlamp should you buy? Good question. If you're not an overthinker, It's easy. It's just a light. With a strap that goes around your head. Go the nearest home supply type store and get whichever is cheapest. It'll do the job. But the fact that you found this review tells me that you, like me, sometimes overthink things. Great! Let's overthink headlamps. - -**For those in hurry, here's the tl;dr: The best headlamp for camping is the Petzl Tikka**. You can buy it at [REI](https://www.rei.com/product/162479/petzl-tikka-headlamp){: rel=nofollow} or [Amazon](https://amzn.to/33DDPWc){: rel=nofollow} for about $30, often less. If you want to know why the Petzl Tikka is the best camping headlamp, read on. - -The best place to start overthinking headlamps is how much light they produce. - -### How Many Lumens Should a Headlamp Have? - -Lumens is an arbitrary measure of brightness. It means nothing really, so the answer to the question, how many lumens does your LED headlamp need, is: enough. It needs enough. - -What's enough? Probably not as much as you think. As modern industrial people we seem doomed to think bigger is better. That means, judging by other reviews, you might think a headlamp with at least [insert arbitrary number] Lumens is necessary. Don't buy the marketing BS. Bigger and brighter is not better, all you need is bright enough. Remember, a brighter headlamp drains batteries, and your wallet, faster. - -In my experience, living full time in an RV, for casual use around camp a 150-200 Lumen LED headlamp is ideal. I happen to prefer the lower end of that scale. What's more important are the other features and how the headlamp works. Here's what I look for when buying a headlamp: - -**Ease of use:** How do you turn the headlamp on? One press? Two? Some crazy sequence? Does it start on low? That's ideal. Do you have to cycle through 10 lighting modes just to turn in it off? That's a pain. - -**Red Light/Spot Light:** I want a headlamp with a few lighting modes. I like to read at night and the red light is considerably less disruptive to other people's sleep. It also preserves your night vision, something I like when I'm getting up early in the morning and plan to turn off the headlamp as soon as I gather my things. The spot light is less necessary, but it does make hiking in the dark, whether that's a early approach to some climbing or going owling, considerably easier and possibly safer. - -**Battery Life:** When you're boondocking on solar every bit of battery life you can save helps. I want a headlamp that gets at least 2-3 hours at full brightness and at least 100 hours at the low setting. - -**Cheap:** A nice headlamp really shouldn't cost more than $30. Actually, paying everyone involved in its manufacture a living wage probably means it should cost at least $80, but in the world we actually live in, with the market what it is, I would not pay more than $30 for a headlamp. The possible exception being use cases like hiking or climbing, where the extra money can get you a more focused beam of light, which you might need (see the Black Diamond headlamp below). - - -### The Best Headlamp for Camping: Petzl Tikka - -<div id="product-1">Petzl Tikka</div> - -Out of that bewildering world of headlamp options, my favorite headlamp, and the headlamp I'd recommend for most people is the Petzl Tikka. - -Petzl headlamps, especially the Petzl Tikka, defined a lot what we've come to expect in a headlamp. The Tikka is dead simple to use. Press the button once and it turns on at the lowest brightness level. Press again for medium brightness, and again for full brightness. A fourth press will get you to strobe mode. Press once to turn it off. A long press will switch from white to red or vice versa if you're already in red mode. That's all there is to it. - -I've been using various iterations of the Petzl Tikka headlamp since I started backpacking in high school and in the 25+ years since I have never worn one out. I have lost them, but I've never had one let me down or malfunction in any way. This is the main reason I continue to buy them despite cheaper options. The Petzl Tikka does exactly what I want it to do, and they last forever. - -The Foxelli below does 90 percent of what the Tikka does, and costs half as much, but the Tikka has the edge when it comes to red light, which is what I use the most -- to read at night and write in the early morning. The red light of the Tikka is brighter and clearer. The Foxelli's red light is bright enough, but the plastic casing (or possibly the lens itself), casts a distracting smear of shadows on the white page of a book, ruining it for me. - -The Tikka is smaller, lighter, and better constructed than most other headlamps at this price. It also has a nice glowing ring around the bulb which makes it easy to find in the dark. - -One thing I suggest skipping is the battery pack. There's no need, just get some [good rechargeable AAA batteries](). - -### The Second Best and Notably Cheaper LED Headlamp - -<div id="product-2">Foxelli Headlamp</div> - -For about half the price of the Petzl Tikka you can get what I consider the second best headlamp, the Foxelli. The Foxelli has three level of brightness, though personally I can't tell much difference between them. The main difference is the focus of the beam of light, which gets ever wider as you move through modes. - -Like the Tikka you press once to flip through the three white modes and long press to switch to red. There's a strobe mode for red, which the Tikka lacks. - -Also worth noting, the Foxelli is compatible with Petzl mounting accessories, which means you can detach the lamp and stick it on your helmet or bicycle. Ironically this is a feature the Tikka, despite being made by Petzl, lacks. - -### The Fancy Headlamp You Don't Need (But *is* Pretty Damn Nice) - -<div id="product-3">Black Diamond Revolt Headlamp</div> - -I like Black Diamond stuff. I had a bunch of their climbing pro back when I was rock climbing more (technically I still have it, somewhere). Black Diamond makes solid gear, but most of it is out my price range. Of the three there, this is the one I did not spend my own money on. Black Diamond sent me one to test. - -The Black Diamond Revolt is a great headlamp, it really is and if I were still climbing, and facing possible decents in the dark after a long day of climbing this is unquestionably the headlamp I would get. It's 300 are wonderful when you're hiking in the dark. For most people though, myself included currently, the Revolt isn't necessary. - -The one feature on the Revolt that tempts me is the "programmable" brightness setting. You can set the brightness and then the headlamp will remember it and automatically turn to that brightness the next time you turn it on. The power meter is also nice, though it's not that hard to tell when your headlamp is getting low. If you stumble in the dark, your headlamp might be low. - -### How I tested and why should trust me. - -First off, you shouldn't trust me. I'm just some random stranger on the internet. We've never met, you know nothing about me. Think for yourself. That said, I've been living in an RV for three years now, and I test products for a living for WIRED. I suppose that might qualify me somewhat in some people's eyes, but seriously, think for yourself and don't ever buy something just because one person said it was good. At least read some other reviews. Here's a few I found useful: - -- **[All about the lumens and some real world use](https://pmags.com/all-about-the-lumens-and-some-real-world-use)** -- Backpacker and guide Paul Mags shares my skepticism of Lumens, but does the work to actually compare Lumen ratings to real work things, like your standard 40 household bulb. - -- **[Candlepower Headlamp Forums](https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?6-Headlamps&s=246728a130e78cc60a7a97eaa51a12fd)** -- Yes, the internet has a forum, several in fact, full of hardcore light fans who spend considerable time researching, testing, and one presumes, loving headlamps of all sorts. This rabbit hole is unexpectedly deep. - -- **[Adventure Journal's review of Biolite's headlamp](https://www.adventure-journal.com/2019/04/biolites-330-headlamp-is-light-bright-and-darn-near-perfect/)** -- I've used Biolite's headlamp and I am not a fan, mostly because I do not like the separate battery pack, but I like this review because it's thoughtful and well-reasoned. - -As for how *I* tested. Well. I put it on my head and did stuff at night. I built camp fires. I cooked dinners. I hiked a few times. I rappelled off a summit in Joshua Tree. I read in bed, I wrote at picnic tables with a fresh cup of coffee. - -This particular review took 25 years. It started in high school. I needed a headlamp for my very first backpacking trip. I mean I didn't know why, but it was on the list of stuff we were supposed to bring. - -I dragged my dad to REI and we bought a Petzl Tikka, pretty much at random. (I'm not sure it was called that back then, but it was roughly the same size and shape and made by Petzl). I took it on that trip. It worked great. I took it on hundreds more trips. It went [around the world with me](). It even started out on our current trip in the bus, but somewhere along the way I lost it. I bought another. ThenI lost that one, so I bought another. I have used Petzl Tikkas for 25 years. That's how I tested. - -What about the other headlamps? Well, just because I had the Tikka all that time doesn't mean I didn't try others. I tried quite a few other brands. Headlamps seem to be popular stocking-stuffer type gifts for the "outdoor" person in your life (that would have been me, to my friends and family) so I ended up with quite a few other headlamps, all of which worked okay, but didn't last. - -When the kids wanted headlamps, the price of the Petzl and it's potential fate in five year old hands made me want to investigate cheaper headlamps in more detail. Which I did. Out of the ones we've used in the last three years of living on the road, the Foxelli rose to the top. It's lasted, it works well and you can get [two for $22 with free shipping](https://www.foxelli.com/collections/headlamps/products/foxelli-headlamp-flashlight-2-pack-165-lumen-3-x-aaa-batteries-operated-included-bright-white-cree-led-red-light-perfect-for-runners) straight from the company. It's perfect for kids and anyone else who need a good solid headlamp and doesn't want to spend a fortune. - -As always, if you have questions either drop a comment below or email me, sng@luxagraf.net. diff --git a/guides/heater.txt b/guides/heater.txt deleted file mode 100644 index aca05ed..0000000 --- a/guides/heater.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,25 +0,0 @@ -I always called this the "Mr. Buddy heater". When I sat down to write this review, I cranked it up and noticed it's actually called the "Buddy heater" and it's made by a company called Mr. Heater. - -Whatever you call it, it's an awesome little heater to warm up your RV when you're boondocking or otherwise off-grid. - -That last point - -The Buddy heater runs on propane. If you hate money you can use the little green propane canisters, but you'll only get around an hour of heat out of each one. The far better thing to do is get a decent size refillable cylinder. I like this little [10-lb cylinder](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KOLF1IQ/?tag=lxf0d-20){: rel=nofollow}. You'll also need [a good hose](https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-12-Foot-Assembly-F273702/dp/B00005LEXM?tag=lxf0d-20){: rel=nofollow}, and [a filter](https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-Portable-Heaters-F273699/dp/B000HE8P2O/?tag=lxf0d-20){: rel=nofollow} (the filter keeps the oils in the hose from clogging the heater). - -It heats just like the heaters I've had in houses everywhere from Athens GA to Brooklyn New York: It ignites propane and uses the heat to warm a ceramic element that then projects heat into the room. In my experience that heat projects about eight, maybe ten feet in front of the heater. Some direct heat also comes out the top and back, so you end up being able to quickly heat an RV with no trouble. - -One Buddy heater can warm our 27-foot RV in about ten minutes on high and keep it at a nice temperature while on low. There are of course drafts -- windows are your biggest thermal loss so if you want to stay warm, cover them, see my [guide to keeping your van or RV warm]() for more details -- so the heat is not entirely even, but for the most part the Duccy heater gets the job done. - -If you're rig is longer, I would probably suggest two. Or start with one, see how it does and then consider adding another. In a larger RV your most efficient move is to only heat part of it. T - -One thing to bear in mind, I would say the Buddy is really a last ditch effort to keep warm when some weather catches you. It's not a good solution if you're planning to live in cold for an extended period of time. - -I would not run it overnight (I doubt you'd be able too unless you have a massive propane tank). I would never run it unattended; it's effectively an open flame. It does have a very effective auto-shutoff mechanism that activates whenever you bump it or move it, which makes it reasonably safe, but at the end of the day, it's an open flame in an RV. Be extremely cautious. - -My other tip would be to never put it directly on a surface you care about, like say, your floor. It gets hot in front of it, plenty hot enough to damage the cheap flooring found in a lot of newer RVs. I keep ours on a small foot stool. This also helps get the heat higher up into the room. Also beware any flamable surfaces around it. We have a fairly narrow hallway in the rear of the bus and it gets the wood very hot if I put it back there. It's never actually damaged the finish, but I try to keep it more in the kitchen near the oven, which won't be damaged by heat. - -It takes about ten minutes for the heating element to fully cool so you can safely store it. - -4,000- to 9,000-BTU radiant heater for spaces up to 225 square feet. Approved for indoor/outdoor use; clean-burning; nearly 100-percent efficient -When operating the heater at altitudes over 7,000 FT above sea level the heater may shut off. -Auto shut-off if tipped over, if pilot light goes out, or if detects low oxygen levels. Fuel Consumption/Burn Rate (Gal/Hr) at 4000 BTU = 0.044 Gal/Hr, at 9000 BTU = 0.099 Gal/Hr diff --git a/guides/intro.txt b/guides/intro.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6d6816e..0000000 --- a/guides/intro.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1 +0,0 @@ -All you need is a vehicle, be it a van, an RV, a truck, a hatchback, whatever. You need a way to get out here. When you get here all you really need are some warm clothes, some food, and way to keep that food cold and cook it. You can keep it cold with some $2 ice in a $5 styrofoam cooler and cook it over a $45 coleman stove. The vehicle is your big investment. Here is pays to do so research. diff --git a/guides/portable-coffee.txt b/guides/portable-coffee.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 487829a..0000000 --- a/guides/portable-coffee.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5 +0,0 @@ -For coffee lovers the day does not just begin with a good hot cup of coffee, it seems almost impossible without it. It's not only the dose of caffeine, though that does help, it's the ritual that surrounds it—the smell, the sound, even the wait, are all part of how coffee gets the day started right. - -Every coffee lover has their favorite method of brewing, and every coffee lover feels lost without it. To keep you from the depths of gas station coffee sorrow, or worse, the complete absence of coffee when you're traveling, we've rounded up some of our favorite ways to brew coffee while you're traveling. - -Whether you're hitting the road for the holidays, flying half way around the world, or just want an easy way to make great coffee at the office, there's an option here for everyone. diff --git a/guides/women-alone.txt b/guides/women-alone.txt deleted file mode 100644 index e0dad00..0000000 --- a/guides/women-alone.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,34 +0,0 @@ -metal detectors -kitchen ware: - pans - knives - pressure cookers - juicers -coffee grinders -flashlights -ultralight tents -camp stoves - - -guides: - -Everything you need to find treasure on the beach -how to have a great camping trip sort of thing -How to have a great -Cook great meals outdoors -Sleep in your car -Everything You Need to Turn Your Kitchen into a Cafe -Engineer the ultimate night's sleep -Low cost ways to keep your kid entertained on long car trips -Pro Photo/Video on the Go - - -Look at facebook, if you use it, there's lots of groups for women, e.g. Women who RV 13,000 people - -Women's RV club: Sister on the fly. and RVing Women. Some women organize caravans, travel together. - -If that's not your thing, and you want to stay alone, two chairs outside, make your camp look like there's two people - -Severe weather - -Simple RV living for women - facebook group |