hi there. just wanted to bump this back to the top, but also to mention that as of today, i still plan on attending, so i would need to bum a parking space from someone. i am heading off to the east coast for the month of june, but i will try to check the thread when i can to see any updates. who knows what treasures yonder flea markets/yard sales will yield. jon
Greetings, All, Just a few thoughts about the upcoming CA Stove Gathering. First, Hobo mentioned that he might need some good directions, and maybe a hitch to the event from a nearby location. I have every hope that Brother Lance will still be able to attend. But, on the off-chance that he can't, not to worry, Hobo, we'll get you there, one way, or the other! 8) Next, Sweet Bride and I will have our Jeep and a trailer, so anyone that needs a parking place can share ours. We're still contemplating the type of camp we can setup, but no matter what we choose to do on that count, there will still be plenty of parking spots available, me thinks. Last, what do you attendees think about making this a "theme" event? I mean that, rather than each of us bringing a hodge-podge of possible duplicate stove, we each volunteer to only bring stoves of a certain type, or from a certain manufacturer. One person could bring all Coleman stoves, another all Optimus stoves, another all Primus stoves, another all MSR stoves, etc., etc.. Any interest in that? Or, if everyone wants to brings whatever blows up your skirt, that's outstanding, too! This came up as Sweet Bride and I were trying to decide what stoves to bring. We may have limited space, or we may not, so we started small, then worked our way up!! We have given thought to only bringing Coleman stoves, and that led us to think about each person sticking with only one maker, and seeing how that might turn out. The one fly in the ointment might be that some may not have the depth in their collections to be able to pull that off, which is completely understandable. So, we're up for whatever everyone else wants to do. As we get closer to the event, it would also be outstanding if we could get a complete head-count on who is going to try to attend. We're still working on our menu, and other such things, but we're really getting excited about the possibilities, especially after seeing the fantastic photos from High Point, and Newark!!! Yeah!!! Talk to you all later, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Doc, Put me down for 'Hodge-Podge', as thats what I have. I just found out that my daughter and son-in-law ( and newest Grandson) will be attending, so my extra parking spot will be occupied... I am bringing 'some' firewood, anybody wishing to bring more is entirely welcome to do so... I do so enjoy a camp-fire 8) I also have several awnings, so if I remember to bring them, We'll have some shade !
Hey, Baja, Sounds just great! I imagine "hodge podge" is the best way to go, anyway, so I'll do something similar. But..... I still may do an "all Coleman", or other manufacturer, thing... only time will tell!! 8) 8) We were going to bring a tiny camp, at first, as we're doing this on the way to a work gig. However, Sweet Bride recommended we bring our small trailer, which would allow us to have more junk, and still fit in our work inventory. That is a great idea, but then we'd have to find someplace to store the empty trailer whilst working. So, we're still not sure which way we'll go. If we bring the trailer, we've already decided to bring our small wedge tent, which opens up to a nice big fly/awning, for shade and cooking. Again, we'll see at the time draws more near. This is going to be fun!!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
well (insert your personal favorite expletive here), i now do not know if i will be able to make it or not. the engine in my bus is not very healthy, the replacement has not yet arrived, and probably won't for another couple weeks. so for now, i am still going to try to make it, but as each day passes without an engine, the percentages go down.
FINALLY!!!!!! The reservation folks had a wrong email for me. Via phone I corrected their info and now have confirmed reservations for the 26 to the 29 of July. As I understand it there is no site reservation. Is anyone familiar with the campground? If so, what sites do you recommend? Are mosquitoes ever a problem? Is there any place to hang a hammock? I am not sure who is in "charge" of these Doings but does anyone have a head count of confirmed shows along with probables? Doc, your postings are longer*, on average, than those of most of us. So.........................................,I believe,........... that puts you at the head of the line for being the "Grand Noble Honcho" for these Doings. (Shades of the ECV!!) I expect to arrive mid to late afternoon on the 26th. We need to organize a potluck so I will have an excuse to cook my stew!! I probably will not bring the pop-up trailer but will sleep in bed of truck with camper shell. I have it rigged up for that. I will bring a 2.5 x 6 foot table and a few extra chairs. I will probably also bring a shade awning. I am trying to bring those stoves that are "one of a kind" or somewhat uncommon. Most still need to be fettled but my plans are to start in on that project next year, after I retire. I will be bringing some firewood (recommended for all California State Parks) as it is usually hard to come by. Most of my cooking will be via Coleman 500's coupled with cast iron griddle, fry pans and Dutch oven. I might even try out some cornbread muffins in a camping oven. Okay, okay there WILL BE a potluck at my site on Friday night!!! There, now I have done it!!! \ \ *This one of mine does not count
Morning, Gordon, and All, That's great news!!! I hope that others can join us, too, but know that we'll have some fun even if it's just you, Baja and Mrs. Baja, Hobo, Lance, Sweet Bride and me!!! Hazet, I surely hope your engine gets to you, and can be installed and tested, in time for you to join us, too! To one and all, and especially to those within driving distance, please try to join us for this CA Stove Gathering!! At our recent gig up that way, I mentioned the Montana De Oro campground to many folks, and to a person that ALL raved about how beautiful, secluded, and special this site is!!! One surprise, is that it's not that far to "civilization", and there are restaurants just a coin's toss away!!! (OK, not that close, but you get the picture!) Shades of our Brit Brothers!! "Pub camping"!!!! 8) Sweet Bride and I will be trying to bring a large fly, for shade, and a few tables, too. Baja suggested we do a "Pot Luck dinner" on Saturday night, so that fits right in with what you have in mind, Gordon. Are you all up for that? Let's plan on it for Saturday night, and see how it turns out. Everyone bring "something" to offer, and we'll share some food, libation, and fun!!!! As for being "in charge" of this event, I'll accept the "mantle", though I rather think it will turn out to be a benevolent "CF" which ends up being a ton of fun!!!! 8) Those who have spent any time in the military will understand what a "CF" happens to be....... ! Need a hint? OK, the first word is "Cluster". You're on your own for defining the second word!!! See as many of you as can make it, soon! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark P.S. Sweet Bride and I are looking forward to seeing you, playing with some stoves and lanterns, cooking up some tasty comestibles, and also to a good bit of rest!!! We've been working our fanny's off, and it will be wonderful to plunk down in a "Sling-Light" chair, and just take a nap!!!
Doc: Did anyone of your MdO contacts mention any trees. I sure would like to sling my hammock. I don't get much of a chance to use it when I camp with the family. A SNAFU here and there might result in a little "Charlie Foxtrot". That's normal. Just as long as it does not become FUBAR we will all have a great time. Especially if I can find two trees just the right distance apart. Gordon
Hey, Gordon, From seeing Baja's photos of the place, there are trees, here and there. But, I'm not sure if you will find the "spacing" you need. Hey, Baja: Any trees that Gordon can use for his hammock? I would optimistically think, yes. But, your input will be appreciated. A note about the weather: Having just been up there, it is fairly cool at night, so bring at least a windbreaker jacket and a hat of some kind. The sunny days can get fairly hot, inland, but should be very nice where we'll be camped. "Breeze" should be the order of the day, so plan accordingly. As to tents, if anyone needs to make such a decision, as have we, just about anything should work out well for you. We're reverting back to our original decision to use our TNF VE-25. It's "over-kill" for such a location, but will keep the nightly chill off us, and it's the largest backpacking tent we own, so we'll appreciate a little room to stretch out. Take care, see you there, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark P.S. Gordon, I may end up doing something similar to you, as to the stoves I choose to bring. It all depends on which vehicle we decide to take with us. If I have some room, I'll bring more stuff; if things are tight, we'll "go light".
Hi all, Gordon, sorry, there are only a few scattered trees, although you could sling a hammock between your truck and a tree, perhaps... The potluck sounds good. I mentioned the same to Doc, about doing a picnic one afternoon, or evening. Burgers, hot dogs, etc... we can do both, on different days ! Doc, you're right, shade is needed in the pm, I have no idea about mosquitos, but probably not- too dry I would think. There are showers available... about 10 miles away, at the next campground over, just save your campsite reciept to get in free. The showers may be of the $.50 variety, so bring some change ! There are plenty of things to do there, hiking, mountain biking, the beach is nearby, local antique shops are plentiful, lots of scenery etc. Like Doc, I plan on sitting in the shade with a good book and or Bs'ing . Life IS good !!!
Montana de Oro info: http://santalucia.sierraclub.org/mntdeoro.html#intro Santa Lucia Chapter: Montana de Oro State Park The following has a great map to MdO in the hot button in the first paragraph. http://www.slostateparks.com/montana_de_oro/mdo_camping.asp# California State Parks of San Luis Obispo Coast The below will allow an actual "walk" through the park via overhead photo. There appear to be TREES near some of the sites. http://www.parks.ca.gov/lat_long_map/default.asp?lvl_id=231 I WILL be bringing the hammock and give it a shot. BTW if you happen to see me laying motionless in the hammock, please observe only. If I am still there in the same position six hours later please contact the nearest EMT!!
http://www.parks.ca.gov/lat_long_map/default.asp?lvl_id=231 Here is a map. I am in Scappoose at the moment till the week end. Seeings how I'm hitch hiking, I may or may not be late. Forgive me if this is so.
Evening, Lads, Just a note about the Gathering. We may have to shift gears as to our camping situation, as my knees are not that great right now. The doc said that I'm lucky in that the right knee appears to be severely sprained, and the left one, moderately sprained. This means the chances of having to have surgery are very, very low, if I play my cards right! This is outstanding news, and I'm very relieved to hear it! I go back tomorrow, for more physical therapy, and for x-rays, if the doc thinks I need them. In any case, I'm not sure I can crawl into and out of a backpacking tent, even one as large as the TNF VE-25, which is what we had planned to bring. So, Sweet Bride and I will more than likely bring our medium sized canvas wedge tent, along with our very large canvas fly, which we will rig out front of the wedge tent. This will allow me to sleep in a cot, instead of on the ground, and also make getting into, and out of the tent, much easier. Not as easy to setup, but not that bad, either. If my knees don't improve quite a bit in the next two weeks, we may have to "hotel it", but I'm hoping, praying, and planning on that not having to happen!!! In either case, we're really looking forward to this event, and I've started making my stove gathering list, and like what I see, so far!!! I was going to do an "All Coleman Camp", but decided against that. Most Americans already know what many Coleman stoves look like, and how they work. So, while we may bring some Coleman stoves, most of what we bring will be interesting "other" stoves, just for grins!!! I'm hoping that Steve, a new member from Stockton, CA, can join us at the Gathering, so that he can meet some of us Pyromaniac/Stove Fiends!!!! 8) 8) Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Hi all, Just a note to remind everybody that I'll be there from wed. the 25 th til sunday noon-ish. If you can't make the weekend, why then, come early !
Morning, BB, Baja, and All, You can bet that we'll take lots of photos!! Why, you'll see exciting shots of Baja, sleeping in his lawn chair, a nice silent burner stove working away on the table next to him; Doc will be drooling on himself, asleep on his cot, whilst Sweet Bride bakes a pie in some sort of oven, along with Mrs. Bum; lacking enough trees for the job, Gordon will have affixed his hammock to several of our vehicles, and will be fast asleep, most of the time, and Lance, who will, hopefully, make a surprise appearance, will be trying to arm-wrestle Hobo to see who can pillage all our stoves, before either we all wake up, or Evil shows up to take them all!!!! 8) As it appears, right now, Lads, this Gathering is going to be a small, intimate affair, with only a few of us CCS members in evidence. Nonetheless, it will be fun, interesting, educational, and a fine time for those involved!!! While I still have high hopes that we will get more participation, those of us who have made the committment to be there are already planning on having a high old time, and very much enjoying ourselves!!! (Some friends, who live nearby and ride their horses on the nearby beach quite often, are planning to drop by for a visit, and to share some wine, too!) We will certainly take plenty of photos to document what will more than likely turn out to be a mini-(but wonderful) CA Stove Gathering!!! For those who are going to make the trip, we'll look forward to seeing you very soon!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Well, assuming my two boys are interested we may show up for this one on Friday and leave Sunday. Will need to share a tent spot and park my truck. I am debating between minimum tent and maximum. We have a nice 8 foot pop up but it barely fits me and the boys and there is no room for toys. But we could probably set up some stuff in the truck shell. Or, we have the big 14 foot tent with plenty of room to move around and store our stuff and even stand, I lean to this for comfort. Then the debate becomes which stoves to bring. Too many to choose from and several duplicates. Probably bring my trusty suitcase, and maybe oven and then my 8R and maybe some Coleman GI stoves and such and maybe even a canned gas stove or two and even an alcohol burner or two. Of course must bring some catalytic heaters for the son and plenty of lanterns to give it that baseball park feel. When I car camp I bring everything including the kitchen sink. BTW if anyone needs alcohol, I can bring a good supply with me, my work has drums of Isopropyl (rubbing) and denatured ethanol. I can bring a few gallons if need be. Not sure if bringing a generator is wise. My kids will probably want some juice to recharge the laptop PC for games and even some DVD movies. But then the racket of the generator detracts from the outdoor life. If a few other people need ac power for charging etc that would make it less intrussive perhaps. Might get away with the marine batteries and inverter. Not sure what to bring for potluck. Maybe some Korean style ribs and my grill. BTW, California now has active cases of West Nile Virus so bug repellant is probably a good idea. Depending on where the local swamp is, we might have skeeters. Got to do some planning and spring it on the boys. Jim Henderson
To All MDO CCS Campers: I will be bringing and sleeping in my truck. Therefore someone can pitch tent on my spot. I "think" a second vehicle can also occupy the site. Check that out before you make plans to share. If more than one want to share my site it goes to the first to arrive, the toss up goes to the one traveling the furtherest to get there. I expect to arrive Thursday afternoon and depart Sunday morn. RSVP 8) 8) Gordon
