Ripley Lake - Rainy trip May 16/17, 2015

Ripley Lake camp. The first part of the day was warm, sunny and very picturesque as the fellow campers in the area enjoyed their country music and fishing we got our camp set up.

Enjoyed a nice rocketstove hot shower
before bed last night.

 As evening approached it began to cloud over then poured buckets while we were there after we set up camp. On top of that young partiers pulled in while it was pouring. Very loud almost all night. Then it poured more. Funny thing though, they just through a tarp over their pickup trucks and slept under it, I think they got real wet cause they ended up sleeping in their truck cabs by morning. 

Morning came and we listened to Margaritaville
 loud on Serius radio while dry under our awning. LMAO. 

 having the awning was a "God-send" when the rain came. Next trip, if there is a chance of rain, we will bring the tarp over the tent as well to provide a dry passage between the tent and the cooking living room area. ;)

Day 2 The day of rain

 Kathy made the most awesome breakfast under the awning sheltered from the heavy rain. 

 The Rocketstove worked awesome in the rain. We watched others in the camp struggle in the morning trying to build a campfire.

For fear of washouts from the heavy rainstorm last night that continued all morning we decided we would head back early. Some parts of the road had began to washout, little rivers running across the roads near Ripley as we drove back in 4 wheel drive.

Always an adventure! At least we had an opportunity to test out our new gear and the Rocketstove/shower as well as were able to make some adjustments and get ideas for improvements to our camping setups for next trips. 

~GuyThaLizard http://www.GuyThaLizard.com http://www.KAYAKokanagan.com #KAYAKokanagan #Kayaking #Okanagan

GuyThaLizard's Rocket Stove update - BlogLog: March 28 2015

Today I added 6" stove pipe to the feed opening on the stove and enlarged the opening on the top, under the coffee pot. The stove seems to heat the water coil much faster and the stove seems to run much better. 

In a previous post I explained that I used a 5 Gallon tin pail. Just a note this pail is about 50 years (+-) so the tin is a very heavy gauge and used a Dremel cutting wheel after drilling little holes around where I wanted my 6"hole to be then cut between the holes with the Dremel. I think this is the best way to do it. After making my hole I used a Ball Pein Hammer to flange the inside of the stove pipe to lock it into place so the pipe doesn't fall out, especially while the stove is fire up. The 5 gallon water pail on the table is insulated with blue camping foam. 2 hours after heating the water to 95 degrees Fahrenheit the water was still too hot to have a shower with it. This is good, it seems to be just enough insulation. Will be great for washing dishes then showering later after it cools down to a decent temperature.



In the water bucket I have a marine bailing pump to circulate the water in the tank and to pump the water to the shower nozzle. 

This is posted just to give you some ideas for your rocket stove.

Going to be awesome for our kayaking camping trips.


~GuyThaLizard http://www.GuyThaLizard.com http://www.KAYAKokanagan.com #KAYAKokanagan #Kayaking #Okanagan

Trangia Camp Stove Demo/Review KAYAKLOG:11-14-2014

After a twitter conversation with Dave @campcookout (www.campingstovecookout.com) today about the Trangia Alcohol stove, I thought I would do a demo/review of my 35 year old Trangia stove as I have never did a review or demo of this stove before.

I have used this stove to the fullest and am very happy with this stove and would highly recommend it for kayak camping or backpacking. This lightweight stove is awesome!  I look at the Trangia stoves at www.trangia.se and they have had very few changes to this stove through the years and they sure don't need to change anything. This stove will last you a lifetime and you can pass it on through generation to generation. There is nothing to go wrong with it. Nothing to wear out. Fuel is easy to get for it. I have used Rubbing Alcohol, Alcohol based cologne, whiskey, gas-line antifreeze and methyl hydrate to cook with and boil water on all my kayaking trips.

I have created this little timelaps video to show you how easily you can use the Trangia to boil water. To give you an idea.

some changes to the Trangia through the years but still remains basically the same.



LogDate: 11/14/2014
~GuyThaLizard http://www.GuyThaLizard.com http://www.KAYAKokanagan.com #KAYAKokanagan #Kayaking #Okanagan

The Solar AC CampTrailer with outdoor kitchen DIY - KayakLog: 10/5/2014

Getting ready for our nest camping trip

When we camp we tend to ruff it a bit. But we got a trailer for our gear recently and did some updates to it for our kayak/camping trips. We have a lot of cameras, GPS batteries, 2-way radio batteries etc.. to charge up at camp so we set up a solar charging idea for the electronics and we added a kitchen counter idea on the outside of the gear trailer. Here is our DIY  video of our work in progress to give you ideas for your own.

LogDate: 10/5/2014 

~GuyThaLizard http://www.GuyThaLizard.com http://www.KAYAKokanagan.com #KAYAKokanagan #Kayaking #Okanagan

What Gear to Take While Kayak Camping / How to Pack a Kayak

Interesting vid I found on YouTube, thought I would share with you. Good to have ideas for Kayak Camping. Posted bymechanicmike69



~GuyThaLizard http://www.GuyThaLizard.com http://www.KAYAKokanagan.com

KAYAKING GEAR: Nokero Solar phone chargers & FIRE POWER!

MORE INFO: http://inhabitat.com/how-the-nokero-sunray-pro-power-solar-charger-saved-my-skin-my-sanity-during-hurricane-sandy/




Energy-Generating USB Camping Pot Charges Gadgets as You Cook!

MORE INFO: http://inhabitat.com/energy-generating-usb-camping-pot-charges-gadgets-as-you-cook/

Raptor: The solar-powered, trail-ready, smartphone-charging weather alert radio

MORE INFO: http://www.etoncorp.com/en/productdisplay/raptor

MORE TOP GREEN GADGETS: http://inhabitat.com/top-6-green-gadgets-for-fall-camping/

GuyThaLizard's Outdoor SOCIAL Network is UP & Running come Join!

Introducing "GuyThaLizard's Outdoor SOCIAL Network"

I have had this site  http://GuyThaLizard.webs.com for quite some time but now have finally made it one of my focus sites. It is a FREE site and free to join download/upload share.

I have rebuilt the site and am working to improve the site (I need your logging in and feedback).

GuyThaLizard's Outdoor SOCIAL Network It is a SOCIAL NETWORK where you, my friends and followers, can join (or as the site calles it "Register") and share your photos, videos, forum messages, post your own blogs, of your experiences in the great outdoors. Whether you are a kayaker, backpacker, camping enthusiast, skiier, bird watcher or a beach bum, outdoor landscape photographer or what have you. If you like the outdoors come join us.

New features include

• "TheSprings ONLINE Chat" (where you can chat with myself or others online.). 
   
• Cooliris YouTube and photo viewer on the Bottom Toolbar
   
• Intrigration to Facebook, Twitter, PinIt and and many others has also been added for log in and sharing etc.
   
• Forum is set up where you can add discussions of your own topics.
   
• Photo galleries have the option to add music to your slideshows
   
• and much more you can even get my GPS list to over 50 hotsprings in BC Canada.

 

I hope you will come join us, explore the new site and share with us your outdoor experiences. This site has no borders, open to all outdoor enthusiasts worldwide.

Click here:  GuyThaLizard's Outdoor SOCIAL Network 

 

Snapshot of the site

Posted via email from GuyThaLizard's LIVE blog (Posterous)

Found on YouTube: Introducing the new BioLite CampStove - YouTube

via youtube.com

I think this is a great idea and worth looking into.

Posted via email from GuyThaLizard's LIVE blog (Posterous)

MyGearBasics List (Kayak Camping)

Gear Basics

Some basic gear that I use while kayak camping and day trips. Not including the normal kayak safety equipment ie: lifejacket, bailing device, whistle and rope.

This is my Basics list that I build from as the trip requires.

• GPS (Garmin eTrex Venture CX)
• Cellphone (Blackberry Torch)
• Camp stove
• Hunting knife, folding saw  & hatchet
• Drinking water
• Shelter (Bivi-Sack, folding camp cot & sleeping bag)
• Firestarter (magnesium)
• Waterproof stuff sacks (for sleeping bag, clothing, food & gear)
• Waterproof boxes (I use transparent top boxes so my solar devices can charge while I paddle)
• Cooler ( I use frozen drinking water as freezer-packs rather than those blue freezer-packs. Think dual purpose)
• Easy food (like hot-dogs, kraft dinner, bannock can be cooked on a stove as well as a open campfire)

I try to think about multipurpose items ie: I wear a leather hat that also doubles as a bailing device. I also like to keep a Leatherman multipurpose tool with my gear. I freeze my drinking water and use it as a cold pack in my cooler and as it thaws I have cold water when I need it.

This is only my basics list and only to help trigger your mind on what you might like to bring on your kayaking trips.

Download now or watch on posterous

Gear_by_GuyThaLizard_Jan29-2011.wmv (18397 KB)

 

Hope some of you find my Gear Basics List useful.

Guy

 

Posted via email from GuyThaLizard's LIVE blog (Posterous)

Working hard on the looks of GuyThaLizard.Webs.Com site. Please let me know what you think!

Here are some snapshots of the screen items I have added.

GuyThaLizard.Webs.Com

Social Network for kayaking and other Outdoor excursions!
(a place for people to meet and interact with each other in forums, blogs, live chat-room, share your favorite spots like a cool waterfall, secluded beach, hot-springs or what have you!)

Well I don't know about you but I am excited about the new site and I am hoping some of you will be too!

New things added to the site:
Visitor Map. I always find it interesting to see where people come from and am always wondering what it looks like from their neck of the woods. So a Visitor Map is one of the items I like to use to get an idea of where they are visiting from.

Calendar for member events ie: trip to the ski-hill. When a member of the social network wants to plan an excursion and wants others to feel free to join in the calendar option is awesome. Members can add a map location a photo and info all in the date their plans are for. So set up that hotdog roast at the beach or the sleighride on Christmas day!

Whack of new photos added to start things off in the photo gallery and some slideshows. I think I have added about 100 kayaking photos to the site now but there still is lots of room for your photos too! Post some snowshoeing, cliff climbing or even your mountain bike trip pics too.

 

See and download the full gallery on posterous

And a handy TagCloud to easily find what's popular in my live blog.

Please take a moment and check out the site and let me know what you think of it. I value your opinions!

 GuyThaLizard.Webs.Com

~Guy

Posted via email from guythalizard's posterous "my LIVE blog"