ObGobOobaleeney
Observer
What's your idea of minimalist camping on the trail? How simple can it get?
I used to be part of a flying/skydiving club. We camped on dry lake beds. Over the years I saw a big variety of camping styles. There were, of course, those with RV's and every bell and whistle.
My favorite was when friend slept in his beater sedan, with a blanket, had a small cooler with ice, sixer of beer, gallon of water and a pack of kielbasa sausage. No stove. He cooked it over the fire on a stick. He mooched whatever chair was unused around the fire.
One motorcyclist had no tent, no cot, no pillow. Just a sleeping bag. He joked he only needed a rock-- not to use as a pillow, but to knock himself out at night.
My minimalist approach was: I'd remove my Tacoma's passenger seat before I headed out, I'd sleep on an air mattress on the floor, eat MREs, water and canned coffee drinks. Zero cookware.
Most of the time I was a "cooler camper" and used no stove, only cold items; tuna salad mix, crackers, water, beer, for dinner and lunch. And for breakfast was yogurt and canned coffee drinks.
My low point was one memorable trip when, after getting stranded at night beyond a deep river, with no gear, four of us shared a single can of chicken chilli that we found in a cave. We cut spoons from an empty plastic water jug, and cooked the soup in the can over an open fire. Slept in the open under a blanket.
I used to be part of a flying/skydiving club. We camped on dry lake beds. Over the years I saw a big variety of camping styles. There were, of course, those with RV's and every bell and whistle.
My favorite was when friend slept in his beater sedan, with a blanket, had a small cooler with ice, sixer of beer, gallon of water and a pack of kielbasa sausage. No stove. He cooked it over the fire on a stick. He mooched whatever chair was unused around the fire.
One motorcyclist had no tent, no cot, no pillow. Just a sleeping bag. He joked he only needed a rock-- not to use as a pillow, but to knock himself out at night.
My minimalist approach was: I'd remove my Tacoma's passenger seat before I headed out, I'd sleep on an air mattress on the floor, eat MREs, water and canned coffee drinks. Zero cookware.
Most of the time I was a "cooler camper" and used no stove, only cold items; tuna salad mix, crackers, water, beer, for dinner and lunch. And for breakfast was yogurt and canned coffee drinks.
My low point was one memorable trip when, after getting stranded at night beyond a deep river, with no gear, four of us shared a single can of chicken chilli that we found in a cave. We cut spoons from an empty plastic water jug, and cooked the soup in the can over an open fire. Slept in the open under a blanket.