[at-l] Deck Journal, 6/6/02

[rafe.bustin@verizon.net (Raphael Bustin)]

At 09:53 PM 6/6/2002 -0400, Weary wrote:

>  Some  of  us will continue to use wood -- for the freedom to cook what 
> we want,
>  whenever  we want; and for philosophical reasons. Wood -- like wind 
> power -- is
>  renewable.  Unlike  wind  power,  the  few  twigs  a  Zip Stove consumes 
> has no
>  measurable ecological or aesthetical impact.


That's all well and good, but I was looking for some practical
advice on dealing with this thing.  You admit that it's not as
convenient as a gas stove, except perhaps in the schlepping
of fuel.  I'm somewhat less concerned with the ecological
implications at the moment.

So my question is, what to do when it's wet out.  If I have to
carry fire-starter over any sort of distance, then at least some
of the Zip's advantage goes away (the schlepping-of-fuel part.)

Is convenience a big deal?  I dunno. Maybe.  After all, it's in wet,
cold weather that I most want a hot meal -- soup or tea -- and want
it fast, since I'm losing energy as I cook it.

I'm not one to cook elaborate meals in the woods, though
maybe that might change.  My food "budget" counts cooking
time among many other factors.

I also worry that the Zip really needs to be used well-outdoors,
as opposed to the Whisperlite which I have occasionally used
within the confines of a shelter, when the weather is bad.


rafe b.