It seems my BioLite Campstove arrived just in time, because today began with a windstorm that knocked out power for most people across the region. I still have cellular service, but it seems everyone else is suddenly relying on it, too, so service is spotty.
I went on a short bike ride on the Evil Black Assault Bike, foraged for firewood for my fire circle, and just enjoyed sitting in the outdoors listening to the gentle sounds of nature and the hum of generators across the neighborhood.
Eventually, I decided I was hungry. Cold food was not appealing, but the kitchen runs entirely on the angry wall pixies from the electrical company.
I had the firewood ready by the fire pit, but fire danger is too great between the already-dry conditions and the new wind gusts. I don't want to burn down the county today.
Fortunately, using the campstove seems safe enough. I decided this occasion called for a traditional can of pork and beans plus sliced hot dogs for a proper test of this setup. Can it handle real camp cooking?
Yes. Of course it can. The thin metal of the pot requires frequent stirring, but it heated through quite nicely in short order. I had to top off the fuel chamber a couple times. There is plenty of fuel lying around, since the wind has dislodged plenty of twigs and branches, but using larger chunks of firewood-cutting leftovers seems more efficient. That said, loose twigs still work if that is what is available. Just be prepared to deal with more smoke.
The CampStove also works nicely with standard small kettles, so if the stove itself interests you, the accessories are not essential. I do like the KettlePot, though, since it also acts as a carrying case for the stove.
Camp cooking tip: a dash of Tabasco sauce improves many bland foods.
The only real downside to the whole setup is that my battery brick drains the BioLite internal battery faster than the fire can charge it.
