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Martyman
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Posts: 1904
Registered: 9-10-2004
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After the firewood you need some tequila and a few songs to liven up the occasion
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
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Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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c'mon Wilderone! how can you say that is not controlled burn? surrounded by sand at least 30' on 3 sides and the ocean on another. the stuff was DEAD.
already fallen over DEAD. we didn't yank it out, you don't have to. next day the tide erased all evidence.
i guess i'm just saying that other than polluting the night sky with smoke there was nothing wrong with the picture...
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bajabass
Super Nomad
Posts: 2016
Registered: 10-4-2006
Location: La Paz,BCS
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Mood: Want to fish!!!
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The washer tub is a great idea. I have one in the backyard in La Mision. The Smokey Joe is a little small. For 2 or 3 people maybe. Try a VW engine
case, 
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by wilderone
that fire in the photo above is not a campfire. That's just an uncontrolled burn of dead foliage. Do a little better and make a small campfire -
enough to cook or keep you warm, without hacking down and destroying anything that is still IN the ground -- only something that is laying about.
There are many desert species that go dormant in winter and they look dead, but they are not. And, like turtles and other endangered stuff in Baja
California, mesquite has been over harvested which is impacting the prevalence of this plant where it should thrive. Just bring your own, or collect
wood on the side of the road, or buy oak if it's available - but don't buy mesquite or ironwood to burn for firewood. And please don't make any new
fire rings where there are others already available, and don't throw garbage in it that won't burn, or toss bottles in it and leave them there, etc.,
etc. I'm sure you understand if you practice "leave no trace." Always a good thing. And if you're some place where there are multiple fire rings,
you can do everyone a favor by breaking up the old fire rings and restoring the area like it should look. I know that's probably not the answer you
were looking for, but the old Baja took a lot of abuse - it's time now to repair some of the damage when we can. Thank you. |
-----we (back country Rangers) always called those HUGE fires "witch burners", and always wondered what primitive instincts went into the building of
same. Tiny fires are a sign of someone who knows what the back country is
all about. (I admit that beaches are in a catagory of their own)
----as for "breaking up the old fire rings", that always gave us some heartburn as it resulted in a proliferation of charcoal scattered all over the
place and was much harder to clean up. Charcoal lasts FOREVER, relatively speaking. We much preferred that folks just use the old established fire
rings which kept the impact to a minimum, and the new fires reduced the old charcoal to ash. Much less of a mess for the next person.
All of the other suggestions are excellent, IMO.
Just some thoughts----------
Barry
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dtutko1
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Registered: 8-26-2009
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I' ve heard native americans call a big fire a "white mans fire". When asking for firewood in spanish it's "lenya"
Don
Dorado Don
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Taco de Baja
Super Nomad
Posts: 1913
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Location: Behind the Orange Curtain, CA
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When desert camping we always build the fire directly on the ground with no fire ring. By morning most of the charcoal has all turned into grey ash.
The next big wind or rain that comes along will blow or wash the ash away and there is no trace that we have even been there; except for any unburned
wood on the wood pile.
Truth generally lies in the coordination of antagonistic opinions
-Herbert Spencer
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
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Location: Bahia Asuncion
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In my experience driftwood burns far 'better' than anything else you can pick up in the desert.
My theory is that wood burns better when the bark and outer layers are removed. The time spent rolling around on the beaches removes all of that and,
when dry, will light quickly and produce a good flame. Although it won't burn as long.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
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Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
In my experience driftwood burns far 'better' than anything else you can pick up in the desert.
My theory is that wood burns better when the bark and outer layers are removed. The time spent rolling around on the beaches removes all of that and,
when dry, will light quickly and produce a good flame. Although it won't burn as long. |
The only problem with that is that much of it contains creosote (old Navy stuff) and it really smokes and smells. At least that was the problem many
many years ago.
Barry
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BajaNuts
Super Nomad
Posts: 1085
Registered: 5-11-2008
Location: eastern WA, the DRY side
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Mood: no worry, no hurry....it's all good!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
In my experience driftwood burns far 'better' than anything else you can pick up in the desert.
My theory is that wood burns better when the bark and outer layers are removed. The time spent rolling around on the beaches removes all of that and,
when dry, will light quickly and produce a good flame. Although it won't burn as long. |
The only problem with that is that much of it contains creosote (old Navy stuff) and it really smokes and smells. At least that was the problem many
many years ago.
Barry |
I must have missed something- when did driftwood start containing creosote? 
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Back in the ancient days when I camped the Pacific beaches, in both Baja and S. Cal., almost all the driftwood on the beaches was full of
creosote-----not sure why, but certainly was so. Perhaps that is a thing of the past.
For the past 25 years, or so, I have only camped on the Cortez side, and creosote is seldom a problem there.
Barry
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surfer jim
Super Nomad
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Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: high desert
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I have had the bundled firewood that we tried to bring back taken at secondary even though it came from U.S....
I am sure, like anything else, if they don't see it they won't take it.....
Not sure what to think of a load of firewood....maybe different rules apply since it originated in Mexico and not U.S?
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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i would think there may be some critter in the wood that we might not want on this side before it gets roasted.
once coming thru tecate we were asked if we had any firewood. i said no. when we got home there was a big piece of "driftwood" right on top that i'd
forgot about! i guess it all depends on your confidence in your answer. if i was the guard i woulda asked about it!
Soulpatch - no we never burnt trees at Nobes. there was a couple of times at Newbreak with broken boards and high school parties with Fish and the
Seaweeds with pallets and generators and amplifiers and drumsets and kegs and chicks, also at Newbreak! never been a NoSurf guy.....
but i digress....
[Edited on 11-24-2009 by woody in ob]
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BajaRae
Junior Nomad
Posts: 54
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Vista, CA
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Mood: Wish I was in Baja
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I remember the 60's and 70's coming in from surfing freezing our butts off lighting giant fires and throwing a few tires in to keep it going...No. CA
Not so Strict up there...So. CA is really picky....kinda sucks...no dogs no booze...sure makes Baja look good....Sorry I'm showing my wild side...
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