My personal essentials: 1) The brew bag
Camping is the place to go for the best cup of coffee you’ll ever have in your life. That’s because the perfect cup of coffee depends on where you are in mind and body. Most people drink coffee with the blank slate of conscious thoughts while trying to wake up and start the day. But when you get out of a warm sleeping bag and crawl out of your tent on a brisk morning then you’re in for some quick moving to get your drink. Rest assured that when you are camping and close to nature you may very well be in the right place to whip up and enjoy the perfect cup.
I give my condolences to those of you who are not coffee drinkers. I enjoy it. I also give you the secret to a fresh brewed a cup of Joe wherever you are. If by chance you don’t drink the stuff then please substitute tea or cocoa or your hot drink of choice may be. I love my first sip coffee in the morning. With it comes a flash of memories go racing through my mind. I recall the wonderful camping trips in the mountains I’ve been on and how pleasant and peaceful the day starts off with that first cup.
My brew bag is an essential for me. I put it together so I can brew a cup of Joe no matter where I am. It works better than a thermos for me. I do things all the time to get ready for the next big journey. Sometimes it’s only an idea while other times it’s a small step toward a developing idea. The brew bag idea actually one that came from several directions. I don’t like paying a buck & a half or more for a cup of coffee with flavored sugar when I can make my own for thirty cents. And digging through and setting up gear while on the road to brew some tea is way to much trouble. Plus you can’t buy fresh brewed tea if there is nobody selling it.
When I was in high school I worked at a fast food restaurant. I have clear memories of the store manager giving me instructions. Smile, greet the customer; take the order and so on. Before you start filling the order you ask, “Is this for here or to go?” I don’t know if they still ask this question since now days everybody is on the go. Everybody including me is on the go. But for me and the journey to the place where I’m going I’ll pause and drink a hot beverage.
So I repurposed a hand tool carry bag for the essentials to make the hot beverage. I keep it handy and try to take it with me when I go to everyday places. When I’m not camping and find myself with a little time I’ll look for a park or picnic table. I’ll find a good spot to get set up and bring out the bag. In it is a small stove, cups, a spoon, coffee, cocoa, tea and matches. I keep water separate because my canteen always needs refilling. I have brewed a cup of the hot stuff at roadside rest stops, state parks, city parks, parking lots, at a ship channel levy and even employee break tables outside municipal buildings. I feel more self sufficient when I make my own drink. The best part is that when I’m on the road in the middle of the night I don’t have to find a gas station or truck stop open to get a cup of coffee. That is because I bring what I need with me.
Last November we were on our way to camp at Buffalo River in Arkansas. After driving all night I was getting road wary. I pulled into a rest stop and overlook at daybreak. It was off of the main road and there were not any towns close by. It’s a really nice stop if you are ever in the area. I think it’s named the Rotary Ann. The picnic tables are built on bluffs overlooking the mountains. This was the perfect place to drink my morning coffee so I reached behind the car seat and pulled out the brew bag. Then we were off to find a campsite at a place we had never been before. I drove while sipping on a fresh brewed cup of coffee.