When I’m out cycling, and also kick scooting and walking, I like to be self-sufficient, carrying my own supplies such as lunch, brew kit and emergency rations. For me, one of the great pleasures when out riding is finding a nice sheltered spot out of the wind, the sun in my face, a fine view and having a brew. There are two methods I use for making a brew.
The first and simplest is to carry a small 500ml stainless steel vacuum flask of hot water, enough for two mugs of either tea of coffee. The brew kit also contains small leak-proof plastic bottles for tea bags, milk and instant coffee. The final two items in my brew kit are a simple plastic mug from the local outdoors shop – it’s nothing special really but being plastic will not break when dropped – along with a spoon, that latter an item I do tend to forget sometime. I’ve tried mixing up tea or coffee in the flask before heading out but it never tastes very good and I always prefer to make fresh on location.
My other method of making a brew is to carry a small stove with me, either a Mini Trangia methylated spirit stove or a Woodgas Stove, which burns whatever fuel you can find on location, such as twigs, grass, small branches or even pine cones. Which means you don’t have to carry any fuel with you, although finding dry fuel is not always so easy. Fuel for the Mini Trangia is carried in a 250ml fuel bottle and I do keep a small bag of dry wood in the shed, to carry with me should I be visiting a location where I know dry fuel will be difficult to find.
Also in my brew kit, and also items I’ve sometimes left behind in the past, is a means of lighting the fuel, for either stove. I usually carry some wind and waterproof matches with a flint and steel striker as backup. My small emergency kit also holds storm matches and a cheap lighter which can also be used as backup.
There does seem a lot of kit in the image above but not all is carried on each trip, just what is required. It is simpler to carry the flask but setting up the stove, getting it alight and waiting for the water to boil is all part of the adventure and also makes you slow down a bit, enjoy the moment and take in the view.
Copyright ©2020 Gary Buckham. All rights reserved.
