Barista on the trail!

Camping/hiking gear, hiking/backpacking/camping, life, the universe, and everything, news

I’m becoming abit of a Fire Maple fanboy.

Today Fire Maple launched a Petrel pour over kettle.

We all know I like my coffee. I like pour over coffee. It allows a consistent great coffee to be brewed. So this is the perfect walk accessory for me.

According to the blurb this kettle has a 350ml capacity, and there are measurements inside to allow accurate measuring of the water used.

Is this a G2?
Photos off the Fire Maple website

Looking at the photo this pour over kettle fits inside the G2. The spout and handle fit inside the kettle itself.

I do like the heat exchange technology they use. It really does work.

Currently until the end of the month if you order from Fire Maple you get 10% off. Here is the link.

Making my own fire starters

#backtothehills, Camping/hiking gear, hiking/backpacking/camping, life, the universe, and everything, outdoors

This morning decided to try making my own fire starters using the guidance of Coalcracker Bushcraft via their YouTube video on the subject.

Basically using a 1:1 ratio of wax to lighter fluid and 100% cotton, cotton pads. I spent a relaxing few minutes melting wax, mixing in lighter fluid, and then dunking the cotton pads.

The recycled baked bean tin
Testing

I used a recycled baked bean tin to melt the wax in. And a pot gripper to lift the tin on and off the stove, and to pour the melted wax. The actual dunking was done in a recycled soft cheese container.

I did test them once dry by tearing one to open it up, and using a ferro got it to light first time.

A fun little project with practical uses.

Operation A Dog Named Sue! #7

#littlemonsters, #livefromperu, life, the universe, and everything

There was an overnight update on Ace.

From the photos shared his paw looks to be healing nicely.

So for this post I’ve collected the photos of the paw that have been shared so far.

They show the paw healing.

However there is still a ways to go.

Looking at the progress over about a month the difference is amazing. I’m hoping the healing continues at this rate.

WARNING! these pictures are not easy to look at

Taken 17th Feb
Taken 7th March
Taken last night

Naturally I can’t wait for the healing to get to a point where we can start the process of bringing him over to his forever home with us.

I’m starting to think we won’t have Ace with us now until the end of the Summer, early Autumn.

March 2026 Gaming Roundup Part 1

Gaming roundup, life, the universe, and everything

Well March hasn’t gotten off to a great start.

Not gaming on a Tuesday has had an impact for sure. Who knows if that will start up again.

So here are the handful of games I’ve played up to this midpoint of the month.

Subastral: an interesting quick set collection game. It was ok, I was left a bit cold about our first play, despite winning. I don’t think I was feeling much more positive about it after the second game.

Root: once again Jeff managed to snatch victory from within my grubby mitts. We used the expert setup to select our factions. We used the Exiles and Partisans deck, and the Landmarks expansion (selected the Tower because I thought it would encourage more conflict!)

Viticulture: basically an all in game using the Bordeaux board, expert workers, and the structures modules. I think it’s taken as read we were using the Visit from the Rhine Valley decks. I won by a point. This was the first time ever playing with the structures modules. And during this game I was the only one drawing the structure cards. I actually liked this module.

Tokaido: yeah I’m really glad that the reprint by Stonemaier games was the excuse needed to get this to the table on what is proving to be a regular basis.

New Arrivals

  • Heat Tunnel Vision
  • Heat Rocky Road
  • Heat Heavy Rain

Road to UKGE 2026 #2

life, the universe, and everything, UKGE

Finally!

At long last the NEC is allowing visitors to prebook their parking ticket for the expo.

Unlike the expo itself there is a benefit of prebooking. You save money. Granted it’s about a fiver. But still that’s better than nothing.

I had planned to go for the express parking that is nearer to the halls of the NEC, and guarantees you a parking spot. But at £84 for three days compared to £27. I found it very hard to justify the huge increase for the sake of a bit of convenience.

Besides the bus service is pretty good from the halls to the car parks, and not very long waits between buses.

So I went with the cheaper option. Besides get there earlier enough you can get reasonably close and use the E1 car park. But you need to be there damn early.

Operation A Dog Named Sue! #6

#littlemonsters, #livefromperu

The foster family bought Ace a new bed. So they shared some new photos of Ace in his new bed (see below).

I’m in two minds about sharing the latest raw photos of Ace’s paw without the bandage. They are not pretty to look at.

But it’s really nice that his foster family, and the rescue home are keeping those of us in the UK up to date with his progress.

A couple of photos of Diogo snuggling up to me

Operation A Dog Named Sue! #5

#littlemonsters

Here is the latest update on Ace.

It would appear that Ace is with what I think can best be described as a foster home while he recovers.

Anyway this is the latest:

“The girl spent all day yesterday buying the antibiotics, the other medicines, and the medicated and adhesive bandages to do the daily dressings.

On Saturday he will have to return to the veterinarian for his checkup. The doctor wants to see how Aces is progressing with his paw. He is very loving, like any young dog, and very playful. Tomorrow the girl who takes care of him will also go buy his bed, blankets, and more bandages to continue with his daily wound care.”

Back garden brew

Brew kit, Camping/hiking gear, Cooksets

Yesterday morning while waiting for some homemade sausage rolls to cook I decided to play with a brew kit I put together and make a coffee.

For early February it was rather pleasant with the sun out, and barely a breeze.

The brew kit I had put together uses a Camping Moon pear shaped canvas mini bag (purchased off that AliExpress place) to hold everything. Well almost the mug (in this case a Kupilka 21 classic cup) is external.

Inside is a Trangia 27 aluminium kettle, which is 600ml capacity if I remember correctly.

Trangia with a preheater attached, and a cross stand. Trangia Aluminium Kettle 27.
Trangia triangle with a pan stand,
Kupilka 21 Classic Cup

Inside the kettle is the Trangia stove itself and a preheater attached to it. Plus some sachets of coffee, whitener, and sugar.

In the bottom of the case is stored a Trangia Triangle and an official pan stand plus a cross stand.

This is a nice relatively compact brew kit, granted the cup is external, and it needs a folding spork/spoon adding. Which will easily fit inside. Plus fuel not in the Trangia is also stored external. Which I prefer.

I used my ferro rod to ignite the Trangia. Typical it was at this moment that a slight breeze decided to make itself known. Although the meths ignited the breeze however slight was enough to blow out the flame.

After four attempts with the same result I was beginning to regret using the cross stand over the triangle. But fifth time the charm.

The breeze had disappeared.

Even though this wasn’t the peace and quiet of the middle of nowhere or a woods. It still had a restful affect. The change of pace. The break from routine. The waiting for the water to boil.

Sometimes you just need to slow down.

LiveFromPeru Part 11

#littlemonsters, #livefromperu

Yesterday Diogo and I had our initial consultation with the dog trainer/behaviourist.

Part of the consultation saw Diogo going out for a walk, much to Dolly’s disgust. The intent of the walk was to allow the dog trainer to see how Diogo reacted towards other dogs.

Obviously getting ready for the walk allowed the dog trainer to see how Diogo reacts, and his excitement that is vocalised as barking.

We headed off to Tillery Park. A five minute walk.

Back as a teenager when we lived in Princess Road, Tillery Park was literally opposite the house. It was where each day I used to walk our dogs Timmy (a jack russell) and Rex (mostly lab). Back then there used to be a fallen tree in the middle of the park. A tree as an even younger kid, like many others, used to be climbed all over.

When we got to the park there were people present on the benches. But alas no dogs.

We didn’t see a dog until near the end of our circuit of the park. Diogo reacted with his usual response of barking.

Having not seen another dog until that point, we saw another three or more on the way home.

The trainer confirmed my assessment of Diogo getting excited at the start of the walk, and that he was pretty good on the lead.

The barking at other dogs she thought was more to do with frustration that Diogo couldn’t just run up at them. Which is what he would do back in Peru living on the streets.

It was a positive that not only would Diogo respond/get distracted by food, especially in his excited state.

Back at the house the trainer went over the structure of the sessions. Two of the five will be in a paddock with another dog to teach us both how to handle the situation.

The rest will be indoor training. Which will see us working on the vocal excitement.

The trainer did recommend that Diogo and I take part in one or two of her socialising dog walks that she holds. And I will do that. But Dolly will be on those too. I saw on Facebook that they take place in places like Hunstanton beach or Shouldham Warren. The latter Dolly and I are familiar with.

Our first session should be at the end of the month once the trainer is back from her holiday.