cooking in foul weather-wind and rain

[MikeRuth]

Hey folks for those of you who are not in a fully self contained vehicle like a class C or Class A and some B's How are you dealing with foul weather when you are trying to cook? 

This past weekend I had a rude awaking by the wind, I was in the north desert of Las Vegas having a good old time shooting and flying but it was a bit windy. 
I had just finished breakfast and had my coleman stove out on a fairly sturdy table with two pans on it. Fire was off. A gust came through and tipped it all over!
No damage but got my attention as to what if I was still cooking? 

Later the weather was looking even worse as dark clouds were coming in and the wind was picking up a bit. Since I was off road I decided to pack it up and get back on the pavement, just as I sat down in the drivers seat I heard a noise and looked up to see a massive dust devil hit the van, shook it pretty good. 
That made me think about what if I had been cooking then? 

So I'm trying to think of a good way to make a shelter, awning etc. since I really can't cook inside the van, Actually simple stuff I might get away with. 

there may not be any suitable way but would like to hear your thoughts. 

Mike R

 

[highdesertranger]

I just live with it. sometimes I put off the cooking to wait it out sometimes I just tough it out and cook no matter the weather. it's best to have stuff that doesn't get blown away, some well placed rocks usually does the trick. one thing that really helps is a high output stove. to me windscreens and tarps are second nature. oh yeah you get to know the difference between cheap tarps and good ones. highdesertranger

 

[sometimesido]

maybe face the against the wind, use the rear doors as walls, and build on that with tarp like this?



just an idea. you could even make 4th wall with another tarp and some rigid sticks of sort.

Edit: I think faroutvan (can't remember exact name of member) posted a structure he/she made for an outdoor shower, but I think you can modify it a bit for your needs. Bonus: now you have outdoor shower enclosure too.

Edit 2: found his post http://www.cheaprvliving.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=18430&pid=335089#pid335089

 

[sephson]

A while back I was out at the Mojave National Preserve on a particularly windy evening and I was having trouble keeping my stove lit. I turned my car nose into the wind, set up my stove on the shelf I built at the hatch back and cooked my dinner with no further problems.

I do have a question though. Why can't you cook in the van?

While it's not convenient, I can cook inside my little hatchback. I just have to simplify my meals so they don't require much in the way of preparation.

 

[TrainChaser]

Do what Sephson said. ^^^ When I was living in my van, I moved the van a bit so my slider door was on the downwind side, and left it open or half-open. I had built my plywood bed platform a full 8 feet long, which left a 24" clear space to set my propane stove on. Actually, I cooked there most of the time, since most of the places I stayed didn't have tables.

For those who break into a sweat at the idea of cooking in a van, please keep in mind that people cook in RVs all the time. Unless you have a leak in your gas tank, or you're an idiot who can't focus on what you're doing, you won't have any problems.

 

[akrvbob]

I've cooked well over 3000 meals in my van. Less than 100 outside it. No big deal to me!

You couldn't cook inside even if it meant going hungry otherwise?

 

[jimindenver]

It has been a long time since all I had was the van but we use to use small c-clamps to hook a tarp to the gutter and stake the other end out like a leanto.

 

[blmkid]

I got a couple of the Irwin Quick Grip. 3". I think they have 4" and larger. Very strong grip.


Here's a link for them: https://www.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-QUICK-GRIP-3-in-Clamp/50214663[/SIZE]

 

[MikeRuth]

first off thanks for all the suggestions. Indeed I can cook in the van, that was a mistake to say that, but I prefer cooking out doors. I'll do some more work on cooking inside and get that routine down better. I believe how and where I store my food stuff will help with that immensely.

Having the van pointed in the right direction, either for rear door or side certainly will help but not against those Dust devils, LOL.
Ok, I'll do my home work and work more on cooking inside. Save the outside cooking for the fair weather days.

Mike R

 

[MikeRuth]

Bob, you mention cooking inside more than out, do you have a sink in the van? A place for waste water etc? Washing the dishes?

Mike R

 

[TrainChaser]

Dust devils -- only a good Medicine Man can help with those.

 

[Almost There]

I only cook outdoors if it's nice or if I'm cooking something that is going to take a long time...like chili or spaghetti sauce. Oh and any baking is done on the Coleman propane.

Other than that I  tend to cook on the butane stove on the kitchen counter.

I also wash dishes outside if it's nice out and I'm someplace where it's okay to throw the dishwater in the bushes...saves me space in the small gray water jug that is under the kitchen sink.

It's nice to have choices!

 

[Kia girl]

I put my gazebo up with tarps around it if the weather is bad so I can cook outside.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[akrvbob]

I don't have a sink or running water and I don't do dishes. Dishes are "washed" with a paper towel, 1-quart spray bottle of plain water, and a final rinse of vinegar. Been doing dishes that way since 2008, nary a problem.

Right now I am trying a final rinse with alcohol, but don't see any point so will go back to vinegar.

 

[UptownSport]

^^ Beats a quick rinse in the stream, LoL.

Everyone cooks in their fishouse, no one dies.

My little $25 stove wouldn't work with a strong wind, it has a shield, but that wind is tricky.

Crack the door/ window, that wind will do the rest.

 

[jacqueg]

maybe face the against the wind, use the rear doors as walls, and build on that with tarp like this?



just an idea. you could even make 4th wall with another tarp and some rigid sticks of sort.

Edit: I think faroutvan (can't remember exact name of member) posted a structure he/she made for an outdoor shower, but I think you can modify it a bit for your needs. Bonus: now you have outdoor shower enclosure too.

Edit 2: found his post https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=18430&pid=335089#pid335089

I like this idea, but I'm wondering how, in a wind, would you stabilize the open doors so they don't blow in on you?

 

[Almost There]

I like this idea, but I'm wondering how, in a wind, would you stabilize the open doors so they don't blow in on you?

Bungy cords, a piece of rope to tie off the door to something else outside or a small piece of wood propped in the door have all been utilized by me in the past to make the doors stay where I want them.

It's called 'anything you have on hand, that works'....

 

[DuneElliot]

Often, when I've been on the road with just my truck and the weather sucks (torrential rain more than wind) I've just hunted down a cheap restaurant or gone to a gas station that has tostadas or something similar.

 

[MikeRuth]

I don't have a sink or running water and I don't do dishes. Dishes are "washed" with a paper towel, 1-quart spray bottle of plain water, and a final rinse of vinegar. Been doing dishes that way since 2008, nary a problem.

Right now I am trying a final rinse with alcohol, but don't see any point so will go back to vinegar.

Thanks bob, I kind of do the same. the spray bottle is something I had not thought about. That will definitely increase efficiency of water use. I too have not setup a sink and water and I don't think I will. Was just thinking a plastic dish pan would suffice if needed. 

Mike R

 

[sometimesido]

I like this idea, but I'm wondering how, in a wind, would you stabilize the open doors so they don't blow in on you?

I just found a video done by Bob and a nice lady. She had broom stick between doors holding it from coming in, and bungee cords holding the doors from blowing outward and tarp.

Did you check out the link I posted? it explains how they did it.