Bring firewood?

[dog nui]

We have just taken the plunge and with our (new to us) 23' TT comes questions galore. 

One of which is....
Your thoughts, bring my own firewood or buy at our destination?

Buy at destination - Cost?  (Two nights, 2-3 hour fire for hot dogs, marshmallows, etc)

If I would take my own (friend has offered free firewood), what would be a good way to transport it?

Would it be safe to put a cargo rack with say 200# of wood in a 2" x 2" trailer hitch receiver bolted onto the TT bumper?
http://www.etrailer.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=E&Product_Code=V90590&Category_Code=CC2

Whew, that was alot!

Thanks much
Doggie Nui

 

[Ron]

There are some places, like Michigan, where transporting firewood is against the law in some areas due to beetle infestations.  So care should be taken to know if any regulations exist such as there are in Michigan.  Having said that, when going to camp in the desert at Quartzsite you either bring you wood, buy it in town, or do without.

 

[Carl L]

Would it be safe to put a cargo rack with say 200# of wood in a 2" x 2" trailer hitch receiver bolted onto the TT bumper?

On a 23" trailer?  The short answer is no. 

Tackng on a 200# load well behind the rear axles will subtract from your tongue weight and will destablize your trailer.  How dangerously will depend on the tongue weight, its percentage of the trailer's weight, and the length of the trailer.  A 23-footer is not going to give you much room in those factors.

 

[John From Detroit]

Back  Before the Emerald Ash Borer came to town (I live in a quarteen area) I used to carry wood all the time, I did my very best to put it directly OVER an axel.  Still, I broke a hitch when I put it in the trailer (That was fun)

Today, I can only carry it locally, so though I do carry wood, it's commericial processed  Fireplace logs (mostly pressed sawdust) not bark on wood, handy for starting a campfire though (I also have duraflame)

I buy where I can

 

[woodartist]

Is charcoal an option? If we want firewood we just gather deadfall. You can put some on the rear bumper of a trailer or 5th...have done that. We carry a lot of wood because of the business aspect and have never had any problems. In the old days they would also burn dung.....haven't gotten desperate enough to do that

 

[Wendy]

Many campgrounds sell firewood at reasonable prices. Probably easier than hauling it yourself. As for gathering deadfall, that's illegal in many places...check the regs before you go gathering.

 

[woodartist]

Well, all the places we go the deadfall is fair game. I'm sure it is not in the "peoples republic of CA) and other places that we refuse to frequent. What a country : Yes, you can buy firewood but the campgrounds are expensive. Look before you get to your destination and you won't have far to travel with it. Small business for many people.

 

[Wendy]

California is an amazing state with incredible scenery....you won't find Yosemite, Death Valley, or the Redwoods anywhere else. And, no, I don't live in California. The rules regarding gathering of down wood vary depending on the property you're on. You cannot gather down wood in most NPS sites and you'll find those in almost every state. All I'm saying is that you need to check the rules before gathering.

 

[woodartist]

Well, CA was a nice state but the restrictions are insane ( my opinion). Heck I couldn't gather shells from a beach...although I could in NY. When we used to go there it was like going to N. Korea. Yes, there is some nice scenery but nothing better than the SW...or West....heck even Disney World in Orlando is better Yes, everyone should check the law and then do what is rational. I'm sure you are aware that you can get a permit and cut your own firewood in most places. We haven't been approached by the "firewood police".........yet.

 

[Carl L]

Well, all the places we go the deadfall is fair game. I'm sure it is not in the "peoples republic of CA) and other places that we refuse to frequent

.

Well then you are out of visiting the front country of most every national park that I can think of.  And a lot of national forests.  Especially the more accessible.   

 

[Smoky]

Since I am always on the road I am always buying firewood wherever I go.  But I keep a basket supply in the coach sbasement o I don't run out.  I carry a reciprocating saw with a firewood blade on it and cut my purchased firewood in half so it fits nicely into my campfire in a can.  I can also use the battery operated saw to cut firewood in the woods where it is allowed.  The campgrounds in Glacier allow you to cut up any wood that has fallen to the grown.  A lot of that is wood cut by foresters.  We have really grown to love the campfire in a can and many campgrounds allow us to use it that normally don't provide fire rings. 

 

[dog nui]

Thanks for all of your help.  Much appreciated!!

Dog Nui  ;D

 

[KodiakRV]

Just don't do like I did many years ago...
We were camping in a state park one weekend when a pickup truck came around selling oak firewood.? I bought some, but then rain set in and we never used it.? Being the thrifty person that I am,? ? I had the brilliant idea to take it home and put it in the garage until next time we went camping.?

Long story shortened:? I think it took me at least six months to rid the house and garage of the carpenter ant nests that resulted from that fiasco.? I even had one point where I saw some fluff sticking out from underneath our toaster that hadn't been used in a few days.? I punched the toaster on and the ants came boiling out of it.? ?:-[

 

[woodartist]

Good point and most of the deadfall probably has wood borers. We go to very remote areas without much camping pressure, so there is more deadfall than you could burn in a lifetime. Heck even in the desert there is a lot of deadfall....at least where we go. Never burned salt cedar and was told it wasn't the firewood of choice. But heck, mesquite has a dual purpose....fire and flavor.

 

[Carl L]

Salt cedar has almost no heat output as I remember from one v. cold night in Joshua Tree NP.

 

[woodartist]

Well, Carl that would be a disadvantage Most western states are trying to eradicate it, so there is plenty to be had. I use the wood for making things and it finishes very nice. Cracks, splits, etc. but has a certain character to it. It contains a lot of salt ( hence the name) and  uses a lot of water. It tends to kill other trees in the area and therefore not desirable. It's root burls are also very attractive when finished......but as a firewood............

 

[Wendy]

Tamarisk (saltcedar) is, in fact, being eradicated in many parks and states. It was brought in from the Middle East so it's not native to this area. And it sucks up water and destroys native plants. There are lots of volunteer jobs helping remove it....you'd have first grab at getting any of it.

 

[woodartist]

Yeah, I get the pick of the litter I wrote a paper on it that I include with the art works, and yes it was imported from the Middle East and also has a Biblical reference. It is very plentiful along the Colorado and has spread as far as ND....from Montana. We over react to situations and total eradication is probably the goal, but salt cedar does have some benefits. I'd rather done away with Carp