Boy Scouts, Bells and Whistles

A Land Rover well fitted out with up to date and robust off road gear climbs a rise
Photo Credit: Pete Langshaw

One thing you know if you’ve been around Off Road Magic much is that I’m inclined to whine about cold weather.  Also, that I enjoy a good quote or “cryptic” saying. And humor. Gotta have some humor. So what’s with the title you ask? Not too hard to figure out – the Boy Scout is . . .? That’s right, always prepared. And the other bit? Well, you show me an off road, 4×4 enthusiast who isn’t inclined toward collecting a bell or a whistle or three and I’ll be asking if what they’re smoking is legal. So let’s talk a bit about off road gear.

From time to time, we have a “kid in a candy store” experience. For us off roaders, finding a company that supplies quality 4×4/off road gear is one of those experiences. I am always on the look out for such companies and like to share the love when I find one. So pay attention, clues to follow . . .

See, if you’re doing it right, you need some pretty tuff stuff when you get out there. But there’s more to it than just handy gadgets that make life more pleasant and comfortable on (or rather off) the trail. Give or take a few of your favorite decals, all your gear has, or should have, a purpose. You don’t want to be carrying dead weight just for show. Also, whether you choose to load it all on your rig or haul it in a sturdy jeep trailer on your next expedition, you want to be able to count on your gear to do it’s job.

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Basic Preventative Maintenance

Preventative Maintenance for your 4x4

The New Rigs . . .

Preventative maintenance is a breeze with a new vehicle. I will start with just a few words about that shiny new rig parked in your garage – for those of you who have one, we don’t want you to feel left out  🙂

If your rig is new, or even fairly new, likely it’s still under warranty. If so, you won’t have much (anything actually) to do that will get your hands dirty. Visual checks mostly. Check the oil and water – take a peek at the engine while you’re under the hood (the bonnet for those of

you in the know . . .) to see that there are no oil or other fluid leaks. Take a quick look on the ground/floor where you normally park your rig to see if there are any signs of oil or other fluid leaks. Unlikely, but check anyway. Check brake fluid level and auto transmission fluid if you have an automatic. See that the windscreen washer reservoir is full. Check the battery.

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Cast Iron and the Smoked Chicken

Firing up for a deliceous smoked chicken

. . . or Potjie Smoked Beer Bum Chicken

Here is a very simple and very delicious recipe for a smoked, roast chicken. First let’s look at what utensils/equipment we’ll need for this:

I use a “Number 3” Potjie. This refers to the size of the pot and in this case is big enough to fit a medium size chicken. I use a stainless steel cup and wire stand that holds the beer and serves to hold the chicken upright in the pot. The only other items are an eight inch diameter heavy duty foil pie dish and a hand full of your favorite wood chips for smoking.

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The Kitchen Box Project

Everything you need for your camp cooking needs

Napoleon and Off Roading

Napoleon knew a thing or two. One of those things – “An army marches on it’s stomach” – is true for the off road adventurer too. Now in the past, my culinary preparations before an “expedition” would have been fairly straight forward: A bag of “mielie meal”  (corn meal for the non-Africans) – the quantity dictated by the expected duration of said expedition, a small packet of salt, some tea bags and a little powdered milk.

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Bike Rack Review

Review of a bike rack we've used

Choose your toys

It’s a great feeling to find yourself planning an off road trip. Checking your rig, hauling out the gear and checking that all is in order. You must decide what you will need for this particular trip and then the packing . . . One thing that impacts this exercise, of course, is where and how long you will be going and what you plan on doing there.

Will you be hiking, skiing, fishing or maybe biking? While it is good to be like the proverbial boy scout, always prepared, it’s pointless for you to haul a pile of gear along that you will not be using. Today I’ll take a look at bikes (pedal bikes) and how to get them to your intended playground securely and with a minimum of fuss and bother. I will be looking specifically at the rack we use when taking our bikes along on an off road trip.

The First Campfire Chatter

Catching up

Hey everyone! Welcome to the first Campfire Chatter. Summer is done and so a campfire is a fitting place to kick things off. Where has the year gone? It feels like I just took down the Christmas lights and here come the turkey and mistletoe like a freight train! So to take your minds off the cold grey days ahead, I thought I would try to flesh out the Off Road Magic theme a little. You may have heard it said that if you “Do something you love, you will never work a day in your life” (I believe Confucius say . . .) but it can be cold comfort to those of us stuck (for now) in the daily grind of a 9 to 5 job. However, this is not a motivational, self-help post and while I am a firm believer in investing in ones self and “Doing your own thing”, I will not jabber on about how to create a new you. Let’s talk a bit more about Off Road Magic and what you can expect here at Campfire Chatter time.

Out of my head and on to the page

While I was thinking about Off Road Magic, what it is and who it is for, I bumped into an old dilemma. I’ve found that no matter how clear an idea may be in my head, it can be a challenge to get it out of my head and into words that actually make sense to someone else. Anyhow, here goes and if it’s not making sense to you, that’s what the comment section is for! 🙂 Read more

Beginnings.

Welcome!

Everything has it’s beginnings somewhere and for Off Road Magic, this is it. I have included a few words of introduction about Off Road Magic and myself over here. So just imagine Off Road Magic to be a “virtual campfire”where we can all sit around and have a chat. Here we can share experiences, ideas and opinions, suggestions and tips and, hopefully some crazy stories! I invite you to join me as we build a vibrant community and a resource upon something we are all passionate about.

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