2018 4WDrive Overland SE - June

Want to make it easy on yourself? Ask
everybody to be responsible for his or her
own meals.
Added food packing space is always ideal, just
in case you loose a couple vehicles.
Let’s study your options for meal
preparation.
Participants Cook Their Own
We talk a lot about self-sufficiency in four
wheeling. It’s important for participants to
have the right gear and supplies with them.
Responsible four wheelers never go off-road
hoping they can lean on others. Food is no
different. At a minimum, all four wheelers
need to prepare for emergencies, which
can include being stranded alone. A big
advantage here is that everyone enjoys his
or her favourite meals. Remember that we’re
talking about breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The entire party doesn’t encounter issues
related to personal preferences, allergies or
other matters. In theory, everyone is a happy
camper, at least as far as meals go.
As Trail Master, your trip plan
should include enough information so
that participants can plan their meals
accordingly. Even so, be prepared to help a
guest who forgot a key item or utensil.
And, you may have a cook in your
group—that’s a big plus. On my last trip, I
heard “cook you breakfast if you have the
bacon and eggs.” I did and enjoyed it.
There are a couple drawbacks to
this model.
If one group forgot to pack a particular
food item or utensil, those folks may have
to go without. It just depends on whether or
not anyone else has what they need.
The larger issue I’ve seen is more of
a social one. Everyone tends to gravitate
toward and hang around his or her own
campsite. We don’t get as much interaction
and bonding. I prefer that in my outings.
Family Style
There is a hybrid model that works pretty
well for dinners. With this, we set up a big
grill over the campfire. Everyone cooks his
or her own food on the grill. Participants still
congregate, and there is no squabbling over
preferences. Those who don’t like grilled
food, of course, are encouraged to bring
something else.
Rotate Cooking Duties
With this arrangement, each vehicle/
group cooks at least one day’s worth of
meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). That
can entail a significant amount of food for
larger parties and longer excursions. Each
vehicle/group would be responsible for
more than one day of cooking.
This arrangement promotes familystyle
dining. Everyone gathers around
a campfire at day’s end, and then enjoys
what the “cooks of the day” have prepared.
It’s a great way to spend an early evening.
It is nice to have several days off from
‘cooking detail’. The diversity of meals is
generally enhanced. But ask everyone for
his or her menu to avoid chicken every
night. The next outing might promote
some competition among the chefs to the
benefit of the “eaters”.
It takes significantly more planning and
coordination. You need to know all the
participants can cook a reasonable meal
for everyone’s enjoyment - beyond hot
dogs and beans.
One risk with shared meals is that
you’ll get shorted if a vehicle backs out, as
on one of our trips. The remaining meals
are now spread among fewer participants.
Those leaving offered us the food
planned for their meals. Problem was,
we were really tight for space, especially
for perishables. One guy lent us an ice
chest, but the on-board refrigerators left
with their owners. The remaining vehicles
didn’t have the room for those anyway.
Had those vehicles departed later in the
trip, everyone’s supplies would’ve been
lower and storing the extra food would not
have been a problem.
If this happens during your trip, make
sure you grab any utensils, spices or other
ingredients necessary for those other
meals. They are easy to forget in the chaos
of the moment.
Dinners can also go potluck style. Make
sure everyone is clear on what they’re
expected to bring. Otherwise you could
end up with nothing but chips and salsa.
As Trail Master you have many
responsibilities. One of these is
coordinating the meals. What are some
issues you’ll face, and how will you address
them? Based upon the make-up of your
party, try to determine what offers the
most enjoyment for your participants.
Lots of other things can go wrong on a
trip. That just adds to the adventure. But
great meals and plenty of food make the trip!
Tom Severin, 4x4 Coach, teaches 4WD
owners how to confidently and safely use
their vehicles to the fullest extent in difficult
terrain and adverse driving conditions.
Visit www.4x4training.com to develop or
improve your driving skill.
www.youtube.com/c/4WDMagazine Special Edition 1 59