When I go to Rendezvous, I like my comfort.That's why I have a cot and air mattress in the tent! The other day, I got to thinking (and it didn't hurt a bit!). If I had to go to the woods with just the absolute bare necessities,what would be the one "luxury" item I might allow myself? In my case, I think I'd choose coffee or chocolate. What about you? (and no, teddy bears and wives don't count!)

I'll go along with coffee and/or chocolate. nothing I can think of is anymore "luxurious" than those two. I'm an incorrigible "chocoholoc" and coffee, well, Hhmmmm....

I think I'll go with coffee as well. I'm rereading Fremont's reports and He mentions having a cow along so they can have cream in their coffee. andy

ketchup

I would have to say an extra pair of mocs. I guess it depends on how you define "bare essentials." But it is a wonderful thing to have dry feet at night. YMHS

tea,or maybe socks.

What about tobacco? I wouldn't go without some Copenhagen in a period correct pouch of some kind.

Have to go with coffee also, chocolate is always in my daybag.

Coffee a luxury Item!!!!!!!!!! I consider it a life essental. Without my coffee in the morning grissly bears with impacted wisdom teeth have been known to steer clear of me, just ask the wife.

Hard to define luxury or bare essentials. But, I'll go with others, coffee. To be authentic though, it would be a barrel of rum or other whiskey.

Coffee for me, too!

I'd even take coffee before I take my Davy Crockett club wallet card, coonskin cap and secret decoder ring

Sparks

Sparks, tell me it's not so! Not over your secret decoder ring?!

Well,
Hanshi you're right. Coffee is important, but not if I can't find a way to make my decoder ring part of my fire kit (holds the char to the birds nest), eating kit (makes a dandy napkin ring) or shooting gear (keeps extra patching material neat and tidy--see napkin ring).
Sparks

By myself...., probably something with caffine. In a group...., BOOZE..., trust me I'd have coffee, and tobacco before the day was over!

LD

For me it would be a chunk of Mexican Chocolate.
I portray a SW Trapper, so I've taken to atole as a hot drink when on the trail.
Man, I'll tell you what..a little of that Mex Chocolate and a chunk off a piloncillo (Mex brown sugar cone) added to the atole, especially if I can find the blue corn masa for the atole.....

Deercop, you are so right. Atole with mexican brown suger and chocolate will keep you going for a long time.I will make bluecorn pancakes with pinon nuts great to roll your bacon in.

Trapper54cal, a friend of mine who is Navajo tells me they make it up thick, and have it for breakfast, similar in consistancy to oatmeal. Their name for atole is chaquehue.
They make up a bunch, and what is left over is let set on a table for the day. By supper time, it has thickened to the point where it can be sliced like cornbread. I haven't tried that yet.

I gave up coffee so if I was ever captured I wouldn't have to suffer through caffine withdrawls while they were torturin' me. It would be just too much to go through that again!

For me, luxuries would be things like: an extra gallon of water, some good corn whisky to soften the ground at night, somebody to carry my buffalo robe for me, a tent.

Will

Tea,I'm afraid........
Steve

I'd take a deck of cards,yep cards.Then I'd get set down all comfortable and start to play Solitare,cause just about the time I did someone would come along and kabits about the move I missed.Then I'd ask what they had to eat,when they left,I'd wait awhile and I'd just start another game and before long I'd have another kabitser to pick over.Dont know why they call it Solitare,starts out just fine. I figure I would have a regular pack train coming along when ever I want something,just have to look them over,pick out the fat calf then throw down the bait.