Motor Camping in the Dead of Winter

Of motoring in the winter…

 Yup, I can hear the collective cringe from all classic car guys at the sight of this car covered in salt and ice. Don't worry, she'll get a thorough scrubbing as soon as the weather gets warm enough. 
Photo by Nathanael Logsdon

The early motor car lends itself well to all times of the year, but only with the right planning and equipment. Any open touring car can cruise in the golden sunlight of a warm summer’s day. It takes courage, fortitude, and skill (not to mention a little insanity) to adventure in the darkest frozen depths of winter!

Photo courtesy of Toronto Archives

In the 1920’s, the majority of pleasure motorists didn’t venture out in the winter. However, some did, and this is what I intended to replicate for a weekend. Of the two motor cars that I have, one being an original 1924 Model T (Known as Mabel), and the other being a replica 1929 Mercedes (Known as Flora), I opted for the replica car. There were several reasons for this choice. One, the particular end-location for the weekend was about a two-hour drive (allowing for the pace of an historic motor car) from my house, and one which included busy 55mph roads. Since Mabel’s cruising speed is about 35mph, the faster car seemed prudent. Furthermore, I knew there would be the potential for ice and snow on the ground, so quality brakes and wider tires seemed like a good idea. Lastly, Flora has a heater, which being the same design as common 1920's after-market cabin heaters, seemed like an acceptable cheat for a little comfort. My biggest concern was that I might have made it too easy to succeed and therefore might not get the full 1920’s winter motoring experience. Fortunately, sub-freezing temperatures and a lack of funding in certain Kentucky counties helped to make the experience complete, but more on that later!

A trip like this requires proper planning. This is not just a pleasure cruise. It is an expedition! PLEASE NOTE: You MUST be prepared for a trip like this! IT IS POSSIBLE TO BECOME SERIOUSLY INJURED UNDER THESE CONDITIONS! If you take on such an attempt, please make sure that you are prepared!

At home, I worked on finishing up some gear that I knew I would want, and I planned my route. I also looked at weather predictions and took note of the highs, lows, and precipitation as well as sunrise and sunset times. The more information you have, the better your chances of success. I learned a few things on this adventure that I want to do differently next time. More on that later as well.

For context, the particular goal of this expedition was to travel southeast into the hills of Kentucky and reach a remote abandoned rural farm that belongs to a friend’s family. There, back a dirt logging road that I hoped would be frozen when I arrived, I was to meet with several of my friends for an overnight camp and meat shoot. (If you don’t know what that is, it’s a largely Appalachian tradition dating back to the 18^th Century where rural folks would get together and hold a shooting match with the grand prize being a large ham or a turkey or some other large, valuable, and edible prize. In this case, the prize was a cured, smoked country ham and a bottle of whiskey. Temperatures were predicted to range between 5 degrees Fahrenheit, and 25 degrees Fahrenheit. My goal was to arrive in one piece, stay alive overnight and as warm as possible, avoiding frostbite, shoot in the match, and return home the next day, also in one piece with the motor car intact as well.

Photo by Jake Book

Some folks might be interested in what I took on this expedition, so I will list it here. My supplies had to be as compact as possible in order to fit in the small motor car. For this reason, I did not take a shelter, opting instead to share tentage with another fellow. My supplies included the following:

1 very heavy wool blanket
2 lighter weight wool blankets
1 stuffed mattress pad and feather pillow
1 buffalo robe
1 WWI-era military hospital cot (Completely restored and refurbished.)
1 “Perfection” kerosene lamp stove (For heating and additional cooking space)
1 “Kamp Kook Model 3” gasoline tabletop camp stove
1 gallon can of white gasoline (Coleman camp fuel)
1 gallon can of kerosene
1 Icatha 16ga double-barrel  shotgun
1 Sears & Roebuck 5-shot pump shotgun
1 Stevens “Hardware Store Variety” .22 caliber bolt-action rifle
1 Smith & Wesson .32 caliber revolver
1 case with ammunition for all guns (At least 40 rounds for each gun)
1 suitcase with spare clothing*
1 camp kitchen box**
1 “Haweye Refrigerator Basket” with food supplies***
1 “E. S. Johnson” ½ gallon insulated bottle
1 Coleman “Quick-Lite” gasoline lantern
1 coffeepot
1 small washbasin
1 rubberized canvas tarp
2 gallon plastic bottles of water****

* Spare clothing consisted of a complete change of clothing in case an accident resulted in my getting wet. Changing out of wet clothing immediately is important to prevent hypothermia. All of the clothing I wore had at least some wool content. Of vital importance is to bring twice as many pairs of socks as you think you’ll need.
** Camp kitchen box consisted of my personal dishes and utensils, a can of coffee and other dry goods, cooking implements including a skillet, potholder, spatula, etc, dish soap and a washrag, several hand towels, a roll of toilet paper, two knives, a pump for the gasoline stove and lantern, and extra lantern mantles. Two things I should have added, but forgot to include would be matches and a first-aid kit.
*** The refrigerator basket is generally used to keep perishable food COLD. However, in this instance, I was concerned with keeping perishable food from FREEZING. Therefore, the basket was packed with cold food and strapped to the running board of the car without any ice being added. This kept the food from spoiling, but also insulated it enough to prevent freezing, even in single-digit temperatures.
**** Plastic bottles were used due to the fact that the water was certain to freeze, and as I did not wish to damage a valuable tin canteen or crock jug with frozen water, I opted for these. I would like to experiment with canvas water bags under these conditions to see if they can be thawed easily enough to do the job.

Packaging your foodstuffs in a period style adds to the experience and helps keep non-period items out of your photographs.
Photo by Nathanael Logsdon

The Friday before my departure we had an ice storm, followed by snow. At 6:00 am on Saturday morning, it was 13 degrees. My intention had been to leave at dawn, however, I felt it prudent to wait and allow a little time for the roads to be improved. I wanted an historical experience, but I didn’t particularly want to have a wreck! I finally left my house at 9:00 am. Within 10 minutes I realized that the drafty side curtains on the car were not sufficient and in the 15-degree weather, it was overpowering the heater at 55mph. I also discovered that when I came to a stop, or slowed down to 35mph, it was significantly warmer! As there wasn’t a lot of traffic out, I decided to take my time and drove about 35 or 40 mph as much as I could. Whenever possible, I pulled over to let the faster modern traffic pass me by. I also wrapped my head in a scarf, covering my ears, and stuffed up the drafty areas as much as I could. Fortunately the roads were clear and even mostly dry. I was thoroughly enjoying the moment! I passed into Kentucky and motored along a beautiful sunny lane following the mighty Ohio River, which sparkled in the sunlight. I noticed large greyish lumps in the river and realized that they were ice floes drifting downstream. It was quite enjoyable and I quickly slipped into “the moment” and in spite of my comfortable, clear, paved, two-lane road, I was transported back in time. Little did I know how real the experience was about to get!

There are some aspects of history that we really don't want to re-create, so it's important to be extremely careful when traveling on ice and snow. Remember that period cars are not quite as well equipped for these conditions as modern cars, and even modern cars have problems. 
Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library

I eventually left the gorgeous river and began to motor up into the hills of Kentucky. I was puttering along and noticed a sign that informed me that I was passing from one county and into another. Up ahead, I saw my first patch of icy snow on the road. I slowed accordingly and glided across it without worry. It crossed my mind that it was probably just a patch that didn’t get salted well. I rounded a bend and entered a wooded patch, and the road was completely covered with snowpack. I knew better than to use the brakes, so I allowed the car to coast a bit, then downshifted into 2^nd gear to slow it quickly. This can be hard on the transmission, so I do it sparingly, but it seemed the better alternative to sliding off the road by locking up my brakes. I continued down the road at about 25 mph, expecting to reach the end of this unpleasant and untreated road very shortly. However, it continued on and on. This also happens to be a rather hilly part of Kentucky, and I noticed that there was a little salt and cinders scattered lightly in the uphill direction of every slope, but nothing had been plowed, nor had the curves or downhill approaches been salted. It began to occur to me that perhaps this county did not have much in the way of highway funds to work with. I continued on through terrible roads, driving up through slush, and down on ice at speeds of 13-27 mph. I was completely focused on the road, not knowing what might be around any curve, and it was entirely a full-body workout as I maneuvered the steering wheel, clutch, and shifter in an attempt to keep the motor car on the road. Ice, soot, and salt accumulated on the windshield, but as there was rarely a flat straightaway in the road, I couldn’t stop to clear it. I just had to focus harder! It occurred to me that I had read similar stories to the experience I was having, except that the stories were in the early days of motoring, and the adventurers had passed from a fine macadam road into the muddy slime of a Nebraska wagon trail. Their tales of excitement and terror, as well as the frustration of being slowed down, were exactly the same as my experience. With all of my preparation and driving a replica car, I had not expected to have such an incredibly authentic and immersive living history moment, yet there it was! I finally turned onto the road where the camp was to be held, and I began lugging up a very long hill that slowly climbed upward and upward. Just as I thought it must surely be over, it suddenly shot upward even steeper than before! I felt as though I was driving to Heaven, and could very well have been, had I lost control of the car in the ice and slush and tipped of the unguarded edge of the road to tumble down through the woods to the creek-bottom far below! With adrenaline pumping, I finally crested the hill, and there was the old abandoned farmhouse and the dirt logging road that was the entrance to our weekend camp! I turned in and a quick survey of the situation told me that the road was indeed mostly frozen, but there were patches of mud and ice and everything had a good cover of snow. There was nothing for it but to blaze forward without stopping! Into the muck I went and plucky little Flora rumbled her way right along until with a whoop of elation, I pulled to a stop in front of the small cluster of tents that would be our home for the next 36 hours. I had spent a little over two hours on the road.

Our humble camp.
Photo by Jake Book.

We spent a good portion of the day collecting firewood in preparation for the cold of night. (It was a balmy 22 degrees at that point.) Some of the deadfall brush that we wanted to use was frozen into a big pile and no amount of tugging would set it free. Every motor camping book I've read written in the period advises to carry a 100 foot rope for towing and other various purposes. As luck would have it, I had my rope on the front bumper of my car. I wasn't certain as to how well the motor car would perform in the snow, but it was worth a try, so I tied one end of the rope to my trunk rack, and the other end to a large snag and pulled it right down off the pile into the middle of camp where we were able to set upon it with axes and stockpile some good firewood.

Putting the motor car to good use dragging out deadfall to cut into firewood.
Photo by Josh Wilson

 I set up my cot in the half-face tent that I would share with two other sportsmen. This is probably a good place to talk about setting up your bed in a way that will keep you warm. This may be the most important information I can impart to anyone who would like to have a similar adventure, so take note! First, set up your cot in the most level spot you can. There’s nothing worse than trying to fight sliding out of your blankets all night due to an uneven bed. It is also valuable to put down a waterproof floor, such as the rubberized canvas tarp, under your cot. One, this makes a vapor barrier that prevents moisture from rising. Moisture intensifies temperature. If it’s damp and cold, it’ll feel colder than dry and cold. Next, take your lightest weight blanket, and spread it out over the entire cot, making sure that it hangs all the way to the ground. This prevents the flow of cold air underneath your cot and will provide some level of insulation. Then, roll out your mattress. This can be a straw or feather tick, or even a bag stuffed with leaves. If you’re more concerned with comfort, you can stuff it with wool batting as well. Any of these will work fine. Though air mattresses existed in this period, I do not recommend using one. The air inside becomes very cold and will make your bed much colder. It does not provide sufficient insulation and the rubber will crack in extreme cold, at which point you’ll have a flat mattress. Next, lay your buffalo robe on the mattress with the skin side out, and the hair side in. (NOTE: A buffalo robe is the fully-tanned winter hide of the American Bison. This is a pricy investment, but worth every penny. This is the biggest key to staying warm. There are cheaper alternatives, but none as good. The reason it works is that you’re wrapped in an insulating layer of thick, wooly fur, and a thick layer of leather, which doesn’t breathe and therefore reflects your body heat back to you. A cheaper alternative that is almost as good is to sew sheep hides together to make a blanket. Another even cheaper option is to take two heavy wool blankets, and quilt them inside with a flannel sheet on one side and a rubberized canvas gum blanket on the other side, rubber side out.)  Make sure the cot is placed so that only one side of the buffalo robe is covering it. You will then lay out your heaviest wool blanket, again off-center on the cot, but this time with the excess laying off the other side of the cot. You’ll do the same with the remaining lighter blanket, but this time on the same side as the buffalo robe. If you have a few blanket pins, these might come in very handy to prevent your feet from creeping out from under the blankets. Place them along the bottom once the blanket is folded over. Now, when you are ready for bed, you can lay upon the cot, first pulling the lighter blanket over your body, then from the opposite direction, pull the heavier blanket over you. Lastly, from the other side, pull the buffalo robe over you and snug everything up. Within 5 minutes you will be toasty warm.

Proper set-up of your bedding is of vital importance for staying warm.
Photo by Josh Wilson.

There are a couple of important tricks to sleeping warm through the night in sub-freezing temperatures. First, change your socks before going to bed. This is one of the most neglected, yet most important techniques for staying warm all night. Even though your socks may feel warm and dry when you take off your boots, rest assured that they are damp from your own sweat. They also have had skin particles and dirt from your boot ground into them all day. This dirt conducts cold and the moisture will amplify it. No matter what you do, your feet will remain cold. Put on a fresh pair before bed. I recommend wool socks. Whenever possible, choose wool. Sheep don’t get cold and wool will keep you warm even when it's wet. Second, get a knit wool tuque or stocking cap. Get one that’s about a size too big. This way, you can pull it down over your eyes to the very tip of your nose. Pull your blanket up over your lips. Now your body is completely covered, save for a ½ inch slot that allows you to breathe fresh air all night. Remember that a hat is vitally important. About 60% of your body heat is lost through the top of your head. (Likewise, when you’re hiking or working in the cold and you start to sweat, immediately remove your hat to cool your body before you sweat enough to dampen your clothes!) Another important thing to remember is that you’ll be warmer if you stretch out. When you’re cold, the body’s natural response is to huddle or curl in the fetal position. This will reduce circulation, lead to leg cramps, and make you feel colder, all of which will rob you of a good night’s sleep.  Lastly, be sure to stay hydrated. Drinking water is not something most people think about in extreme cold, but being properly hydrated ensures that you’ll get better circulation. The drawback is that you’ll probably have to get up once or early to go water a tree, but that’s a small price to pay for being warm! (And do get up to take that whiz in the icy dark. Waking up every 5 minutes because you have to pee is every bit as terrible as waking up every 5 minutes because you’re cold. Get out, get it done, throw another log or two on your fire, and get back to sleep. You’ll be far more refreshed for the day.)

Photo by Arick Mittler

As far as staying warm during the day, the same general principles apply. Dress in layers, use wool garments, stay hydrated, and keep active. You are likely to be far colder if you spend all of your time huddled over a fire than if you get out and hike up the side of a mountain. Split some firewood for the night ahead and you'll get plenty warm. If you are still feeling cold, a hot beverage such as coffee or tea can really help. If you're hungry between meals, a hot drink will also make you feel full for a short while. Remember that you're staying active, plus your body is burning up to three times the calories it normally would just trying to stay warm. For this reason, it's important to eat food that is high in fat and carbs. I prefer jowl bacon over most other breakfast meats because less of the fat renders down into grease, and therefore you consume a lot more of it. Listen to your body. If you wake up and all you can think about is something greasy or sweet, then your body is probably outstripping its fat stores and needs that nutrient. Carbohydrates such as breads, flapjacks, potatoes, and corn are important because they provide much needed energy to keep up with the fact that your body is working harder than it usually has to. Don't worry about eating healthy when you're camping in sub-freezing temperatures. You don't need a whole lot of protein, but you do need a lot of calories. And again, hydrate!!

Go easy on the booze, though a small shot of brandy does wonders when you're extremely cold.
Hydrate, stay active, and eat plenty of fats and carbohydrates to stay warm.  

Now, back to the story!
We had a fine little shooting match and we ate some good food, sang some songs, and one fellow had brought his banjo. A grand time was had by all. It snowed a little after dark and eventually we all turned in. We survived the night fairly well. Some folks were colder than others, but all were good troopers about it. We all understood that having a good attitude makes up for the deprivations of a brutal situation. Morning broke beautifully with streaks of vibrant blue and orange. The entire wood was completely silent. The last few stars twinkled and sparkled and I believe I could actually HEAR the coldness of the air. It has a bit of a crackle and every tiny sound is cartoonishly amplified in the cold snow. I was the first one awake, so I stoked the fire and began to thaw water for coffee. By the time others began to awaken, there was a goodly amount of strong, hot coffee and many grateful, ruddy faces. We made a breakfast of flapjacks and jowl bacon on the Kamp Kook stove. The little half-face tent was crowded with a half dozen folks, a stove, three cots, two Perfection heaters, and a campfire at the entrance, but it was quite warm inside, so nobody seemed to mind. We were running pretty low on potable water by Sunday afternoon, so we melted a bunch of snow and ice that had gathered on the tents and used it to wash up the dishes! It was nice to get everything packed away clean!

The "Perfection" lamp stove can be used for both heat and cooking.
Photo by Josh Wilson

Hot coffee is a must! Historically, coffee in this period was pretty crummy.
We opted for something a little higher quality from my coffeehouse!
Photo by Josh Wilson

Washing up the dishes with boiled water from ice and snow.
Photo by Jake Book

We did a little more shooting and then it was time to pack up and head our separate ways. I got the car loaded up and, feeling quite satisfied with myself, fired up the old girl and with an “AAAHOOGAH” I was off down the frozen logging trail, past the aged, lonely, forgotten farmhouse, and down the hill that it had taken me forever to climb up the day before. However, this time, it was a quick drop down the steep part and then seemed to slowly climb upward exactly the same way that it had on the way in. I’m not sure how it’s physically possible, and it surely defies science, but I’m quite certain that this particular hill was honest-to-goodness, “uphill both ways in the snow”! I puttered along and about a mile from the camp, I turned to drive up a fairly steep hill and a little more than halfway up, Flora sputtered, choked, and then with a sharp backfire, died and came to a stop on a steep hill, just around a blind curve. No amount of coaxing would make her start again. The best solution seemed to be to deadsteer her backwards to the bottom of the hill. I didn’t want to meet someone coming up as I was rolling down, so I shifted to the other lane. Again, there was no guardrail, so I was quite cautious to keep all four wheels on the road. The rear window was caked in salt, so the only way to see was to remove my side curtain and steer backwards with one foot on the brake and the other on the running board with my head cranked over my shoulder. With concentration and a lot of prayer, Flora and I made it to the bottom of the hill, a good half mile down. I set the parking brake and stepped out of the car, fairly shaken, but whole. I propped the hood open and began to try to diagnose the problem. A couple of older fellows in a pickup truck stopped to help and with the extra set of hands, I was able to crank while they watched for fuel out of the line. Finally a piece of ice came out of the line and the fuel started flowing. It seemed the fuel line had frozen up. This can happen when ethanol in the gasoline collects moisture in the air. The gasoline won’t freeze, but the water in it certainly will. With my problem solved, I roared up the hill and came out into rolling farmland.

Running boards and luggage rack serving double-duty as a gun-rack!
Photo by Arick Mittler

I was elated to be back on the road and pleased that the roads were much improved over the previous day. I was rolling along and it occurred to me that I was seeing a lot of really interesting farms and buildings that I had not seen the previous day. Of course, this was certainly because I was so focused on staying on the road, that I wasn’t looking around at the scenery. However, I eventually came to a “Tee” in the road that I certainly had not seen before. That’s when I noticed that according to the sign, I was traveling EAST. I was kicking myself all the way back to town, because I was so certain that I had taken the westerly route. I finally arrived back to my last turn, and I discovered that lo and behold, I was correct. I HAD taken the “WEST” turn, and not the “EAST” turn. Now infuriated, and utterly confused, I tried to figure out what had gone wrong. I wandered back and forth through the town and after finding another sign that said the exact opposite, I determined that some local prankster had apparently switched the signs and it had probably gone unnoticed as I was very likely the first person who didn’t live in that rural farm town to drive through in who knows how long! Now on the right route, and having lost quite a bit of daylight breaking down and getting lost, I was determined to get on down the road. As I motored along, I looked at the sun and admired a beautiful ice crystal rainbow around it, but then I realized that it was on my RIGHT, and that could only mean that I was heading SOUTH. This was a problem, since I needed to cross the Ohio River, and it is North of Kentucky. This meant I was once again on the wrong route. I retraced my route and found the mistake was about 10 miles back. The culprit was a spot where two Kentucky roads ran together as one for a while, as they frequently do, yet when they again diverged from each other, someone had stolen the sign, leaving naught but a naked post standing at the fork. As I got back on the right route once again, I chuckled, realizing that these sorts of sign shenanigans were often remarked upon in the firsthand accounts I’ve read about 1920’s motor camping. Even still, on my way home, I was having a realistic, authentic motoring experience. On I rolled, finally dropping out of the hills and into the river bottom. I knew I was close to familiar ground. Then I crossed a railroad track with a neat old brick building that may have been a feed mill at one time. I certainly did not recognize these landmarks, so once again, I turned around and returned to the fork in the road where yet again, another stark naked signpost stood. By now it was nearly dark. I carefully watched the road for any possible deviation and missing signs. Within a few miles, I saw the river and knew that this was a landmark I couldn’t lose. Within 20 minutes, I had reached the small river town where I would cross into Indiana. It was with much relief that I left those Kentucky roads behind.

Photo courtesy of the Nebraska State Historical Society.

Once the sun went down, it became significantly colder. Furthermore, once I reached the Indiana side, there was a good deal more traffic and I was forced to go the speed limit, which made the car much draftier and colder. At this point, there was no choice but to tough it out. I placed a wool blanket over my legs and with numb toes and numb fingers, I drove 55 miles an hour for the last 30 minutes home. A half-hour has never seemed so long before in my life. With all my misadventures coming home, I had made the trip in a little over 3 and a half hours.  In a modern automobile, this trip takes barely over an hour.

Once I thawed out and relaxed a little, I realized that this certainly ranks up there with my greatest reenacting and living history experiences of all time. It is a weekend that will go down in history as one of the best. Oh, and I won both shooting matches and took home the ham! It couldn’t have been better!

Me with my newly won prizes!
Photo by Arick Mittler

I know this was my longest blog post yet, and if you made it this far, thank-you so much for reading it. I hope you enjoyed the adventure as much as I did. If you would like to join in on adventures like these, be sure to check out the Amalgamated Order of Motor Campers and the Early 20th Century Sportsmen on Facebook!

Join us in camp for a good cup of coffee!
Photo by Arick Mittler

Stay warm, be safe, have fun, and get out there and do it!
Happy motoring!