Wanderlust and Wagging Tails: Dogs, Nature, and Outdoor Electric Cooki

Story By: Mark Sweetser | Time: 2025.01.13

For Stoke Voltaics ambassador Mark, overlanding means exploring "dispersed areas with beautiful views." Along the scenic Highway 395, his faithful dog companions Chewie and Kandie are always by his side.

A Bond Like No Other

"I wouldn't know what to do without my dogs," Mark(@landcruiserdoods) reflects, his voice carrying the weight of five years' worth of shared adventures. "There's no comparison to having a dog as your companion." In the great outdoors, both Mark and his canine companions find solace away from urban chaos, embracing the freedom that only nature can provide.

Mark's Essential Guidelines for Dog-Friendly Overlanding

Mark's extensive experience has yielded valuable insights for fellow adventurers traveling with their furry friends.

Plan and Prepare: Always ensure your dogs have enough food and clean water.

Ensuring adequate supplies of food and fresh water for your canine companions is non-negotiable. This fundamental rule forms the backbone of any successful expedition.

"Have plenty of tennis balls for them."

Choose the Right Location: Weather considerations play a crucial role in choosing your destination.

Avoid scorching deserts in summer; opt for cooler, higher elevations. When winter camping, pack puffer jackets for your pups and paw wax to shield them from cold and wet conditions.

"Chewie will go into ice water and snow."

Be Prepared for the Worst: A comprehensive first aid kit, equipped for both human and canine emergencies, is essential.

Always carry well-stocked first aid kit for both you and your dogs. While bear encounters remain rare, maintaining vigilance and carrying deterrents like bear spray ensures peace of mind.

“Don’t cheap out on the first aid kit—it should cover any emergency.”

Leave everything better than how you saw it: Be conscious of your waste.

Practice the principle of leaving each site better than you found it. Responsible waste management and site preservation are integral to the overlanding ethos.

"Do your part—start from picking up your dog's poo."

Mark's Off-Grid Minimalist Cooking Philosophy

Mark's outdoor culinary setup, centered around his 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser's RiG'd UltraTable, embodies a perfect balance of minimalism and sophistication. "I only carry what I'm gonna eat," he states, yet his menu reads like a gourmet restaurant's offerings: butter-garlic scallops, authentic barbacoa tacos, and perfectly grilled ribeye steaks with asparagus.

This balance between simplicity and sophistication is where Mark found a kindred spirit in Stoke Voltaics. To maintain this balance he prefers to use whatever best suits each situation. "I didn't want unnecessary equipment," he recalls, explaining the catalyst that led him to explore electric cooking solutions for overlanding — his regular setup for a hot warm udon soup consisted of a propane tank and a Blackstone. To achieve that, you often had to go through this process: pull out your Blackstone griddle, set up the skillet, simmer, clean, and then put it away.

By seeing one of his buddies rocking Stoke Voltaics, he got interested in the Kettle Pot which has become an essential part of his adventures. From brewing his morning mushroom coffee to boiling water for udon or quick snacks using the "POP" mode, this versatile tool has become indispensable in his adventures.