REVIEW: Hotstone on the Rock

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I've learned in my past 6 years inhabiting this beautiful Province, that the onset of Autumn means a few things in Newfoundland and Labrador. Inevitable wet is definitely one of them, but more than anything the buzzing activity of outdoor activities seems to reach fever pitch. Spring and Summer are certainly a time for exploring and relaxing, though Fall brings with it a certain... changing of the guard into more earthly activities. Hiking becomes more bearable and less of a sweaty chore. Moose hunting begins and the markets and restaurants are filled with chanterelles, sustainable meats and other delicious native morsels are in full flow. The inevitability of winter brings with it an urgency to clue up the things we wanted to get at during the dry (well, as 'dry' as Eastern Newfoundland gets) season.

I won't lie, the power sports industry gets rocked in the summer; ESPECIALLY with the onset of this global pandemic and people looking for new activities and hobbies to pick up. Certainly a few days have been spent day-dreaming about some big hikes, adventures and explorations before certain chapters of the year are closed to make way for snow. 

Enter: Georgian Bay Leisure. We began bringing in new lines that aligned with our interest for outdoor exploration, and the GBL line piqued our interest right off the bat. I personally spent my formative years growing up in Ontario were weekends were spent doing anything from portaging in Algonquin park, to Bass fishing weekends in Honey Harbour, so to have a line that prides itself on its Canadian ruggedness was refreshing, and also gave me something I could exuberantly talk to customers about. At this point, I've amassed an armada of the Chilly Moose and Georgian Bay Grills products, and with the Anniversary weekend with my dearly betrothed quickly arriving, we thought it fitting to put some of the gear to the test in a Camping/Hiking weekend in Central Newfoundland.

The Subaru packed and loaded we hit the road with hopes of being in Clarenville (45 minutes North-West of the Avalon Peninsula) area for lunch. The Trinity Coffee Company java in our Chilly Moose Kearney travelers, we were ready to rock. I'll be perfectly honest, any

drink doesn't last too long in my hands, and   my coffee barely made it past the Butterpot  turnoff 20 minutes outside St. John's. I need to get better at actually... You  know... Reviewing things. Thankfully my  partners drinking is best described as "sloth-like" and she still had half a coffee by noon.  Now, at this point, it's not particularly difficult  to find a travel mug that keeps things warm  for  the duration of your beverage. The  Kearney gets points, however, for both style,  and utility in the locking-mechanism, which  lets you bang it around a bit more with little  consequence. I will add however, while  unlocked, it sometimes likes to pop open  unexpectedly.

It's available in a few colours, but we have the wood veneer which gives it a very sleek look and has already gathered compliments and envy from friends.

With enough driving in the bag for my liking, we had a late lunch/early dinner of Stone fired Pizza from Cabin Six, and enjoyed it in the Newfoundland Cider Company's garden. Honestly, this place is a must for anyone happening past Clarenville and a little bit of time to kill - All fresh, locally sourced botanicals and fruits for the cider, a rustic location and a stunning eat-in-garden

 Post dinner, and the sun-setting, we decided to  find somewhere to camp for the night. We   decided on Thorburn Lake, 20 minutes up the   road, and head down for the night, snagging   some firewood on the way. We loaded some   ciders into our Chilly Moose harbour bucket,   and pulled up as the sun was coming down.   Still full from ample pizza, we decided to light   up a fire, and enjoy a few Rhubarb Ciders with   some smores. Our harbour bucket hadn't lost   very much ice at all, despite sitting in the car   all  day. The key to it is to pre-chill and not   open often (Definitely didn't learn this the hard way...I ignored the instructions that came with it). it also doubles as a great seat if needed,   so it's got plenty of utility. The shoulder strap is a handy feature on the harbour bucket. For long treks it's not the most convenient shape, but it is perfect for weekends around the fire, or car camping, like in this case!

Now at this point, I've had some experience with the Harbour bucket, using it first on May 2-4 weekend, and it fits 18 tall cans conservatively with enough ice to keep them relatively chill. There is never much need for 18 tall cans, so I suggest organizing a bit more conveniently for the occasion, and investing in the 35L Chilly Moose cooler (or bigger) if you are expecting more company or longer trips. For two of us, that harbour bucket worked splendidly. 

Tucked away in the Suby-Doo for the night, we  had big plans for a day of hiking and grilling the  next day. (As you can see, my partner is not  stuck for making a comfortable solution to a  generally cramped sleeping situation - Pictured  is Mr. Lennon the wonder dog, who had the  most comfortable commute of his life). 

8:00AM came quick, and after a good  wipedown of the inside of the car due to the  obscene amount of condensation, we made up  some cowboy coffee which was less then stellar, so we decided to  stop at Bare Mountain Coffee company  for some breakfast and to refill the kearneys, which was definitely the appropriate move.

From there we made our way to the Bare Mountain Trail in inner-Clarenville. Overall, Bare Mountain is a pretty basic uphill trail but quaint as anything. The fall weather was brisk, with morning moisture still hanging on the air. Sweater and fleece weather, which is honestly my favorite for hiking. We packed some fruit into the Chilly Moose canteen for the hike ahead, and ascended through some objectively fairy-esque paths to the mountain summit, which gave a pretty unobstructed and striking view of Clarenville.

Above: View of Clarenville from Bare Mountain Summit

Bottom LH: Lennon Descending the stairs / Bottom Centre: Bare Mountain Coffee Co / Bottom RH: Bare Mountain trail

When we were back to the SUV, we felt the effects of hunger, and fruit was not going to cut it anymore. The magnum opus of the trip was to test out the GBG Hotstone grill we had in the back,  so now all that was left was to pick a spot for lunch. Outside Bare Mountain was too easy, but then it struck me:

Since landing in Argentia, NL by ferry six years previous, I have remained enamored by what I can describe as the 'badlands' outside Holyrood. Off of the Trans Canada Highway are hundreds of square kilometers of unhindered nature. Devoid of trees and filled with glacial rocks inhabiting odd, naturally organized spaces through the landscape. I think I've told a thousand people my intentions to hike into those badlands for a day trip... So why not now? Perfect opportunity! So we did!

And what a mistake that was...

After thirty minutes of trekking through bog and reed, we couldn't proceed any further. In the distance, the odd person was picking blueberries, bakeapples and partridgeberries, a staple of Newfoundland forging. We were the odd ones out, hauling a charcoal grill, cooler and picnic supplies. There's a reason you don't see more people here.... It's uninhabitable...

 Here's what our picnic blanket looked like for context. Pounds of dried litchen clinging to the fibres with what can only be described as a death-grip. I have to give the landscape here credit. How anything grows is beyond me, and it's certainly nothing an Ontario boy like me can comprehend, but it manages. I'm not NOT glad we decided to explore here.

We settled on a spot to try out the Hotstone grill, and we got to assembling out meal for the afternoon. Spicy Sausage shish-kebabs with pepper, onion and mushrooms, some more Rhubarb Cider from the Newfoundland Cider Company and... Mrs. Vickies Spicy Dill Pickle Chips... We're fancy like that.

The Hotstone Grill is very simple in terms of ease-of-use. Simply light some lump charcoal in the cup, and use the fan to regulate temperature. Done. I used some firestarter to keep things simple. One cup of charcoal did all of our kebabs no problem and had a residual burn for a while afterwards, so realistically you should be able to get hours and hours out of it. There is plenty of airflow so it stays nice and hot. I didn't run into any problems overcooking. The cast iron lid distributes heat very well.

Five kebabs was enough for us, and enough for space on the grill, however we probably could have fit two more. The choice for kebabs was that they are generally mess free for the post part. This could do steaks or burgers fine, though trekking in and out with a greasy stove may have been awkward. It was really nice to get that char grilled taste to lunch as most camp stoves use propane or gas. You do get a certain smoky flavor that's hard to replicate without burning charcoal. For this the Hotstone grill gets extra points because simply put, there's not too much like it on the market.

For performance and style and utility, the Hotstone grill gets a solid 7/10.

PROS: 

• Wholly original design that uses the GBL bright colour scheme to turn heads
• Charcoal lunch on the go!
• SUPER easy cleanup. Ran under water and the cast iron cleaned immediately
• Despite it's small size, the fan does regulate temperature pretty well

CONS:

• Not rugged enough for out-tripping (though it doesn't claim to be)
• Does not come with carrying case (optional accessory) which would make life easier
• Grill lifter is a tad on the small side 

Honestly, for $119.99CAD it's entirely worth it. Charcoal is cheap, and this is a great way to add something new to your camping repertoire, or even an apartment balcony.

It goes to show you, putting things to the test is a great excuse to explore your back yard. If you have a chance to pick up Chilly Moose or anything else from Georgian Bay Leisure, we give it our seal of approval!

For now, I am tired of picking lichen out of my socks, so I'm going to huddle up with my Chilly Moose Little Joe 5oz flask for.... Medicinal reasons...

- Sam B