Save the Gas Stove

[pipesmoke]

Rumor has it the gas stove is being considered for replacement and we, for two, would like to encourage the powers to be to save it. It has it's idiosyncrasies but does a nice job. It seems the big issue is lighting and with a little practice that goes well. For all you cooks out there that agree with us jump in and offer your views. Thanks Charlie and Jeanine

[Bill O]

Sorry, I vote against saving the current stove. It is inefficient and does a poor job cooking. Try cooking a turkey when the flame constantly gets blown out from the wind. With new volunteers coming every week it doesn't make sense for them to spend half the time learning how that dinosaur works.

Perhaps, more important than nostalgia is making the observers and guests happy. Burnt cookies lead to unhappy observers. Unhappy observers leads to high turnover and high turnover leads to bad observers. Burnt cookies also leads to unhappy guests. Unhappy guests don't return to the summit.

The observatory should do everything it can to make the summit a more modern, comfortable and efficient place to live. Not to mention, the new stove is also going to be 100% gas. It has to be, electricity is too expensive on the summit.

[Rich]

Burnt cookies lead to unhappy observers. Unhappy observers leads to high turnover and high turnover leads to bad observers. Burnt cookies also leads to unhappy guests. Unhappy guests don't return to the summit.

I love turnovers. But, not burnt.

[pipesmoke]

After 7 years and numerous trips without a burnt turnover I say keep the Stove. Nothing to do with nostalgia, it is more stove than it will be replaced with.

[Bill O]

There's nothing like having the wind blow out the flame and filling the living quarters with propane. Which won't happen with a modern stove with electronic ignition. No fire department can come to the summit in the winter so anything that improves their safety is important.

I heard the new stove would be a modern six burner with all the features of its predecessor...and more. I'm not sure what you'd be giving up with a modern stove.

[BlueDog]

Though I haven't volunteered on the summit, I'm not an observer, but I have indulged in a cookie or two during Seek the Peak.

I'm on the side of Bill O here, and mainly, if those that use it every day, the observers, think its time for a new one, then I'd say give them the tools they need to make their lives easier and more comfortable.

The issue has been posted and discussed in the past on this forum. As I see that you've just joined us yesterday.... first, welcome! Second, how about an introduction? Sounds like you may have first hand experience with the stove in question? Just seems like kind of an oddball issue to join the forum and jump in on with your first post, that's all.

[Bill O]

....and mainly, if those that use it every day, the observers, think its time for a new one, then I'd say give them the tools they need to make their lives easier and more comfortable.

Good point, the summit is their home for over half the year. I'm all for anything that makes their lives more comfortable. A volunteer is just there for a week, its a working vacation for them.

[RI Swamp Yankee]

Maybe it should be saved ...... in the museum. Having read a bit about the unique features of the current stove perhaps it could be used as a carnival type fundraiser. For $2 a try, light the stove in under a minute WITHOUT 2nd degree burns and win a prize.

[Bill O]

That thing would be great in the museum. Or it could fetch a premium price on the antiques market. People would be amazed at how the observers lived way back in 2008.

I heard that stove actually used to be just a four-burner, but it had so much caked on grease they were able to add two more.

Another good carnival game would be "guess the temperature." Just turn the knob and guess what temperature it is inside the oven.

[pipesmoke]

I surrender. I enjoy these trips too much. Never played politics well.