backpacking deliciously

When out on the trail, tired, sweaty, and miles from the closest take-out, everything always tastes better.  That jerky that was just so-so at home suddenly becomes the best. thing. ever!  But, that doesn't mean I want to eat dried foods and gorp for 4 or 5 days of backpacking (although there is a fair amount of that in the daily trail consumption).  I take pride in being a sort of trail gourmet, and thought I would share with you some of the tricks I used this time around.  I have a few more up my sleeve that I will share with you later; I can't give away all of my secrets at once!

Tricks and Tips:

(recipes follow)

Make a list of what you would like to eat and budget out your calories vs. weight.  We tend to eat a lot of nuts, jerky, etc because they are higher in calories for their weight than say, an apple.
 

However, we do like to have some fresh fruit along to help break up the monotony of dried foods. 

 

Plan to spend a weekend afternoon or a couple of nights after work preparing and dehydrating the food-stuffs.  I like to use fresh produce and ingredients and since they are mostly water, it can take awhile.  It is definitely worth the time, especially considering there isn't much active time.  Start the dehydrating, then pour yourself a glass of wine and catch up on "Game of Thrones!" 

You can dry just about anything:  Just set your oven to about 190F, evenly spread the items on a sheet pan, and let dehydrate until dry (for meats this will mean they are shriveled and almost hard; veggies and fruits will be leathery; sauces will be thick pastes).  This may take 2-3 hours, depending on the item.  

Precook some items to impart extra flavor and to help save on cooking time on the trail.  I saute my mushrooms for extra flavor and par-cook my pasta to reduce cooking time (and fuel usage).  But kale dries out really nicely (like kale chips) in the oven with no need for prior cooking.

While out on the trail, I don't tend to carry salt, pepper or spices, so I blend them into my "meal kit" at home.

I have found that making a kit for each meal is really helpful.  If you have all of your food for one dinner or breakfast together, you don't have to dig around in your pack for that lost package of pasta.  It also allows you to, in most cases, simply dump the entire kit into your pot to start cooking.

When making your pancake mix, don't worry about the addition of the vanilla and butter - it will still be a dry mix and will not spoil if used within a couple weeks.  However, if you don't plan to use it all, either store extra mix in the freezer or use shortening or canola oil in place of the butter. 

We take only one pot that has a lid that doubles as a skillet.  It is all coated with nonstick so it is super helpful for those pancakes and other sticky items.  

When using fresh cheese, choose aged cheeses over those that are softer.  They have less moisture and are less likely to mold over the course of a week or oil-out in hot temperatures. BabyBel or Laughing Cow cheeses also work great because they are self contained and processed.

Chicken-in-a-pouch is amazing for backpacking.  It has been cooked in the pouch similar to canned foods (retort processing) and is considered safe for storing at ambient temperatures until the pouch is open.  If you want to save a bit more weight, you can dehydrate either the retort chicken, or some that you have already cooked and diced.

To make my own taco seasoning mix, I use a combination of cumin, lime juice powder, Mexican oregano, paprika, granulated onion, dehydrated garlic, and salt. 

When it comes time to make dinner, start hydrating the meal kit 15-30 minutes prior to cooking.  The water won't be absorbed, but the pasta, beans, etc will start to swell.  This helps save time and fuel when you heat the dish.  And it allows time for a little swim.  Just don't forget to bring it with you to the lake - it would be a shame for the bears or squirrels to get your dinner.

We like to take a flask of whiskey, a tiny bottle of maple syrup, and a couple pats of butter.  These little indulgences really make the difference and don't add very much weight. 

M&Ms are great for those of you (like me!) that can't go a few days without chocolate.  The hard candy shell helps prevent a melted candy bar all over your pack.

Repacking everything (ie those M&Ms!) into zippie bags allows easier resealability and reduces packaging.  It is also nice to have the used zippies on hand since you need to pack out all of your waste.

Recipes:

Pancake Mix  

4 days worth of pancakes for two people with hearty appetites

4 cups flour

2 T nonfat dry milk

1 T dried egg powder (this can be hard to find, but King Arthur sells it online)

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 t salt

2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 1/2 t vanilla 

4 T butter, chilled, diced 

At Home:

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand whisk) combine all ingredients, cutting in butter slowly.  It will resemble coarse meal when complete.   Store in a zippie bag. 

Cooking at Camp:

Combine filtered (or treated) water with pancake mix in a bowl, until batter reaches desired thickness.

Add blueberries or other desired additions (M&Ms, perhaps?  It IS vacation, after all!).

Warm a nonstick skillet over the camp stove or campfire. 

Working in batches, cook one or two pancakes at a time, flipping with your handy camp spatula.

Top as desired and enjoy a well fueled day of hiking.
 

Macaroni and Cheese

1/2 pound pasta, par-cooked and dehydrated

3 cups shredded aged sharp cheddar cheese
1T all purpose flour

2 T nonfat dry milk

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

At home:

In a ziploc bag, combine all ingredients.

Cooking at Camp:

Dump pasta kit into a saucepan.  Add enough filtered (or treated) water to just barely cover the pasta.  Let rest and rehydrate about 15 minutes.  Bring to a simmer and cook until pasta is done and water is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Pasta with Red Sauce

1/2 pound pasta, par-cooked and dehydrated

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce, dehydrated to a paste

1/2 bunch kale, dehydrated

10-12 mushrooms, sliced and dehydrated

1/4 pound Italian Sausage, cooked and dehydrated

At home:

In a ziploc bag, combine all ingredients.

Cooking at Camp:

Dump pasta kit into a saucepan.  Add enough filtered (or treated) water to just barely cover the pasta.  Let rest and rehydrate about 15 minutes.  Bring to a simmer and cook until pasta is done and water is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Chicken Burritos

chicken (I prefer retort chicken)

1 can black beans, drained, rinsed and dehydrated

cilantro, chopped and dehydrated

a couple shakes of chili flakes

1 T taco seasoning mix

aged cheese 

tortillas

At Home:

Combine all dehydrated ingredients in a ziploc bag. 

Pouch together retort chicken (if using), tortillas, cheese and dried ingredients to make a meal kit.

Cooking at Camp:

In a saucepan, add dried ingredients and enough water to just cover.  If you are using retort chicken, add it at this point as well.  You may want to cut down on water due to the water in the pouch.

Bring to simmer and cook until beans are done and water is absorbed, about 3 minutes.

Assemble your burrito using the tortillas, cheese and warm bean/ chicken filling. 

roll with it

My sweetie and I have started a new little tradition (granted, it is only the second year, but I think that counts as a tradition!).  With the right planning and juggling of vacation days, we are able to spend 4-5 days in the woods around the Independence Day holiday, wholly self-sufficient.  I find it really pleasurable (and a bit tortoise-like!) to carry everything needed on my back, stopping to rest when tired, eat when hungry, swim when upon lakes; no need to hurry back to the car for a snack or swimsuit.

 

This year, we loosely plotted our route, considered what to pack, and made a list of foods to prepare.  Unfortunately, we don't go backpacking very often so our preparation isn't super efficient.  He was away in the days leading up to our departure, so we exchanged a flurry of texts, "Do you have the backpacking stove?" and "I'll pick up more fuel" or "I can't find my compass, do you have yours?"   Eventually, we felt we were pretty well prepared and we headed out for our little adventure.

There were a few hiccups, despite our planning.  The sore throat and headache I was trying to ignore turned into a head cold as we reached the woods.  I forgot to pack some of the food.  We had less fuel than we thought we would need.  My recently repaired sleeping pad re-sprung a leak.  A lightning storm greeted us the first morning.

 

But you know, we rolled with it.  And it worked out pretty darn well.  Hiking with a cold didn't turn out to be a problem, I would simply move at a slower pace (and nap on logs!).   The food and fuel was carefully rationed (plus, we convinced the park cafe to sell us some tortillas prior to heading out!).  A combination of seam grip and gorilla tape slowed the leaking air in my sleeping pad.   And after waiting out the short storm, we had a cool morning followed by a series of sunny days.

Regardless of the hiccups, we had a great time.  How could we not, though: walking through the forests, camping at lakes and streams, spending some sweet time both in nature and together.  Next time, however, I will pay a little more attention to that packing list.  And I'm adding decongestant - just in case!

goal of the century

When the new year began, I created a list of goals for 2013;  "A year of big ideas," I called it. This list is not long, but it contains things like "practice Spanish" (which I am not so good at remembering to do!) and "ride a century."  The century addition to the list seemed like a good idea at the time: a goal that was likely challenging, but attainable.  Besides, it is something I have always wanted to do.  The problem with ideas like this is that I find myself afraid to actually do it; one of those ideas that pop around in my head for years, but I have a hard time acting upon.

Why was I so scared?   Perhaps it is a little bit of the unknown:  I am not a 'real' cyclist and 100 miles seemed really daunting.  Maybe it was a bit of the known, too.  I had run marathons and suffered; I figured the century was cycling's version of a marathon, so therefore suffering was likely. 

Early this spring, friends were talking about this beautiful bike ride around Lake Tahoe that they were planning to do (America's Most Beautiful, in fact!) and suggested we join them.  I thought, "yeah, that'd be great" but hemmed and hawwed and was afraid to pull the trigger.   Then one day, my sweetheart sent a text saying "you are signed up for the ride in Tahoe!"

Alright!  I needed someone to do that for me; now I had myself committed.  I certainly couldn't waste his registration money and I wanted to minimize the suffering, so I set out to create a little training schedule.  Knowing next-to-nothing about training on a bike, I loosely modeled my schedule after my marathon training: trying to ride at least a couple of times a week while building up in mileage over the weeks.  Continuing to run and do yoga would certainly help round out the fitness, I hoped.

Able to more-or-less stick to my training plan, I learned about what to eat on long rides (NOT a Snickers bar!) and how to manage hours in the saddle.  The day of the ride arrived quickly and I was nervous about the altitude, the hills, and the adequacy of my training.  Luckily, all of those fears quickly dissolved as I pedaled along with the company of 6 friends (and 20,000 others!).  The miles passed quickly with the help of beautiful scenery, ample rest areas, and the energy of race-day enthusiasm.  Soon, I found myself at lunch with only 30 miles to go and feeling great (granted, I didn't push myself as hard as I would, had I been running)!  My sweetie and I finished the ride feeling like we could both do 20 more miles if we needed.  But I didn't really want to - I was looking forward to that post-ride beer!

Now, 3 days later, I am already finding myself excited for the next one.  Could I possibly turn into a cyclist?!  I'm not sure, but I am definitely adding a tick mark next to "ride a century" on that year-of-big-ideas list!

filling the calendar

"Don't settle down and sit in one place. Move around, be nomadic, make each day a new horizon" Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild 

I don't sit still very well.  Every weekend, every holiday, every chance I get, I am out playing; A weekend warrior of sorts, I suppose.  Often, I even have an adventure scheduled before I return home from the latest one (it helps with the going-back-to-the-city-and-work blues).   Luckily, I have found a partner in adventure that feels the same way.  

An Ansel Adams calendar hangs on my sweetheart's wall, filled with our grand plans and weekend trips (not to mention an inspiring training journal). Since it is still sort of winter, there is a ski trip written into nearly every weekend square.  Those that aren't already reserved for skiing, we plan to climb, hike, and cycle our way around our local area, venturing our way to wine country, the coast, or warmer inland climes.

                  





















With something always penciled into the calendar and so much to see and experience around us, there is no need to ever sit in one place. 


 

"The mountains are calling and I must go."  ~ John Muir

into the woods

My sister and I grew up in the woods.

Maybe I should clarify.  It's not like we were raised by wolves.  We had a loving, comfortable home that happened to sit in the crook of forested land.  Building forts and making adventures in those woods filled much of our play-time.  I am not sure we appreciated it at the time though, as it was simply childhood as we knew it.  Besides, most of our classmates at our tiny country school had similar backyards.  Shoot, some of them even had 4-wheelers and horses!  How could we compete with that?!

When we went to look at college campuses, our mom would often say, "I like this school, they have nice trees."  We couldn't understand her logic;  Surely we should explore the strength of our desired academic program,  not the way in which they have landscaped!   Years later, I understood what my mom was trying to convey:  you don't just go to college, you live there too.  And you will be happiest if you enjoy where you live.

I have picked many homes with that lesson in mind (and disregarded it while picking others).   My current home has sweet proximity to a large city park and an ocean beach, but there are no trees in the neighborhood.   In fact, the concrete surroundings and tall buildings can make it feel gloomy and overcast, even when the sun is shining.  Sometimes this, combined with the other challenges of living in a city, really gets to me.  A near-daily trek to the park or weekend trips to far-away mountains always helps to clear my mind and my lungs.

But ultimately, I long to live in the woods.   Where adventures (and forts!) are once again in my backyard.