In case of emergency...

Recently, I decided to up my emergency preparedness game.  I used to be REALLY prepared, but now I'm less prepared...somehow.  How did that happen??  So, I thought I'd document the process as a way to organize my thoughts, measure progress and create a repository of collected information.

So, what exactly am I preparing for?  I see this as a process, starting with preparing for expected, everyday emergencies, like being stuck on the side of the road waiting for help, or having to walk home if the roads are bad.  Then there are emergencies that might require me to leave my home.  When I lived in Florida, this was not an uncommon occurrence during hurricane season.  It seems less likely where I live now, but you never really know, do you?  Then there are emergencies that might require us to "shelter in place" for a few days (or longer) without power or water or open stores.

I've already made some progress (and a LOT of lists)!  Later this week, I'll be writing about my everyday carry (EDC) and car emergency kit/get home bag (GHB).

Trail Smoothie - v1.1

For several months I have wanted to develop a smoothie to take for breakfast on backpacking trips. Most mornings in my "real" life start with a fruit smoothie, enhanced with protein, vitamins, etc. A smoothie is easy to digest, a real consideration on the trail, when exertion on a full stomach is not fun at all. The energy your body uses to digest a heavy meal is less energy you have to hike!

Today is a cloudy, cold, and potentially rainy day in Georgia. And I have all the ingredients on-hand. So, let the development begin!

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons soy milk powder; one scoop Vega One; 1-10g package freeze-dried pineapple; 1-15g package freeze-dried banana

Method: I cut off a tiny corner of each package of freeze-dried fruit and crushed the contents with a rolling pin. The result was a bit chunkier that I would have liked; next time I will whizz them up in the blender or food processor to get a uniform powder.

I combined all the ingredients in a Nalgene bottle, added 1.5 cups cold water, and shook vigorously!

Verdict: Except for the unwanted chunkies in my smoothie, it was pretty good! I used a straw to avoid the chunks, and it tasted just like my usual smoothie, but was a little thinner than I'm used to.

Notes: I would like to get some coconut milk powder instead of the soy milk powder.

Vega One has a distinct taste and is sweetened with stevia. It does come in single-serving pouches for sampling with minimum commitment. I use the vanilla flavor because I think the vanilla offsets the taste of the protein powder nicely.

The Vega One is not easy to clean out of the blender and glasses at home, and cleaning a Nalgene in the field won't be easy. I need to think about how to manage this...

Back on the mat

After an 8-month break, I am back at early morning Mysore class.  It feels incredible.  I don't have the strength or the stamina that I did, but I will in time.  I have a great teacher, a cozy shala, and a commitment that I have not had in months.  I know how beneficial the practice is to me, physically, yes, but more importantly mentally and emotionally.  I think returning to yoga is a positive sign of my recovery from an emotionally stressful time in my life.  I might be in a better place now if I hadn't let my practice go, but I did.  I accept that.  And now I'm ready to move on.

After only a week, I find it is easier to surrender myself to practice than it used to be.  Maybe because now I finally realize the benefits of practice.  I will be interested to see if I can maintain that as my practice progresses. 

Going back after such a long break is a real test of letting go; my practice is a mere shadow of what it used to be.  I will have lots of time to reflect on non-attachment.  Every day I remind myself of the wisdom of Guruji, "Practice and all is coming."

Also, "No coffee, no prana."

Namaste

Green Smoothie of the Week

I’ve done the green juice thing before, but I always felt I was missing out on the goodness of the pulp.  So, I am trying to incorporate green smoothies into my diet.  This week, I am trying the “Welcome Smoothie for Beginners” from Green for Life , by Victoria Boutenko.

Ingredients: chard, spinach, strawberries, mango, apple, banana, and lemon juice.

I don’t have a high power blender, but with a little coaxing, my trusty Cuisinart does the job.  We’ll see how long it lasts under this kind of use!

So, how is it?  Well, it smells like someone put grass clippings into my fruit smoothie!  But, it actually tastes pretty good (I just have to hold my breath before raising the glass to my face).  I think I prefer it without the lemon juice.  A little lemon is OK, but I overdid it once, and the results were less pleasant.  The sweetness of the fruit offsets the bitterness of the greens, but the acid from the lemon is unexpected.  It’s surprisingly filling, too.  I am drinking it for breakfast this week.  The smoothie plus a handful of nuts keeps me satisfied until lunch.

The recipe in the book is for 2 quarts.  I halved it, to make one quart, but it really seems to make about 2.5 to 3 cups.

First fall backpacking trip of 2011!

This weekend, I am heading out to do a section of the AT in Georgia.  The weather promises to be beautiful, and decidedly fall-like!


Once again, I don’t have a lot of time to prepare food this week.  So, I have worked up another easy meal plan that doesn’t require a stove.  Even though it’s fall, I’m going to try cold meals as an experiment.  It’s only an overnight trip, which will limit my “suffering” and longing for hot tea.


Saturday AM Snack: granola bar
Saturday Lunch: crackers and hummus with freeze dried veggies
Saturday PM Snack: trail mix
Saturday Dinner: the last of the sesame ginger pasta
Saturday Dessert: cookies
Sunday Breakfast: overnight oatmeal with strawberries
Sunday AM Snack: granola bar
Sunday Lunch: crackers with almond butter and dried blueberries

Beginner Backpacking Trip Report

The day started cloudy and cool in a Duluth parking lot.  Eight women gathered, chatted,and loaded gear into two cars for the drive to the trailhead.  Two hours and two last "civilized" pit stops later, we met up with the other seven women in our merry band.

A few of the more experienced backpackers helped the beginners with last-minute gear choices and assisted with correctly loading their packs.  Hemlock demonstrated how to properly adjust a pack to carry the load comfortably.  Many of the beginners had borrowed gear for this trip, and their packs were heavy!

After a final check, we started off down the trail.  The plan was to hike north on the Bartram Trail from Warwoman Dell two miles to Martin Creek falls and stay in a nearby campsite.  This is a perfect section of trail for beginners.  I would rate it moderate: no significant elevation gain or loss, but a few short steep sections give a taste of what it's like to carry a loaded pack on variable terrain.

The woods were still green with the last gasp of summer, but some leaves were beginning to turn yellow, whether from drought or impending cooler temperatures, I can't be sure.  Some late summer flowers endured along the trail too.

We stopped after a short distance at Becky Branch Falls to take pictures and make sure everyone was doing well.  We stopped again at the forest service road, approximately the half way point, to regroup, take off our packs, and enjoy lunch.

Refreshed, we headed on to camp.  Along the way, we gave tips on how to use hiking poles, did some impromptu yoga, and learned about Indian trail trees.  Just before reaching camp, we stopped to get water.  There was a lot less water in the creek than on my last visit here in June, and the side stream was dry.  April demonstrated her water filter and we discussed various water treatment options.

We finally arrived at the large campsite and started setting up tents and hammocks.  After we were settled in, Hemlock, Ratchet and I scouted for trees to hang our bear bags.  This area is very difficult with few horizontal limbs.  We set a few ropes and identified the teaching tree, where Ratchet and I demonstrated three methods for hanging bear bags: "east coast", PCT, and alternate PCT.  Then we set the beginners loose to try their hands at getting ropes into trees.

Ratchet started a nice campfire, and demonstrated her techniques to the rest of us, eventually turning over the fire to the beginners to maintain.  They did a great job and kept it going for hours!

Just as it started getting dark, we were delighted to see Mud Butt and Pam walk into camp!  We sat around the fire, played games, and had a great discussion of the three P's: peeing, pooping, and periods.  We finished the evening with yoga for backpackers.  A few hardy souls stayed up way past hiker midnight laughing, sharing stories, and bonding in the way that only happens on the trail.

The next morning, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and broke camp.  Some of the group took a loop past the falls before heading back to the trailhead.  The rest of us headed straight to the cars.  The weather cooperated with another day of perfect hiking weather.  Once back at the trailhead, we created a gear exchange area to return borrowed gear and to retrieve loaned items.

Before we went our separate ways, Mud Butt demonstrated the legendary Dance of the Real Women.  Several of us joined in and are now immortalized on You Tube.  Thanks Monica!

Watching these women take their first-ever backpacking trip, hearing the encouraging words of the hike leaders, and witnessing uncertainty turn into confidence, was truly inspirational.  I am constantly amazed by the courage and support exhibited by all the women I have met on Trail Dames hikes.  We are all very unique women, with different backgrounds, interests, careers, and family situations.  Most of us would never interact with each other in our "real" lives.  But we are brought together by a love of being outdoors, challenging ourselves, and encouraging each other to be our very best selves.

So, what do vegans eat on the trail?

Certainly not beef jerky (although tofu jerky is quite tasty!).  

Considerations for this weekend's trip: 

• I don't have a lot of time to spend preparing food this week
• It's a quick overnight
• My hiking box is full

I am going with quick, no prep, no cook meals.  That way I can also leave my stove at home! Food that is dried can be rehydrated with cold water, but it takes longer and I have to remember to plan ahead. While I'm hiking in the afternoon, my dinner will re-hydrate in my pack.

When backpacking, I prefer to eat small snacks throughout the day, rather than large meals.  This keeps my energy level constant and allows me to take shorter breaks.  Hiking on a full stomach is not fun!

Saturday AM snack: bar

Saturday lunch: dried hummus on whole wheat tortillas
Saturday PM snack: trail mix
Saturday Dinner: ginger sesame pasta and cookies
Sunday breakfast: cereal
Sunday AM snack: bar

I try to plan 12 ounces of food per day. This menu added up to 26 ounces, 2 ounces over my "goal." But, there's nothing wrong with a little extra food!