Put the kettle on...it's Smorgasbord Friday!
Random things I found useful, entertaining and/or inspiring this week:
Thing 1: Help with Going Stoveless
I'll be getting on the trail to finish the last 400 mile of the AT starting June 1...OMG, that's two weeks from today! I'm so not planning or working out like I was last year. Let's see how that goes.
Anyhoo...I've been thinking about going stoveless. You can save almost a pound of weight if you drop the stove, gas and cookset in favor of a plastic peanut better jar. It's the thought of tortillas and tuna that queers me on the whole idea. I can no longer face tuna wraps, or anything in a tortilla. Ugh.
But then I heard an interview with Katie Gerber on The Trek's Backpacker Radio. She's into nutrition and shares tips for eating well on the trail and doing it stoveless. Most of what she covered in the podcast is also covered in her free e-book, Salty's Stoveless Uncook Book: Tools and Tactics to Eat for Endurance on Trail at katiegerber.com.
The only question left is this: can I survive without hot coffee in the morning?
Thing 2: Another hike for the bucket list.
My To Do list of hikes is growing--Colorado Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Long Trail, the Wonderland Trail. Now add to that the Tahoe Rim Trail. Sounds awesome and we have family in Truckee we need to visit.
Also, I've bookmarked this article from Outside magazine, The Best Thru Hikes You've Never Heard Of.
Thing 3: New Word, New Concept!
The practice of baking something in order to put off doing something else you need to do.
Full disclosure: I've got banana bread in the oven as we speak because I wasn't sure I could muster a blog post today.
Procrastibaking sort of reminds me of Intentional Hiking in that I approached the activity with a question. What should I blog about today? As I creamed the butter and sugar and mashed the bananas and measured out the flour, an idea for this random list was born.
And when I'm finished with my blog post, I will reward myself with some freshly baked banana bread, Yum.
First successful session of procrastibaking under my belt.
Thing 4: Walking is a creative act
Or at least it fosters creative thinking. I've been saying that for eons. And it's nice to have my experience validated in the New Yorker...Why Walking Helps us Think.
Bottom line, keep walking because walking is not optional.
Thing 5: Hiking season is Instagram season.
I'm going to try to continue with my daily blogging here once I get back on the trail. I've got an app to make it easier (fingers crossed). An Anker to keep my phone charged. And a newfound resolve to go slowly, practice Intentional Hiking and savor the trail.
That said, if I fall off the blogging habit, I'll surely keep up with ONE daily Instagram post @rubythroatwhiteblaze. And since I'm planning to sketch every day on the trail, I'll also be sharing my sketches @rubythroatsketches.
Drop by and say hi if you get a chance.