Jenna and Wood-Stoves

Posted by Tom

Jenna is, unfortunately, back on the East Coast. The vacation has ended, and now the trip preparations must be bi-coastal. It was wonderful to have her here, and while I will miss having her around.

I am currently cat sitting and am planning on using the money to purchase a BushBuddy, a wood-gas stove. Wood-gas stoves work by heating up biomass (in this case, obviously wood) until it releases flammable gases, such as methane and hydrogen. Zen Stoves has a nice write-up about them here. Once I have it, I will do some test fires and write a full review,

Sorry for the short post, but I have cats wairing for me.

Do you want to hike with us?

Post by Jenna
Tom and I will be on the trail for 5 months, and we have had a few people ask if we would like their company for a few days or a few miles, and the answer is: absolutely yes! If you will be in the Washington, Oregon, or California area, and would like a reason to get in shape and something to do during those summer and fall months, you can join us for a bit of the trail! Keep in mind that we will have to be averaging 15-20 miles a day- but we would love to have some company and variation along this trip.

Corn Pasta and the Metric System

First of all, thank you to everyone who has joined our Facebook group. And kudos to you if you have continued to read this.

This post will bit a bit short and a bit schizophrenic. The first topic of the day is corn pasta (and its magical allure amoung ultrlight backpackers) and the second is my quick appreciation of the metric system and its subtle beauty.

Okay. So if you know about ultralight backpacking, you most likely have heard of Ray Jardine. Ray is important because he was one of the first proponents of ultralight backpacking. In the 80's and 90's, when people still carried 70 pound packs, he was prophetic in saying that "less is more." His books helped people imagine a new kind of backpacking: simple, light, and fun. For this, people like me are eternally grateful. His was/is a true pioneer and Jenna and my PCT trip is somewhat in his shadow.

However, he also happens to be quite a screwball and has popularized some strange ideas (hiking barefoot, shunning brand name gear because it is inferior, carrying an ice axe with you at all times, hiking with umbrellas, etc.) After reading his book, we were a bit reluctant to believe in his preachings, so you can imagine how we were skeptical about one of his most prevalent myths: that corn pasta is the single best trail food (and better than any other sort of pasta). While Jenna and I were eating dinner the other night (rice pasta, to be specific), I decided to look into the credibility of this myth- a one man "Myth Busters." As it turns out, Ray was right; corn pasta does contain more carbohydrates than either rice or wheat pasta, but the difference is minuscule. Wheat pasta contains 42 grams of carbs per 2 oz. dry serving, rice pasta 43 has grams, and corn pasta has 46 grams. Corn pasta did contain the most but by the way that Ray raved about the miraculous properties of corn pasta, I don't think 3-4 grams difference could account for it. (This doesn't mean we still don't love corn pasta and plan on eating it often on our hike...)

Now for the metric system. Have you ever noticed how perfect it is? How intuitive it is? I had such a moment the other day when I learned that one liter of water is equal to one kilogram. My god! Perfect! Take a second to think about how miraculous it is. How water freezes at 0C and boils at 100C. How 100 grams make a kilogram. I love it and am now a convert.

A big gear shopping trip

Yesterday Tom and I went to the Outdoor Emporium in the SoDo neighborhood in Seattle. We had heard it described as "the Costco of outdoor stores", and we were not let down. They had a ton of clothing and gear, and the prices were nice and low. We ended up getting a lot of the little things we still needed, like: wool socks, a compass, stuff sacks, dry sacks, and waterproof socks. A friend from college hiked a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail last summer and said his feet were soggy and uncomfortable for a lot of it- because of the snow (and he had photos of wrinkly feet as proof). So we had been keeping out eyes open for waterproof socks, and we found these at a great price, so it was a case for celebration.
























This has been an interesting experience so far, because never before have I had such a shopping "purpose". Both Tom and I already had a lot of gear, but there has been a lot that we have had to replace, or just extra stuff we need for specifically this trip. I think we have almost reached the end of our shopping list, although it is starting to feel like there is always "one more thing" that we need. The big items I am still looking for are an ice axe, a bear canister, and (perhaps) a new pack.

Right now Tom is beside me at the desk, working on a template for a new alcohol stove. We have been collecting cat food cans so we can (in theory) have an endless supply of stoves for the trail, incase we encounter a problem...

Our night in the tent

So, Tom and I had a successful first night in the tent. A few of the reviews for this particular tent had mentioned it was "a stretch to call it a two person tent", but we found it to be a nice size for us (two small to average sized people who are comfortable being close to each other). The vestibule will be nice for holding our shoes and packs, and the nice breathable tent material made for a comfortable night's sleep. It rained a bit, and we stayed perfectly dry thanks to the rain fly (which extends beyond the inner tent liner and doesnt touch, therefore even if we pressed against the side of the tent we wouldnt get wet). There is just enough space to sit up at the top of the tent without bumping our heads, and there is a great little place to hang a flashlight or lantern at the peak of the tent. There are also a number of little pockets, great for holding glasses and flashlights during the night. There is enough room inside for our sleeping pads to lay next to each other with a bit of extra space, and there is room at the end of the tent near our feet that will prove helpful for storing extra clothing or gear, especially on cold or rainy nights. The tent goes up and comes down with incredible ease, as well. It was the first time Tom and I had set it up as a team, and it didnt take us more than 5 minutes (we were also contending with some intense wind).

It was also our first time sleeping outside in our new sleeping bags. I recently purchased a Lafuma Warm 'n Light 30 degree down bag, and Tom has a Kelty Lightyear 20 degree synthetic bag. I found a great price on my bag at the REI Outlet, so I got it even though I was originally leaning towards at 20 degree bag. I think I am going to sew myself a liner to increase the warmth of my bag, and help keep it clean on the trail (I can easily wash my liner after I put my grubby body into it night after night). It got down to about 40 degrees the other night, and I was perfectly toasty. Tom says his feet were warm, but his chest got a bit chilly. We were dressed rather lightly, so we can always pile on more layers as the temperature drops.

But we woke up in time to see the sunrise over the Puget Sound (that is the photo). And I also got to see some seals, which was absolutely fantastic.

Testing Out the Tent: Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight 2

Jenna and I are down at Lakebay, WA for the next few days and took the tent with us for a test run. The tent, as the title of this post says, is a Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight 2. With all the trimmings (stakes, bags, guylines, etc.) weighs in at 4.5 lbs (or to be more precise 2,052 grams). This is both heavy and light. Here's why:

A tarp shelter can weigh as little as 6 oz (non-freestanding, made from Cuben fiber with trekking poles as support beams). Therefore, one of these shelters is 4 pounds lighter (!); that is the major draw to tarp shelters

The tent is light because comparably priced tents (I've seen this tent priced from $150-$200) can weigh 2 pounds more. Tents have their advantages over tarp shelters too- they offer better protection from the elements, can be set up in more locations, have an integrated bug net, and are just a little more like "home," if you ask me.

There are a number of things I like about the tent. It is, as I have said, relatively light, the color is not too flashy (which might come in handy if we have to do some stealth camping), has a big vestibule, and the set up is easier than any other tent I have used before. Plus, it was a present so the price cannot be beat!

I'll post a more complete review tomorrow. Hopefully it will rain tonight so we can see the rain fly in action!

The Great Lentil Experiment

If you are a reader of this little hiker blog, you will know that Jenna is gluten-free (and a vegetarian) and I am a preachy vegan (is there any other kind?). This is forcing us to be rather creative when planning meals for the trip. For breakfasts, this means countless variations of instant oatmeal and dried fruit. Dinners are some sort of cooked then dried beans, spices and minute brown rice. Lunch, however, has at least me stymied. How can we have a gluten-free vegan lunch that is full of calories and we don't have to cook? My typical hiking lunch of smashed bagels and peanut butter won't cut it for Jenna and I refuse to eat only gorp for lunch for five straight months. With this in mind, let me introduce you to the "Great Lentil Experiment."

"What if," I thought, "I soaked lentils for a couple of hours. Could this be the lunch I am looking for?" Lentils cook quickly, are rich in protein and are super delicious. I really enjoy cold Indian food. With visions of dahl dancing in my head I set up two different soaking experiments. In one container I soaked half a cup of red lentils in room temperature tap water. In another container, I soaked half a cup of lentils in boiling water (with spices). I let them sit for 4 hours while Jenna and I went to the Woodland Park Zoo (which is, I know, not a very vegan activity) and went to the Ave. for some pho chay (Vietnamese veggie noodle soup).

When I came back I tried both lentils, and to my surprise, they both had sprouted! They were soft enough to eat, but both tasted earthy and nutty. Now, I don't mind that "sprout" taste, but only in salads and sandwiches, not when I am trying to make no cook lunchtime dahl.

So the "Great Lentil Experiment" has not yet succeeded in producing what I want: a no cook, delicious, nutritious, gluten-free, and vegan meal. Any lunchtime suggestions, now that I think of it?

Okay, so all is not without hope. Here are the future plans for the Great Lentil Experiment, Party Two: 1) Boil the lentil for a very short time and then soak them (in hopes of killing whatever enzymes that start the sprouting process). 2) Make a delicious dahl and then dehydrate and see how it re-hydrates in cold water.

More to come...

brown rice crackers

Tom and I love all of the crunchy, grainy crackers that are on the market lately. However, they are not cheap. So we started experimenting with baking our own, and we came out with these pretty fantastic vegan and gluten free brown rice crackers. The brown rice gives them a bit of a crunch, but can be omitted in favor of amaranth, oats, more quinoa, or any other kinds of grains or seeds. These are quick and simple to make, can be easily adapted to suit the ingredients on hand, and we think they will store and pack well. We are going to try freezing them and see how long they last.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
• 1/3 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/3 cup cooked quinoa (regular or red)
• 2 tablespoons flax
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup water
  
• salt for sprinkling on top of crackers

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a baking sheet.
   
2. In a bowl, mix flour, cooked rice and quinoa, seeds, salt, and olive oil until combined. Add water a little at a time until the dough holds together.
3. Knead dough a few times on a lightly floured surface (or in bowl). Press onto the baking sheet- the thinner the better. Score into 1 inch squares.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes- until golden brown. Allow to ool before removing from tray.
   

Photos:

Tom and I in Lakebay, Washington, at the Puget Sound.

And my personal favorite: Tom the zombie and I testing out our alcohol stoves (very tiny near our feet).

A word about food

This year for Christmas Tom got 2 great hiking cook books from my parents, and we spent last night pouring over them. One is Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin' by Christine Conners and Tim Conners, and the other is Trail Food: Drying and Cooking Food for Backpacking and Paddling by Alan Kesselheim. They are both fantastic- full of amazing recipes, tips, and ideas. Full reviews will come later once we have entirely devoured the books, and tested some of the recipes, but just reading them is making me so excited to be crouching over a small alcohol stove on the trail. Tom and I are currently looking for a food dehydrator on Craig's List, because we think it will make our lives easier and more pleasurable, especially with our dietary restrictions. There is very little processed, prepared food that is vegan, and/or gluten free, so we are going to need to make most of it from scratch. Both Tom and I love to cook, and we love a good activity, however, so we are excited by the prospect.

Maybe this is a good time to explain a little about our diets. I have been an ovo-lacto vegetarian (meaning I refrain from eating meat and fish) on and off since I was about 15. When I was 20 I became vegan, and followed a strict diet void of all animal products until I realized I was gluten free when I was 22. I tried to be a gluten free vegan for a while, but it became increasingly difficult to find things to eat, so I reverted to vegetarianism shortly after my gluten free diagnosis. For those who are unfamiliar with gluten intolerance (also known as celiac disease), it is an auto-immune digestive disease which that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, spelt, kamut and barley. Gluten intolerance presents itself differently in each person, but I was plagued for years with many medical issues (mainly a terrible rash covering my body), and mis-diagnosed numerous times until Tom and I eventually figured out my problem on our own. Although it requires me to follow a strict (and often inconveniencing) diet, I feel so much healthier now that I have cut gluten out of my diet.

Tom has agreed to discuss his dietary choices at a later date, and to refrain from too much "vegangelicalism". To make our lives easier on the trail, we will both be eating to accommodate one another, with the exception of me having some cheese or powdered milk, and Tom having pretzels or other gluten-containing foods. We plan on eating a lot of corn pasta, lentils, rice, and dehydrated vegetables and proteins such as beans and tofu. We have also found hummus mix and powdered soy milk in bulk, as well as soy jerky products. In the end, it is practically impossibly to go hungry in today's modern world. And as both vegan and gluten free diets are growing in popularity, acceptable foods are becoming more accessible. While this is the case, however, we are going to be mailing most of our food to ourselves along the way to ensure that we don't need to survive a week on peanut butter and almonds.

The great PCT stove debate

Anyone who has ever hiked the PCT, or any other trail for that matter, has their own way of doing everything. And amazingly, everyone claims their way is the best: they all have the secret to the lightest pack, the best gear, or the perfect recipe for the trail. The bottom line, however, is that nothing is perfect for everyone, and while there are thousands of tips and tricks out there, everyone must find what works for them (some people have thru-hiked the PCT in sneakers and without a stove at all- eating cold food everyday- but we know that is not the experience we are looking for).

Where this is perhaps the most evident is when it comes to stoves- we have combed through blogs, books and websites, and have made and tested numerous stoves. The main concern with choosing a stove for a PCT thruhike is fuel availability. White gas, the tried and true camping fuel, is not available in most towns along the way. Unlike the Appalacian Trail, which meanders through many small yet hiker-friendly, well-stocked towns, the PCT is more remote, passing through few towns which don't stock things like camping fuel. For this reason, most thru-hikers mail supplies through the US Postal Service and mailing white gas is a big no-no. The same goes for fuel canisters and Esbit tablets. If we want to do this thing legally (which might be a good idea), we will have to use the sources of fuel available to us.

In pit-stops and on the trail, the three fuels that will be most readily available are: gasoline, biomass (wood), and alcohol (HEET brand fuel additive). Below are the pros and cons for each fuel type:

Fuel: Gasoline
Pros: Readily available, gasoline stoves make temperature adjustment easy, people familiar with white gas stoves would feel comfortable operating a gas stove.
Cons: Gasoline is a sooty burning fuel; it smells aweful and can clog easily.
Possible Stove: Coleman Exponent Feather 442 Dual Fuel Backpacking Stove

Fuel: Biomass
Pros: No need to buy fuel, its a carbon negative fuel source, and there is just something comforting about a wood fire.
Cons: Collecting and burning wood is prohibited in many places on the trail, thereby requiring a backup stove. Availability of fuel (wood, other biomass) is dependent on weather, effort, temperature control.
Possible Stove: Bushbuddy Ultra

Fuel: Alcohol (or "Alky")
Pros: Great availability, low cost, stoves are simple to make at home.
Cons: No simple temperature adjustment (hard to simmer), declined performance in low temperatures.
Possible Stove: SuperCat

Alcohol stoves are quickly the preferred stove for most PCT thru-hikers. Additionally, most thru-hikers make their own stoves. They come in all shapes and sizes, from the extremely complicated, like those made by Tinny at MinibullDesigns, to the extremely basic. Be sure to check out Zen Stoves to see the wide range of stoves people are churning out. After extensive reading and trials, we are planning on using the SuperCat Alcohol Stove. We chose the SuperCat because of its extreme light weight (an empty aluminum cat food can), the price (free), and the simplicity of use. Coming soon: a full review and write-up about the stove, including photos and video.

A bit about the hikers...

Here is a primer on the hikers, incase you dont already know them in another capacity:
Jenna was born and raised in the Berkshires, Massachusetts, while Tom is a west coast Seattle boy at heart. They met at Green Mountain College, in Poultney Vermont, where Jenna studied Fine Art and Graphic Design, and Thomas pursued Environmental Studies and Philosophy. Jenna graduated in 2009, and Tom is projected to graduate this spring (2010) pending the completion of his Honors Thesis. Jenna has spent the past 6 months since graduation working as a "host" at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. After the hike, she is excited to devote more time to creating her personal artwork and marketing her craft. Tom is on the fence about pursuing either law school, or a masters in philosophy (and maybe this time in the woods will help him decide).

Tom loves: Albert Camus, cats, Otterpop frozen treats, potato chips, "Risk", chopping wood, cooking, and contemplating. Jenna loves: knitting and other fibers activities, ee cummings, riding her bike, crafting, yoga and jogging, peanut butter M&Ms, and baking. 

Naturally, they also both love to hike. Some of Tom's most memorable hiking adventures have been a week-long trip in the Adirondacks' High Peaks Region, multi-day backpacking trips in the Olympic National Park in Washington, and a particularly cold, snowy, and wet weekend trip in the Alpine Lakes region of the Adirondacks with Jenna. Some of Jenna's most exciting hiking trips come from the summer she spent exploring the western national parks (Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Tetons, Arches, Zion, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, and Bryce Canyon)- her favorites being a long hike between all of the Arches, a hike in a river in Zion, and a 2-day excursion into the Grand Canyon (complete with 130 degree heat).

Tom is excited about this hike because he thinks it will be something that will push him to his extremes and put him outside of his comfort zone. He is hoping to see some of the most beautiful landscapes in the entire world, and he is excited to be hiking with someone he loves. Not everyday can you hike 2,700 miles- and this might be the only chance he gets. Jenna is excited by the prospect of accomplishing something so monumental (more people have hiked Mount Everest than have hiked the Pacific Crest Trail). Having both finished their education (at least for the time being), they are excited to have a large goal and something to do with their time that doesnt involve immediately joining the corporate workforce. They are also excited: to wear the same clothes everyday, discover new ways to prepare the same old foods, live outside the reaches of Facebook, and to have the adventure of their lives.

While they are overwhelmed by the excitment of planning the hike, the are also being constantly humbled by the books they read (they love to read). Hearing about other's experiences makes they terribly aware of their fears on this trip. For Tom, these fears include snakes and lightening. Jenna is worried about hiking in extensive amounts of snow, and equipment failures. They feel their best defenses against these things are knowledge and flexibility (of plans, not bodies). Tom also thinks his trekking poles will be a great help while beating down snakes. He would like to reinforce that he is terribly affraid of rattle snakes (but Jenna is confident they will encounter few, and if they do, she will protect him).

Up until they leave for their hike, they will be training, reading, and hiking like crazy. In February, Jenna is heading back to Massachusetts to teach skiing for the remainder of the season. Tom will remain in Washington, where he will work tirelessly on his Honors Thesis. One of Tom's favorite activities is reading blogs (specifically about alcohol stoves, gear, and the Seattle Seahawks), and when they reunite in May for Tom's graduation, they will be so full of hiking related knowledge and itching to get onto the trail, it will be all they can do to keep from heading out early.

Reason One of Why Tom is Hiking.

Ah to be alive
on a mid-September morn
fording a stream
barefoot, pants rolled up,
holding boots, pack on,
sunshine, ice in the shallows,
northern Rockies.


Rustle and shimmer of icy creek waters
stones turn underfoot, small and hard as toes
cold nose dripping
singing inside
creek music, heart music,
smell of sun on gravel.



-from Axe Handles, by Gary Snyder

Hiking and Philosophy, Part One

I am back home from college. Being here is weird because it was once more home than it is now. Things around me used to mean so much, but now the associated memories are becoming foggier. Of these things is a sheet of lyrics by the door. They read:

"If you think going camping will undo a long life of slow dying then go ahead, go camping. Try to forget in the meadow, try to forget on the hill..." Mount Eerie, from Mount Eerie Dances With Wolves

Not to bring too much philosophy into this, but I think that this is important to talk about. How much of what we are doing is a rebellion against death, or the decay of our body? How much of this is a fight for permanence? For forgetting anything? Is this hike merely a diversion from life, or is it part of life?

Why Southbound?

Out of the ~300 people per year that attempt the trail, over 90% head north from California. That special 10% or so that are foolish enough to hike south face numerous challenges:

• Dry river beds/no water caches in Southern California
• Isolation
  
• No footprints to follow
• Having to read guidebooks backwards as they are written for NoBos
• Less daylight (as we leave closer to the summer solstice)
• Snow in Northern Washington (and lots of it)

Sounds fun, right? Why are Jenna and I doing this? Well...

I am (mostly) finished with college and graduation is sometime in mid-May, which kind of forces us to hike south. That is kind of an anti-climatic reason. While there are no philosophic reasons for going south, the idea of being one of the few, the proud: the SoBos, does excite me greatly. I am excited (and a little nervous), but mostly excited.

The Pacific Crest Trail: a Very Brief History

Jenna and I thought you might like to know a bit about the trail where we will be hiking for 2,600+ miles. The trail is the "crown jewel" of the "Triple Crown" of long distance hiking trails (the others are the Continental Divide Trail, and the most famous of the bunch, the Appalacian Trail); it traverses six of North America's seven different ecosystem types, offers the greatest elevation loss and gain, and most importantly, goes through my beautiful home state of Washington.

Thru-hiking the trail has long captivated the braze and the stupid. Approximately 300 people attempt to hike the whole trail per year, but only around 180 complete it. Jenna tells me that more people attempt to thru-hike the AT per year than have ever sucessfully completed the PCT (source of this fact is unknown). The first thru-hike was completed in 1970 by 17 year old Eric Rybeck. His book, The High Adventure of Eric Ryback: Canada to Mexico on Foot, sparked the imagination of other wanderers. The first southbound trip (what Jenna and I will be doing) as well as the first successful female thru-hike (something left only to Jenna) were both completed in 1972.

After hours of vigorously searching the internet, Jenna and I feel confident in saying that, pending completion, we will be the first vegan and the first gluten-free vegetarian to complete the trail. Both accomplishments will surely go down in the small, but growing, vegan/gluten-free thru-hiking community.

and it begins...

...well, the planning and training, but not the actual hiking. I am spending a month in Seattle with Tom, and we are doing a lot of planning and gear shopping. We keep working and re-working our packing lists, visiting used gear shops in the city, and the other day we spent a few hours perusing the gigantic REI Flagship Shop. I now have an appropriately small and light and warm sleeping bag, and Tom and I found a good deal on trekking poles. Tom also got me a new pair of light-mid weight hiking boots (La Sportiva) for a Christmas present (what a great guy). The one big concern that we are still researching is stoves. We (mainly Tom) have been reading a lot about different alcohol stoves and efficiency. And we have been contemplating delicious camp meals that accommodate his vegan and my gluten free restrictions- so, mostly corn pasta.

But we are excited to use this blog to review some of our gear, talk about camp cooking (specifically vegan and gluten free), and discuss our hiking plans and training schedules. Once we really get the blog rolling, we hope to integrate videos, and then once we are on the trail we are trying to find a third party to enter in our journal entries from afar.

Happy New Year!