2 Months and Counting...

2009 is coming to a close and I have just 2 months left before departing for Springer Mountain. For the most part, preparation is done: resupply boxes for the first half of the trip are prepped and delivered to my parents, gear is pretty much settled, and mentally I am ready to go. But, I still have to get everything in order with the "real-world" (bills, taxes, work, etc.) before I begin the hike. So, that will still keep me plenty busy. As far as warm-up trips, I am planning on 2 more remaining...one being a snowshoe hike next week in VT and another being a trip somewhere in PA/NJ with some people from whiteblaze. I am sure these next 2 months are going to fly by.

Food

Well, planning is continuing and the focus as of late has been on FOOD. The plan is to pick up mail drops with resupplies every 6-7 days and supplement the food drops with whatever I find in towns. I am preparing the packages for the first half of the trip and will take care of the second half when I am taking my mid-break.

What I have found to work for me is to do a cooked dinner, a mix of cooked and cold breakfast, and snacking for lunch instead of a formal lunch. All the cooked meals are freezer bag cooking so they are already prepared and just need boiling water.

Breakfasts:

• Oatmeal
• Cream of Rice w/ Cranberries
• Rice Pudding
• Carnation Instant Breakfast and Pudding
• Granola
• Poptarts
• Cereal Bars
• Coconut Bars
• Granola Bars

Lunches:

• Granola
• Trail Mix (Nuts, Butterscotch Chips, Banana Chips, Wasabi Peas)
• Assorted Bars
• Assorted Chocolate
• Crackers
• Tuna Packets
• Cheese
• Salami

Dinners:

• Sesame Seed Ramen
• Spanish Rice
• Salami Ramen
• Mountain House Stroganoff
• Salami Rice
• Parmesan Ramen
• Indian Couscous
• Ramen Pot Pie
• Roasted Garlic and Almond Couscous
• Chili
• Stovetop, Mashed, and Sausage