Summary: Show Notes: Episode 081<br> Today on the First 40 Miles, backpackers spend their time in the backcountry, but your first outdoor experiences were probably in the frontcountry. We’ll explain the difference! Then on today’s Top 5 List, you’ll learn the key factors for making perfect popcorn on the trail—a skill that we don’t take lightly. On the SUMMIT Gear Review, we’re trying a twist on the classic Buff. Next on the Backpack Hack of the Week, learn a simple first aid hack that will change the way you look at your fast food garbage.<br> Opening<br> <br> * Backcountry: a sparsely populated rural region remote from a settled area. This is where we typically go backpacking. Secluded, serene, rugged, untouched, typically lacking in amenities.<br> * Frontcountry: day use and car camping. For the most part you can expect bathrooms, ADA compliance, running water, maybe a shelter or perhaps a visitors center.<br> * How do you know when you’ve crossed from frontcountry into the backcountry?<br> * Typical users of the frontcountry are the AWOL users. AWOL stands for “All Walks of Life”. These are people who may or may not have any outdoor experience, who may be in various levels of fitness, and who may or may not understand basic outdoor ethics.<br> * Why is frontcountry ethics so important? Because frontcountry is the doorway to the backcountry.<br> * Things that frontcountry users do, affect our experience in the backcountry<br> * Yellowstone and the bears<br> * According to the Outdoor Industry Association there are three times as many car campers and five times as many day hikers as there are backpackers in the U.S.<br> * The number of day hikers is projected to increase from 47 million people to 74 million people by 2050, and car campers are expected to increase from 42 million to 62 million by 2050<br> * USDA Forest Service study says day hiker days are projected to surpass the one billion days mark by 2020.<br> * <a href="https://lnt.org/teach/outdoor-ethics-frontcountry#sthash.QkuKdrv6.dpuf">Leave No Trace Frontcountry Ethics</a><br> <br> Top 5 Tips for Perfect Popcorn on the Trail<br> Generous oil <br> <br> * A generous coating of oil in the bottom of the pan will make it so your popcorn resists sticking and burning on the bottom of the pan PLUS the oil will the give the popped popcorn a light coating for the salt to stick to when it’s finished popping.<br> * Oil storage options:<br> <br> * <a href="http://www.humangear.com/gear/gotoob">Human Gear GoToobs</a><br> * MIO drink flavoring bottles<br> * Travel-size contact lens solution bottle<br> <br> <br> * No matter what, store your oil bottle in ziptop plastic bag!<br> <br> 2 Quart pot<br> <br> * A short, fat pot will disperse the heat and cook the popcorn much more evenly than a tall, skinny pot. We’ve been using the Evernew Ti Pot 1.9 Liters (or 2 quarts). This size pan will cook 1/4 cup of unpopped popcorn perfectly.<br> <br> Mini alcohol stove<br> <br> * Perfect solution: An aluminum tealight candle cover (just slide it off a new tealight candle), half-filled with denatured alcohol. It provides just enough heat to cook the popcorn. (Might need more if it’s windy)<br> * Simply shake the covered pan about 1-2 inches over the lit mini alcohol stove<br> * Shake it until you don’t hear popping noises, then extinguish the flame or let it burn off<br> <br> Uncrowded popcorn<br> <br> * Do some test rounds at home to determine the quantity that will fit in your backpacking pot. Our 1.9 L pot will cook up to 1/4 cup of unpopped kernels. This amount doesn’t fill up the bottom of the pot. If we put in any more, the popcorn would be crowded and you’d have burnt popcorn stuck to the bottom of the pot due to overcrowding.<br> <br> Enough salt<br> <br> * Without salt, your popcorn will taste like packing peanuts<br> <br> SUMMIT Gear Review™: <a href="http://buffusa."></a>
