Summary: Today we celebrate International Day of Awesomeness! We talk about finding awesome “backpackable” trails. Next, Heather shares her current bucket list of hikes. Then, learn about an ultralight food prep bag, and get a recipe to go with it. Fictitious listener, Dale in Oklahoma sends in a question about water filtering.<br> Show Notes: Episode 017<br> Opening<br> <br> * International Day of Awesomeness<br> * Chuck Norris’s 75th Birthday<br> * Chuck Norris was born March 10, 1940 in Ryan Oklahoma<br> * He is the only person on record to have started a fire by rubbing two ice-cubes together.<br> * Was bitten by a rattle snake, and after three days of pain and agony, the rattle snake died.<br> * When ghosts go camping, they sit around the fire and tell Chuck Norris stories.<br> * Chuck Norris doesn’t get struck by lightning. Lightning gets struck by Chuck Norris<br> * What better way to celebrate International Day of Awesomeness and Chuck Norris’s 75th birthday, than to do something AWESOME!<br> * A simple internet search can get you one step closer to your next day hike or backpacking trip.<br> * The easiest way to start is by typing “Trail Reports Backpacking (Your State)”<br> * For example: I searched for “Trail reports backpacking Oklahoma”<br> * Started my search on <a href="http://bestoklahomatrails.com/">bestoklahomatrails.com</a> and got a good idea of regions in the state<br> * YouTube is also a wonderful resource for seeing what an area looks like in a particular season<br> * Hiking and backpacking Books are also a fabulous resource to get an idea of quintessential BP trips in your area.<br> * Make sure to get several resources (including a current map) before you go out on the trail.<br> <br> Top 5 Bucket List Trails<br> Wonderland Trail, Washington State<br> <br> * Love the name…love the mountain.<br> * Mt Rainier<br> * Trail is 80 Miles, so I’d probably do a section of it.<br> <br> Swiss Alps: Haute Route (with <a href="https://www.alpenwild.com/">Alpenwild </a>Self Guided Tours)<br> <br> <br> * 10 days hiking from Mt Blanc to the Matterhorn. Strenuous but amazing!<br> * Pound out the miles through wildflowers, see massive glaciers and pristine lakes.<br> * <a href="http://www.alpenwild.com/trip/details/self-guided-haute-route/">Self guided tour</a><br> * Transportation from the airport, accommodations, and most meals are pre-arranged and prepaid.<br> * Detailed route directions and local phone contact with an Alpenwild guide in case of emergency.<br> <br> Any Section of the Appalachian Trail<br> <br> * Just to have the AT experience<br> * It’s an iconic, historic trail<br> <br> Mount Hood to Mt Jefferson, Oregon<br> <br> <br> * Close to home, nice area, thick forest<br> <br> <br> Any part of the newly finished Arizona Trail in the Spring, Arizona<br> <br> <br> * We talked about the a part of the Arizona Trail in episode 16<br> <br> SUMMIT Gear Review™: <a href="http://booginhead.com/">Booginhead</a> Pack’Ems Food Pouches<br> Structure<br> <br> * Sturdy plastic<br> * Velcro Press-lok<br> * It’s a mix between a Ziploc bag and a hard sided plastic container.<br> <br> Utility <br> <br> * Meant to hold food, but it’s not watertight.<br> * Gussted bottom makes it perfect for preparing instant meals, or for having a snakc bag that stands up like a bowl<br> <br> Mass<br> <br> * Large: Holds 3 cups, measures 6 x 6.5 inches and weighs .4 ounces<br> * Small: holds 1.5 cups, 4×6.5 .2 ounces<br> <br> Maintenance<br> <br> * Top rack dishwasher safe<br> * Washed out on the trail with soap and warm water, be sure not to do it in a stream or near your campsite.<br> <br> Investment<br> <br> * $9.99 for two pouches (one large, one small)<br> <br> Trial<br> <br> * Basically a ultralightweight food prep bowl<br>
