December 12th, 2015
On all three fronts (training, planning and food prep) we're doing well. We are back from the Camino de Santiago (Frances) and we are now refocused on the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT)
On all three fronts (training, planning and food prep) we're doing well. We are back from the Camino de Santiago (Frances) and we are now refocused on the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT)
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On the Nutrition side, we have pretty much completed cooking the breakfast meals. 45 polenta/eggs as well as 45 sweet potato porridge. the rest of breakfasts (90) will be uncooked granola mixes. We are now diving into the main meals - with 5 different recipes. We are starting with 40 servings each of Creole Beans with pasta and Dahl with rice (both nice and spicy!). The meals are cooked then dehydrated. Thanks to friends (Mike and Celeste), we are now working with three dehydrators. The drying time for the mains is anywhere from 12 to 24 hours, so having many machines drying should save us a good deal of time. We are learning to both work in our small kitchen; so far no one has been stabbed. There will be some development on the calories and nutrients front in the coming weeks.
On the Health and Fitness front, the routine is good; Monday, Wednesday and Friday are cardio sessions at Vibes and at the 'Y'. Yes, Simon is fully bought into the Vibes approach (amazing way to wake up small supportive muscles you don't tend to exercise or use much). We'll be starting the outdoor hiking this coming week (hill and distance). |
Three noisy dehydrators working hard!
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It was important to minimize the pounding for a month or so to give our feet a break. Tuesday and Thursday is the strength training also at the 'Y'. Saturday, is the long hike day with weight - we will likely incorporate two more hiking days a week after Christmas. The hard part is the rest day. It appears difficult for both of us to not go for long walks.
The Trip Planning is also progressing well with meal plans for each drop, daily suggested distances, water sources along the way, and possible camping areas. The water is likely a real challenge but we should be fine - we might have to ration water here and there. I think we have the mailing and drops resolved with the pyramid approach:
The Trip Planning is also progressing well with meal plans for each drop, daily suggested distances, water sources along the way, and possible camping areas. The water is likely a real challenge but we should be fine - we might have to ration water here and there. I think we have the mailing and drops resolved with the pyramid approach:
- We are breaking the Arizona Trail in three Stages of approx. 30 days.
- These Stages group AZT predefined Passages into Segments of 5 to 7 Days (defining our food drops).
- Our daily guideline is conservative ranging from 12 km to 20 km based on the difficulty rating of each Passage (AZT defined).
- At the end of each Stage we will replenish stock and mail the drops for the next Stage
- Shuttle Services are available ($$) helping us with access to the truck - which is likely going to be parked at city airports.
As for Equipment there is nothing to report, we will be spending a bit of time later to re-evaluate what we have - what works and what does not for this thru-hike.
Example of the plan for the second stage
That is all for now. It will be interesting to see our next Hydro bill (hoping they don't think we're growing pot!!).
December 20th, 2015
All is good on the planning front. Last time we reported on the Nutrition and Health/Fitness - here is the update for each, plus the Equipment.
All is good on the planning front. Last time we reported on the Nutrition and Health/Fitness - here is the update for each, plus the Equipment.
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Training is flowing nicely and is now a routine. Our bodies are adjusting to the new demands and we are slowly getting rid of the Camino/John Wayne walk we acquired in Spain. Most of the weekday mornings are dedicated to the Y and Vibes with an outside (cardio) hill walk on Tuesdays and Thursdays (to enhance the weight training days). Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are core exercise days with light(ish) cardio.
Saturday is the longer outdoor outing and will likely be at East Sooke Park - yesterday was brilliant. We walked 13 km or 14 km and it was a beautiful 10 degree Celsius and sunny. Although with the rain lately the trail was a little wet! PS - if someone wants to join us on Saturdays, email me for details. Also - it might surprise you to know that those are not our abs... they might be if we were 25! Trip Planning is also good with more details surfacing and most questions/concerned being resolved. There are still outstanding items such as the safety of 'wilderness' food drops, long term car storage, weather, etc. The magnitude of this endeavor is also becoming obvious. We expected this and it's not overwhelming or scary - it's just making us realize how important it is to be thorough during this stage of the game. No doubt the plan will have to change and adapt to the reality of the weather and other factors once on the trail, but our prep will facilitate the adaptation (sounds like consulting BS). At this stage we are going over all the available information with a fine tooth comb. |
East Sooke Park - Good Boots are Mandatory
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Food Prep is where the mush hit the fan... meaning the size and quantity required to feed two people for this trip is massive! It all starts with a stunning job by Julie. She prepped the content for daily consumption based on variety, calorie count, and weight. The daily individual packages weigh about 900 g (or approx. 2 lbs) and will provide about 3,500+ calories. We are over 3/4 done cooking, dehydrating and packaging. This is all good but as we started packaging earlier this week, the volume became obvious! It turns out that we will have 5 or 6 big rubber tubs weighing around 160 kg (or close to 400 lbs). Luckily we may have a storage solution in Arizona.
We did plan to have this time available for Training, Planning and Prepping. The obvious outcome is a much healthier menu because it is entirely done by us. Not to mention that it is way cheaper to prepare our own food - we will tally the cost later and let you know.
Being ahead of schedule is giving us time to head down to Arizona for two weeks in late January (Simon's idea). This will help answer a good number of questions, secure some reservations, and take the first load of goods down with us. Yeh! Road trips are awesome!
We did plan to have this time available for Training, Planning and Prepping. The obvious outcome is a much healthier menu because it is entirely done by us. Not to mention that it is way cheaper to prepare our own food - we will tally the cost later and let you know.
Being ahead of schedule is giving us time to head down to Arizona for two weeks in late January (Simon's idea). This will help answer a good number of questions, secure some reservations, and take the first load of goods down with us. Yeh! Road trips are awesome!
December 27th, 2015
WATER... IS LIFE! A few people asked about availability of water on the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Here is what we've learned about the water situation on the AZT and our approach.
Its important to outline the AZT community (we are part of that) of users and administrators that look after the trail. The AZT is managed by volunteers and representatives and has a lead for each of the 43 Passages that makes up the entire trail (there is a phone number and a name for Q/A). The website http://www.aztrail.org/ and blogs are impressive and provide dynamic documents with input from an active community of hikers and volunteers. The available information such as the 'up to date' water source document below is an example of the good stuff at our disposal... So, for water it starts with knowledge and therefore the following;
WATER... IS LIFE! A few people asked about availability of water on the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Here is what we've learned about the water situation on the AZT and our approach.
Its important to outline the AZT community (we are part of that) of users and administrators that look after the trail. The AZT is managed by volunteers and representatives and has a lead for each of the 43 Passages that makes up the entire trail (there is a phone number and a name for Q/A). The website http://www.aztrail.org/ and blogs are impressive and provide dynamic documents with input from an active community of hikers and volunteers. The available information such as the 'up to date' water source document below is an example of the good stuff at our disposal... So, for water it starts with knowledge and therefore the following;
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This dynamic list of water sources (by passage) document is accompanied by the following warning - Information in this report is provided as a service to the community. Information in this report may not be accurate. Natural water sources in Arizona can and do rapidly change. Resupply box may be empty. The user of this information is solely responsible for their own safety. Hike your own hike.
Fair enough! The information is also available on an iPhone App which both phones will have. |
AZT App with amazing info!
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AZT App with every water source identified
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From this we plan our days and segments for re-supply positions to ensure (hope) that we can always have access to water every 24 to 36 hours. There are two or three areas - specially when we get into late April and early May - where we will likely be 36 to 48 hours without water. We will likely decide to carry extra bladders that we can fill if we feel the need - it will be a trade-off between weight and water.
Worst case scenario is the decision to walk longer days and make a side trip to a large stream, a lake or a community to refill before continuing.
Although a little daunting, the planning helps be fairly confident in the availability of water most days... so don't worry, everything will be fine fine!!
Worst case scenario is the decision to walk longer days and make a side trip to a large stream, a lake or a community to refill before continuing.
Although a little daunting, the planning helps be fairly confident in the availability of water most days... so don't worry, everything will be fine fine!!
January 1st, 2016
Food, Glorious Food - We have completed our dehydration of all meals for our trip. An estimated 180kg (400 lbs) of dried food. There are 15 grocery bags full of daily packages in our dining room. The cost of all this is about $1,200. It seems high until you remember that this is for three months. The advantages of cooking our own food include: healthier, less preservatives and less expensive.
I was in charge of the menu system, choosing the recipes and counting calories. I have tried to incorporate nutritious food, totaling a little over 3,500 Calories per day, with some extra snacks. Simon and I have been cooking and dehydrating for a full month 24/7. All our possessions now smell like chili!
Food, Glorious Food - We have completed our dehydration of all meals for our trip. An estimated 180kg (400 lbs) of dried food. There are 15 grocery bags full of daily packages in our dining room. The cost of all this is about $1,200. It seems high until you remember that this is for three months. The advantages of cooking our own food include: healthier, less preservatives and less expensive.
I was in charge of the menu system, choosing the recipes and counting calories. I have tried to incorporate nutritious food, totaling a little over 3,500 Calories per day, with some extra snacks. Simon and I have been cooking and dehydrating for a full month 24/7. All our possessions now smell like chili!
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Our menu is as follows:
Breakfast: 3 options 1. Scrambled eggs and polenta with onions and herbs 2. Sweet potato mash with porridge and dried fruit 3. Granola with nuts and dried fruits Main meal: 5 options- all vegetarian 1. Chili and rice 2. Creole beans and pasta 3. Dhal and rice 4. Corn chowder and couscous 5. Marinara sauce and pasta Snacks: 5 options of dried fruits 5 options of crackers chocolate drink or apple cider Elevate me bars Salted mixed nuts (buying in US) Jerky and cheese (buying in US) |
Julie in the sea of dehydrated
& vacuum sealed packages
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Example Bag For One Person
Day 3; Sweet Potato Porridge and Dhal
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We have packed our food in vacuum sealed bags.One bag contains food for one day for one person. A napkin describing the bag's contents is included as most meals pretty much look the same. So in total, we have 168 vacuum sealed bags. Animal products are an issue at the border, as are fresh fruits and vegetables. We've done researched and chatted with some US Border Officials, the regulations change weekly regarding what can be brought across. They recommend keeping packaging labels and cook our food. It remains to be seen what the specific officer at the border will think of the volume of personal food we are bringing across. All we can do is hope.
In order to minimize, we are not bring a cook stove with us on the trail. This will save us a good deal of weight (mainly fuel). Our meals have all been tried, tested and can re-hydrate without heat. The dried fruit, crackers, nuts and jerky will give us 'texture' as our mains will be tasty but with similar texture (a little mushy). |
Carrying 180kg (400 lbs) of food in one go is an impossibility. Simon identified all possible food drops/caches. When communities are on the way (5 or 6 of them) we will use post offices, ranger stations or stores. They are usually very supportive and will hold a boxes for up to 30 days. Some trail heads have wildlife boxes or areas where one can leave a metal tin as a food cache. In total, we will have 14 food drops or caches.
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The 3 stages Simon designed in order to manage the timing of the food drops will enable a much needed break every 25 or 30 days. We will have the opportunity to wash our clothing, reassess our food drops and/or replace equipment as required.
It has been to our advantage that Simon and I focus on different aspects of the planning. We've cross referenced each others work (without fighting), and we hope not to have missed important bits. We've stopped calling this a trip and are now calling it an expedition out of respect for the significant plan. It is detailed and thorough but remains open and flexible. This trip will no doubt hold some surprises for us. Until next time, |
In boxes waiting to be transported to Arizona
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January 9th, 2016
Increased Intensity and Excitement - We've been house sitting for some friends that have dogs, Border Collies to be exact. I think we are the human version of Border Collies. We're so focused and embedded in details that we forget to step back and provide ongoing overview perspectives. So here is a rough and high level map of the trail as well as the approximate dates of our journey. The more we plan, the more we have questions about the AZT!
On the training front, we are increasing the intensity of our outings choosing to extend the length of hikes and the difficulty levels instead of increasing the weight on our backs during the hikes. I think at this point it's best to save our old joints and limbs... The first two weeks of hiking on the AZT, in March, will likely settle our bodies into a routine of wearing the weight of the backpacks. We are continuing the gym workouts (the Y and Vibes) but have really stepped-up the hikes in the local area.
Sooke Mountain - water everywhere!
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Jocelyn Hill - great tough trail for training!
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Please pinch me! Do we really live in this place and have access to these trails within minutes of our home? The variety is astounding. From Gowlland Tod (all of it) to Mount Doug, to East Sooke Park and not to forget the Sooke Hills where we had another beautiful hike up Peden Ridge this week. The only funny bit is that there is water everywhere - we'll have to get use to very little water in Arizona
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January 31st, 2016
The Recon! I think it's Eisenhower who said something like - the completed plan is irrelevant, it is the planning process that is important. We both agree. Simon had done a comprehensive flow chart of the passages, divided them into days, drops, and segments. But we still had many questions. Since the food prep was completed, we decided a road trip down to AZ would help answer most, if not all, questions.
So off we went in mid January for two weeks. Simon loves to drive. Listening to the Dali Lama on audio books, we headed South to Arizona. We had half of our dried food in 6 boxes in the Jeep. The border crossing was uneventful. What a relief! That answered the question regarding border crossing with food. At least this time, the officer did not ask more details about our dried camping food contents.
The Recon! I think it's Eisenhower who said something like - the completed plan is irrelevant, it is the planning process that is important. We both agree. Simon had done a comprehensive flow chart of the passages, divided them into days, drops, and segments. But we still had many questions. Since the food prep was completed, we decided a road trip down to AZ would help answer most, if not all, questions.
So off we went in mid January for two weeks. Simon loves to drive. Listening to the Dali Lama on audio books, we headed South to Arizona. We had half of our dried food in 6 boxes in the Jeep. The border crossing was uneventful. What a relief! That answered the question regarding border crossing with food. At least this time, the officer did not ask more details about our dried camping food contents.
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Simon's plan suggested 17 food drops, 9 of them businesses, the rest would be wilderness drops. Our investigation of the various trail heads and communities where we would do a food drop changed our minds. We now have 3 wilderness drops and the rest are businesses. We found that the people and businesses along the AZT were extremely excited about our venture and wanted to help us - nice! It appears that not many people do the whole AZT in one go, add to that the novelty of being little Canadians, we attracted a lot of positive attention everywhere we went. "Yes of course you can leave your Jeep at the motel for a month while you hike the trail. No problem!' This positive response was what we experienced everywhere. Well almost. We cross many State Parks and two National Parks, the latter requires us to make precise date reservations, the Saguaro and the Grand Canyon. The Saguaro park was done without a glitch. The Grand Canyon... We were declined our dates. They received over 1300 requests and we didn't make the cut, campgrounds are already full. The suggestion is that we get to the park (the South Rim entrance) and wait our turn to use last minute back country sites or cancellations. There is always a positive side... This means a possible forced break in a campground near Tusayan - there is a pub nearby and a grocery store with fresh foods. We'll manage :o)) Given the time on our hands, we scoped out some of the trails, and wilderness drop locations and feel confident that our food caches can be hidden from rodents and curious passerby's. Walking part of the actual trails in several areas across Arizona gave us a great 'feel' for the quality of the trails (which is really good). |
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So we are home for three weeks and eager to refine our plan, add a few more items to our drop boxes, etc. Only a few weeks before we head off for real. After that we can, as the Morcheba song says: 'enjoy the flaws of the best laid plans'.
Enjoy a few nice shots from our recon trip... We're so dam excited we can't wait!!
Enjoy a few nice shots from our recon trip... We're so dam excited we can't wait!!