Extra Life and Thoughts

Per usual I am behind on posting anything about my latest trip and/or what I created.  I will certainly get around to it but it was a truncated trip so I didn't even get to re-hydrate my dinner.  I am working on something more important as of late.....

I'd like to take a moment to talk about what I am doing on Nov 7th.  I am a nerd and nerds play video games.  Except, in a few short days, my gaming will be purely for the benefit of the Children's Miracle Network and specifically Duke's Children Hospital.  People from around the nation will be playing games for 24 hours in a nerd-a-thon in order to raise money for their chosen hospital.  I've been trying to get some sponsors and donors but haven't made it very far into my $500 goal yet so I am extending out to the world, strangers, and anyone reading my blog to donate a couple dollars to this cause.  I'd rather you donate to this over clicking any of my affiliate links.

If you have a big heart and some spare money, please consider donating through this link.  I wish I had something to offer like a prize to win as incentive, but I do not.  Instead, use it as a tax write-off or to kick-off the holiday season with a gift to pay for the care of some really sick or injured kids.

For the GearHeads!

I'm sure most of you have seen the news so far that REI will be closing for Black Friday.  Kudos to them and I hope it sets a trend for others.  In fact, as of last night, I read that Outdoor Research will be doing the same.  BRAVO to both of these companies.  Earlier in the week I had contacted Outdoor Research due to some adhesive goo in my aging bivy sack.  This thing is nearly 20 years old.  The return response is that that want to replace my bag completely with a brand new one.  Outdoor Research just went way up the chart in my reputable companies list, not to mention they have some pretty decent gear.

I'd like to start adding in some reviews on my experience with gear and or companies in the near future to complement my lack of updates with Paleo-specific posts.  I know you can get reviews all day long from various sites but I wouldn't mind pitching in my own thoughts every once in a while.  Would anyone be interested in reading more of my drivel on the equipment I use?  Let me know.

Thank you all for anyone that has read this blog in this past.  I know I don't update often but I want to share what works for me and I certainly hope it helps others.

Paleo-powered AT section hike

From the freezing peak of Big Bald.

I headed out for the weekend to Sam's Gap along the Appalachian Trail down to Nohlichucky River.  This is a beautiful section of the AT following the border or TN and NC with 360 degree views from Big Bald (even of Mt Mitchell in the distance which is the highest peak east of the Mississippi) along with a moderate to strenuous trail that bumps along ridges and ends near the quaint town of Erwin, TN.  I only wish I could've stayed on top of Big Bald for a while longer but the weather (even though it looks inviting in the picture) was absolutely brutal.  Our hike in Friday night included driving winds and cold rain.  By the time we got to Big Bald the next morning the grass was blown over with a thick layer of ice and 40mph winds on top.  My hands were numb so it took numerous tries to get the phone to even recognize my fingers.  I snagged a couple shots and moved on.  Later we spoke with some thru-hikers mentioning that this was the coldest day they had experienced since beginning.

Soooo...what did I eat on my trip?

Saturday Breakfast

I didn't really change up my formula for breakfast.  I am content with pickled eggs and bacon.  I tried a different formula with my coconutter squares that included cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and some almonds.  It didn't turn out quite like I expected so I am going to tweak it a bit before publishing the full recipe.  I wanted a chocolate taste as a breakfast "dessert" but between it being hard as a rock from the weather and the cocoa taking over, it was more bitter than I was expecting.  I didn't have time to make another batch before leaving so I just went with it and kind of just chewed and swallowed.

Saturday Lunch

I was kind of proud of my lunch.  I'll call it faux-carribean as that was the flavor I was shooting for.  I made a batch of turkey jerky that utilized salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a local hot sauce.  I managed to screw this up as well since I over-dryed my turkey and it was less of a jerky and more of a crunchy.  So be it.  I then dehydrated a pineapple and tossed in some coconut flakes.  So I had a tangy hot, fruity, coconut mix.  The flavor profile worked wonderfully.  The texture was the only issue.  I have to say that dehydrated pineapple is pretty darn close to candy, so much so that it could be dangerous.  I also ate some more of my choco-coconutter mishap and some more bacon.

Oh and yes if someone wants the recipe/instructions for this I will certainly put it together sans the over-drying part.  Just let me know in the comments section.

Saturday Dinner

I was looking forward to FINALLY eating my Beef Stew from PaleoMealsToGo. I read through the instructions and fired up the JetBoil to heat some water.  The JetBoil dutifully complied with my request for quick boiling water while I opened the package and hunted down the moisture pack hidden within my meal and then shook the ingredients as described by the instruction.  I tossed in the water and let it sit while I made another batch of hot water for some tea.  While my friend was making his own meal he turned and said "That smells wonderful!".  I had to agree.  I was ready to chow down on this thing and once I got everything stirred up it definitely beat the look of what I normally prep for myself.  There are visible chunks of beef, mushrooms, and veggies.  Other freeze dried meals I have eaten in the past are usually just little nubs of colored things that sort of resemble food.  This looked like it came right from the stove top.  So presentation itself is a plus.  I dumped in my packets of Celtic Sea Salt that it came with and I should've mixed that better as I think I ate all the salt in a few bites.  I am a salt fiend, and after having sweated out most of my salt reserves, I wanted more than what was allotted (a minor complaint).  I have to say though this was definitely a very tasty meal.  I could taste all of the ingredients distinctly.  The proportion given was also solid.  I didn't think I was going to be able to eat it all myself but I gobbled it all down and enjoyed every bite.  I was only disappointed when I got to the bottom.  I do think I will definitely try more of these in the future and if you're not into DIY for meals then definitely consider these.  I am considering grabbing some to keep on hand for an emergency supply as well during winter blackouts or if I need to make a quick out of town trip without time to prep meals.  I think the only thing I would want is more fat added (which I know is difficult for meals like this) but I am more low-carb/high fat and the carb count is nearly equal to the fat content.  I'm ready to try their other meals along with their Paleo Bars.  This company definitely gets it right!

Sunday Breakfast

It was mop up time.  I plowed through my eggs, bacon crumbs, and whatever else I had to shuck some weight on the pack.

I'm only about 130 lbs but when moving through the mountains I blast through calories and always need fuel.  I can become a bottomless pit so it is sometimes difficult to gauge what I need, hence the need for higher fat meals.  I still need to conjure up better high fat meals or ingenious ways to add it to my current meals.  I'm all ears for any suggestions.

Dehydrating...when is it done?

Here's a quick tip for when dehydrating pretty much anything.  You want to remove all moisture so it doesn't turn rancid or collect mold.  So, if you think it's about done place a piece of or a spoon full of whatever it is you're dehydrating into a ziploc bag and seal.  Wait for a minute or two and see if moisture collects on the bag.  If so, it aint done yet.

That's it.  I like simple things!

I'm getting ready to start prepping for my next trip.  So, I will try and put together my process for making some turkey jerky (with pictures!), which could be applied to beef or whatever meat you prefer.

PaleoMealsToGo.com

I have a sample from PaleoMealsToGo that I will be reviewing in the very near future.  I have gotten behind on updating this blog (which is of no surprise to me) and thus my review of the product.  I am an IT guy in my professional life so it overshadows my hobbies and extracurricular activities more often than not.  If I had it my way I would spend my days promoting Paleo to everyone, hiking, and doing fun things but money rules our society and we kind of need it to survive and work prevails.  So, I update when I can or rather when I am thinking about it.


I am usually a DIY type when it comes to preparing my own meals for the trail but if this dehydrated meal works out then you better believe I will use it quite often.  There are a handful of positive reviews already and I hope to add my own to the stack.  If you're not one to create your own meals and don't wish to eat the other junk from REI or your local outfitter (which I can't blame you) then this will be a good place to visit in the future.  I am also all for small start-ups when they're trying their best to do the right thing with nutrition.  I will gladly pay extra for a quality product that matches my needs.

Anyway, have a look at their wares and I will be back with a review of the product as soon as I am able.

Osprey Manta 20 Review and more

I've been a busy bee working on a local Paleo directory website.  I wanted to create a site that others starting the Paleo diet or even people who have been on it for a while could find local sources of grass-fed meats, know which restaurants were safe, and also add a list of health and wellness sites to keep us all optimal.  All I have to do now is dream up a logo and work it out in Illustrator.  Then it will be off to build a new website for flat feet people, like me.

In the meantime I have been doing some updates on my other site and I finally got around to adding my review of the Manta 20 from Osprey.  If you're looking for a solid day pack for hiking, biking, or climbing this one is a good choice.  Have a look at my review here.

I also finished up my journal of my Stone Mountain hike.

I have had much time lately to work on any new recipes but I did manage to put together my own spin on fish tacos.  I created a Smoky paprika Coconut-Crusted Cod with a Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette.  It was fairly simple and tasted nice.  I just need to make some tweaks to the recipe and get the measurements down before adding it to the website.

Stone Mountain State Park

Stone Mountain State Park Summit

I made it out to Stone Mountain State Park in Roaring Gap, NC. It was a great short hike with a lot of features in such a short trip. The weather was nice and sunny and only a little chilly near the summit where there was no wind break at all. For such a close by trail it was well worth it. I definitely recommend it as well. I'll do a full write up on the trip on my website within the next week.

So, what did I eat for this trip?  Well since it was a day trip, I didn't put a whole lot of effort into things as I didn't need to watch my static load much at all.  The Manta 20 Hydration Pack provided plenty of space and I could almost do an overnight trip with that thing.  I digress, here's my menu:

• Happy Baby Organic Sweet Potato - I just happened across these in Whole Foods and thought it would be good for a little carb boost
• Half of a Summer Sausage roll (just watch the ingredients)
• A few slices of a hard Goat Cheese from a local farm (similar to parmesan)
• Dehdrated banana and strawberry from my new Nesco Dehydrator along with some coconut flakes and a small handful of macadamia.

I wanted to load up on the fats to keep me going and I did so with the nuts, coconut flakes, the goat cheese (I know it's more Primal than Paleo), and the Sausage.  I complimented this with a little fructose boost from the fruit and also picked up a few carbs with the sweet potato pouch and fruit.  So it was a well rounded selection and helpful to me to know what worked well for my next weekend outing.

I am hoping to get my hands on an eye of round this weekend from the local farm so I can work on some jerky recipes.  After I get that down to an art I definitely want to work on some more complex recipes such as a dehydrated chili or some other beef based meals.

Testing the Osprey Manta and Dehydrating Trail Foods

As long as the weather holds this weekend I am going to take a day hike out to Stone Mountain Park.  There's a nice loop trail of about 4 miles so it's a pretty easy trek compared to what I am normally doing on my backpacking trips.  Over the holidays I got an Osprey Manta 20 pack for doing some day trips.  I did a bit of research before the purchase.  I looked at Black Diamond and CamelBak.  I really did like the CamelBak packs but the price point compared to Osprey wasn't worth it to me.  The Black Diamond packs were better priced but none of them seem to give me exactly what I wanted.  I am familiar with Osprey with my Atmos 50 (review on my website) and I couldn't be happier and I really like the styling and fit of Osprey packs for me so it was an obvious choice.  Granted Osprey has a number of different day packs to choose from so it came down to styling and the Manta 20 included the Hydraform.  Most of the CamelBaks included a hydration pack as well but for another 50 bucks that I was unwilling to spend.  It didn't hurt that Amazon was running a sale on all Osprey packs at the time of my purchase as well.

Along with my Manta, after a refund from one of my holiday gifts, I picked up a Nesco food dehydrator.  I've been wanting to get a dehydrator for a long time now and finally have one to use.  So I am excited to start putting together recipes to try out and post on my website for others to try.  I think I may do a simple fruit dehydration for this weekend's hike and see how it goes.  Prior to this purchase I was using the Lex Rooker box method for making jerky.  It worked and it was cheap however it wasn't always precise and it depended a lot on the conditions of the air (humidity and coolness) where I was using the box in my basement.  Now I feel like I can control the environment a bit better or at least regulate it enough to better dial in when things should be completely dry.  The other advantage will be the ability of creating a paleo meal and then dehydrating that meal completely to be used on the trail.  No longer will I need to worry about no-cook meals (unless I want to).  Now I just need to convince someone to get me a JetBoil to try out and I will be complete  Ok maybe I should just purchase it myself!

Sourcing Clean Sustainable Foods

One of the most important things to me with Paleo is to source clean foods.  I started out merely as gluten free and the more I read and researched the more I removed from my diet to see if my body, energy levels, and mood responded in kind to the change.  This is how I ended up on the paleo diet in essence.  I was actually leaning towards this way of eating before I knew what it was called.  I wanted to have the most 'organic' food as possible and this also became an important factor when considering what to take on the trail.

I didn't really know where to go to get clean foods at first and Whole Foods Market was about the only thing that popped in my mind.  I knew they were much more expensive than the local markets here but I didn't mind paying extra for better quality food that I knew wasn't a GMO or was not laden with harmful pesticides.  After a little research a whole new world opened around me, literally, in my backyard.

I also started off, and still use, US Wellness for some of my meats.  Sometimes, I cannot find a certain cut or I just want to order a load of sugar free bacon and it's nice to have the option.  The prices are decent for mail-order.  I am quite impressed since they ship quickly and even offer non-frozen fresh-chilled meats once a month, which is awesome if you want to make your own cuts.  So US Wellness was great at first but then I started getting into the local scene and I found quite the treasure trove of local farms around me.  I used the directory on EatWild.com and found a couple small places, then found more by visiting the farmers market, and then even more by either word of mouth or through the local eateries.

I must admit the more research I have done in the Piedmont of North Carolina is that I am pretty lucky to have a lot of resources nearby that offer fresh organic vegetables and fresh grass-fed/finished beef products.  I know others are not so lucky, so US Wellness will definitely help and now Wild Mount Paleo Market is open online to help fill in the gaps as well.  Their pricing is a little bit more expensive but they are a start-up and it may take some time to have competitive pricing.  So, I encourage you to use them if you don't have readily available local sources, just to help them out and show support for this community.

Without clean sources for my trail foods it would almost be useless to even try Paleo while backpacking.  None of the dehydrated food companies have embraced a cleaner style that I have seen just yet.  Many are definitely not geared towards paleo and some are just now using Gluten Free products.  Even then, if it's a mix it often contains some nasty preservatives or chemicals.  My approach lately is to take what I have an invent my own meals.  Once I get a dehydrator I'll be adding more and more things and ditching the idea of ever finding a Mountain House package that fits me.  Instead of can have a dehydrated grass-fed meat with whatever vegetable I want, remain Paleo on the trail, and actually feel comfortable about what I am eating (sans the flatulence involved with dehydrated meals).

For more information follow me on my new website: Alter Auslander and coming soon: PaleoTriad.com

Back to blogging!

I just recently finished building my latest website www.alterauslander.com which focuses on the Paleo Diet, Backpacking, Cookbook Reviews, Physical Fitness, and some stories about my hiking trips.  I was finding it difficult to just write general news about things or focus solely on backpacking and Paleo as one.  I ended up breaking down each subject, which is great for articles specific to a topic but this blog will be more about just Backpacking on a Paleo diet and or random relevant blurbs that don't necessarily fit into my website.

I wanted to create a web presence that identified mostly with those people that have similar interests as me.  When I first went Paleo I was finding it difficult to find information on what to eat while I was hiking so I had to improvise a lot.  Some things have worked and others did not.  So hopefully that is what I will focus on here with this blog and anything that needs closer examination, a solid review, seems worthy of a full article I will move into onto my website.

I am also working on a local directory for those in the Triad of NC wanting to source foods for their diet as well as work on a website geared towards those with flat feet (that's me!).  Hiking with clown shoes and eating like a caveman, that's what my world has turned into when I am not typing away or troubleshooting IT issues.  Oh IT, that could be another blog one of these days if it weren't already so crowded with such things on the interwebs.

So, if any of those things interest you or you would like to interact with me and help me develop certain aspects, even research on items, I would surely welcome the discourse.