[at-l] RE: at-l Food

[TRich at FDIC.gov (Rich, Timothy D.)]

Greetings,

My section hikes generally range from 80 to 150 miles.  I'm lazy and don't
like to do dishes, so we take a freeze dried meal for each evening meal
(Mountain House, Backpackers Pantry).  A two serving container is about
right for one hiker, just as a two person tent is about right for one.  I
take homemade GORP, packages of cheese crackers, granola bars, cookies,
almonds, cashews, and dried fruit for snacks and also to munch on at lunch.
Hershey almond bars are a staple for us - most of my sections have been
November to March so they generally don't melt unless my food bag gets up
against my back.  Breakfast is usually oatmeal or a few granola bars.  I add
a good bit of powdered milk to the oatmeal, and my hiking partner also uses
it for creamer.  A while back, someone (perhaps OB) mentioned a non-nonfat
brand of powdered milk that is available at some ethnic food stores.  Anyone
remember what it was?  

We take coffee singles and some type of powdered drink (usually Tang) to
drink.  We also take Cytomax, an exercise and recovery powdered drink.  The
Cytomax is heavy, but I think it is of value.  We also take a good bit of
hard candy.

As I said, I don't do dishes.  We take one pot and each take an insulated
mug.  In the mornings, I eat my oatmeal in the mug, toss in a bit of hot
water to slosh around a bit, drink it and then make my coffee.

When I go on shorter hikes with my three sons, we always take summer
sausage, wheat thins and spray cheese.  On a trip this past winter, one of
my boys dropped the cheese canister, puncturing it on a rock.  The resulting
feeding frenzy would have made any thruhiker proud.

Take Care,

Tim