Cold Weather Num-Nums!

Hey everyone,

With the weather cooled down a bit its time to change the menu for backpacking. I usually carry cereal in a ziploc with 2/3 cup of Nido dried milk (add one cup water and shake...cold cereal). However, in the colder months, it sure is nice to have a hot breakfast to get the day started right. I usually carry oatmeal or cream of wheat which is good but... the other day I came across a ten grain cereal (www.bobsredmill.com/cereals/) in the grocery store. When I read how easy it is to make, it screamed backpacking food. I took it home and just added some brown sugar and WOW! I have played with it with my backpacking cook set and have come up with a good portion (the bag directions make way to much). Here it is.

At home put this into a ziploc bag.
1/2 cup cereal
1tbsp brown sugar

On the trail
boil 1 1/4 cup water (or just boil 2 cups and make some coffee or cocoa)
turn stove down to simmer or like me, take pot off stove and place in cozy.
pour in cereal and let sit for about five minutes.

I like to put milk in so here is an addition...
put 2/3 cup Nido in a snack sized ziploc and place it in the other ziploc with the cereal.
mix this with one cup of water in your Nalgene bottle (while your waiting)
add to pot and there you go hot cereal with milk on the trail.

Feel free to add some nuts or dried berries to spice it up (oooh blueberries!)

There are a tone of different types on the web site. If you have already tried some of these let me know your recipes or favorite kind.

See you on the trail,
Lance

Eighteen and Eighteen

Hey Everyone,

I spent yet another day on the water. It was a great day for fishing with overcast skies and temperatures perfect for a light fleece shirt. I brought along a buddy of mine to share in the fun. It was a very eventful day. I caught around eighteen fish. I also landed a beautiful eighteen inch rainbow that just made the day for me. I have noticed that this site is slowly becoming a backpacking/fly fishing blog, although, most information is relevant to backpacking. If you're interested in fly fishing and hiking, Jason Klass now has created a web site www.backpackflyfishing.com that covers just that. I will be a regular visitor there so come check it out. Now if I can just find some hike in fly fishing spots I'll have it all.

See you on the trail,
Lance

The GREAT Outdoors

Hey Everyone,

I had an exceptional day on the river. I caught well over twenty trout. I showed Christi how to tie a fly and promised to use it when I went yesterday. Well not only did it catch fish, it caught the biggest one of the day. Here are a few photos from my outting. A day like this is just another reason they call it the great outdoors.

See you on the trail,
Lance

Outdoor Etiquette

Hey Everyone,

I spent yet another day on the stream. I know "what is this a fly fishing blog". The truth is its just easier for me to get out for the day rather than to get out for a week right now. I promise I have a backpacking trip in the works, and you can always post a question if you have one.
Back on the topic of this post...
I think we all agree that nature is very relaxing, and it's a great way to just get away from work, bills, traffic, and ,most of all, people. I had my first encounter with, whats termed as, a "hole crasher". I was fishing a nice quiet spot alone, and I was catching fish. Well, I guess this guy thought he could join in. He threw a bright green spinner into my run. He did this to me twice in two different spots. I was polite and didn't say anything, and besides, he didn't catch any fish. As he was leaving the second spot, I hooked up with another rainbow (my modest version of the middle finger). The point is that when you are out hiking, biking, paddling, fishing, or whatever, be respectful of others. They have just as much right to be there, and they want to enjoy the outdoors just like you. I like to call it outdoor etiquette. Show "outdoor etiquette" and make everyone's trip outdoors a great one.

See you on the trail (or on the water)
Lance