Ultralight Beer Can Stove Kit

Working Saturday at a Rural Tourism Marketing workshop and we just discovered a unique ultralight beer can stove kit. Turns out our speakers manufacture and sell a line of ultralight backpacking gear at UltralightOutfitters.com.

The ultralight beer can stove kit is designed for use with a 1 liter Foster's beer can. You supply the can. Instructions for making a Foster's beer can pot are on the website.

The ultralight beer can stove kit consists of a wire pot stand, a solid fuel stove, a windscreen, a lip guard, and a lexan spoon.

The stand does NOT fit a Heiniken beer can pot.

You can order the kit for $15.95 from Ultralight Outfitters.

NH Appalachian Trail Store: Notch Express

During a recent business trip to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, we got off the I-93 at Exit 33, just a mile or so south of where the Appalachian Trail crosses through Franconia Notch. We discovered Notch Express.

Notch Express of Lincoln, NH is a a typical rural convenience store. While hikers are seldom seeking gas, they are seeking a ready supply of food, drink and stove fuel. Entering the front door of Notch Express one finds a mini-store stretching to the right. While we didn't see any stove fuels displayed, we did find canned and packet tuna, two-packs of Pop-Tarts, beef and chicken flavored ramen noodles ($.40), and small jars of peanut butter. We also noted that along with Snapple teas, milk, and major soft drinks, that beer was available in single serving bottles. A quick question confirmed that, yes, Notch Express does stock up for the summer hiking season, so expect larger inventories than one can of tuna to be awaiting.

Immediately in line with the front door is the entrance to the restrooms marked "For customers only." The two rooms are unisex, so lock the door behind you. Even if you don't need to use the facilities, they're worth a peek. The proprietress has decorated each with articles and photos of UFO sightings.

To the left rear of the store, one will find a deli serving freshly made sandwiches. The menu reads much like a well known national chain.

While there are motels adjacent and across the street, many hikers opt for hiking yet another mile south to Chet's hostel. We opted out of driving by due to increasing snow and the late hour. Why tempt fate?

Do take note that the Notch Express is a favorite of the local constabulary.

Express Notch in Licoln, NH is about a four day hike from Gorham, NH for southbound (SOBO) Appalachian Trail hikers. BTW, exit 32 about five miles south of the AT has a McDonalds (sweet tea available) and a grocery.

Yelp reviews for Notch Express

Obama Adds 60 Miles to Appalachian Trail

Washington DC (April 1, 2011) - President Obama announced today that he is adding 60 miles to the Appalachian Trail. Executive Order 23495 directs the National Park Service to add the 60 miles of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal between Harpers Ferry and Washington DC to the 2,178 mile Appalachian Trail. The new addition follows the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal to the Arlington Memorial Bridge. The Appalachian Trail will then wind through the National Mall to Union Station providing hikers the opportunity to view America's great monuments. Side trails, known as "blue blazes", to the White House, the Capitol, and the Smithsonian museums are planned. Hikers will return to Harpers Ferry using a high speed rail voucher.

"As you know, Michelle and I enjoy hiking in the woods of Camp David and America's national parks. The sight of America's youth passing through Washington DC each Spring will be a powerful witness to inner city youth to explore America's wilderness." Said Obama. "Let me make this perfectly clear. While there will be no boots on the ground in Libya, America needs more boots on the ground from its cities."

The First Lady's office also announced the National Park Service will be removing soft drink machines and fast food concessions from both Shenandoah and Great Smokies National Parks. "Too many hikers are consuming empty calories and arriving in Maine malnourished, having lost unhealthy amounts of body fat;" said Michele Obama. "We need to provide America's hikers with nourishing fruits and vegetables instead of sugary drinks and high fat junk food." White House insiders speculate the First Couple may provide trail magic using the White House garden.

The addition of 60 miles to the Appalachian Trail brings the total mileage of the famous trail to 2,238 miles and adds an additional five days to a typical five to six month through hike. Free high speed rail vouchers will be available for the 2012 hiking season from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Happy April Fools Day 2011.

Appalachian Trail: Food Planning for 10-Day Hike

We have already begun buying and building our meal packets for our upcoming 10-day section hike of the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey and New York. Our menu last year was largely successful, but we learned a few lessons which we are applying this year.

Food Resupply Along Trail

We are starting from Delaware Water Gap, PA. Our planned resupply is on day five in Unionville, NY. So, we'll be carrying five days of food with an estimated weight of 8-10 pounds. We have a digital scale this year and will actually know the weight of each days food before departure. Last year our five days food lasted seven and we had uneaten food to boot. Excess food equals excess weight.

We have also decided to test re-supplying with a drop box on this section hike for the experience. Future sections will eventually require a drop box. If High Point State Park HQ is still accepting drop boxes, we'll pick up our drop box there on day four.

FOOD PLAN

Breakfast:
2 packets instant oatmeal
1/2 packet freeze dried apples
1 packet hot chocolate
1 packet Fig Newtons

Breaks:
Trail mix
Chocolate chip granola bars
Beef sticks
Freeze dried bananas & strawberries
Propel

Lunchs:
Flour tortilla with Genoa salami
Lunches from delis and farms along trail

Dinner:
1 packet Pork ramen soup with crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup tea
1 entree

Entrees:
Tuna in sunflower oil with mayonnaise, salt and pepper
Salmon
Vegetarian chili tacos
Chipotle bean dip burritos
Instant mashed potatoes (garlic, fully loaded)

The above selection provides enough choices for sudden changes of appetite. We have eaten mashed potatoes for breakfast along with salami or enjoyed a packet of extra oily tuna at mid-day.

Packing

Each days meal is packed in a gallon ziplock bag. Each bag is labeled with "Day 1", etc.

A days meal bag contains one quart freezer bag with all breakfast components, one quart freezer bag with all dinner components, 2-3 packets of Propel, two granola bars, 2-3 beef sticks, salami packet, and trail mix.

The breakfast and dinner freezer bags also contain a wet wipe (toilet or bath), 1/4th paper towel (napkin). Hot water amounts are marked on outside of freezer bags.

Trail Food Lessons Learned

We discovered that most distance hikers lose their appetites for the first 2-3 days. You will probably not eat as much as you think.

Food tastes change on the trail. We couldn't stand Snickers bars last year and gave most away to thru-hikers. Eventually, we couldn't tolerate Fig Newtons.

Drink Propel during active hiking. One tube per liter is diluted just right.

Eat something when you drink, it helps you tolerate the water.

Take three drinks every 20 minutes.

Leftovers are consolidated into an empty day's gallon ziplock bag. We consume most of the leftovers on the long bus ride home.

Update 2011

We had good appetite the first 2-3 days, but had trouble eating days 4-5. We scored some hot oily meatloaf and orange juice in Unionville, NY and our appetite returned to normal. Extra protein or fats?

Double check your hiking schedule and meal plan. We miscounted our hiking days (11 vs. 10) and were short food. We compensated by buying pizza slices for that evenings dinner and the next day's breakfast.

Appalachian Trail Journals 2011

And they're off... The class of 2011 is slogging up and down the Appalachian Trail in droves. We've scanned their updated TrailJournals (TJs) and selected some of the more interesting hikers to follow. Already we've had one senior hiker drop off the trail for inflamed knees.

Here's who we've found the most interesting to date:

• Bluevist (GA)
• Cappy
• Chenango (NC)
• Flutewalker
• Fosters (TN)
• Mike & NOBODY (NC - ill)
• Model T (died on trail)
• PITA
• Sherpa (GA)
• Tater (GA)
• White Wolf (TN)
• Wingnut (knee injury)

We'll be updating their location in the right sidebar as they enter each of the 14 states along the way. Pick a few favorites and follow them this season.

(Between you and me, I think Bluevist is going to have a close up and personal bear encounter in her tent, if she does what she wrote.)