Not enough snow to ski, too sloppy to do much outdoors, school is on spring break (sub teacher). Husband is working so we’re not going anywhere warm. So I’m getting a jump on dehydrating meals for our 2 trips this summer. Started with 4 pounds of venison for Mexican shredded beef. Yesterday I cooked up a double batch of chicken gumbo, and spent today drying 10 servings, and freezing 10 more,

Still need to dry peas, pork sausage (for biscuits & gravy), and Italian sausage for my homemade spaghetti, and maybe one other meal.

Not a very exciting week, but at least I’ll get a lot of our trip meals done.

Wow! Your crew eats well!

Winters always were a great time to not only dehydrate foods and plan meals, but to try them out. In trying them out you develope a good way to rehydrate, prepare, know if said meal will be enough for each person to sustain their body needs. And have an idea how much fuel each meal potentially would be needed. Even if you’re going to use Camp Chow or Mountain House foods you should try everything out. Nothing worse than surprises. I’d bought a huge amount of the old Seidel dehydrated foods back in the ‘70’s… worked out great the first year. If I’d have tried say the beef stew before going out I’d have known the onions back then didn’t carry over well then. Four guys in a four man tent, when soon after eating the beef stew went in out of a big storm heading in. As the storm outside barreled in on us there was another storm brewing… in our bellies. We had the worst and smelliest gas forming in our insides. This made for an interesting night where we balanced with open windows with driving rain. We stayed dry in the old Timberlines… but we did have to endure some of the worst gas a body could produce since the beginning of time.
I’ll leave that as my example of preseason preparation.
I hope you’re doing well and hope to have updates on Bryce… what a great family you have.
I think I weaseled in on Adam’s visiting his daughter on spring break?
I was fortunate to meet two of the nicest and very smart young people Adam claims as his own. And hang out with Adam… of course I get sent to a restaurant the other side of town. Haha! But we made the MEET-UP happen! Haha!

Nctry- Bryce will be benefitting from all my dehydrating. He is currently living in Idaho as a wildland firefighter. He will be joining my husband and I for a mid May trip to Tuscarora Lake, along with his new bride. This is the year to attack the tough portages - 2 young fit sherpas will be along to help the old folks!