Vegan Hikers
Hello! I'm wondering if any past thru-hikers were vegan on the trail/stayed vegan, and how much I might expect to rely on food drops.
Any advice?
I read the book southbound by the Barefoot sisiters. They were both vegans and stayed that way all the way thru a yo-yo of the AT. DIdn't appear to be too hard for them.
Blackheart
My main staples are oats and lentils. Herbs with my lentils add vitamins and minerals. Parsley is excellent.
2012 Thru hiker MrFabulous ate peanut-butter and banana chips while on the trail, and other veggie food in towns.Originally Posted by Pantry
DeerPath
LIFE'S JOURNEY IS NOT TO ARRIVE AT THE GRAVE SAFELY
IN A WELL PRESERVED BODY,
BUT RATHER SKID IN SIDEWAYS, TOTALLY WORN OUT,
SHOUTING "HOLY CRAP....WHAT A RIDE!"
I'm vegan and I am switching over to using mail drops from buying in towns in order to get enough whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Pop-tarts and ramen (with no seasoning packet) are vegan, though, which is a lot of what you'll find at small resupply points. So, you could really work it either way.
The Barefoot sisters were vegetarian, which means they didn't eat meat, but still ate other animal products such as cheese. Vegans avoid eating/purchasing all animal products, including milk, eggs, honey, leather, etc. Just an FYI
Was strict vegan while on trail, and for the entire first month in towns, though its easier said then done, it has been done and can be done. Drop boxed my foods, both nuts berries and the like, all organic as the regular store bought, had left a chemical taste in my mouth. Also consumed mass amounts of protein bars, suggest against that in all means of the word, started to swear and smelled as a chemical plant would, even the others hikes commented on the scent, being "foul and unnatural". Had worn "Darn Tough", those were gifts all be it, but not vegan friendly, outside of that was vegan the entire time on trail,.
Cool. Thanks guys. I've heard a lot of flac against using maildrops, but I guess that's more for stuff that you can easily buy anywhere. Ex. Pasta, powerbars, ramen... I'm guessing stuff like nutritional yeast would be very difficult to find near the trail?
Some vegans and vegetarians remain faithful, others start to enjoy cheeseburgers. Guess it depends on the person.
As a person gets older and humps the ruck he or she may feel chest pains. Then he'll think seriously about becoming a vegan and changing his diet. See what happened to Bill Clinton, even though he's not a backpacker.
When you get to the Coop in Hanover NH, you'll think you died and went to heaven.
Or you could read about how thousands have adopted the Paleo diet and lowered body fat and cholesterol.
much of this depends on the person.
http://hells-ditch.com/2012/08/archa...er-paleo-diet/
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime; give a man religion and he will die praying for a fish.
So the diet is good and works but the part about our ancestors is offensive?
The only comment I'm going to make about the Paleo diet is that the cavemen who had to eat that way died much earlier from natural or other causes before the heart attack that would get em today.
check this out! http://backpackingvegan.wordpress.com/
Start another thread for paleo...no one cares
Thank you Krista for your comment. Seems this topic goes into other diets and/or generally questioning the validity of being a Vegan or vegetarian here on WB so often. A very specific question was asked.
YES, you can thru the AT as a Vegan! Others have done it! Little harder than doing it as a vegetarian as I did though. Nutritional yeast would not always be available. I take many supplements so mail myself USPS Flat Rate Priority Boxes with those anyhow so include some vegetarian foods that are hard to impossible to get along the AT(and other trails) to places about 3-4 wks apart and just buy as I go resupply at all other resupply pts. I look to buy resupply at med-lg grocery stores.
Oh, another thing I sometimes do is sprout my own seeds as I hike in a small hemp mesh bag. Nice to have FRESH NUTRITIOUS sprouts to eat when hiking.
http://outdoorherbivore.com/trail-sprouting/
http://www.wheatgrasskits.com/hemp_sprouting_bag.htm
http://www.sprouthouse.com/Hemp_Bag_...t_p/bagkit.htm
Even an omnivore like me might find this worthwhile.
Best to do that with treated water, I should think.
"It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss
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