Lunch ideas and camp fires north of Damascus

[CrazyJake]

Im doing my first section hike next week from Damascus to Marion VA. Ive read some areas dont allow campfires and that was my primary idea source of heat to cook my dinners. Are there many no fire allowed camp sites between Damascus and Marion near the creeper trail? Also trying to come up with ideas for my lunches, so far ive read peanut butter on tortillas or just power bars. Im allergic to peanut butter soooooo...
Any help appreciated!

[Stick999]

I'm not sure about the campfires, But lunch I'll do starkest tuna with a individual packets of mayo, summer sausage, spam singles and mustard, pepperoni all on tortillas.

[bigcranky]

Campfires are fine I think, though they aren't the most efficient way to cook.

Tuna packets, cheese and jerky, crackers and salami and cheese, hummus on the first day (or instant hummus), granola, spam slices, cans of chicken spread or deviled ham.


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[CrazyJake]

Thanks! what kind of cheese keeps best?

[bigcranky]

Very sharp cheddar. Cheese sticks. "Cheese food product." I like Cabot Seriously Sharp. Cheese can get oily on the trail but it's still good.


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[moldy]

You can have a fire North of Damascus pretty much anywhere "IF" the the Forrest Service has not posted an Extreme Fire Danger Warning. This warning will be posted at all road crossings and parking lots. Very, Very few AT hikers bother to make a fire to cook lunch. Too much work, it might rain...etc. One of my favorite things is, Road Pizza. Flat bread, 2 free tubes of mild picante or taco sauce (taco bell or McD) 2 free pouches of parmesan cheese from Pizza Hut and some pre sliced pepperoni from the supermarket. Most cheese will keep for weeks.

[CrazyJake]

GREAT! Thanks for the info everyone. I only plan to cook food by campfires at night plus i figured the added heat couldnt hurt. My thought was no stove to keep weight down but im starting to question that haha.

[bigcranky]

Yeah, the "no stove = less weight" thing sounds really good in theory. But there are all kinds of practical reasons it doesn't work well in practice. A partial list: it's been pouring rain for a week and there is nothing dry to burn; it's pouring rain now and I don't want to sit outside trying to light on/cook over an open fire; my pot gets covered in soot and if I am not really careful, that soot gets all over everything in my pack; difficult to control the temperature; some places do ban fires all the time (Thomas Knob Shelter and the surrounding area) and those that allow fires often have all the wood gone from overuse.

A cooking system need not cost nor weigh much. A K-mart grease pot and a homemade alcohol stove will cost what, ten bucks and weigh 6 or 8 ounces.

Fires can be fun and enjoyable on the Trail, but I'd hate to NEED one every night.

Edit: In the summer I often don't carry a cook kit, and just eat cold food all the time. It's really easy and I don't feel like I am missing anything. I get my coffee fix with the Starbucks Iced Via. :)

[Berserker]

I like Cabot Seriously Sharp.
This is good stuff, and the same stuff I carry. A side note on this is that most of the time I find this in a block, but I found out that some stores (such as The Fresh Market) carry a version of this that is pre-sliced. It costs a bit more, but man it's nice not to have to crap up my pocket knife hacking pieces off of the block.

[swisscross]

Greasy cheese is nasty.
Try a block of parmesan. The harder the cheese the better it will keep.

Lately my lunch of choice has been chicken salad on a flour tortilla.

[Tuckahoe]

Regarding fires, you'll be hiking a popular section of the trail and fires are popular enough that finding enough fuel to cook with will certainly be a problem.

[AngryGerman]

If you'd rather not carry a stove to save weight(7oz or so) go no cook. Campfires are as mentioned above; not an efficient means of cooking as a primary method. I get it if your chilling out in the woods for a weekend to cook w/camp fire but I don't know to many hikers that are into the time it takes to get a fire together and then cook their food. When you are done hiking you'll want to eat as fast as you can and then go to sleep as fast as you can so you can get up as fast as you can to do it again. Secondly; campfires elevate the risk of forest fires. Pretty large number of those this year it seems mostly due to human error. Thirdly; camp fires do not promote LNT ethics period. Regardless if there is an establish fire ring at the shelter or camp site. When we leave our homes; whether in the streets of the city or on the trails of our beloved back country parks we need to take a LNT approach so we don't endanger what we are currently enjoying.

Enjoy

[Dogwood]

That's a relatively short distance hike. Taking Moldy's considerations into account but not letting him piss on your parade, I mean campfire. :D Check the weather report before you go. If all clear you should have no problem starting a fire. Although Moldy makes good pts to consider it doesn't have to be that way under your hiking scenario if you prepare. Weather looks mixed have no cook meal options although I would say most prefer a warm dinner on wet cool days. Keep your cook no cook campfire no campfire options open by being flexible. Other than saving wt going no cook on some days or with some meals less need for a hot meal when it's getting hot and humid weather wise.

Lunch and dinner no cook options you might consider 1)tuna, cheese, greens, tomato, soy sauce/mayo/pickle relish, etc wrapped in a tortilla Or on mini bagels 2) noodles(I like SOBA Buckwheat noodles) soaked in tepid water, drain but save a tiny bit of water, add PB or Almond Nut Butter, soy sauce, packet of red pepper, half pack of Sue Bee/Tyson chicken, dried or fresh chives/green onion, dash of sesame seeds and two big tablespoons of peanuts/cashews, eat cold or hot, it's like sesame cold noodles made with Tahini but with a nut butter instead 3) seafood chunks/artificial crab(pollock, WalMart has packages for $1), unflavored yogurt, sliced green onions, shredded broccoli matchsticks, soy sauce, lemon, and possibly some small shrimp(it's offered dried and in cans) making a cold seafood salad version, goes well on the mini bagels with avocado,tomato, and lettuce, want hoity toity use salmon candy(dried salmon, pricey!) instead of the artificial crab/pollock

Do yourself a favor and rethink eating on trail and giving up the set morning, lunch, and dinner routine used at home. A lunch or dinner can be some jerky, nuts, fresh or dried fruit, piece of good non U.S. chocolate, and/or maybe a meal bar like a ProBar, Bobo's Oat, GreenBelly, Bear Valley Pemmican, etc. Dried or fresh hummus(dried gets reconstituted with olive oil and water and maybe some lemon, additional chives, dried peppers, dried tomatoes, pine nuts etc) and some crackers like Kashi Fire Roasted Veggie or Mary Janes and some fruit, avocado, or piece of hard cheese(short trips soft cheese eaten in a timely manner can work too!) can make lunch. Crackers and sardines/mackerel in olive oil can work or the fish can be stuffed into 1/2 pitas with with hummus, lettuce, tomato, avocado, etc work for me too. Oatmeal can be eaten cold or hot. Before anyone poo poohs oats consider it's what is added to the oats that makes the meal. Add in some Nido, vanilla dried soy milk, or, as I like dried coconut milk powder(I've been seeing it more and more in some WalMarts), dried fruits(apples, bananas, blue berries, mango, pineapple, cranberries, etc), nuts/nut butter, chia/flax/hemp seed, dash of cinnamon, crystallized ginger……The trail community very much so needs to move beyond just oats though. Try millet, muslie, cous cous(try Israeli a larger version), quinoa, amaranth, TEFF, parboiled brown rice, etc all can be soaked to eat without heating.

[Stitches]

I am planning a hike of the GA section in June and am playing around with food that doesn't have to be cooked. Today on a training hike I had roasted garlic flavor couscous ( from Walmart for a buck a box). Put a cup of the couscous into a ziplock bag with chopped dried beef ( also Walmart) and dehydrated veggies ( Whole Foods). When I hit the trail at 9 AM, I added water and put the baggie in a side pocket of my pack. At noon, it was ready to eat! I rolled down the sides of the bag to make a bowl and ate every delicious bite with a spoon. My idea is to put the water in the bag in the late afternoon and have it ready for dinnertime. It doesn't have to be hot---just hydrated, especially in the heat of the summer. Other combos--Knorr dirty rice with Spam singles, Knorr teriyaki noodles with spicy thai tuna ( add tuna at the last), and ramen with parmesan, dried veggies, and walnuts. I experimented with food at home to see what rehydrated without heat-- any of the noodle bowls, instant ( not quick) grits, instant pudding, instant OR quick oatmeal, instant potatoes ( would be good with parmesan and bacon bits). There are lots of inexpensive options that you can get at your grocery store that don't require heat.

[Stitches]

^^ What dogwood said.

[Dogwood]

One more thing that is significant especially considering some of the things stated that your section is well travel i.e.; campfire materials might be at a premium.

A warming and a cooking fire does not have to be a "camp fire", a bon fire, or threaten to burn down the forest. Choose your hot meal options in that they only need to be warmed! Not seared like a steak on a hot grill. Keep it small! Build up the embers. You're not trying to experience a Tom Hanks moment of glory Castaway episode. Let the fire die down. Let your food cook over or just to the side of the hot coals not in a flame by not letting the pot touch the coals. Use some rocks or 1/2 wrist size short pieces of wood to prop up your pot. Might have some cool nights but a large fire is NOT needed in May for the large part. Resist your testosterone driven manly urges to create something epic like in an epic fire having epic risks.

[Connie]

My cooking fire is a "twiggy fire". Nothing is bigger around than my finger.

I like Baby Bon Bel cheese for backpacking, however it has a waxy covering to keep it fresh and it is necessary to pack-it-out.

[rocketsocks]

Refried beans sold in a bag, tortillas, hot sauce and some corn chips for an added texture. Ole'!

[capehiker]

I'll echo Big Cranky's comments about weather. I looked into using fire as a main method for cooking and I found through shakedown hikes, it was far more annoying and tedious at the end of the day on the trail, than when I thought about it behind the computer screen.

If your concern is keeping weight down, go with an Esbit tri-wing stove. It weighs 0.5 ounces. Esbit tabs will run you 3.0 ounces. Chances are you can shave 3.5 ounces off your pack in other areas to make room for a stove kit. :)

[AngryGerman]

Great advice about the weather Big Cranky and great food choices Dogwood. No cook meals are an excellent option and offer way more varieties then most think.
I recently discovered a no cook pouch that you put your freezer meals in and this unit is worn in the low waist area! You put your freezer bag meal in the pouch w/the recommended water stir and seal. Occasionally you stop to stir the meal and BAM!!! When you get to camp your meal will be nice and warm because your core heated the food.
Check it out: http://gossamergear.com/the-crotch-pot.html

[Venchka]

Forget fires. Carry a stove or eat cook less.
I'm old. I don't have time to read everything. I may not be around long enough to say what needs saying.
Don't mess up the neighborhood with a fire. The Nanny Police would have a fit if you lit a cigarette. Picture what a campfire is doing.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[Sarcasm the elf]

My cooking fire is a "twiggy fire". Nothing is bigger around than my finger.

I like Baby Bon Bel cheese for backpacking, however it has a waxy covering to keep it fresh and it is necessary to pack-it-out.

Since you mention it, I've used that wax as a fire starter many times when car camping.

[shelb]

GREAT! Thanks for the info everyone. I only plan to cook food by campfires at night plus i figured the added heat couldnt hurt. My thought was no stove to keep weight down but im starting to question that haha.

Either bring a stove, or don't bring food that needs to be cooked. This is not only wise due to conditions (both weather and forestry) but also according to Leave No Trace (LNT) practice.

I hiked 114 miles last year without a stove... no biggie. Just plan meals that don't need to be cooked. Most have already been mentioned: granola bars (actually, I do only protein bars), tuna fish/salmon/chicken foil packets with either tortilla, bagels, or crackers, salami/sausage and cheese, trail mix, etc.

[Connie]

I know I mentioned a cooking fire, however I do that only if I am camping more than hiking.

If I want to keeping moving, as much as possible, I carry MacDonald's individually-wrapped sausage biscuits I have kept in an Opsak. One sausage biscuit is comsummed for each breakfast.

I keep vacuum packed alder-smoked salmon back for the last day.

There may be some vacuum packed treat in a grocery store near you.

I keep the treat back, so I am not nearly so desperate when I head out for town.

It helps me not spend so much money, at a restaurant.

I rationalize it is my "emergency food" and now I no longer need it. I find something else, in town, to hold back for the last day again. I got in this habit, and I like it.

I think a favorite cold meal for hiking is a wrap: chicken, ranch dressing, any vegetables you may have found in town. There are salad dressing packets that work well in a wrap. In some ways, the "best" wrap has been a retort packed mildly spicy Indian entree, featuring garbanzo beans. I only like hummus wraps, if I can have spicy eggplant puree and tomato. That last one, has been strictly "town food" carried to be consumed later on that same day.

The "wrap" is flat bread or a tortilla.

I would say, lunch can be some "creative" wrap you put together yourself.