View Full Version : Calling Vegan Hikers!
Hey all,
I am vegan and I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail this year! (GA>ME)
While planning for my hike last winter I had a lot of trouble finding good resources and advice for vegans planning a thru-hike. As happens to most vegan hikers (I'm not the only one!), I figured it out while on the trail.
I have started a new blog at http://backpackingvegan.wordpress.com that I hope can be a consolidated resource for vegan thru-hikers in the future. There are two areas I am focusing on: A community section with stories and advice from vegan thru-hikers, and a practical section with real advice on resupply options as well as tips and strategies for maintaining a vegan diet on the trail.
I am posting here because I'm looking for input from the WB community, and I want this to be a collaborative effort! If you are vegan or familiar with a vegan diet and want to add your story, remember something specific about a trail town, or just want to help, please post, email, or pm me!
The site is very basic right now and an ongoing work in progress...
Happy trails,
Samwise GA>ME '09
backpackingvegan [ at ] gmail [d ot] com
Tipi Walter
11-20-2009, 11:50
Thanks for sharing your insights on vegan hiking and food. I do all my backpacking trips in the vegetarian mode but I take out cheese and eggs which puts me out of the vegan circle. When I first became a veggie back in 1973, I toyed with a vegan diet thru the years and would always come back to cheese and sometimes eggs. Now that I go out all the time I definitely like having my goat cheese and scrambled eggs.
Not eating or carrying meat really simplifies backpacking on the one hand, and on the other hand it complicates it, although nowadays there are plenty of meatless meals to choose from, though not so many vegan meals. Mac and cheese comes to mind. Americans have come a long way since the 1950s and 1960s when it comes to not eating meat and trying to eat healthier. I remember Oprah telling people to not eat beef and she got sued by the Beef Lobby. Ha Ha Ha.
There might even be a connection with not carrying/cooking meat and keeping the big mammals away. Worked so far. Of course, my dog carries his meat and maybe his smell keeps the bears away. Don't know. Goat cheese smell probably carries for 20 miles.
turbodrabbit
12-05-2009, 23:35
Hey All,
I thru hiked the AT Nobo '09 and I am contributing to backpackingvegan.com. My trail name is LinusCloudbuster aka Suzie Creamcheese. :D
Wow, thanks!
I'm not Vegan, but have always been what I jokingly call a "Closet Vegetarian" but now due to a bad case of Gout I have to go full veggie. So, thanks again!
Thanks for the responses everyone. Linus Cloudbuster and I have added up the big list of resupply towns along the Appalachian Trail to the site: http://backpackingvegan.wordpress.com/resupply-guide/
We've filled it in with what we remember. Check it out! And if you have anything to contribute, let me know.
Keep on vegan hiking,
Samwise
Pacific Tortuga
12-06-2009, 14:21
Romans 14 vs. 2, I'm not real religious, but I know this verse. :rolleyes:
I don't particularly care what the bible says about anything.
The Backpacking Vegan blog is for hikers that are vegan. Because face it, we exist and we thru-hike successfully.
If you have something constructive to contribute to a discussion about making an AT thru-hike more accessible to vegan hikers, let's hear it!
When I was planning for my hike (and even after being on the trail for a few weeks) I got a lot of negative feedback and discouragement from people in the trail community who didn't really know anything about veganism or backpacking vegan. I stuck though it and figured out how to stay vegan on the trail. I was just as healthy and had just as much energy as everyone else I hiked with! And it felt great!
Love, Samwise
Pacific Tortuga
12-06-2009, 17:44
[quote=samwise;929610]I don't particularly care what the bible says about anything.
The Backpacking Vegan blog is for hikers that are vegan. Because face it, we exist and we thru-hike successfully.
The vegies have gone to your head spamwise. You don't dicktate what can and can't be said on here, it's not, a/your, "blog".
Had you had a clue, you would have placed it on the "straight forward" forum.
You seem to have a pickle chip on your shoulder about being challenged on the Trail, cowgirl up, and deal with it.
Face it, you are one of many different people that thru-hike, not special or better.
"Don't particulary care", good for you.
Should one have to care about what the Bible says (or doesn't say) about vegiterianism?
I reject the notion that one is weak, or weak in faith, because they elect not to eat meat.
That discusion hardly belongs on this website anyway, much less this thread.
HYOH.
Pacific Tortuga
12-06-2009, 18:57
Should one have to care about what the Bible says (or doesn't say) about vegiterianism?
I reject the notion that one is weak, or weak in faith, because they elect not to eat meat.
That discusion hardly belongs on this website anyway, much less this thread.
HYOH.
Lighten up Francis, when I was getting bombarded by vegie's to stop eating meat, I used it. Dont take it literally, I was just joking.
Again, you of little faith, you do not say what is and isn't ok to write about.
turbodrabbit
12-06-2009, 20:42
Lighten up Francis, when I was getting bombarded by vegie's to stop eating meat, I used it. Dont take it literally, I was just joking.
Again, you of little faith, you do not say what is and isn't ok to write about.
The question is if us 'weak' individuals care what you have to say. Which I can say I don't. But if it helps for you to passive aggressive on an online forum, so you can get a rise, then more power to you. Have you looked at the site, any suggestions? :sun
WELL it's about time! Hats off to SamWise and all those contributing postive feedback on eating Vegan and vegetarian on the trail.
I for one, am a little weary of getting into debates about eating this way or having to justify my eating habits on the trail, here on WB and other hiking websites, to those who are not Vegan or vegetarian!
drifters quest
12-07-2009, 02:18
I'm vegetarian, kind of odd considering I work on a cattle ranch! Fortunately I'm finding meals pretty easy to comeby.. i might not have quite as much variety of choice, but it's still there. I can't imagine being vegan on the trail though, must take a lot of extra effort! Good luck with your efforts.
Johnny Thunder
12-09-2009, 15:32
Samwise...I don't know if you remember me but we met at Tom's in Dalton. Freefall and I made you eat the HOT CAKE!!! We tried to catch you to bestow more vegan goodies but you're too fast. I'll point her in the direction of your site. She's definitely more on top of it than I was.
Good on you for providing these resources. I used to do the vegan thing, but I can't any more. It's just not in me:
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2626/21/32/1142063659/n1142063659_30178081_5476108.jpg
oh man, i'm a chick magnet.
Trailbender
12-17-2009, 05:23
Nothing wrong with being vegan, I am not, because you have a wider variety of food available. Meat is fine as part of a diet, as long as it is balanced as everything else.
Samwise: Good for you! You completed the thru hike and you are now helping other vegans. I was a big "doubter" regarding a vegan thru hiking without lots of mail drops--just because I have lived most of my life in small towns and knew how limited the vegan choices were in small town stores and restaurants. Congrats!
THREE QUESTIONS: 1) Was your diet real repetitive--i.e could you find much variety? 2) Did you find yourself "packing heavy" on food "just in case" you had trouble finding vegan things? 3) Did you have any "close calls"--where it appeared that you might find yourself unable to find sufficient vegan items at any points on the trail?
THREE QUESTIONS: 1) Was your diet real repetitive--i.e could you find much variety? 2) Did you find yourself "packing heavy" on food "just in case" you had trouble finding vegan things? 3) Did you have any "close calls"--where it appeared that you might find yourself unable to find sufficient vegan items at any points on the trail?
Thanks for the questions! Yes my diet was pretty repetitive, but so is every thru-hikers! For the first month or two I lived somewhat exclusively on couscous and beans for dinners, which I grew extremely sick of. Eventually I went into a store with the goal of not buying any couscous, and that's how I discovered other foods like indian meals, kashi 7 grain mixes, and the handful of vegan liptons. Variety was a challenge for sure, but manageable.
I didn't "pack heavy" on any meal food. I did carry some extra things like nutritional yeast and spices that weren't regularly available in small quantities.
I really didn't have any "close calls." A few nights I ate canned beans or something, or extra peanut butter, but by far I was able to find something to make a meal out of fairly regularly.
Powder River
01-13-2010, 14:49
I don't know about you people, but this thread is making me hungry for a stick of celery. Mmmmmm lunch
letmebefreee
01-14-2010, 15:40
HELLO me and my wife have been veggie for 2 years now and are planning a thru-hike this year. we've done some long hikes in california with vegan and veggie diets thru yosemite and redwood national so hopefully we can find everything we need out there. I would have thought it to be hard to pull off a strictly vegan hike anywhere down south, guess i though it would be less accepted. Also I dont want to make a big deal of it or anything but, I find that obviously the "weak" ones Pacific_Tortuga refers to are the ones living there lives believing and preaching everything they read in a book that was written and rewritten by humans 100's of times just to make all the little stories fit. Then passing judgement on the ones that dont fit into this mad puzzling scheme that is christianity even though the verse right before that verse Pacific clearly states to not pass judgement on the man who eats a vegetable diet... that is a perfect example of any believer in these crazy made up stories, take what they want and forget the part they dont like... im sorry i know this isnt what the thread was made for.. this just really upsets me... i do believe in posting what you want where you want though Pacific :P
Pedaling Fool
01-14-2010, 16:10
I'm an omnivore, but really like fruits and veggies (especially veggies); I like them so much I decided to do dehydrate a ton of veggies and other stuff and do maildrops all along the trail. I still shopped for stuff like rice, spices, ect...
Seems to me it would be almost a necessity for herbivores, especially vegans, to do maildrops if you want truly nutritious meals. Not saying you can't do a thru by just shopping as a vegan, obviously some have, but judging by your blog http://backpackingvegan.wordpress.com/resupply-guide/ I would want a little more nutritional variety.
[quote=samwise;929610]I don't particularly care what the bible says about anything.
The Backpacking Vegan blog is for hikers that are vegan. Because face it, we exist and we thru-hike successfully.
The vegies have gone to your head spamwise. You don't dicktate what can and can't be said on here, it's not, a/your, "blog".
Pretty sure he was talking about his own blog, not this site. So, way to go off the deep end there.
:rolleyes:
Hey all,
I am vegan and I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail this year! (GA>ME)
Congratulations on this accomplishment and the strength to stay on your diet. I've recently read Lierre Keith's book and wonder what your thoughts are on her views? (If you're familiar with her work)
That's a lot of miles on a different fuel source.
TWs
Snowleopard
01-29-2010, 12:12
I eat a mostly vegetarian diet with lots of whole grains and legumes plus veggies and fruit. Something I find very useful at home is a small Indian pressure cooker --Hawkins, 1.5 liter, http://www.amazon.com/Hawkins-Aluminum-Pressure-Cookers-Liters/dp/B001AYI066/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1264779941&sr=1-6 (http://www.amazon.com/Hawkins-Aluminum-Pressure-Cookers-Liters/dp/B001AYI066/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1264779941&sr=1-6)
Things cook a lot faster and with less fuel. You can cook brown rice or lentils by bringing it up to pressure, turning off the heat and letting it sit. The weight is about 2 lb and could be brought down a little by removing plastic handles. You have to be a little careful with some things that might foam -- beans, steel cut oats. For example, cooking lentils, bring to a simmer and skim foam off before pressurizing. They're available in 2 liter, 3 liter and larger, also available in stainless steel and anodized aluminium. The 2 liter would probably be 2.5 to 3 lb.
In a trip report in the AMC magazine an Indian fellow had a 1 lb pressure cooker. I've never been able to find one that light. Unless you find something lighter I'd recommend the Hawkins pressure cooker. At 1 lb, I would absolutely carry it on hikes. 2 lb is kind of heavy, but I'd still be tempted by taking it on a thru hike just so I'd eat better.
lifes too short, eat meat and enjoy it.
Johnny Thunder
01-29-2010, 14:24
lifes too short, eat meat and enjoy it.
You're too fragile to really believe that. Eat your veggies.
lifes too short, eat meat and enjoy it.
Protein and fat are healthy. Eat meat and enjoy it! :)
TWS
You're too fragile to really believe that.
what does that mean, Richard?
letmebefreee
01-30-2010, 15:29
sorry i meant to quote that first bit johnny :P
We should all be free to choose the lifestyle we want without the browbeating from any group
I found a website that has "Meatless" backpacking and trail food. Some of it ain't bad either. Check it out. www.trailfoodexpress.com (http://www.trailfoodexpress.com).
lifes too short, eat meat and enjoy it.
Life too short, eat tofu and enjoy it.
See, isn't that annoying?
Danielsen
08-02-2010, 20:23
Good on you for providing these resources. I used to do the vegan thing, but I can't any more. It's just not in me:
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2626/21/32/1142063659/n1142063659_30178081_5476108.jpg
oh man, i'm a chick magnet.
I spent 5 months working in a factory making that same sauce to fund some trekking in the Andes. :rolleyes:
I'm almost fully carnivorous, but I don't see any sense arguing with anyone who wants to be a vegan for ethical reasons (most health reasons are questionable, but whatever). And while I suscribe to the notion that life may be short but you'll enjoy it longer if you eat your fat and meat and avoid soy protein at all costs, it's worth noting that the trail itself can provide some nice veggie treats. :sun
Anyone want a mayapple?
I'm too damm lazy to mess around making my entrees. I go to www.trailfoodexpress.com (http://www.trailfoodexpress.com) and buy them.
avoid soy protein at all costs
Why???
I'm too damm lazy to mess around making my entrees. I go to www.trailfoodexpress.com (http://www.trailfoodexpress.com) and buy them.
You buy them? :rolleyes: You SELL them.
alverhootzt
12-11-2010, 17:18
I had no idea veganism was such a volatile subject. I'm not only vegan, I'm a raw foodist, or try to be. I'm still trying to figure out how to do THAT on a thru-hike.
4eyedbuzzard
12-11-2010, 17:48
I had no idea veganism was such a volatile subject. I'm not only vegan, I'm a raw foodist, or try to be. I'm still trying to figure out how to do THAT on a thru-hike.
Mail drops where you can't source locally
Romans 14 vs. 2, I'm not real religious, but I know this verse. :rolleyes:
I'll eat anything once if it's free. :sun
I had no idea veganism was such a volatile subject.
You better believe it! During my vegan thru-hike in 2009 I even encountered people a few hundred miles in who told me I couldn't thru-hike vegan (including one prominent trail figure who shall remain nameless). I was like, what do you think I'm doing right now? Way to be unsupportive.
Anyway, these are some of the reasons that I started the site that this thread is about. http://backpackingvegan.wordpress.com I'm trying to make it a resource for future vegan hikers, and I really want stories from other folks, if you'd like to contribute please let me know!
I'm not only vegan, I'm a raw foodist, or try to be. I'm still trying to figure out how to do THAT on a thru-hike.
Eating raw would certainly be an extra challenge... I would expect you may need to use more drop boxes. A lot of towns, even with decent grocery stores might not have the right grains and stuff you'd need. Also fresh veggies sometimes don't love being carried in a pack. I sometimes would buy spinach and make sure to eat it all by two days out of town or it would go bad. I also had a friend who bought lots of freezedried and dehydrated stuff beforehand. She said she ordered like number 10 cans of stuff from Amazon. No need for fancy backpacker food.
When are you planning to hike? Check out the resupply guide on my site, it might have some helpful info on the kind of grocery stores in trail towns.
oh, this is exciting. I've recently gone vegan and just figured I was going to have to put it on hold during my thru next year, but now I believe I have options! yay
4eyedbuzzard
12-12-2010, 01:57
I had no idea veganism was such a volatile subject. I'm not only vegan, I'm a raw foodist, or try to be. I'm still trying to figure out how to do THAT on a thru-hike.
You better believe it! During my vegan thru-hike in 2009 I even encountered people a few hundred miles in who told me I couldn't thru-hike vegan (including one prominent trail figure who shall remain nameless). I was like, what do you think I'm doing right now? Way to be unsupportive...
A lot of the volatility surrounding veganism occurs not just from dietary issues, but also when terms like "cruelty free" are used or added to other words, such as "cuelty free hiking", and by the resulting implication that those who are not vegan are somehow cruel(er). Such talk tends to insult many people for a variety of intellectual and emotional reasons.
thelowend
12-12-2010, 02:19
i love when really angry people tell others to 'ease up'. but anyways.. thank you Samwise for the wonderful resource! i have been making a slow transition to veggie over the past few months but really need to figure out what i going to do for backpacking.. i will say that i dont mind eating fish but chicken, beef, turkey, etc. just instinctively bug me for some reason... i love the precooked salmon/tuna packets mainly because they are no cook and easy to deal with on the trail.. maybe i will just stick to being a piscivore? thanks again!
A lot of the volatility surrounding veganism occurs not just from dietary issues, but also when terms like "cruelty free" are used or added to other words, such as "cuelty free hiking", and by the resulting implication that those who are not vegan are somehow cruel(er). Such talk tends to insult many people for a variety of intellectual and emotional reasons.
Anyone is perfectly entitled to whatever lifestyle they choose. Just live it and don't try to push it on others. I have several veg friends and they're all cool about it. Every once in a while I'll meet the self-righteous tool, however, that shoots dirty looks and launches a volley of "Did you know's" at me as soon as he/she learns that I'm a T-rex when it comes to meat. Rawr!! As long as you don't do that, we'll get along perfectly and I'm always willing to try veg recipes (any recipe).
oh, this is exciting. I've recently gone vegan and just figured I was going to have to put it on hold during my thru next year, but now I believe I have options! yay
Yeah! No reason to put it on hold! Please feel free to pm me or email if you have any questions, I'm happy to help if I can. Staying vegan on a thru-hike is totally doable.
Anyone is perfectly entitled to whatever lifestyle they choose.
Thanks for your positive attitude!
A lot of the volatility surrounding veganism occurs not just from dietary issues, but also when terms like "cruelty free" are used.
I agree for sure, I don't like the moral relativism. There is definitely no such thing as "perfect." I don't use the term cruelty-free because I think that's impossible. I'm just doing the best I can and trying to live my beliefs. The purpose of my blog is to help other vegans on their thru-hikes, not convince thru-hikers to go vegan.
i love when really angry people tell others to 'ease up'. but anyways.. thank you Samwise for the wonderful resource! i have been making a slow transition to veggie over the past few months but really need to figure out what i going to do for backpacking..
you're welcome! Yay for going veggie, keep at it! It's actually very easy to be vegetarian on the trail. I met a lot of vegetarian thru-hikers in 2009 and they all seemed to have no problems. A vegetarian trail diet usually means lots of cheese though, which is why veganism is a bit different...
To be honest I truly never thought of how Vegan's had to foridge for food on the AT. It hasn't affected me so I never thought of it. I think your site is good for all the information you can share. Good luck. Also read an article yesterday about well known athlete's who are Vegans. Women climbers expecially.
To be honest I truly never thought of how Vegan's had to foridge for food on the AT. It hasn't affected me so I never thought of it. I think your site is good for all the information you can share. Good luck. Also read an article yesterday about well known athlete's who are Vegans. Women climbers expecially.
Theres vegan bodybuilders too. I guess steroids are vegan.
I did read some bodybuilders are vegan but. I am a runt so that doesn't affect me either. My theory is to each his own and if thats what they choose to do. Good Luck but I never gave a thought to the thru hikers to be honest.
You better believe it! During my vegan thru-hike in 2009 I even encountered people a few hundred miles in who told me I couldn't thru-hike vegan (including one prominent trail figure who shall remain nameless). I was like, what do you think I'm doing right now? Way to be unsupportive. - Samwise
I would venture, those who told you you couldn't thru-hike the AT on a vegan or vegetarian diet were not vegan or vegetarian themselves. Some like to comment on things they little understand or know nothing about.
I thrued the AT, PCT, and 2200 miles of the CDT and several other 500 mile plus U.S. trails and bushwacks on a pesce vegetarian diet. If I can do it, and others can do it, you can do it!