California Adventure - Hiking the PCT

Ryan and I just got back from what I like to call our great California Adventure.  It was a combination road trip, camping, and dining expedition.  We started by flying into San Francisco and then driving up to the town of Mt Shasta.  It took us 2 HOURS! to drive from the airport to the North West side of Oakland... talk about some crapy traffic, and that was at 2:30 in the afternoon. We both agreed it would have been worth the money to fly into Sacramento.  Towards the end of our 6-7 hour drive (what should have been about 4) we stopped at In and Out Burger.  I was so hungry I drank 95% of a strawberry milk shake by myself, and promptly regretted it.  Ugh... stupid dairy induced post nasal drip and stomach ache. 

We spent the night at Cold Creek Inn where we met with the rest of our REI adventure group the next morning before being driven to the trail head.  Our amazing guides were Lauren and Alissa.  Ryan felt a little out of place because he ended up being the only male on the trip.  Here we all are before hiking off onto the Pacific Crest Trail.  Lauren(guide from WA), Stella (San Fran), Theressa and Alicia (sisters from Texas), Suzette and Tracy (Friends from Tacoma, WA), Chris (California), Alissa (Guide from Dunsmuir, CA).

On our first day we had some great views of Mt Shasta, and beautiful weather for hiking.  Temps were in the 75-80 range with a fairly strong breeze, it was perfect.  In case you are wondering, Ryan and I both use Gregory packs, but most of the other hikers use Osprey.  For the most part I like my pack, it's pretty comfy when you consider you are lugging around 35+ pounds of gear on your back.  But by the end of the second day I had a weird sore on my left hip from the straps rubbing.  I was just going to patch it with a band aid but Stella had some second skin with her and no doubt that worked much better.

I'm ready for adventure!

Our First night was spent at Porcupine Lake.  It was so pretty and surrounded by mountain peaks.  That night for dinner our guides prepared corn chowder and chicken burritos, complete with avocado, fresh cilantro, and hot sauce.  Several of our meals were from Mary Jane, an all organic dehydrated food company.  We were all really impressed with the quality of the meals.  Even Ryan had enough to eat. In the morning Ryan and I woke up early since we were still on Central Time and decided to walk over the ridge and watch the sun rise.  He brought along a chocolate bar for an early morning treat.

A little chocolate while watching the sun rise.

Porcupine Lake

Sun Rise.

During our second day of backpacking we trekked to Dead Falls Lake at the bottom of Mt Eddy.  All three days we hiked about 6 miles, so not too far, and definitely doable for any novice.  Breakfast was oatmeal topped with walnuts and cranberries; and thanks to a Jet Boil, pour over coffee (not instant). Before leaving we packed our lunches of hummus and veggie wraps with avocado slices which we ate later on the trail.  One wouldn't think that dehydrated hummus would be good, but let me tell you; it was excellent.  After setting up camp we had several hours to enjoy the cool sunshine.  Several of us were brave and decided to get into the lake...it's about 39 degrees F.  I  lasted 15 seconds.  Dinner on our second night was tomato bisque and couscous with chicken sausage and black beans.  Both nights we made hot tea or hot chocolate after dinner to drink while munching on cookies.  Lauren and Alissa let us in on the secrete of making mint tea and adding some hot chocolate to make a 'thin mint' or 'grass hopper.'  YUM!  The soup and after dinner hot drinks were great way to get re-hydrated without having to drink a lot of plain water.

Dead Falls Lake

Dead Falls Camp Site

On the morning of our third day we woke up early to a breakfast of Blueberry and Flax granola which our guides bought from Berryvale grocery in Mt. Shasta.  Ryan and I visited it later that evening after getting back to town.  It was super tasty, especially when mixed with powdered milk.  Never would have thought of using powdered milk...but that's why our guides were so awesome.  It took about 2 hours to summit Mt Eddy and the views were spectacular.  If you read the REI website description they make the hike up sound really tough.  It's not.

Mt Eddy

Mt Eddy Trail Sign

Mt Eddy Summit

On our decent we stopped for lunch which included the delicious hummus but also tuna, and more AVOCADOS!  I love avocados. I was so excited to see meat I think I ate almost an entire 6oz packet of tuna by myself. I didn't feel too bad since only the guides wanted some as well and we had 4 packets.  After returning to our camp site we packed up our tents and gear, then hiked a little over a mile out to meet the van that drove us back to Mt Shasta.  During this final hike I didn't use my new poles, and I was surprised to realize how much of a difference they really make.  If you are planning on doing any backpacking I definitely recommend getting a pair.  The help keep you from leaning forward from the weight of your pack, and really help with balance.  I bought mine from amazon and unless you are a serious backpacker, there is no need to spend more than $50-75 on them.

Back in Mt Shasta we showered then walked through town to meet our group for one last dinner and a few glasses of wine at the Tree House restaurant/Coopers Bar. It came recommended by our guides. They have a great Burger/Fry/Beer special every night for $11.  That made Ryan a very happy camper.

Theresa, Alicia, Suzette, Tracy, Ryan, Me, Alissa, Stella

We stayed the night back at Cold Creek Inn.  Our only complaint about the place was the train that went by at 9pm, 12am, and somewhere around 4:30am.  I'm not sure if you would hear it from the other hotels in town, but the Inn is right across the street, and the train has no qualms with blowing it's horn several times as it comes into town.

Next up, TO THE REDWOODS!

Bye Bye 2014, Hello 2015!

It's the end of the year, 2015 is right around the corner.  Did you accomplish your goals?  Did you get healthy, lose weight, quit smoking, make more money, be happy, go to college, graduate, learn to knit, learn to ski....?

I can tell you I did not meet all of my 2014 goals.  I was a little too ambitious, lesson learned.
Here is what I did accomplish:

1. Squat 180#.  Did it!!!

2. I didn't learn to do a traditional olympic snatch, but I did learn to do a kettle bell snatch.  So I'm calling that a success.

This is a renegade row, not a snatch

3. 30 min yoga each week...not exactly.  The studio I prefer to go to is expensive, and sometimes just not practical for me to go to.  And I really don't like doing it on my own; it's not as relaxing, and I'm not motivated to do it.  So this coming year, I'm going to try and go on Saturday mornings so I'm not driving in rush-hour, and then rushing back to shower before work.

4. Handstand pushup...nope.  But I can do a wall assisted fore-arm stand.

5. Didn't make it to 20 pull ups in a row, but I can do 10, maybe 12 on a great day. I found that too many pull ups and over-head presses during the week would pull my C2, C7, and a thoracic rib out of alignment and send me to the chiropractor for an emergency adjustment.  Nothing like shooting pain and numb fingers to make you re-evaluate your strength goals.

6. And I think I did a good job of complimenting Ryan every day.  I know he did it for me.

For next year:
1. Compete in a Tactical Strength Challenge
2. Complete a sprint Triathlon or Duathlon
4. Improve my squat depth when I lift heavier weights.  As you may have noticed in the video, I'm barely able to get to parallel and definitely not "hit'n the hole" with that heavy weight.  I can do it with 130-160# but more than that and my form goes.  

5. Speak kind and loving words to my Ryan and Samoa every day.

Samoa loves her Ryan.

What do you need to do to be successful in meeting your 2015 goals?
1. Besides setting SMART goals, I think it's important to write down what it is you want to do, similar to a check list.  Then put that list somewhere in plain sight so you see it every day.
2. Tell someone about your goals, or find people with similar goals; this way you have people to help hold you accountable.
3. Lastly, reward yourself along the way for meeting mini goals.  Celebrate a 10# weight loss by buying a new belt, or a fun kitchen gadget to make your healthy cooking easier.  Or, if your goal is to quit smoking, celebrate each week you didn't smoke by putting the money you saved in a piggy bank.  You'll be amazed at how fast it adds up.

Have a happy and healthy new year!!!

Protein Powder Farts

If you read my first post of 2014, you know that I have my mind set on squatting 180# for 1 rep by the end of the year.  A few months ago I hit 160# for about 3-4 reps.  Since then, I've joined a kettle bell class 2x week, and am continuing to lift 1-2x week.  Therefore...I took a month or two off from really focusing on my squat, but am back at it now with a 5X5 of 155# this morning.

taking a breather between sets.

The point of that ramble is to say that I've had to really focus on increasing my protein intake (approximately 120g/day) to support my strength gains.  In the past I've used protein powders (whey and soy) during my internship in 2008, later from 2009-2011 Ryan and I were big fans of the Whole Foods 365 whey protein powder.  The past several years we switched over to Optimum Nutrition's natural whey and Nutrikey by NWW.  However, after changing my diet to include a lot less processed carbs, beans, and yogurt I found this past spring that I was getting really really really gassy again.  Typically in the middle of the afternoon.

Protein Stash.

After a while I was able to correlate it to the days when I drank a post workout whey protein shake or smoothie.  I checked the ingredients on both the ON and NK powders and figured it could be the flavoring or stevia, so I switched to the NK unflavored whey protein, nope same problem.  Hmmm.... apparently I've got a serious issue with dairy (which I'm still in denial about).  Next I bought the Jay Robb egg-white protein powder, and it seemed that things were a bit better.  Except that just like before, if I drank it more than 2 days in a row, serious bloating and gas would ensue.  This wouldn't be a huge problem, except that being bloated and gassy while sitting in a small office with a client for 1-2 hours is not fun.  I even tried Vega One, a vegan protein powder and that was the worst of all.

So there went my post workout and occasional mid-afternoon snack.  :-(   Over the past two years I've also figured out that I have a very hard time digesting fiber, added fiber in particular.  So switching to a protein bar, even a high quality one such as Quest, Paleo, or Jay Robb which contain inulin, an indigestible fiber are not an option.

Lets be honest, protein powders are convenient, but for some people they just aren't a good option.  I am one of those people.  During several google searches, I only came up with a few poor explanations as to why these powders cause intestinal distress.

1. You're drinking Whey Protein Concentrate which contains more lactose than the isolate form.  If you are lactose intolerant, that might be an easy swap.

2. You're protein powder contains weird thickeners or fibers which are fermenting in your gut and making you gassy.

3. You're drinking casein protein powder not whey.  Casein protein gels in the stomach, slowing digestion.  It can be much more difficult for some people to digest, and it's the protein most people are sensitive too.  Which is why a lot of people can tolerate whey protein, but not actual dairy products that contain casein (cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese).

4. You have a dairy sensitivity! Sorry, but other than switching to egg white protein, or Pure Paleo Protein which is made from beef, or Pure Pea protein, you're out of options.  Better go eat some real food.

Why does the unflavored egg white protein powder also gives me gas? I'm not sure, especially since eating actual eggs doesn't have any effect on me.  I don't recommend rice protein powders because they are high in carbohydrates.  And I'm not a fan of hemp protein powder since it is notoriously hard to digest.

So if you're like me, you're going to have to JERF: Just Eat Real Food.  (Thank you Sean Croxton for that acronym).  Below are a few post workout meals to help you re-fuel.  You want to focus on protein and carbs, you're meals shouldn't be high in fat which will slow the absorption of the other nutrients.

Salmon Patties and Sauteed Greens

Turkey, Veggie, wild rice soup

4+ oz Deli meat + small fruit and maybe a few nuts
Chicken and mashed sweet potato
Reduced fat yogurt topped with homemade granola and fruit

Turkey burger topped with sauteed greens and onions

Ground beef Hash with root vegetables
Tuna steak + steamed veggies
SUSHI!!!
Oatmeal + leftover pork chop

Wrap + Salmon Salad

If carb backloading or carb-nighting...pie and low fat ice cream  :-)  Or cereal.

This is the best info I could find on protein powder intollerance

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/whey-protein-allergies-intolerances-bloating

Backpack Mini Feast

The weather is turning here in Minnesota, the state fair just 2 weeks away, which means fall is coming. Days are hot, but nights are cool.  Ryan and I headed out on another 1 night backpack adventure.  This time at St. Croix St. Park.  We parked the car and hiked 5 easy miles to our site.  Look what awaited us. Adirondacks!  Three sided structures, which were really 4 sided, since they had a screened in front wall.

Ryan checking for wasps

Instead of packing the dehydrated lazy camper meals, we went a little more whole foods style this time by cutting up a bell pepper, 2 jalapenos, and 1/2 an onion at home then storing them in a plastic tupperware.  I also brought along 3/4 can of black beans and white hominy in a plastic bag.  At the campsite I began by sautéing the peppers and onion in palm oil.  Once they were cooked I added the black beans, hominy, and two 5oz cans of chicken.  While it was not the most flavorful of meals, it was satiating, nutritious, and did not leave us feeling bloated and gassy.

For breakfast we boiled water and made Proat-meal.  Quick-oats + vanilla whey protein powder + almonds and walnuts.  The whey protein did coagulate a little bit when cooked, but it was still pretty good.  At 6:30am, after 3 hours of sleep...we weren't going to complain, especially since we didn't have to take down the tent.

Most hardcore lightweight backpackers use dehydrated foods since they weight almost nothing.  It's what the lazy camper meals are made from.  Dehydrated veggies are easy to find and purchase, but making our own would be so much better.  Plus we could load up on the non-starchy veggies, and skip all the extra corn and peas.

beautiful campfire

Kick Boxing Calories

This morning I didn't feel like running and I didn't feel like yoga, so instead I kick-boxed along with a video on youtube.  Apparently there is a company called ShadowBoxer, which created a belt with resistance bands attached to it.  The idea is that you do the kickboxing workout while holding the resistance bands in order to build muscle and increase the intensity of the workout.  I don't have the nifty resistance belt, but I still got a good workout.  Of course I had already done a 20min Insanity workout beforehand...also watched on youtube.

SB Pros:
1. You only need a small space to do it.  I did it in the basement laundry room, placing my computer on the washer.
2. No equipment needed.  As I mentioned before, even without the resistance bands you are going to get a great workout.  Of course you could always add 1-3# hand weights for some moves if you already have them.
3. The 3 minute cardio/strength segments go by quickly.  Even at 40+ minutes the workout flew by.
4. It's full body and works every muscle.  Loved the squats!
5.  The instructors do a great job of demonstrating different levels of intensity.


SB Cons:
1. People with knee injuries may find all the bouncing a bit much.  As mentioned under the Pros, they do give you different levels if all the jumping is too much.
2. The main instructor kept mentioning calorie burn.  I seriously thought about starting a running tab on how many times she says, "the faster you go the more calories you burn!" or "This is a great calorie burning workout."  The purpose of exercise is not to burn calories, even when a persons goal is weight loss.  The purpose of exercise is to build strength, improve cardiovascular fitness, and for some to increase flexibility.  Exercise should be a way to feel better about ones self and be healthier overall.  Calorie burn and increased metabolism is a secondary benefit.  Exercise becomes tedious and unenjoyable when the only focus is burning calories.  So just ignore her statements and keep bobbing, weaving, and jabbing.

Overall I do plan to do this video again, it was fun and by the end I was super sweaty!