Saturday, February 28, 2015

Prepping for a trip this spring

I have my dehydrator going.  Making things at home where I have control over the ingredients and portions is more work intensive but safe.  I had excess spinach and blueberries which were going to waste, so they're taking up most of the dehydrator.  One tray is dehydrating some pizza sauce that will do just fine on pasta.  The last tray is dehydrating refried beans.

I'll have the refried beans on corn tortillas which keep extremely well.  They're a little fragile so I may take small gladware container with me to keep them intact.

I'm also planning to pick up some Krave jerky once I remember which flavors were my favorites.  I got a sample pack to try last year but I should have taken notes.  They were all pretty good, but some were better than others.  I know I liked the garlic chili pepper flavor.  Chile lime, too.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

GF Resupply stops and recommended maildrops

Nearly any gas station or convenience store will have some gluten free salty snacks and some candy bars that you can eat.  Most have jerky, but that jerky probably has soy or teriyaki sauce so read labels carefully.

Examples of gas station / convenience store purchases:

doritos
potato chips
nuts
Planter's trail mix
cheesy poofs
soy snacks
snickers
milky way
ice cream
bananas
canned spam
soda, gatorade

They will probably have instant oatmeal, but it probably isn't gluten free.

Note the complete lack of vegetables.

Based on my experience, here are your options for towns where you can resupply vs should send a maildrop.  Note that I haven't been to every town or every store.  In almost every place you can count on being able to get candy and salty snacks locally.  Mileage from 2013 AWOL guide, noted to help determine how much food to buy.

NB mileage   placename  options
31.7         Neel Gap     maildrop plus assorted snacks
52.9         Helen, GA   shop at Betty's Country Store
52.9, 69.6 Hiawassee, GA   shop at Ingle's - great selection
109.8       Franklin, NC   Lots of options, including the outfitter, a Bi-Lo grocery, a Walmart, and a health food store
137.3       NOC          maildrop.  Some snacks, possibly freeze dried food at outfitter and tiny, tiny store on site.
164.6      Fontana Dam   maildrop, or shuttle to Robbinsville where there is a good grocery.  Snacks and unreliable selection at the store at the resort.  Check there before shuttling.
206.8      Newfound Gap / Gatlinburg     resupply at Food City on outskirts of town (blue route on trolley), at NOC outfitter across from the cheap motels, and possibly at the Whole Earth Grocer
240.8      Standing Bear Farm     maildrop, some GF snacks available
273.9     Hot Springs, NC        resupply at outfitter and Hillbilly Market
290.7     Hemlock Hollow hostel    some snack options, possibly GF options at cafe
341.5     Erwin, TN         resupply at Food Lion
391.6     Roan Mtn, TN  maildrop.  Some GF options at dollar store.  Mountain Harbor B&B breakfast not to be missed, btw.  Possible resupply at Cloudland Market.  I haven't been there.
416.5     Kincora Hostel,  get shuttled into Elizabethton to resupply.  Note that the shuttle goes in to town fairly early, so you can't show up at 2 pm and expect a ride into town.  Call ahead if need to know schedule.  Otherwise, they do accept maildrops.
466.6     Damascus, VA    resupply at Food City
530.7     Marion, VA   Take bus from visitor center to Marion.  Resupply at Ingles, Food Lion
542.2     Atkins, VA   get a shuttle to Ingles or Food City, else maildrop
587.1     Bland, VA    maildrop, snacks at convenience store
605.5     VA 606     resupply at Nature Way
620.4     Woods Hole Hostel - not a resupply point but probably could get an awesome GF meal here if you're nice to Neville
630.8     Pearisburg, VA  resupply at Food Lion or Walmart
723.5    Daleville, VA    good resupply at Kroger, outfitter, All Things Healthy
780.3    Glasgow, VA maildrop, some snacks.
802.1    Buena Vista, VA  resupply at Food Lion
857.5    Waynesboro, VA  resupply at magnificent Kroger.
Some GF food available at various waysides in SNP, but don't count on them.
937.4    Luray, VA   resupply at outfitter, Food Lion, Walmart.  Gathering Grounds coffee shop has some GF food for a town meal
965.1    Front Royal, VA Resupply at Food Lion
998.6   Bears Den Hostel - mail drop, minimal snacks
1019.0 Harper's Ferry, WV maildrop, some snacks in town
1049.9  Smithsburg, MD  resupply at Food Lion
1059.6  Waynesboro, PA  resupply at Food Lion, Walmart
1097.3  Pine Grove Furnace - snacks at shop, maildrop at Iron Masters Mansion hostel
1116.9  Boiling Springs, PA - resupply at Karn's Foods
1142.5  Duncannon PA - resupply at Mutzabaugh's Market
1187.3  Pine Grove, PA - maildrop
1213.4  Port Clinton, PA - maildrop
1213.7  Hamburg, PA - maildrop, or resupply at Walmart
1253.6 Palmerton, PA - maildrop, sketchy resupply at Country Harvest grocery
1273.7  Wind Gap, PA - maildrop
1289.3  Delaware Water Gap - maildrop, some freeze dried resupply at outfitter
1332.0  High Point State park - maildrop, or stay at High Point Mountain Motel and get shuttled into town for groceries at market whose name I forget
1340.8  Unionville, NY   maildrop, snacks at Horler's.  In 2013 the pizza place had a gluten free crust.
1367.6  Bellvale, NY      possible resupply at Shop Rite or Price Chopper.  Closer to get there from Wawayanda
1367.6  Greenwood Lake, NY maildrop
1399.4  Bear Mountain Bridge, NY  maildrop.  Snacks from convenience store.  Pretty great steak place across from Bear Mtn Bridge Motel.
1405.2  NY 403 - I think you could do a full resupply at the Appalachian Market.  Tiny but well stocked.
1442.1  Pawling, NY - maildrop, possible resupply at Hannaford 2 miles south
1444.5  Appalachian Trail Railroad station, maildrop to friendly garden shop owner
1462.9 Kent, CT  - good resupply at Davis IGA.
1496.0 Salisbury, CT - good resupply at LaBonne's market.  Check Country Bistro for GF options for in-town meal
1517.7  Great Barrington, MA - resupply at Price Chopper, Berkshire Co-op, possibly Big Y Foods, Guidos Fresh Marketplace
1565.8 Dalton, MA - maildrop, snacks
1575.1 Cheshire, MA - maildrop to St. Mary's.  Say hi to the very nice Father David Raymond.
1583.0 Mt Greylock - probably some GF options for a meal at the cafe at Bascom Lodge
1589.3 North Adams - resupply at Price Chopper
1589.3 Williamstown - resupply at Wild Oats, possibly Stop & Shop
1607.7 Bennington, VT - good resupply at Hannaford on the far outskirts of town, Spice & Nice natural foods, Aldi
1647.8 Manchester Ctr, VT - tourist town.  mail drop.  some resupply at Mountain Goat Outfitter
1697.6 Rutland, VT - take bus to town.  resupply at Grand Union, Rutland Co-op, Price Chopper, Walmart
1699.5 Inn at the Long Trail - maildrop, snacks at gas station
1743.8  Hanover, NH resupply at Co-op Foodstore.  Note nearby community center for laundry and showers.
1787.2  Glencliff, NH  - maildrop, snacks at gas station if shuttle to town
1812.8  Lincoln, NH - resupply at Price Chopper
1840.5 Crawford Notch - maildrop to AMC Highland Center
Throughout the AMC Hut system, they will serve gluten free food if you reserve a regular (not work for stay) spot, enough time in advance for them to procure it.  I was lucky to stay at Mizpah in 2014 when they had a celiac head cook.
1866.5, 1887.6 Gorham, NH  Maildrop.  Possible resupply if shuttle to Walmart, Sav-a-lot west of town.
1929.0 , 1939.1  Andover, ME  maildrop, some snacks available
1965.5  Rangeley, ME - resupply at IGA, Ecopelagicon
1997.7  Stratton, ME - resupply at Fotter's Market (small), Northland Cash Supply, maybe maildrop some key foods
2034.7  Caratunk, ME - comprehensive maildrop.  This is basically just a post office.
2071.4  Monson, ME - DEFINITELY MAILDROP.  Some snacks at gas station.  Pull out all the stops.  This is a long haul - make it your lightest and tastiest food.
2170.8  Abol Bridge, ME - you can buy enough at the little camp store to get you the rest of the way.




Why I called you here today

In 2012, I was section hiking the Appalachian Trail in Vermont and New Hampshire, and became violently ill.  Afterward I found I had a new sensitivity to gluten, and I had to avoid it or be sick all the time.  This is hard enough at home, but on the trail where you never know what your food options will be?  Oy.

This blog is intended to document the gluten free food options I find on the trail as well as the places where I think a maildrop is required.