Next September's Mountain Gazette Magazine about the ultimate, not leave home without it, gear needed a submission from moi. Find it here attatched. Let's see what the good folks at the mag think, and maybe, just maybe, this year will result in two publications- one based purely on please (this one) and the other purely on pleasureable work (the technology article coming his August to an educator's library near you!)
So here goes:
Hitting the mountain hikes every summer without beans and rice is like hitting the peaks without the intention to summit- enjoyable, yet not complete. It is unarguably the essential gear for a completely engaged hike, as it fuels the legs and keeps the digestion regular.
Hailing here from Midwest, Chi-city, where the biggest peaks are the iron monsters creating the urban canyon, beans and rice gets a bad rap. After all, this is the land of the pork chop, steakhouse, and refried candy bar. Beans and rice are for the freaky and are definitively categorized as shitastic food. I however, beg to differ, and would never leave the city limits for a Colorado hikeoff without it.
There are five essential pieces, which await the hungry hiker back at camp after a day of sucking down some clean mountain air. In the pseudo pantry where the cools kept cool the essential recipe needs brown rice, a tomato, Tabasco, and a can of beans, preferably black, yet white kidney beans come in a close second. Top that off with a green pepper and you are set to enjoy an evening of deliciousness, a vaporized tent, and when combined with an altitude of 12,000 feet or more- a fine and glorious outdoor dump halfway through the next day’s hike Next time you’re wondering what’s the ultimate gear for your latest hike, consider the legacy of the legume. Hell, no camelback, crampon, bear bell, or walking pole can compete!
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