[pct-l] Re: Super Secrets - Switchback's Laws of Backpacking

[mt2mt at sbcglobal.net (David Frederck)]

These comments about food are so true!  I met a guy
doing the 
JMT "unassisted".  His diet was dried, then ground up
bagels
and 1/4 or 1/2 cup oil. He figured out that that gave
him the
right amount of calories in the least amount of space
and weight.
He told me he could barely keep it down (and this was
at Red's 
Meadow heading South!) 
I believe he never finished the trail. 
Just because food has the proper nutritional balance
doesn't mean
 you can stomach it. This is why I'd be a bit
concerned about those
 planning to use only cold food. They may like to eat
that way, 
in which case great. But I find that nothing renews
the body and
 spirit like something warm in the stomach after a
long, hard day.
Food selection is very important.  Planning to pig out
on
low quality burgers and beer in the towns along the
PCT won't 
make up for a diet that isn't nutritious nor
satisfying. 

The second set of laws are the Laws  of Backpacking
Food.  Here they 
are:
1.  You must take food you  will eat (this is much
more complex than 
most 
people think).  Better yet,  food you enjoying eating.
 Food that 
motivates you.  
Food that you  look forward to eating and is
satisfying.
2.  Your food should be  nutritious for your
particular trip and 
medical needs.  The longer  your trip the more
important this law.