Backpacking listmania!

I make lists like mad, and this is my one for backpacking. The things I leave out (stove, matches, flashlight, etc.) are things that Morgan has. Also bowls. I never seem to have the right bowl for backpacking, especially in my new awkward dish smashing phase.

The list! (It's really long.)

pack ( I decided on the REI Venus 75 '08)
tent
sleeping bag (REI Zephyr +15)
sleeping pad
yoga mat
32oz SIGG
16oz SIGG
BC pills
pocket knife
fork
keys
wallet
headlamp
lip balm
sunscreen
lotion
toothbrush
toothpaste
bar soap
deodorant
towel
hand towel
hat
gloves
scarf
chacos
shoes
pants (1)
shorts (2)
tshirt (2)
pair socks (4)
undies (4)
bras (2)
tanks (2)
fleece
raincoat
bikini
journal
book
pens
mesh bag
trash bag
hair ties
brush
hand mirror

trip specific:
IKEA list
clean outfit
driving directions

We're going up Mt. Hood (not summiting) on the Timberline Trail to Elk Cove from the Vista Ridge Trailhead. There are supposed to be thunderstorms, but it might be hot and sunny, hence my eclectic wardrobe choices. I hope Morgan lets me borrow my camera for part of the time, but one of the reasons I wanted to go to this particular place is because it's supposed to be great for pictures.

On the way back, we're going to stop by IKEA in Portland so I can pick up a few items for my RA room next year, like a handy bookshelf and some blankets and cork board. I'm a little worried that I'm going to be a dirty and disheveled shopper, which is why I'm going to leave a fairly nice and clean outfit in the car to change into. Morgan threatened to do my shopping for me if I refuse to get out of the car due to dirtiness, so I think a quick change at a gas station will work out. :)

We need to be back by 3 on the ninth so I can take a real shower and get prepared for the RBD PACURH site visit. My Transportation meting with them is at 3:30 and I have to go to the moderately fancy dinner at 6:45. We'll have to hike out pretty earlier to make it to Portland and then Corvallis in time.

Doing well.

I've worked out every day this month so far. I know that's only 4 days in a row, but I do feel better. Yay endorphins! I also just concocted a rather amazing chard and polenta extravaganza. Mmm.

Morgan will be up here in a few days, and I have mixed feelings about it. I love him. I want to see him and go backpacking and have a wonderful time. But the sooner he gets here, the sooner he leaves for Whitman again. And I know there's a chance he'll transfer before winter term, but I'm not sure how big that chance is.

Drinking fountain

I drink tons and tons of water, more than 3 liters a day. It's made me a water snob, as odd as it sounds, to the point that my perniciousness rivals that even of coffee snobs. It has to be super cold, it has to be tap water (because bottled water tastes like plastic), and it has to be from a bottle with a small mouth, like a Sigg. I'm also a Sigg snob, but I think that's a whole separate issue related to my future yuppiness.

I've noticed recently that I subconsciously map the drinking fountains around campus by their convenience, temperature, and overall flavor. The ones in Dixon by the cardio room are pretty excellent.

Apparently my OCD is becoming more pronounced. :)

One.

Day one of the fabulous month-long extravaganza of fitness has gone quite well. I stationary biked for 45 minutes and carted my groceries around campus for another 15. I also forgot how much I love frozen banana slices ... mmm.

My weekly budget for food is $30, but I've notice that I usually spend another $10-20 on gross processed food from the Dining Center each week. It's vegan, but definitely not awesome. SO today at WINCO I decided to spend up to $50 to get enough food to actually make stuff that tastes good.

I already made some pretty damn excellent mac and cheeze from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen blog. It was tasty. I was shocked. The last time (which was also the first time) I tried to make vegan mac it tasted like... nastiness. I wouldn't feed it to anyone who hadn't tried nutritional yeast (nooch!) before, but I really love it. I also plan to make gnocchi this week. Ah.

My new almost favorite vegan cooking/photography blog is Vegan Yum Yum. Her picture are amazing and her recipes look very fancy but doable.

Peace!

Quinoa Deliciousness

Quinoa is amazing. It's a complete protein (lots of aminos), fun to say (Keeeen-waa!), and almost disturbingly cute when it's cooked.

So I made this tasty salad.

Cook the quinoa and chill it before you add the veggies and whatnot. This makes about 5 servings.

1 cup uncooked quinoa ( I used a mix of light and dark)
2 cups water

While the quinoa is cooking, mix together:

1/3 cup crushed raw cashews
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 whole zucchini, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger, minced
3 T rice vinegar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1 t curry powder
1 t lemon juice

I let the veggies and cashews kinda marinate in the vinegar and spices, then I drained most of the liquid and added the ginger and garlic.

When the quinoa is done, fluff it with a fork and cool it in the fridge. When it cools, fluff it again and then mix in the other ingredients. It may need more salt.

Peace!

August Challenge

I've decided to try and work out for an hour every single day in August. No breaks. I can mix it up with cardio or weights or swimming or whatever, but it has to be one hour and it has to be every day. The Midge Cramer bike path that goes out past the covered bridge and the fair grounds to Bald Hill is really beautiful, and I can bike the whole thing from Campus and back in about half an hour, so I could do that in the morning and a half hour at Dixon in the evening.

I've been using the excuse that Dixon's hours suck in the summer, but that's pretty lame. I only think they suck because I like working out at night and their summer hours are M-F 6-8 and S-S 10-4. My work schedule is pretty screwy, but I really should be able to fit an hour of working out in there somewhere.

Usually when I'm not in Corvallis I'm out doing something active, so on days when I don't have access to Dixon I should still be just fine. Example: Backpacking.

I'm also going to make a better commitment to structuring my veganism in a more conscious way. I really need more protein. My food budget needs to go more towards tofu and beans and fresh fruits and veggies, and I need to replace the cheap but gross staple of Top Ramen with more heart and proteiny vegan options. I like the healthier food so much better, but it takes more work and a little bit more money. Making better use of my cookbooks and the kitchen will be very helpful.

Hopefully my August Challenge will make me feel awesome about my body for the coming school year and get me ready for the more rigorous schedule that will come with September.

On a completely different note, today I found out that McNary won't be ready for RA's to move into until September 15th, a week after training starts and only three days before early arrivals. We're all going to have to live in Callahan or Wilson. That could be pretty sweet, because we'll probably bond more than we would otherwise, but it also kinda sucks because we'll have to prep the building really fast.

I'm really starting to look forward to starting school and classes and the whole RA thing. I like the more refined schedule that comes with all that stuff. I feel like I have more dedicated time to study, cook, workout, be with friends, work, and have class, whereas now my schedule is a big jumble of weirdness.

I had a meeting with my PACURH advisor yesterday that went quite well. Now I actually have some stuff to work on, which is a change. I think I'm finally done with the logo design and now I just need to work on the t-shirt.

Peace!

I miss my dog.

Dot the Majestic Labrador Retriever. She may be on the below-average intelligence side of life, but she's pretty much adorable. These are from the day I left for college. :(