Don’t Panic
Month Five: Don’t Panic
8/5/2023
Minnesota - Wisconsin - Minnesota
Month five has been hands down the fastest month thus far. We arrived in the Pork Pond, Minnesota, settled into temporary house living and gave ourselves through the weekend to relax prior to the chaos of trail preparations. And when I say chaos, it was full-blown, true-to-form, arm-flapping chaos.
Prepping for a weekend backcountry trip (i.e. Maroon Bells or Trans-Catalina) is a hassle when everything goes smoothly. Prepping for a week-long trip (i.e. High Sierra Trail) is an anxiety-ridden marathon. For our planned epic thru hike (Superior Hiking Trail + Border Route + Kekekabic) we will be in the backcountry for roughly 30 days. I feel on the verge of an aneurysm daily. There is just so much to do. Getting in hiking shape (we plan to average 15 miles daily), getting a trail doggo into shape (he will be with us each step of the trip), get replacement/additional gear ordered and tested, and do not get me started on the food. I’m rather shocked Jake’s mom didn’t kick us out as we rapidly took over their dining room for the base of Operation Menu. (Thanks Deb! We owe you!)
Weekends were saved as breaks from trail prep and attempts to relax. There is an old Minnesota tradition known commonly as “The Cabin”. Yes, everyone in Minnesota refers to their cabin, or their friend’s cabin, or a family member’s cabin, or even a rental as “The Cabin” as if there was a singular cabin all 5.7 million of them to share at once. After living in LA, that number doesn’t seem as large anymore. I’m crying and laughing at the same time. We went to the “The Cabin” four of the five weekends.
Back in the land of lakes, loons and Leinies
One of those weekend trips to “The Cabin” was to celebrate another trip around the sun for myself. If you haven’t guessed, my all time favorite beverage to grace this planet is Leinenkugel’s Honey Weiss. It is the Reeses peanut butter cup of beers. Nothing could possibly improve it, it is perfect as is and will be a great beverage in any situation; cold, hot, sweaty, frigid. I mean, I am such a fan I named my dog after this brewery. So we mecca journeyed to Leinie Lodge. This used to be an annual birthday tradition until the commute from SoCal made it a bit tricky.
Leinie Lodge aka Beer Heaven
Anywho, backstory aside, Leinie Lodge was shockingly busy and the tours (I am undefeated at the trivia for the free prize) are now reservable and the next one wasn’t for four hours. Ok, don’t panic. We decided to skip the tour, despite my unbeatable trivia record reputation and just enjoy some sample pints instead. Honey Weiss was still the most perfect beer to froth a glass and I savored mine with the biggest smile on my face.
The trip was hosted by Jake’s sister at her version of “The Cabin” where we fished and Leinie shocked everyone by dock diving.
Mother Nature decided to send me a gift and I ended up with a whomping poison ivy rash on both feet and ankles. Antihistamines, topicals and beer help soothe the burning while I pointedly did not look at the dwindling days until my feet would be stuck in wool socks and boots for a month straight. Woosha.
While nursing the rash, another old tradition was brought back to life. My girl Angie and I celebrated a belated Half Xmas with “The Cabin”, this time it was my parents’ summer rental in Central Minnesota lakes country. We relaxed, drank, floated, and attempted beer yoga. All in all another successful Half Xmas for the books.
Returning to trail prep, someone turned the thermostat way up so the training hikes were put on hold while food prep took center stage. Dehydrating and freeze drying complete (Thanks Steph!), up next was meal assembly. Ever seen a month’s worth of oatmeal before?
64 of them bad boys
You’re welcome.
As the meals were assembled, the days were grouped together into the various resupply boxes. Attempting to work smarter not harder, I got mailing boxes the same volume as our bear keg. If the resupply has to fit in the bear keg, and the box being the same space, if it fits in the box it will fit in the keg. Until it didn’t. Cue paper bag breathing.
Jake did his trail tetris magic and we were back in the clear. If I don’t end up grey by the start of this trip, it will be a miracle.
Meanwhile amongst all the food preparation our weeks looked something like this: daily 5 mile walks with Leinie, gym for strength training 2-3 days, non-gym days were training hikes with full pack weight and mileage, and throw in some yoga for balance ‘cuz I was blessed with the weak family ankles. Gotta replenish the emergency van fund so Jake helped out at his dad’s job site and I picked up some pet sitting gigs. I also signed up months before embarking in the Yellow Submarine for some speaking engagements in October and presentations don’t make themselves. Don’t forget to meet up with family and friends and enjoy the weekly Pancheros visit to make up for lost time as they don’t exist in SoCal (basically a better Chipotle) and we have to sleep at some point right? Told ya we were busy.
Started with 6.5 miles and were doing 15+ miles by trail time
As the trail prep winds to a close, presentations created, some money earned, Pancheros eaten, the panic has started to abate. I feel very tired and may celebrate with a good, hard nap followed by a cold beer.
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