Food Repackaging

During my MDS last year I focused on saving weight wherever I could.  One area that I did not pay particular attention to was repackaging of my dehydrated meals.  The Expedition Foods meals that I utilized came prepackaged in a foil based pouch that served as the preparation and eating container, a good idea.

Robust packaging

They pouch even had interior markings so you add the correct amount of water.  Prepare, eat and through away.  No dishes to do and less of a chance of intestinal woes.

Interior water fill lines visible

Similarly, many at the MDS utilized the water bottles that were issued for meal preparation.  Disposable but somewhat difficult to eat out of.

Water bottle bowl

For the Grand to Grand I will reevaluate my position.  The required equipment list for this event will add some additional weight that was just not there for the MDS.  Particularly a spare headlamp and jacket will add about 9-10 oz.  The requirement for a pad will also prevent abandoning this piece of gear.  Some of this extra weight could be made up by not bringing a camera or luxuries like a spare pair of running shorts or extra socks.  Not what I would prefer to do.

With six days of food required (seven actual days but breakfast on day one is consumed and no dinner required on day seven) and two dehydrated meals per day, packaging can add up to over 12 oz (335 grams).  This is based on a 1 oz (28 gram) weight for each meal, including the little oxygen adsorbing sachet.  Repackaging into lighter weight Ziploc bags could save around 10 oz (280 grams) but would necessitate an eating container of some kind.  Since water is not issued in bottles (you must provide your own containers) that option is not available.  One can find a variety of bowls (titanium, polypropylene, etc) that weigh in at around 2 oz (56 grams).  Even if you brought one along, that would save around 8 oz (225 grams)!  This would make up almost all of the extra weight of the headlamp and jacket.  Additionally with hot water being provided at camp the need for a stove and fuel is an offset (5 oz or 140 grams).

One could also up-size your mug to something larger and use that to eat and drink out of.  My MSR titanium mug has a capacity of 400 ml (1.9 oz) so adding a bowl would bring the total weight up to around 4 oz.  Other options available include:

Snowpeak titanium 600 ml (3 oz)
Toaks 750 ml pot (3.9 oz with lid)
MSR Ti Kettle 850 ml (4 oz with lid).


So obviously going with a single large container could save an ounce if you were looking for one.  One would have to evaluate the optimal volume required for meal preparation.

Lightweight Steel

For many guys the choice of a knife is a very personnel thing.  Basically it is an extension of your personality into a functional form.  However the choice of the proper blade for a stage race becomes constrained due to weight.  No tactical tomahawks, Benchmade folders or Bear Grylls survival models.

For my 2013 MDS I carried a Leatherman Style.  This little gem was more than a knife, it was also a tiny multi-tool having tweezers, a nail file, scissors and a screwdriver.  Weighing in at 23 grams this would be found more often than not on a key chain instead of being a primary survival tool.  The Style served me well in Morocco and I used the blade and scissors multiple times each day.  It was always handy in my front pack attacked to a short piece of shock cord.

With the Grand to Grand Ultra the requirement for a blade also comes with a minimum length stipulation - 5 cm.  Unfortunately the little Style is just well, too little (4 cm).  Searching high and low has reviewed a most unique possibility - the Baladeo ECO131.  This skeleton framed marvel is a feather weight 15 grams and sports a 6 cm long blade that is held in place with a functional lock back mechanism.

My youngest daughter Megan was kind enough to give me one for Christmas.  While I was initially put off by not having scissors the blade design is sound and appears to be more useful.  Balance is fine but it is small in the hand.

Lightweight steel for the field (Leatherman Style top and Badego ECO131 bottom)

The spear point blade of the Baladeo obviously pierces more readily than the spay-point on the Leatherman and one needs to be careful wielding it.  The extra length is a definite advantage.  Since my kit does not have any screws holding anything together there is no loss not having a screwdriver.  In fact this is in the plus column since an unused item is just extra weight.  The nail file was also unused during the MDS.  Tweezers could be of use but if one wishes some a separate pair could be carried.  I may just take the pair out of the Style and put them in with my first aid supplies.

Having the Baladeo in my pocket now for several days I am impressed with it and believe it will work fine in the future.

Sleeping Bag OK

As mentioned in a previous post there was concern regarding my Western Mountaineering Highlite sleeping bag meeting the minimum temperature requirements.  While new gear is always a good thing it makes no sense to lay out hundreds of dollars for a new bag that is just 3 degrees F warmer.  A quick email to an understanding Race Director Tess solved the delima.  With the inclusion of my down jacket she was good with my kit.  Thanks Tess!  Now the only issue is the odd color combination of the two.

Jornada del Muerto

Christmas in Las Cruces NM!  With all the presents and feasting over, my brother Dirk and I decided to go for a run.  I have been planning an attempt of the Jornada del Muerto or the Journey of the Dead (Man) for quite a while and thought it would be a good time to give it a partial go.  The Jornada del Muerto is a desolate, waterless 90 mile section of the El Camino Real in southern New Mexico.

On the Camino Real

While at some point I would like to run the whole length, we only trail blazed the first 28 miles. Gearing up our Raidlight packs with some food and about a gallon of water each we started at the Ft. Seldon ruins.

Ready to roll

Fort Seldon Ruins

Jogging along the Rio Grand in the cool 28 degree weather was quite refreshing and little like what those traveling this road would have experienced centuries ago.  After crossing under I-25 we swung north and started our cross country journey.  While the trail is over 400 years old there are very few remnants of it remaining. One can see portions of it on Google earth, these showing up as dark lines of vegetation across the desert.  We dipped and dogged around the thorny mesquite bushes for almost 18 miles, stopping occasionally to alter our course to try and stay on what we perceived was the trail.

Heading North to Point of Rocks (just above Dirk's head)

At around mile 11 we were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of four nice Oryx about 250 meters away.  These African antelope were introduced into New Mexico in the 1970's as an exotic hunting species and have adapted well, no real predators like lions to worry about!  They are very good to eat!

Wary Oryx (third one just visible on the right)

Pushing on we eventually ran across the first human we had seen since the start.  A polite Border Patrol agent which we had a two minute chat with.  I think he thought we were crazy after explaining our plans.  We continued on and since we were making some good time over open country, Point of the Rocks was finally getting closer

Looking Good - Feeling Good

About at mile 20 the trail merged with existing county roads and the going got much easier.  Our stopping point was to be the Point of the Rocks Trail Head and the last 7 or 8 miles was quite uneventful.

About 2 miles from the end my wife Lisa, my daughter Megan and Tawny the dog along with Dirk's daughter Claire met up with us.  We jogged into the trail head and called it a fine run.

End of the trail - for  now

Me and the girls

Tawny Dog overlooking the Jornada del Muerto (sandy swell in background)

Next up will be the section from Point of Rocks to Engle...

Winter Has Come

It has taken me some weeks to adjust to the ending of daylight savings time, guess I am getting old.  I believe most people would prefer that we didn't mess with our sleep cycles twice a year for whatever reasons we do it.  So now it is dark early and it takes more motivation to lace up the shoes and head out for some miles.  This week it got even worse with the arrival of our first big winter storm - wind, snow, ice and cold.  I think it will be a much harder winter than last year and the miles will taper off.   Looks like I am going to have to start running more during lunch or break out the head lamps (along with all the winter running clothes)!

Mont-Bell Ex Down Jacket

With the requirement for a "light down jacket" upon me I set out on a search for an optimized solution.  After some internet research I vectored in the direction of the Mont-Bell Ex Light Jacket.  This no frills garment meets both weight and functional criteria for a stage race piece of equipment.  Not mil-spec but quite light.

I was fortunate enough to find a discontinued/last year model at a reduced price and in my size so I jumped on it (being not too wrapped around the axel about color orange was OK).  Weighing in at under 6 oz the jacket is quite impressive and provides sufficient warmth.  It also packs down quite small in the included stuff sack.  I have worn it out and about in 35+ F conditions without complaints.  Should be just fine for relaxing after a hard day's stage!

With the impending winter season I am sure I will get the opportunity to do further trials with the Ex.

ROX (Roundtop Overlook X-Country)

Just so happen to be down in Las Cruces, NM this weekend and noticed that Mark Dorian was putting on another series of trail runs along the Sierra Vista Trail. The Roundtop Overlook X-Country (ROX) Trail Runs consisted of events ranging from 4 miles to 50 K.  Weather was great but a little windy later in the day.

I decided on doing the 27 mile run and not the 50 K since I have been a little beat down since the Palo Duro Trial 50 and I am on my "off season" for a couple of months.  Had a good time and meet Mike McCorgary from El Paso out on the course.  Found out he too is signed up for the Grand to Grand Ultra in 2014!  What a small world.  Looking forward to some training runs in the future Mike.