Summary: Show Notes: Episode 131<br> Today on the First 40 Miles, everyone needs a favorite backpacking spot—and you know what makes it even better? If it’s a top secret backpacking spot. On today’s top 5 list, we’ll break down our plans to make our off-grid backpacking Shangri-La even better. Then, a collapsible cookware set that takes up about a tenth of the space that a traditional set would. And we’ll answer every backpacker’s burning question about whether or not to bring your Snuggie on your next outdoor adventure. The answer is no. But we’ll give you an equally good option on today’s Backpack Hack of the Week.<br> Opening<br> <br> * We had a goal when we first moved to Oregon to do monthly hikes. The next year we decided to do quarterly backpacking trips. But we wanted something different this year.<br> * Find a top secret backpacking spot<br> * Close to home, easy to access, short trail<br> * Why do we want a secret spot? Go-to place for last minute trips, familiar, opportunities for foraging perhaps<br> <br> Top 5 Things We’re Going to Do With Our Secret Backpacking Spot<br> Navigate Our Way to a Suitable Camp Site<br> <br> * That doesn’t mean we’re going to physically bushwhack it<br> * We just need to become familiar enough with the area to be able to navigate back to our same secret spot each time.<br> * Source our water<br> * Scout for tent sites and hammock hangs<br> <br> Clean up Other People’s Fun<br> <br> * Entire dead dear carcass, a dear head, shotgun shells, beer bottles, broken glass, junk food wrappers. The trash of a rough life. And the longer the mess stays there, the more the area will be abused. The broken window theory:<br> * James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling first introduced the broken windows theory in an article titled Broken Windows, in the March 1982 The Atlantic Monthly.<br> * “Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may even break into the building, and if it’s unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light fires inside. Or consider a pavement. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of refuse from take-out restaurants there or even break into cars.”<br> <br> Explore for More <br> <br> * After we’ve hit our secret spot a few times, it’ll be time to find a new secret spot maybe in the same area<br> <br> Get Data on It<br> <br> * Maps, miles, GPS coordinates, history, etc.<br> * Identify plants and animals<br> <br> Not Keep it Stealth<br> <br> * Maybe invite some friends to come with us<br> * It’s no fun to have a secret camp spot unless you can share the secret with someone!<br> <br> SUMMIT Gear Review™: <a href="http://www.seatosummitusa.com/product/?item=X-Set+32&o1=0&o2=0&o3=585-12">Sea to Summit X-Set 32</a><br> Structure<br> <br> * Sea to Summit X-Set 32 is a set of cookware: a collapsible 1 liter teapot, a collapsible 2 liter pot, and an 8 inch skillet or frying pan.<br> * This is just one of the X sets that Sea to Summit has in the X line. The entire line is collapsible silicone dinnerwear and cookware.<br> <br> Utility<br> <br> * Both the teapot and the 2 liter pot collapse down and nest inside the frying pan (which is not collapsible). That makes this set very compact.<br> * Any one of the pieces of this set can be used on their own<br> * Built in strainer on the 2 liter X-pot<br> * Instead of the cookware having long handles that get in the way, the frying pad has short silicone handles on both sides that fold down when not in use, the X-pot has soft flexible silicone handles and the teapot has two handles that fold up for when you want to pour water out.<br> <br> Mass<br> <br> * All three together weigh 29 ounces<br> * This set of cookware all nest snuggly together and end up being no...
