Summary: Show Notes: Episode 145<br> Today on the First 40 Miles, Are you a fair weather backpacker? This was a question Heather asked herself on our last trip. Then, we’ll share the Top 5 features we wish our gear had…nothing too crazy this time. Then you’ll learn the simple steps to make your own whole grain flatbread for your next backpacking trip.<br> Opening<br> <br> * Are you a fair weather backpacker? Do you get frustrated when things don’t go perfectly?<br> * Story of one trip this summer<br> * The good, the bad and the ugly<br> * “If I hadn’t gone, none of this would have happened.”<br> <br> <br> Top 5 Features We Wish ALL Our Gear Had<br> Tabs<br> <br> * How can you not love tabs!<br> * Great for hanging gear, connecting gear to other things, using your gear in new and innovative ways.<br> * Everything from hammocks to jackets to packs to water storage should have tabs<br> <br> Reflective accents<br> <br> * Some gear like guy lines, hiking shoes, or jackets are embedded with reflective material<br> * Makes it easy to find things in the dark<br> * Why can’t it be a part of all gear?<br> * Packs, clothing, water bottles, hammocks, shelters, stoves<br> <br> Windows or translucence<br> <br> * If you’ve ever brought an opaque water bottle on a backpacking trip, you know that it’s hard to gauge your water consumption when you can’t see your water.<br> * Well, it can be just as tricky with your other gear, too.<br> * Pack is opaque, stuff sacks are opaque—and wouldn’t it be great if you could see through them a little<br> * Great stuff sacks from Hyperlite Mountain Gear that are translucent<br> * I can see thru them enough to tell, “Oh, this is my toiletries” “This one is my stove and fuel.”<br> * It would help you find things faster<br> <br> Reinforcement accents<br> <br> * The whole pack doesn’t need to be made of bulletproof fabric—but how about just the bottom?<br> * Dyneema Composite Fabric<br> <br> Pockets<br> <br> * Specifically in clothing, but it’s handy to have pockets in tent, sleeping bag, and hammocks<br> * Pockets add weight, so it’s another tradeoff between functionality and weight.<br> * Stuff sack with pockets/dividers like the one we talked about in an episode.<br> <br> Story from Listener<br> <br> * 30 seconds to explain why he loves backpacking<br> <br> Backpack Hack of the Week™: Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas<br> 2 cups whole wheat flour<br> 1 1/2 tsp baking powder<br> 1 tsp salt<br> 2 tsp oil<br> 3/4 cup water<br> Mix all ingredients. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Divide into 16 pieces. Roll each piece out to 6-8 inches in diameter. Cook on medium heat, both sides until speckled and cooked. Cover cooked tortillas with a kitchen towel to keep them warm and pliable (so they won’t dry out).<br> Trail Wisdom<br> On an unknown path every foot is slow. –Old Proverb<br>
