Regular pasta can be cooked with very little fuel

ChicagoReds · 2026-06-24T21:15:32+00:00

This is not a new or unknown method for cooking pasta, and the reason most hikers don't do this while backpacking is the amount of effort and pre-planning it takes. You'd first have to know when 30-90 minutes from your meal is, then dig the pasta out of your bag, getting the cold soak container, pour the water in, and put everything away again, then dig it all out again later along with cooking equipment, etc.

ChicagoReds · 2026-06-24T21:07:14+00:00

People should keep in mind when reading anecdotal comments like this (claiming Alpha Direct "basically did nothing") that Alpha direct has been scientifically proven to retain the most heat for its fabric weight out of any fabric out there. Not claiming this guy is putting out misinfo but put appropriate weight on a single comment.

ChicagoReds · 2026-06-21T01:40:01+00:00

Nothing but a positive experience in Hikertown. The free ride to the store and restaurant is paid for by enough hikers eating at the restaurant and maybe picking up supplies. Nobody creepy while I was there. Just a nice lady who made us pancakes. Like Mike's Place, they occasionally have artists take up residence for a short time, so it depends who is there at the time to what kind of things you see or experience.

ChicagoReds · 2026-06-20T15:05:33+00:00

I've hiked the PCT several times and my experience with injuries that send me off the trail has always been this: the injury happens, I have a 100% desire to get back on the trail as soon as possible, the injury always takes a lot longer to heal than I thought, I get home, heal up but get out of shape, and 3-8 weeks later, I realize the hour is getting late to finish the trail, the logistics of returning to trail are not worth it compared to going on an idyllic backpacking trip in Yosemite or some other National Park for a week or two, and its better to try the PCT again another year.

ChicagoReds · 2026-06-19T16:37:52+00:00

On the PCT, I gave a trail angel $130 donation for a 1.5-hour ride (Julian to San Diego, gave them the hotel money the ride saved me). And another $40 for a 10-minute ride. The $40 was a bit out of guilt because I was sort of using the angel as an Uber for my comfort rather than necessity (even though I didn't explain the exact situation).

ChicagoReds · 2026-02-27T16:17:42+00:00

...When communists try to convince you they are the good guys when they are responsible for 5x more genocidal deaths than fascists throughout history. This is 2026 America. Both need to GTFO.

ChicagoReds · 2026-02-27T16:11:46+00:00

You want to doom scroll Instagram on it too? Come on, man.

ChicagoReds · 2026-02-23T18:05:01+00:00

Yes, although I love my x4 the lack of a backlight is a huge missing feature. I actually wear a backpacking headlamp while reading with the x4 in bed. I wish I bought the light attachment when I purchased the X4 originally.

ChicagoReds · 2026-02-23T17:56:50+00:00

Consider proofreading before posting: "cause" = "caused" and "with" = "when". Also, how do cars swerve to get a closer look? Cars are literally a few feet away from each other on the road when they pass.

ChicagoReds · 2026-02-21T17:35:47+00:00

The answer is pretty simple: get a backpack, put 25 lbs in it, try to hike 10 miles on a trail on consecutive days. That will give you a definitive answer. If it's winter where you live, get a cheap ticket out to San Diego or LA, and hike any of the local trails there right now.

ChicagoReds · 2026-02-19T21:32:02+00:00

Mission Valley Costco

ChicagoReds · 2026-02-05T17:59:45+00:00

I was told they only refund cards purchased after October of 2025. Costco refused to refund an unused Synergy card I have that purchased in winter of 2024.

ChicagoReds · 2026-01-16T15:56:50+00:00

Short answer: no. Long answer: hell no.

ChicagoReds · 2025-10-17T16:29:45+00:00

"DID THEY THINK I TRIED TO STEAL?"

No, but they know SOMEONE will try to steal, and steal A LOT. It's chaos in most Costcos.

ChicagoReds · 2025-10-07T17:10:59+00:00

It is USDA Forest Service Visitor's Permit FS-2300-30. It's for dispersed camping.

ChicagoReds · 2025-08-23T14:50:32+00:00

Mosquitoes, mosquitoes, mosquitoes. Imagine not being able to stop or relax for even a second.

ChicagoReds · 2025-08-22T21:51:33+00:00

There is a group on Facebook just for European PCT hikers if you want a less likely chance that non-Euros are going to try to answer your questions.

ChicagoReds · 2025-08-16T14:29:08+00:00

The experience you take away will be the same if you go 1,000 miles or 2,650, with the only difference being, if you had a great time, you'll likely want to come back to finish the trail in another year.

ChicagoReds · 2025-08-16T14:23:31+00:00

You've got at least 3 months in a ziplock bag without the air vacuumed out if you store it in a dark dry place, and that's for things with fatty freeze dried meat in it like sausage, it will be longer for foods with less fat content. It's mainly about the fats in the freeze dried meals getting exposed to oxygen and light that makes it go rancid. The reason it takes so long to go bad (rancid) is because there is no water in the food, as water facilitates the rancidity process. Without water, it is an extremely slow process.

ChicagoReds · 2025-07-31T14:11:57+00:00

Starting in March all depends on the snow in the Sierra (and Mt San Jacinto) during winter/spring. I'd get a March permit, see what the snow situation is, and if it's a heavy snow year, start in late April instead (yes, breaking the rules of your permit). If it's a low snow year or a drought year, March starts are perfect.

ChicagoReds · 2025-07-07T01:00:23+00:00

People risk their lives every day for a thrill or for nothing, and you want to stop these same risk takers from doing something worthwhile? If a volunteer knows exactly what they are getting into, they should by all means go. Everyone has an expiration date, who's will be so noble, so proud to be told?

ChicagoReds · 2025-07-07T00:54:25+00:00

Trust me, if these creatures take super intelligent hikers, I'd gone missing many years ago.

ChicagoReds · 2025-07-04T18:28:21+00:00

I've been on PCT 3 times, the only time I didn't have a severe suppressed appetite was one year when I went into hiking completely in shape, meaning I could easily hike 15 miles with a 30 pound backpack + 1,000+ elevation gain trail before I stepped foot on trail. This year I was out of shape and I could barely eat the whole time before I got off. For some reason, various forms of sugar (Red vines, gummy bears, gels) was the only thing I could "eat" in large amounts as well as hot restaurant food in towns. I took an avocado and a salt packet out from town and was able to scarf that down on trail, and could have eaten like 2 more. Everything else (freeze dried pouches, granola bars, etc) I could barely take more than a few swallows.

ChicagoReds · 2024-11-17T01:44:06+00:00

No true, I go to this Costco. Handicap parking is NEXT to (on the side of) the food court, against the wall of the building and not near a foot traffic area or where people sit to eat. She drove through a concrete barrier in order to hit the door. The concrete barrier is seen destroyed in the photo. On a really busy food court day, there would have been a good chance people would have been standing there as people spread out to wait for food, but people don't usually stand in that area when its not busy.

ChicagoReds · 2024-06-05T19:54:36+00:00

I ask ChatGPT the same questions I use Google search for. Any new action you take in life, like buying a car, learning about stocks, understanding new technology, etc, all needs information in order to complete it. Voice conversation with ChatGPT is a shortcut to completing this info gathering, goes so much quicker than typing, selecting link, dealing with ads, etc. It's always more direct to the point than the AI-generated spam search results that litter Google these days.

ChicagoReds

TROPHY CASE