{"id":8258,"date":"2016-07-11T07:53:07","date_gmt":"2016-07-11T14:53:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=8258"},"modified":"2018-11-11T22:00:40","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T06:00:40","slug":"make-home-a-mountain-bikers-approach-to-camping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/make-home-a-mountain-bikers-approach-to-camping","title":{"rendered":"Make Home: A Mountain Biker\u2019s Approach to Camping"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019d pared everything down to the bare basics for this mountain bike trip\u2014except for that bulky plastic clamshell I\u2019d secretly zipped into my backpack when my friend Julie wasn\u2019t looking.<\/p>\n

We\u2019d packed pretty light\u2014everything fitting into either our daypacks or the small bundles hovering over our rear wheels, our sleeping bags lashed to our handlebars. So when the stars began peeking at us through the treetops as we licked up the last scraps of dinner, Julie laughed in surprise when I pulled out a container of gooey, half-melted chocolate cupcakes. No matter how minimal I\u2019m willing to go with my kit, I believe good camping food can make even the most bare-bones campsite feel like home.<\/p>\n

\"Make<\/p>\n

You won\u2019t find me stringing up twinkle lights or carrying a Bluetooth speaker on my mountain bike camping trips\u2014whether it\u2019s bikepacking or even car camping. The less that comes between me and nature, the better. Except when it comes to food. My first mountain bike camping trip was also the first time I saw someone make burritos from scratch on a camp stove, and I don\u2019t know if I\u2019ve tasted a more satisfying burrito since.<\/p>\n

\"Make<\/p>\n

To me, camping isn\u2019t about recreating the comforts of my home in the outdoors\u2014because to me, \u201chome\u201d is wherever I can be myself and make memories with my friends. And one of the best ways I know of making those memories is savoring a special edible treat together. Noshing on a satisfying camp dinner is the perfect time to relive the day\u2019s scary drops and insane climbs\u2014to share the little victories and failures of the trail. So even if I\u2019m just wandering over to a patch of dirt with my sleeping bag later\u2014instead of constructing an elaborate home away from home\u2014you know I haven\u2019t skimped on the feast beforehand.<\/p>\n

Maybe it\u2019s as simple as making sure my fizzy water is nestled in the cooler back at camp before I leave on the ride, or carefully packing all the ingredients for a killer Dutch oven dessert later, but the more camping trips I take in order to go mountain biking, the more I realize that a little effort in the food department goes a long way. I\u2019m certainly no snob\u2014the meals I\u2019ve devoured in ecstasy around a campfire might rank way below average at home or at a restaurant. But after I\u2019ve kicked off my bike shoes and wrapped up in my puffy jacket, there\u2019s nothing more fulfilling than a hot, savory dinner, a cold, fizzy drink and something rich and sweet to end it all.<\/p>\n

Pro Tip:\u00a0Don\u2019t skimp on the \u201cgood\u201d stuff.<\/h4>\n

Maybe at home you\u2019re cautious about your diet\u2014you go light on the butter, or choose low-sodium products. It\u2019s smart. But after a day of pedal-mashing, lung-searing fun, a rich, salty meal will probably sound a lot more satisfying than the light, low-fat meals you might make at home. My good friend and camp-cooking pro Sarah Uhl recently shared her secret to perfect post-ride camp meals with me: extra butter, and extra coarse-ground sea salt.<\/p>\n

Hilary’s Camp Favorites<\/h4>\n