Watch the full series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzQ_M0Z99-s&list=PL7tqTAgUK4UyHoT7hj5ZL_xFynaZAOQY8

Anna, Elena and Kelsi take on their own adventure while Colin sleeps in. They raft the Youghiogheny River on a guided trip with Wilderness Voyageurs and experience a new level of friendship and comradery as they navigate class 3 and 4 rapids together.


About the series:
Four friends head out on a 150-mile bikepacking adventure from Cumberland, MD to Pittsburgh, PA following the historic Great Allegheny Passage trail. Starting from mile marker 0 in downtown Cumberland, Kelsi, Colin, Anna and Elena bike their way across the Mason Dixon line, over the Eastern Continental Divide, pass through historic Civil War battlegrounds, cross breathtaking bridges and tunnels, experience a haunting and discover new levels of sit bone soreness they were unprepared for.

Red Lentil Marinara
Full recipe at: https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/....backpacking-recipes-

This vegetarian red lentil marinara sauce is a great way to bump up your protein while enjoying a big comforting bowl of pasta.

While our overall calorie count is important while backpacking, we also want to make sure we’re getting those calories from the right places too. After a long, tiring day out on the trail, we know it’s important to get some protein into our system. The protein will help our muscles repair overnight and keep us feeling full throughout the night. So we came up with a way to introduce some more protein into one of our favorite comfort foods: pasta with red lentil sauce.

Picture this scene: The sun is starting to set and you’re hanging out around the campfire. You casually chop up some vegetables, set your Dutch oven over the coals, saute an onion and some garlic, then dump the rest of your vegetables in with a can of tomatoes. You cover it with coals and then go back to hanging out. Then, maybe about an hour later, you go back to the Dutch oven and uncover it. That whole time you were relaxing, enjoying yourself, and NOT actively cooking, you were also making a super flavorful ratatouille!

Dutch Oven Ratatouille
Serves 2 as a main / 4 as a side
1 hr

1 yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
2 medium zucchini
2 medium yellow summer squash
1 small eggplant
1 tablespoon oil
14 oz. canned San Marzano tomatoes (whole or crushed)
1 teaspoon salt
Basil, to garnish

Prepare your coals by 23 charcoal briquettes and let them burn until spotted grey. Alternatively, start a campfire and let it burn down to hot embers.

Prep the vegetables: Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Cut the zucchini, squash, and eggplant into 1-inch cubes.

Heat the oil in a 10” Dutch oven over a bed of prepared coals. Add the onion and saute until starting to soften. Add the garlic and saute 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes with the juices, using your spoon to crush the tomatoes if they are whole. Add the zucchini, squash, eggplant, and salt and stir to combine.

Cover the Dutch oven and place 16 coals on the lid (you’re aiming for about 375F). Cook for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

Serve in bowls as a vegan main, or as a side for grilled chicken, steaks or fish.

Shop Dutch Ovens:
https://www.rei.com/c/dutch-ovens

Meal Planning for Backpacking
https://www.rei.com/learn/expe....rt-advice/planning-m


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), we love to get outside and play, and we know first-hand the importance of quality outdoor gear. We stand behind all our products with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and we design our own line of award-winning REI brand gear and clothing. Whether you're new to outdoor adventure or a seasoned pro, we gladly share our enthusiasm for our products—and the trails, slopes and waterways where we play.

Shop REI.com: https://www.rei.com/
Take a class: https://www.rei.com/learn.html
Travel with REI: https://www.rei.com/adventures
Learn something new: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice
Find a trail: https://www.rei.com/h/adventure-projects
Read: https://www.rei.com/blog
REI Membership: https://www.rei.com/membership/benefits

Full recipe at: https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/....backpacking-recipe-t

A hearty soup with crunchy tortilla toppings, this dehydrated tortilla soup is a great vegan option for backpacking.

Loaded with lots of different layers of flavors, this recipe will really put your dehydrator to work. We start off by dehydrating black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, a small onion, roasted corn, jalapenos, and fresh cilantro. You can’t overdry any of these ingredients, so its best to just let it run overnight. The jalapenos will spice up the air in the beginning, so make sure the dehydrator is in a well-ventilated location. Once everything is fully dehydrated, divide all the ingredients in half and combine to create individual portions.

Getting a flat tire is an inevitable part of cycling, no matter what type of riding you do. Follow along as Kat walks you through the steps to fix a flat and change your bike tire, including details on changing both the front and rear tires.

The topics covered in this class are:
How to Remove the Wheel from the Frame: 1:03
How to Remove the Tire from the Rim: 6:45
How to Find the Cause of the Flat: 8:30
Whether to Patch or Replace the Tube: 12:23
How to Replace the Tube and the Tire: 13:30
How to Reinstall the Wheel: 18:39

To learn how to patch a punctured inner tube, watch our video: https://youtu.be/Oq7KFOGtuu0

For additional resources, including a step-by-step guide to fixing a flat tire, check out our Intro to Bike Maintenance class page on REI.com: https://www.rei.com/learn/expe....rt-advice/intro-to-b

And remember that this video is the third in our Intro to Bike Maintenance series. Watch the rest of the videos here—

Chapter 1—Anatomy of a Bike: https://youtu.be/f-orSWsSLQY
Chapter 2—How to Do a Pre-Ride Inspection: https://youtu.be/BXZKdT9RHNM
Chapter 4—How to Maintain Your Bike’s Drivetrain: https://youtu.be/eanbyYhLQm4

Sweet Potato & Chorizo Breakfast Hash Recipe
Full Recipe:https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/....camping-recipes-swee

Perfect for a chilly fall morning, this hearty breakfast skillet is a great way to start the day.

The further we push into fall, the greater the motivation needed to get us up and out of bed. The nights are so long and the mornings are so cold that some days it seems impossible to get the day started before 10am. This is when having a warm breakfast to look forward to can be a crucial motivating factor.

While this sweet potato & chorizo breakfast hash might seem like something you’d order off a brunch menu, it’s actually incredibly easy to make yourself at a campsite. Plan on making this, and getting up in the morning will become a whole lot easier.

We used crumbly pork chorizo in this recipe, but beef chorizo would work as well. If you wanted to make the recipe vegetarian you could sub out the chorizo for soyrizo. Or, if you want to make the whole thing vegan, then use soyrizo and leave out the eggs.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium-size sweet potato, peeled if desired
2 green onions
2 ounces crumbly chorizo (or Soyrizo)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
⅛ teaspoon (a pinch) of cinnamon
2 eggs
Salt to taste

Cut the sweet potato into ½ inch dice and finely chop the green onions (green + light green parts).

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the sweet potato. Toss to coat, then cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften. Add the green onions and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Once the potatoes are tender, add the chorizo. Cook for 2 minutes or until cooked through. Add the maple syrup and cinnamon. Stir to combine.

Make two wells in the hash and crack an egg into each. Cook the eggs to your liking - we cover our skillet with a lid for about 2 minutes to make sunny side up eggs.
Serve + enjoy!

Thanks, Fresh Off The Gride for the recipe:
https://www.youtube.com/channe....l/UCtfkPHv8F3g36h3l8

Exhausted from training, plus the challenges of a newborn, Colin reaches out for emotional support, and digs deep to find the will to continue to prepare for his first summit hike. Realizing he lacks essential gear, Colin returns to REI to gear-up, and maybe take a nap in a Quarter Dome tent.

When we come together as a community, we can do amazing things. Here are a few examples of the collective impact of the REI community, shared by employees.

If the teeth on your zipper won’t mesh, they pull apart, or the toggle has come off the slider, you’ll need to replace one or both of the sliders. This video shows you how to remove and replace the old hardware to get your bag zipping like new.

If you’re having a hard time locating the right parts, or you want to send your bag in for a professional repair, head to www.rainypass.com.

To learn more, check out https://www.rei.com/learn/expe....rt-advice/sleeping-b

From your forearms to your feet, you fire up a lot of different muscles when you climb. Rock climbing and bouldering require power for explosive movements, balance to traverse or move up a rock face, endurance to sustain you through long climbs, and a stable core to help you climb better and more efficiently. In this video, Dr. Sam shows you eight exercises you can do at home to workout your upper half (arms, shoulders, fingers, chest, core) and lower body (quads and glutes).

In this video, we’ll show you the following exercises:
Side Plank with Overhead Press—0:51
Shoulder External Rotation—1:34
Shoulder Internal Rotation—2:19
Jump Squat—2:50
Single-Leg Squat—3:25
Side Plank with Lateral Pull-Down—4:04
Pushup with Single-Arm Row—4:39
Shoulder External Rotation to Pull Apart—5:16

And for more information on training for climbing, check out our article: https://www.rei.com/learn/expe....rt-advice/rock-climb

We also have a helpful article on hangboard training: https://www.rei.com/learn/expe....rt-advice/how-to-use

------------------------------

At Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), we love to get outside and play, and we know first-hand the importance of quality outdoor gear. We stand behind all our products with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and we design our own line of award-winning REI brand gear and clothing. Whether you're new to outdoor adventure or a seasoned pro, we gladly share our enthusiasm for our products—and the trails, slopes and waterways where we play. Shop REI.com: https://www.rei.com/ Take a class: https://www.rei.com/learn.html Travel with REI: https://www.rei.com/adventures Learn something new: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice Find a trail: https://www.rei.com/h/adventure-projects Read: https://www.rei.com/blog REI Membership: https://www.rei.com/membership/benefits

Jake Huddleston lives out of his van year round so he can devote all of his resources to canyoneering, a sport he is pushing forward with new descents in the Pacific Northwest. In this episode of “The Moment,” Huddleston travels to Big Creek to run a canyon in honor of a friend who made the first descent and has since passed away.

When you’re taking a trip off the beaten path, you’ll most likely run into some rough terrain. Here’s how the Ford Bronco Sport is built for backroad adventures and what to pack in your car so you’re prepared for unexpected obstacles. Sponsored by Ford.

SmartWool introduces its new PhD Indestructawool socks. Conrad Anker, an alpine climber, puts them to the test and visits the Tennessee factory to learn more about his favorite sock brand.

Shop SmartWool socks at https://www.rei.com/b/smartwool.

Austin, Texas, believe it or not, is one of the top landlocked destinations for SUP'ing in the United States. Spend sometime SUP'ing Austin with a few local REI members.

Right after the film, join us for a live Q&A with biologist Caitlin Davis and director Charles Post: https://youtu.be/epd2jowGGCo

Peering out her tall bedroom windows to the highway below, Caitlin Davis dreamed of life as an ecologist. When she saw mountains for the first time on a backpacking trip after college, her fate was sealed. Today, in Idaho’s demanding sagebrush country, the raptor biologist spends her days rappelling into golden eagle nests studying how human impact affects their reproduction and productivity.
Kaare Iverson - Assisant Director, Editor, Cinematographer
Charles Post - Director, Producer
Dan Holz - Executive Producer, Cinematographer

Original Score - Cleod9 Music
Sound Design & Audio Mix - Scotty Beam + Cleod9
MusicAdditional Music - "Don't You Ever" by Spirit Ghost

Dutch Oven Chili Mac
Full recipe at: https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/....camp-recipe-dutch-ov

Cheesy and filling? Spicy and hearty? This fall comfort food has got it all. Combining the best aspects of chili and mac & cheese, this one-pot chili mac is sure to be a favorite.

Tired of drooling on your balled-up jacket but don’t want to carry the added weight of a pillow? Don’t like that your pile of clothes moves around on you at night? Miranda shows you how to make a pillow stuff sack to keep your pack organized, your sleep set-up comfortable, and your clothing clean(ish).
 
DIY not your thing? Shop pillows here: https://www.rei.com/c/camping-pillows?ir=category%3Asleeping-bags-and-accessories&r=category%3Asleeping-bags-and-accessories%7Ccamping-pillows
 
Tag REI (@rei) and Miranda (@mirandagoesoutside) if you try this DIY. We’d love to see the finished product!
 
0:47 MATERIALS:
- 1/2 yard of Ripstop or Sport Nylon (45” – 60” width)
- 1/2 yard of Flannel or Microfleece (45” – 60” width)
- Matching Thread
- Toggle (shop toggles: https://www.rei.com/product/84....8877/gear-aid-ellips
- Paracord or Utility Cord (shop utility cord: https://www.rei.com/product/79....9630/pmi-3mm-utility
- Measuring Tape or Ruler
- Sharp Scissors
- Pins
- Sewing Machine or Needle
 
DIRECTIONS: for 12”x8”x4” pillow*
 1:43 Cut two (2) pieces of nylon fabric and one (1) piece of flannel to a 14” x 18” rectangle
1:58 Pin fabric with right sides of nylon facing out, and flannel sandwiched between. Pin two long edges and one short edge. Be careful to pin close to the edge, so as to not create unnecessary holes in the material.
2:37 Mark 1.5” down from one top corner by open side — this is where you will start stitching.
3: 27 Using a straight stitch and 1/2” seam allowance, sew the three pinned sides.
3:39 Trim seam allowance to 1/4”, leaving full seam allowance on 1.5” unsewn section.
4:28 Turn pillow flannel-side out.
4:48 Press on low heat.
4:53 Stitch around 3 edges again with a 3/8” or 1/2” seam allowance, being careful not to sew over the 1.5” gap on one side. This is your first French seam! Raw edges should be captured within the second set of stitches. If you have some pieces of thread or fabric sticking out, you can careful trim that away.
5:12 Turn pillow right side out again, being careful to turn between the two pieces of nylon.
5:29 Pin the corners to create the boxed corners**. These will give the stuff sack some height.
6:39 Mark stitch line 2” from the points at the bottom of the stuff sack. Sew along this line to create the boxed corners**.
7:23 Trim seam allowance on corners to 1/4”. Turn pillow flannel-side out again, being careful not to flip flannel to the wrong (nylon only) side of the stuff sack. Stitch again at box corners, 3/8” to 1/2” from the seam, capturing raw edges on the inside. Nice work on the French seams!
7:58 Almost done — just need to finish the top edge and create channel for paracord. Press top raw edges 1/4” (or roll and press), then fold entire edge over 1”. This will create the finished channel for the paracord. Be sure to roll or fold seam allowance from the 1.5” open edge inward before pressing. Staying as close to folded edge as possible, stitch all the way around the stuff sack opening. Turn stuff sack right side (nylon side) out.
8:56 Cut paracord to at least 30” long and feed through the channel at the top of the stuff sack. Feed ends of cord through the toggle. Leaving opening flat and uncinched, move toggle close to the stuff sack and then tie and overhand knot. This will ensure that, when fully opened, there is not a lot of excess cord hanging from the stuff sack. Trim ends of cord close to knot, burn, and press towards overhand knot to secure.

Nice work! You’re done! Enjoy drooling on your designated pillow next time you go backpacking!
 
*These directions will make a 12”x8”x4” pillow. To adjust the length or width of the pillow, add or subtract from the initial cut material. To change the height, adjust the measurement for the boxed corners. Keep in mind that the height of the pillow is determined by how long the stitch line is.

**If you’ve never sewn boxed corners before, take a look online at a few tutorials. Alternatively, you can leave this step out completely, but your stuff sack will be more like a traditional pillowcase and you may have some empty space in the corners when it’s full.

Apple Quinoa Porridge
Full recipe at: https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/....backpacking-recipe-a

Upgrade your standard bowl of oats for this delicious apple quinoa on your next backpacking trip. Sometimes it’s nice to switch things up. Instant oatmeal has been a staple of ours on so many trips that it's now the de-facto breakfast. What are we going to eat this morning? The same thing we eat every morning: instant oatmeal. This approach might be fine for the occasional short trip, but for longer trips or multiple short trips, it can lead to burnout. That’s we wanted to explore an alternative and started making this dehydrated quinoa porridge. It’s quick, easy, delicious—and most importantly, not oatmeal.

Product featured: Stasher Bag (https://www.rei.com/product/15....9644/stasher-reusabl

Winter is waning but that is the perfect time to try winter camping. Getting out for your first winter camping adventure can feel daunting, but it is easier than it looks. Learn about staying warm, setting up camp, and enjoying all the benefits of getting out when there is snow on the ground.

Learn more snow camping:
Winter Camping Basics
https://www.rei.com/learn/expe....rt-advice/winter-cam

In Defence Of Winter Camping
https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/....in-defense-of-winter

Winter Camping Checklist
https://www.rei.com/learn/expe....rt-advice/winter-sno

Watch more Trailheads:
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=IkKjc55NWcw&list=RDQM1JxyPlRCSWY

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), we love to get outside and play, and we know first-hand the importance of quality outdoor gear. We stand behind all our products with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and we design our own line of award-winning REI brand gear and clothing. Whether you're new to outdoor adventure or a seasoned pro, we gladly share our enthusiasm for our products—and the trails, slopes and waterways where we play.

Shop REI.com: https://www.rei.com/
Take a class: https://www.rei.com/learn.html
Travel with REI: https://www.rei.com/adventures
Learn something new: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice
Find a trail: https://www.rei.com/h/adventure-projects
Read: https://www.rei.com/blog
REI Membership: https://www.rei.com/membership/benefits

Burrs and rust on your ski edges cause drag and slow you down on firm snow. Learn how to properly maintain your ski edges so you can enjoy a fast and fun day on the slopes. We’ll show you how to inspect the edges, remove burrs, polish rust and wipe the bases clean. Shop REI’s selection of ski tuning equipment at http://www.rei.com/c/ski-tuning-equipment.

Transcript:
Rusts and burrs on your ski edges cause drag and slow you down on firm snow; so, getting rid of these abrasions can help them perform their best. Extensive edge work and sharpening should be done at a ski shop, but minor work can be done at home. You'll need a clean towel, a diamond stone, a gummy stone, and rubbing alcohol. Start by placing your skis on your ski vise. If you don't have a vise, you can use a couple stacks of books to balance your ski. Be sure to lock your brakes up and out of the way. You may need a rubber band for this.
Inspect the edges for rust and burrs. To avoid cutting your finger, run your towel along the edge to feel small nicks. These nicks will snag fibers and show you where you need to work. Any rough spots that you find need to be filed smooth without damaging your edge. This is done with a diamond stone, which is designed to remove less material than a file, so you're less likely to damage your edge if you slip. It's still important to go slow and be careful. Start by wetting the diamond stone and running it over the burrs, using the base as a guide. Make sure to keep pressure on the metal edge to avoid scratching the base material. Focus on areas that have more rust or burrs, but make sure to cover the entire length of the edge.
For minor rust, use a gummy stone. Gummy stones feel like hard, gritty erasers. They're less abrasive than diamond stones, so they're great for polishing. Next, repeat the process on the side edges. Make sure to keep the diamond stone flush with the edge. This is the trickier part, because you can't rest the diamond stone flat on the base, so pinch it and use your fingers against the base. Keep pressure light to avoid doing too much. Remember, tip to tail. When you're done, run the gummy stone lightly along the edges for a final polish. Finish by using your towel and rubbing alcohol to clean off any metal shavings.
To recap, start by inspecting the edges to locate trouble areas. Use a diamond stone to clean off nicks and small burrs. Polish off rust with your gummy stone and clean off the base with rubbing alcohol. Once you're done with the edges, it's time to take a look at the base.