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  	{
  	"id": "2434105371",
  	"title": "BioLite FirePit is on Kickstarter - See Fire, Not Smoke",
  	"tags": "",
  	"content": "&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FirePit_kickstarter_launch_blog_hero.jpg?10689320583857176256&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;footer class=&#39;text-center mt50 mb50&#39;&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/biolite/biolite-firepit-see-fire-not-smoke?ref=8ff52x&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; class=&#39;btn btn-primary btn-large&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt; &lt;span style=&#39;color: #fff;&#39;&gt;View On Kickstarter&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/footer&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now through October 20, the BioLite FirePit is &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/biolite/biolite-firepit-see-fire-not-smoke?ref=8ff52x&#39;&gt;live on Kickstarter.&lt;/a&gt; The FirePit is a portable outdoor fire pit that uses a patented airflow system to combust wood smoke before it escapes the fire. The result is smokeless flames from wood or charcoal, and a fire that uses half the amount of fuel of a typical fire. In addition to the FirePit, backers of the Kickstarter campaign will receive a free Solar Carry Cover which automatically recharges the system when not in use (retail value $59.95). Paired with the pit’s folding legs and compact, contained design, the carry cover’s shoulder straps make the FirePit a portable solution for your next outdoor fire.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb10 mt40&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/biolite/biolite-firepit-see-fire-not-smoke?ref=8ff52x&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;BioLite FirePit&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Kickstarter_launch_blog_image.jpg?916718654451850334&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/firepit-on-kickstarter",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "View On Kickstarter Now through October 20, the BioLite FirePit is live on Kickstarter. The FirePit is a portable outdoor...",
  	"lab_cycle": 250
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  	},
  
  	{
  	"id": "2434138139",
  	"title": "Preparedness Month: 7 Prep Skills You Already Have From Being Outdoors",
  	"tags": "",
  	"content": "&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style=&#39;background-color: #e74034; color: #fff; padding: 10px 20px 10px 20px; border-radius: 2px; font-weight: 800;&#39;&gt;EDITOR&#39;S NOTE:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This article was written three weeks ago. In the subsequent wake of Hurricane Harvey and Irma, we have received many well-intentioned inquiries of how our community might be able to donate BioLite gear to hurricane relief efforts. We are humbled and grateful that you would consider us in your actions, and we ask that at this time you direct your financial support to local organizations in Texas that have direct lines to the resources most needed at this time. A quick word of advice from our peer who worked the relief efforts of Hurricane Sandy back in 2012:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&#39;Sending cash donations is the best way to help during times of crisis as responders can use it to purchase exactly what is needed, when it is needed, where it is needed. Donating unsolicited goods can cause logistics issues taking warehousing, staging locations, transport, staff and other resources away from the most immediate needs. While physical donations are given with the best intentions they can often cause great difficulty for local governments and aid organizations. Cash is king.&#39;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;-Sandra Rothbard former Director of Supply Chain Logistics at NYC Emergency Management&lt;/p&gt;&lt;a name=&#39;recs&#39;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Looking for a place to start? Here are three local recommendations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://ghcf.org/hurricane-relief/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Greater Houston Community Foundation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt; Established by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. Donate online, or text HARVEY2017 to 91999 to support the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. &lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt; &lt;a href=&#39;https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/feeding-texas&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Feeding Texas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt; Statewide nonprofit that works alongside state and federal relief efforts. &lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt; &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.austinpetsalive.org/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Austin Pets Alive&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt; Rescuing dogs from neighborhoods and shelters affected by the storm – currently operating at 10x their normal capacity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/austin_dylan_van_3.jpg?7166169193999262721&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Staying safe in the backcountry takes skills. Some of those skills are learned from trusted experts, others are forged in moments of crisis, many just develop over time and repetition. You’ve logged the nights outside, you&#39;ve learned how to weather different conditions, and you know the gear you need for a successful and safe adventure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Well, guess what? Those skills are directly translatable to being prepared for an emergency much closer to home.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This year’s theme for &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.ready.gov/september&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;National Preparedness Month&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is &lt;strong&gt;“Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead. You Can.&lt;/strong&gt;” Revisit these 7 common outdoor skills to start planning ahead in case of an emergency.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. You know how to rendezvous.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Everyone sticks together when hiking as a group. Yet in the situation that a group member gets separated or you actively decide to break off to do something else, it’s important to have a meetup plan discussed ahead of time as cell phones are service are no guarantee. Same thing holds for emergency situations: make a plan with your household to meet a specific location in the event disaster strikes. List 2 backup locations if your meeting spot is in an affected area. Use &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan&#39;&gt;Ready.gov’s guideline&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to help strategize your meet-up plan.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the outdoors you also appreciate the power of a point of contact – going for a trail run by yourself? You tell a friend before you take off. Similarly in emergencies, email a friend or family members who lives far away – they may be able to play messenger to others who are trying to get in touch and learn your whereabouts.&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. You think about water. A lot.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/bio-8.jpg?14795694338317295934&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether you&#39;re lugging in your own supply or bringing a filtration system to process in real-time, making sure you have more than enough water for a multi-day expedition is a top priority. When it comes to disaster management, it’s advised to store one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days. Learn more about creating &amp;amp; storing an emergency water supply from &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/drinking/creating-storing-emergency-water-supply.html&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Both a backpacking pack and an emergency disaster kit should also include a way to purify water. After locating a water source, use a water filter (or iodine tablets if you don&#39;t mind the taste) to ensure that the water is safe to drink. Boiling water over a stove is also a good method for backup purification when you&#39;re not dealing with sediment. And just like the outdoors, TRY YOUR GEAR before you need to use it in an emergency. Walter pumps can often require a small learning curve, and you don&#39;t want to be learning for the first time in an urgent situation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. You know how things change when the sun goes down.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt30 mb10 pl10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Preparedness Lighting&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_5613_5ba908ab-a5b4-4754-a343-6677693f0425.jpg?748105249493112268&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt30 mb10 pl10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Preparedness Lighting&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/DSC01762_57346f5b-04be-4d3e-95a9-8bae86d3d5b6.jpg?543778215340292510&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Without light, a lot of tasks are difficult to accomplish: cooking, walking, reading, or just plain seeing what’s in front of you. A good light can go a long way, which is why it’s important to keep one on you and think about the jobs you&#39;ll need to accomplish at night. Will you be moving around a lot? Chopping with a sharp knife? Are you housing a bunch of people and need to illuminate a large space?&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether at a campsite or during a power outage at home, communal lighting can help ward off isolation and encourage a more social atmosphere. Headlamps make for a terrific personal light, but also consider overhead group lighting that can facilitate conversation, group activity, and feelings of home.&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Meal prep away from the fridge is a familiar challenge.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;How to store food for a long period of time is the big question every time a camping trip is being planned out. That’s also the task at hand when preparing for a disaster. Experiment by preparing your own dried meals or buy packaged freeze dried meals for just-add-water convenience to prepare for both outside adventures and emergency disasters.&lt;sup&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. You know the power of UNO (...yeah, UNO.)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Distraction is a powerful motivator. Analog entertainment is a great way to keep everyone calm and to help pass the time when you’ve found yourself in an emergency shelter or in a power outage. Similar to the communal lighting tip above, it encourages conversation, engagement, and reinforces that you are not alone in this stressful situation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While planning for entertainment to put in your preparedness pack, avoid battery or USB-operated toys as that power could be put to more practical use. Things like card games, coloring books, or building sets provide outlets for creativity without electricity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6. You practice regular gear checkups.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt30 mb10 pl10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Preparedness Lighting&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_8030-2.jpg?8688720044762230147&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt30 mb10 pl10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Preparedness Lighting&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Z7A1043-8_1.jpg?8688720044762230147&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Climbers know the importance of practicing a regular gear check. Discovering a rip in your equipment after you’ve already stepped out of your home isn’t a very fun feeling, especially when relying on your gear for safety. That situation can be avoided by evaluating and inspecting what you already have packed. Keep an eye out for any wear and tear, and make sure that your tent’s seams and covers are still waterproof.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Keep your kit updated by making sure your first aid is replenished if it’s low on anything. Packing versatile first aid products are a good way to prepare for different kinds illnesses or injuries. Using multi-use treatment can replace packing for a handful of medications. (Pro-tip: always pack more band-aids that you think you need - it&#39;s often not a huge injury that will do you in, but a blister on your pinky toe). &lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;7. You are a master of layers.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Yes, layering is considered an outdoor skill. You know that layering is the key to comfort and performance, and it’s all about choosing clothing that is packable, versatile, and can handle different weather conditions. A layer could keep you warm during colder temperatures, and can also block sunlight when the sun is blazing. Adjusting your layers allows you to be in control your body temperature during any situation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Staying dry during cooler temperatures is a matter of safety when outdoors or in an emergency situation. Make sure you have a waterproof shell handy when it rains, but also be sure that your base layer keeps you dry and wicks away moisture when you sweat – which means the cardinal rule we all know for choosing appropriate clothing material: &lt;em&gt;Avoid wearing cotton. Lastly, keep an eye on your feet: choose shoes that can take you for many miles and handle multiple terrains or weather conditions. Pack a pair of flip-flops in the event you need to shower in a shelter or somewhere away from home.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;8. *Bonus for pet owners: Your Pup is prepared, too.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/DSC_7462.jpg?16032659730348054557&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;When bringing your pets along for an outdoor adventure, you’ve checked to see if areas allow your furry companion to accompany you. Do research ahead of time to know which emergency shelters allow you to bring along your pets, or if they require certain documentation when accepting pets into the shelter.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Just like how you pack for your pet on a camping trip, pack for your pet in case of an emergency, too. A pet emergency kit includes their food, medical records, cleaning supplies, a crate or carry bag, and water (also a gallon of water per day for at least three days). Have your pets microchipped, just in case they lose the ID tags kept on their collars. Learn more about pet disaster preparedness from &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/disaster-preparedness&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;ASPCA’s website.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here are additional resources to help you prepare for handling an emergency situation:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.ready.gov/be-informed&#39;&gt;Be informed&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; about what to do during different emergency situations.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Sign up to &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://emergency.cdc.gov/training/index.asp&#39;&gt;get trained&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; for handling emergencies.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Read how &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/blogs/lab/66571523-why-remaining-calm-is-the-most-important-preparedness-tool&#39;&gt;remaining calm is the most important preparedness tool&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Preparedness Product Round-Up:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;You have the preparedness skills -- but do you have the emergency gear sorted out? If you need to replenish your emergency kit, we&#39;ve gathered a handful of products that can be tested out on the trail and ready for use if disaster strikes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;Turn your phone into a &#39;walkie textie&#39; using the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.gotenna.com/pages/mesh&#39;&gt;goTenna Mesh&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, which allows you to use GPS and text someone else who has a goTenna without having to use any service.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/powerlight-mini&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BioLite PowerLight Mini&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is a versatile light source that can either clip on your shirt when you&#39;re on the move, or act as a free-standing lantern.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Lightweight and daisy-chainable &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/collections/lighting#stringlights&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BioLite string lights&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; provide a comforting sense of home and also help with your sense of direction during a blackout.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;With 15 pouches of packable freeze-dried food and a 30-year shelf life, meals in your preparedness kit are all covered with a set of the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/0085606.html&#39;&gt;Mountain House 5 Day Emergency Food Supply&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Replace packing for Neosporin, hydrogen peroxide, and aloe vera with&lt;strong&gt; &lt;a href=&#39;https://shop.bldgactive.com/&#39;&gt;BLDG&#39;s Active Repair&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, which treat wounds, cuts and scrapes, rashes, sunburns, and other skin irritations with just one kind of medical grade spray. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/preparedness-month-7-prep-skills-you-already-have-from-being-outdoors",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "EDITOR&#39;S NOTE: This article was written three weeks ago. In the subsequent wake of Hurricane Harvey and Irma, we have...",
  	"lab_cycle": 300
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  	},
  
  	{
  	"id": "2434170907",
  	"title": "A Summer of Firsts, Furthers, and Fears",
  	"tags": "inside_biolite,",
  	"content": "&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;em&gt;The BioLite Community Finds Their Frontier&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider mb50&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/death_valley_hero_r1.jpg?3622407416727617724&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb10&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds mb40&#39;&gt; &lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Scott Kranz in Death Valley&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds mb40&#39;&gt; &lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Backpacking to secret campsites. Searching for untouched climbing routes. Rafting over waterfalls. Solo-backpacking. Mountaineering to a first ever summit. Building friendships around a post-climb campfire.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Time flies when you’re pushing past your comfort zone.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We kicked summer off with a challenge for our community to push themselves a bit further, confront a fear, or try something new. This was a big ask. Frontiers can be scary, physically exhausting, and even mentally draining. But our community really showed up and proved that finding frontiers is one of the most rewarding ways to experience the great outdoors.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And guess what – a lot of us are after the same thing. After pouring through hundreds of stories, here are some of the common threads we saw among your adventures:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It’s All About Firsts.&lt;/strong&gt; Whether it’s trying a new sport for the first time or being the first to accomplish an impressive feat, you’re drawn to the idea of firsts as a way to kick yourself into high gear and make your adventure happen.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You Crave Opportunities To Grow.&lt;/strong&gt; When it came to fears and furthers, your stories revealed that these challenges weren’t about being a glutton for punishment, but rather a vehicle for personal growth. Confronting barriers – be they physical or emotional – was an act of determination, discipline, and interestingly enough, self-care.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Frontiers Are Better With Friends.&lt;/strong&gt; You prioritize sharing a love for the outdoors with those close to you. We are so inspired to see the BioLite community so full of guides and leaders, eager to introduce others to new sports, environments, and experiences. Whether it was instilling your young kids with a love of the outdoors or convincing your college roommate to sleep under the stars for the first time, you found ways to help everyone find their own frontier.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thank you to everyone who shared their images, their stories, and their time with us – below is a quick roundup of some highlights from the submissions we received.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5&gt;10 Images From The Frontier&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;Scroll through the gallery below to see some of our favorite submissions from the BioLite community.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb5&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;!--**********************************BEGIN SLIDESHOW **********************************--&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full text-center&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large blog-slide-show-container&#39;&gt;&lt;div id=&#39;Glide&#39; class=&#39; glide&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;glide__arrows&#39;&gt;&lt;button class=&#39;glide__arrow prev&#39; data-glide-dir=&#39;&amp;lt;&#39;&gt;&lt;i class=&#39;icomoon icon-LeftArrow_slider world-icon&#39; style=&#39;color: #fff; font-size: 28px !important;&#39;&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/button&gt; &lt;button class=&#39;glide__arrow next&#39; data-glide-dir=&#39;&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;i class=&#39;icomoon icon-RightArrow_slider world-icon&#39; style=&#39;color: #fff; font-size: 28px !important;&#39;&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/button&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;glide__wrapper&#39;&gt;&lt;ul class=&#39;glide__track&#39;&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 1--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_wrapUp_slide1.jpg?6073915860005001619&#39; alt=&#39;Climbing Higher Grades in Wyoming&#39; title=&#39;Climbing Higher Grades in Wyoming&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Climbing Higher Grades in Wyoming&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;“Earlier this year Lauren (@lbatcheck) said she wanted to put in some time and commitment to being a better climber... And so her hardest climb to date happened: the FA of Ministry of Magic (5.13a), Ministry Wall.” ~@mattburbach&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 1--&gt; &lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 2--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_wrapUp_slide2.jpg?6073915860005001619&#39; alt=&#39;Finding Untouched Peaks in Eastern Greenland&#39; title=&#39;Finding Untouched Peaks in Eastern Greenland&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Finding Untouched Peaks in Eastern Greenland&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;“I had a vision: climb the unclimbed in Greenland. The thing was that I had only just learned to climb, and in many ways, that goal seemed so totally out of reach. We finally brought this vision to life. How did we do that? The same way that all new frontiers can be discovered: through education, experience, planning, and adaptation.” ~ Chris Brinlee Jr. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; (Follow Chris’s Frontier expedition to the edge of the Earth &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/blogs/lab/guided-by-light-in-the-northern-sky&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 2--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 3--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_wrapUp_slide3.jpg?6073915860005001619&#39; alt=&#39;Building A Community of Frontier Finders&#39; title=&#39;Building A Community of Frontier Finders&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Building A Community of Frontier Finders&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;Xander, a van-lifer and guide living in the Pacific Northwest, spent his summer training 40 other river guides who will lead outdoor trips for teens in Seattle and make it easier for newcomers to the outdoors to experience the magic of the outdoors.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 3--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 4--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_wrapUp_slide4.jpg?6073915860005001619&#39; alt=&#39;Mountaineering Up Three Peaks in Mexico&#39; title=&#39;Mountaineering Up Three Peaks in Mexico&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mountaineering Up Three Peaks in Mexico&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;Michael set out to summit 3 peaks in 10 days with no prior mountaineering experience. “It takes outdoorsmanship to a whole new level when you’re doing it in a more extreme climate and conditions.” (Read more about how Michael found his frontier with his Dad, &lt;a href=&#39;blogs/lab/find-your-frontier-fathers-day-special&#39;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 4--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 5--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_wrapUp_slide5.jpg?6073915860005001619&#39; alt=&#39;Chasing Waterfalls in Río Savegre, Costa Rica&#39; title=&#39;Chasing Waterfalls in Río Savegre, Costa Rica&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Chasing Waterfalls in Río Savegre, Costa Rica&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;@go4theglobe went white water rafting for their first time ever... and they agree that it definitely won’t be their last.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_wrapUp_slide7.jpg?6073915860005001619&#39; alt=&#39;Alpine Climbing in Rogers Pass&#39; title=&#39;Alpine Climbing in Rogers Pass&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alpine Climbing in Rogers Pass&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;“I can think of about 7 days in my life that I can classify as ‘the best day ever’ and they were all alpine climbs that left me totally exhausted. Climbing Mount Tupper was one of those days and looking into the distance from its summit to giants such as Sir Donald makes the possibilities of days like these seem endless.” -&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.instagram.com/p/BWdDHIoBV7p/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;@vvalchev&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 8--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 9--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_wrapUp_slide9.jpg?6073915860005001619&#39; alt=&#39;Backpacking for the First Time Ever&#39; title=&#39;Backpacking for the First Time Ever&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Backpacking for the First Time Ever &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;Amine’s never slept outside, never backpacked, never carried everything he needs to survive. He felt fear when he thought of the wildlife and weather he would encounter on this trip. Getting out of the city and into the wilderness put Amine outside his comfort zone, and as the day approached where he would meet up with the group in Hoboken he nearly dropped from the trip.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 9--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 10--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_wrapUp_slide10.jpg?6073915860005001619&#39; alt=&#39;A Summer Full of Family Bouldering Time&#39; title=&#39;A Summer Full of Family Bouldering Time&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Summer Full of Family Bouldering Time &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;“Here&#39;s Cyrus focused on a first ascent. Her sister Fionne tried so hard she was shaking... Falling off, she&#39;d jump up wanting another go. Props to trying harder than me ladies! Lil&#39; crushers!” - &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.instagram.com/p/BVYVDfND_ro/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;@thomasinapidgeon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 10--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 11--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_wrapUp_slide11.jpg?6073915860005001619&#39; alt=&#39;Checking Items Off The Bucket List While Road Tripping Out West&#39; title=&#39;Checking Items Off The Bucket List While Road Tripping Out West&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Spending Every Weekend Outdoors &amp;amp; Somewhere New&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.instagram.com/p/BWG3WUaF5wg/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;@wildandfreerv&lt;/a&gt; set off on a 10 day road trip chasing frontiers where ever they presented themselves including hikes around Crater Lake, whale watching at Orca Islands, and relaxing by the Canadian Rockies.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;glide__bullets&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;script&gt;// &lt;![CDATA[$(&#39;#Glide&#39;).glide({        type: &#39;carousel&#39;    });// ]]&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;!--**********************************END SLIDESHOW **********************************--&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt0&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The official &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/pages/find-your-frontier&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Find Your Frontier campaign&lt;/a&gt; may be over, but we think that finding frontiers is something we could all use a bit more of year round. If you are still looking to find your next adventure, make sure to catch up on our resources that make it easier to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;blogs/lab/10-adventure-worthy-campsites-to-visit-this-summer&#39;&gt;10 Frontier Locations To Visit&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;/blogs/lab/prepare-for-your-frontier-wilderness-safety-tips&#39;&gt;5 Wilderness Safety Tips To Help You Prepare&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;/blogs/lab/documenting-your-frontier&#39;&gt;How to Document Your Frontier&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;/blogs/lab/top-14-outdoor-adventure-groups&#39;&gt;Finding An Adventure Community Near You&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;/blogs/lab/fuel-your-frontier&#39;&gt;How to Build A Camp Kitchen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;/blogs/lab/frontier-gear-check&#39;&gt;6 Ways To Avoid Going Gear Crazy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb30&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb20&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;FYF logo&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_footer_logo.jpg?15675909462053748714&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thanks for following us this summer. See you out there!&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/pages/find-your-frontier#resources&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;br&gt;Read More Stories Here →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/a-summer-of-firsts-furthers-and-fears",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "The BioLite Community Finds Their Frontier   Scott Kranz in Death Valley   Backpacking to secret campsites. Searching for untouched...",
  	"lab_cycle": 330
  	, "icon": "icon-inside-biolite"
  	
  	},
  
  	{
  	"id": "2434203675",
  	"title": "3 Ways To Make The Most of Your Next Family Adventure",
  	"tags": "",
  	"content": "&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Finding Frontiers With Small Children&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider mb50&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/DSCF0072.jpg?14686276183675408624&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is a guest post from Doria, a mother of three young children, who &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.instagram.com/heartledadventures/?hl=en&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;documents her family’s adventures&lt;/a&gt; and shares her experience parenting while living an active and adventurous lifestyle. Embracing the changes that have come with adventuring with small kids, Doria hopes to teach her children by example the value of what nature has to offer and why we should do everything we can to protect and preserve it.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider mb50&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;My husband and I are the parents of three children under the age of four. Adventuring outdoors has changed drastically from the days when it was just the two of us. For one, the word spontaneity has disappeared entirely from our dictionary and being prepared is the new name of the game. We rarely get to sit quietly and stare out at an incredible view or challenge ourselves to take on a particularly tough climb. We have gained so much by adapting to our new situation and daring to adventure with our family despite the many challenges we must overcome to do so.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Parents of little children can surely relate to the challenges that come with the territory. And yet, in our experience, our biggest struggle hasn’t come from the demands of the kids themselves but from our own resistance to them. With that in mind we have made a conscious effort to continue living an adventurous lifestyle and find clever ways to adapt this way of life to the realities of having small children. Here are three things we recommend keeping in mind while finding frontiers as a young family:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;1. The Destination Isn&#39;t The Goal&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;hiking with kids&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/DSCF0422.JPG?8846111591380012551&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p&gt;It’s easy to get caught up in the desire to arrive at the summit while adventuring. After all, the very nature of going on a hike is to actually do some hiking. We have found that with kids so much of the potential fun can be overlooked by focusing on the final destination rather than the journey itself. Instead of wasting our energy trying to get the kids to stop wandering off the path, we’ve discovered that they have a lot to teach us when it comes to enjoying the beauty and freedom of being wild in the wilderness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A dead tree along the way is like an amusement park for their imaginative brains. They love to climb, jump, duck, and crawl under anything they come across. One thing we’ve started doing on our walks is stopping to ask them questions that help encourage their imagination and put their thoughts into words. &lt;em&gt;What do you think happened to this tree? Who do you think lives in that hole between the rocks? Where would you sleep if you lived in the forest?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;By engaging in their play, we have come to experience the forest in a far richer way than before we had kids. We encourage you to allow your kids to help shape your next adventure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;2. Find Ways To Involve Kids&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;cooking with kids&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/DSCF0380_1.JPG?8846111591380012551&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p&gt;Cooking together is a perfect way to involve kids of all ages and offers teaching moments in the process. At four and two years old, our older children are more than ready to be involved in preparing our meals outdoors. The great thing about the &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/campstove-2&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;BioLite CampStove&lt;/a&gt; is that it calls for twigs or dry bark found in abundance in the forest.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We take them to look for twigs making sure to linger on the difference between dry and useful twigs versus wet and un-useful ones. They join attentively as we snap the twig in half and listen for the sharp sound a dry twig makes and turn that into a game testing out different twigs to see whether they are what they call “loud” or “quiet”. The “loud” sounding ones are rushed over to us with an ecstatic sprint in their step.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When it comes to starting the fire, the increasing or decreasing of the CampStove 2’s fan is a feature that is especially appreciated by our four year old who likes to watch as the fire gets stronger or weaker depending on what we need. Once the fire is lit, the cooking fun begins. Allowing the kids to have an active role in the cooking process helps build their self confidence and organically boosts their desire to be with us on more adventures. The entire process takes longer than it ever would have had we been alone, but we don’t have to worry about the kids running around while we try to cook. The best part is everyone is super hungry by the time the food is ready which means no matter what we make there is no fuss. That in itself is a miracle I’m sure every parent will appreciate.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;3. Get Into The Habit Of Preparing Well Ahead Of Time&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;exploring with kids&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/DSCF0189.jpg?14686276183675408624&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;h4 class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;/h4&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ahead of our family trips we scrutinize over trail lengths as well as expected weather conditions as both significantly influence how we pack. We suggest starting with a modest length when choosing your first trail. The idea isn’t to overreach but to get out and have fun. Keep in mind, the kids care more about having fun and playing than arriving at an amazing viewpoint.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Consider that even a 20-minute walk could take double or triple that time to complete with children who are not only walking at a slower pace but are likely to stop along the way to play. It is especially important to keep the return length in mind as kids are often tired and easily prone to mood swings (which is just a nice way of saying complete and utter meltdowns).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once you know where you’re headed, it’s time to pack. We like to pack our bags the night before departing. Being able to wake up early and head out is key to a smoother and more enjoyable trip. And, if you are lucky, the kids might even sleep on the way which is why stopping for last minute items is something we don’t recommend.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When we used to head out just the two of us we had two backpacks carefully packed with the weight of each individual item in mind. Now, we’ve traded one backpack for a child carrier which means we only have one adult capable of carrying a full load. Significantly reducing our volume capacity has forced us to be resourceful and smart about what we include in our pack. Two things that will turn even the happiest child into a grumpy one is lack of food or wet clothing. We always double up on a change of clothing for each kid and on extra food in case of unintended spills or the occasional and potentially disastrous burnt meal, something which can easily happen, especially when you are trying to involve little kids in the process.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For the most part it is only by trial and error that you will find the items that are most useful for you and the ones that you could easily do without. A general tip is to go for sturdy and user friendly rather than lightweight. Depending on the age of your children there might be items you would have never otherwise considered taking that are worth considering now as they will make your time outdoors far more enjoyable and comfortable. Since we have such small children we have found that one good sturdy foldable chair is essential. As a breastfeeding mom, I appreciate not having to slouch over every time I need to feed the baby.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;exploring with kids&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/DSCF0401.JPG?8846111591380012551&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;h4 class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;/h4&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once exploring new frontiers becomes something your family is accustomed to you will find it easier to push your limits, lengthen your trails and find exciting challenges to take on but first it’s important to establish the habit of being outdoors together and ensure the experience is enjoyable for everyone involved.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether it be through play or practical life skills, by regularly involving the kids in outdoor adventures, our passion for discovering new frontiers has become something we have in common and all look forward to. Sharing our love of nature has forged a bond between us as a family and we hope you will be inspired to gear up and head out on a family adventure the next chance you get.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider mb50&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;Family Friendly Gear&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;exploring with kids&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/22828720650_cdc0a19e7e_k.jpg?14686276183675408624&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/campstove-2&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CampStove 2&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. Get the kids involved in dinner prep by creating a friendly competition to see who can gather the most dry twigs.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/baselantern-xl&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BaseLantern XL&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. Place your BaseLantern XL in chill mode, pair it with a little music and voila instant distraction and dance party!&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/powerlight-mini&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PowerLight Mini&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. Have a little one who is afraid of the dark? Hang the PowerLight Mini from their tent in red-night mode.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb30&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb20&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center; padding-top: 50px;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;FYF logo&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_footer_logo.jpg?15675909462053748714&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Looking to Find Your Frontier this summer but don&#39;t know where to start? We got you. &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/pages/find-your-frontier#resources&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;br&gt;Read More Stories Here →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/3-ways-to-make-the-most-of-your-next-family-adventure",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "Finding Frontiers With Small Children   This is a guest post from Doria, a mother of three young children, who...",
  	"lab_cycle": 420
  	, "icon": "icon-news-events"
  	},
  
  	{
  	"id": "2434236443",
  	"title": "CampStove 2 Cookbook: Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps",
  	"tags": "",
  	"content": "&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_9522.jpg?7181279352400294743&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This summer, our ambassador Kyle headed out to Hawaii for the ultimate island road trip across the Island of Kauai. As he and his friend, Abigail, made their way from around the island, camping along the way, they pulled together delicious recipes on their &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/campstove-2-bundle&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;CampStove 2 Bundle&lt;/a&gt; that will make you feel right at home while traveling through the islands (or give you an island vibe anywhere you pitch your tent).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt30 mb0&#39;&gt;Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt0 mb40 pl10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Lettuce_wraps_blog_imag1.jpg?7943122411029228860&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt0 mb40 pl10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Lettuce_wraps_blog_imag2.jpg?7943122411029228860&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Equipment Used&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/pizzadome-bundle&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CampStove 2 Bundle&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/biofuel-pellets&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Pellets&lt;/a&gt; + Firestarter&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Knife&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ingredients&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 cup teriyaki sauce&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1.5 pounds chicken thigh&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;3/4 cup white rice&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;3 tbsp Nori seasame rice seasoning&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 large mango&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 lime&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1/2 red onion&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;lettuce&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;cilantro&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Off-Grid Preparation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Marinate chicken in teriyaki sauce for 3-24 hours. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Heat &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/campstove-2&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;CampStove&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/portable-grill&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Portable Grill&lt;/a&gt; until chicken is fully cooked. Set aside to cool. When cool, cube into large pieces.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Cube mango, dice onion, chop cilantro and juice lime. Mix together and set aside. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Cook rice until tender. Mix in seaweed seasoning and set aside to cool. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Wash and dry lettuce.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Layer chicken, mango salsa, and rice into lettuce. Garnish with lime.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt30 mb10 pl10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Lettuce_wraps_blog_image3.jpg?6461546438754279525&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt30 mb10 pl10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Lettuce_wraps_blog_image4.jpg?6461546438754279525&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_9462.jpg?10508675421971234761&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/campstove-2-cookbook-teriyaki-chicken-lettuce-wraps",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "  This summer, our ambassador Kyle headed out to Hawaii for the ultimate island road trip across the Island of...",
  	"lab_cycle": 250
  	, "icon": "icon-news-events"
  	},
  
  	{
  	"id": "2434269211",
  	"title": "Reframing Frontiers: How New Challenges Outdoors Can Rewrite Past Experiences",
  	"tags": "",
  	"content": "&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/veterans-blog-photo-1.jpg?3315494997148154547&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is a special guest post from Aaron Leonard, a retired U.S. Army Officer and the New York leader of &lt;a href=&#39;http://content.sierraclub.org/outings/military&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Sierra Club Military Outdoors&lt;/a&gt;, a program that helps veterans explore and enjoy the lands they swore an oath to protect. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider mb50&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Time spent in nature means something different to everyone but for those of us who spend a lot of time outside we do so because getting away from it all helps us refresh, recenter, and feel genuinely better. You know that rush you get when reaching the summit or feeling of complete and utter relaxation when you lay down for a night sleeping directly underneath the stars? Stress and worry fade away and are replaced with happiness and feelings of contentment. There is nothing else like it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For our service members and veterans, the outdoors often become a place to train and work each day. Upon returning home from war, it’s not always easy to build outdoor recreation into the day to day but as our friends at the &lt;a href=&#39;http://www.sierraclub.org/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Sierra Club&lt;/a&gt; have found, time spent in the outdoors can play an important role in &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/blogs/lab/76725379-the-healing-power-of-the-outdoors&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;easing the transition home&lt;/a&gt;. With a mission to help people explore, enjoy, and protect the planet, the Sierra Club recognizes the importance of connecting military members to the outdoors and created a specific program to make it easy for veterans to experience the healing power of the outdoors.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;Military &amp;amp; The Great Outdoors&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Sierra Club’s history of military and veteran engagement dates to its founder, John Muir, who in 1903 guided President Theodore Roosevelt into the Yosemite wilderness, creating Sierra Club’s first “military outing.” The tradition of supporting the military was best illustrated when the Sierra Club’s first full-time executive director, David Brower, responded to the need for an alpine fighting force during WWII. Brower and Club leaders used the mountaineering and skiing skills they developed with the Sierra Club to found and train the 10th Mountain Division - a unit that has distinguished itself from the Dolomites of Italy to the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan. Brower himself fought with the 10th Mountain in WWII, earning a Bronze Star for action in Italy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sierra Club established the &lt;a href=&#39;http://content.sierraclub.org/outings/military&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Military Outdoors&lt;/a&gt; program in 2006 to help veterans, service members and their families get outside and experience the benefits of connecting with the physical land they protected. The program supports current volunteers in safely planning and leading outings while effectively training new volunteers to become successful leaders. Since its creation, the Military Outdoors program has facilitated outdoor adventures for more than 70,000 veterans and their families.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;Meet A Military Outdoors Member&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Amine at Harriman&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Picture_3.jpg?16833492593738445887&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p&gt;Amine Tourki grew up in Morocco, moving to Brooklyn at age 15 after his father, a longtime member of the Sierra Club, won an immigration lottery at the U.S. Consulate in Casablanca. Amine’s brief stint with the U.S. Army began in the Summer of 2007 after he left the University of Michigan to accept a position as an Arabic interpreter in Iraq. This would become a life changing experience for Amine, one that he has spent the last decade trying to heal from. In Iraq Amine was assigned to a US Special Forces unit, working with a Green Beret A-Team during the most violent period of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the four months Amine worked for the Green Berets, he saw the effects of war on the people and the land, experiences that would eventually drive Amine to resign and return to his Brooklyn home.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ten years after returning from Iraq Amine works as a programmer and Uber driver in New York City. To help firm-up a sense of purpose in his life, Amine joined a local veteran service organization called &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.missioncontinues.org/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Mission Continues&lt;/a&gt; in Brooklyn, where he volunteers with veterans in his community. While the volunteer projects are deeply rewarding, Amine often felt there was something missing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a New Yorker Amine had heard of the parks and trails outside the city. Bear Mountain, Harriman, Breakneck Ridge, all nearby yet seemingly unattainable. He’d dreamed of adventure in the wild, read the histories of New York’s parks, and decided it was time to explore the great outdoors. The problem was, other than local parks, he had no confidence in his ability to safely explore outside the city. As Paulo Coelho so aptly wrote in The Alchemist, “And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” This spring Amine got an email from Mission Continues, an open invitation to join the Sierra Club Military Outdoors on an introductory backpacking trip to Harriman State Park.” Amine saw his opportunity to explore and signed-up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;Finding Frontiers Outside The City&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Amine hiking through Harriman&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Picture_2.jpg?16833492593738445887&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p&gt;Amine’s never slept outside, never backpacked, never carried everything he needs to survive. He felt fear when he thought of the wildlife and weather he would encounter on this trip. Getting out of the city and into the wilderness put Amine outside his comfort zone, and as the day approached where he would meet up with the group in Hoboken he nearly dropped from the trip. The packing list alone was intimidating: 40+ degree sleeping bag, no cotton, outer layer, inner layer, all foreign to a man who bravely answered a call to serve in a war zone.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Amine’s hesitation is common among the majority of veterans I have worked with in the last five years. Many times my non-veteran colleagues, and sometimes my veteran colleagues who were too far removed from the day-to-day life of a soldier, question why we need to put effort into teaching veterans how to explore the outdoors. Doesn’t everyone in the military go outside? Sure we do, with weapons and ammunition, satellite radios, a company helicopter never more than 30 minutes away, and the presence of the enemy and unknown civilians on an asymmetric battlefield. Out of hundreds of veterans who I have led on multi-day outings only a few have had any practical experience with something as simple and enjoyable as exploring the wilderness for the joy of doing so.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Helping veterans like Amine discover that they can safely explore the wilderness is the best part of this job. The most effective method we use at the Sierra Club’s Military Outdoors is experiential, to simply get these veterans outside and have them learn by doing. Our team of volunteer leaders are veterans themselves, each trained and qualified to recruit those like Amine and lead wilderness outings that teach our veterans how to safely explore the wilderness. Once they overcome their hesitation to get outside, nature can work her magic.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, Amine decided to join the group on this outing and explore his new frontier. There were other veterans on the trip along with a few civilians. Some were members of the Sierra Club and only a few had any real experience with multi-day wilderness adventures. There was one commonality: everyone was looking for a way to get out of the city and explore.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gritty subways and cabs brought the group together for the first time at the Hoboken, New Jersey train station. We quickly escaped everything that is New York City, riding an hour North along the scenic West side of the Hudson river, and eventually arriving at the quiet town of Tuxedo on the border of Harriman State Park. Sierra Club volunteers Leslie Hoellger and Amanda Gordon met the group at the station with food, water, and the gear the group would need for the next three days. Amine joined the other first-time hikers for his backpack fitting and instruction on how to pack his personal and team gear. Setting off from the station, the group walked about ten minutes to the trailhead and disappeared into the woods on their way to the “Dutch Doctor” where they would make camp.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Amine spent the next three days learning how to navigate with a map and compass, cook over a BioLite stove, make clean drinking water, protect wildlife using a bear hang, practicing leave no trace, and how to use a sleeping system to stay warm and dry while in a tent or under the stars. By pushing himself to find a new frontier with Sierra Club Military Outdoors, Amine was able to master a set of new skills while living outside his comfort zone, developing a sense of belonging amongst his new friends and peers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Anyone who works with veterans in the wilderness will tell you that those who complete even one trip often talk about sleeping better when they get home. They will also often report feeling like they’re part of a team again, and that they belong to something they have missed since leaving the military.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Formal research into the effectiveness of wilderness adventures on the veteran population tell us that veterans who participate are likely to show increases in overall mental health, subjective wellbeing, openness to emotions, motivation for personal growth, and openness to seek psychological help.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Scheinfeld, 2014; Duvall &amp;amp; Kaplan, 2013).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;One important element that the Sierra Club brings to this experience for veterans like Amine is that our outings are typically all volunteer led for veterans by veterans. Our volunteer leaders will build their groups within their communities, offering repeated opportunities to spend time outdoors with other veterans. This type of small group has been a common form of gathering in the veteran community for over 100 years and is the basis for organizations like the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign War. But in our case we use the wilderness as our meeting place and classroom.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“There is a difference between having drinks with veterans on Wall Street and sleeping next to another veteran in the wilderness.” ~ Amine.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;We can learn a lot about ourselves when we expand our frontiers by exploring the world outside. Hiking in with everything you need on your back, cooking alongside new friends, and sleeping under the stars connects you on a different, deeper level with people. “Military Outdoors is a fantastic program,” says Amine. “More than going on a day hike, we get to spend more time together and feel more comfortable with the group. It’s a more wholesome way of bonding with people that have been with you in the trenches. Here you must work within a team, carry food and water, it puts you in touch with nature and a network of people you want to spend time with.” If we lengthen these experiences to more than a single weekend by offering continued exposure to the wilderness we can help veterans discover the power of nature.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At Military Outdoors, we believe that the positive effects of a wilderness adventure will become more permanent if veterans are able to continue spending time outdoors. For Amine, who will attend the Sierra Club’s Outings Leader Training in August 2017 to become qualified as a volunteer leader, this means a regular return to the woods outside New York City. He will have an opportunity to support a group of veterans in his neighborhood as they explore and enjoy the wilderness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If you are interested in getting involved with Military Outdoors, contact Aaron Leonard at aaron.leonard@sierraclub.org.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider mb50&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Aaron Leonard is a combat veteran who retired in 2014 as a Lieutenant Colonel after over 27 years in the U.S. Army. He has been leading wilderness adventures for service members and veterans since 2012 to help veterans both heal from the wounds of war while becoming leaders in the veteran community. He has five adult daughters and lives with his soul mate and Sierra Club volunteer Leslie Hoellger in Mahopac, New York.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider mb50&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;a name=&#39;sources&#39;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;span style=&#39;text-decoration: underline;&#39;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sources&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Scheinfeld, D. (2014). From Battlegrounds to the Backcountry: The Intersection of Masculinity and Outward Bound Programming on Psychosocial Functioning for Male Military Veterans (Doctoral Dissertation). Retrieved from https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/26928 &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Duvall J., &amp;amp; Kaplan, R. (2013). Exploring the Benefits of Outdoor Experiences on Veterans. Retrieved from http://camp-liberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Michigan-Final-Research-Report.pdf &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;See our brain inspired sources from the email: &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2014/oct/28/hot-drinks-science-tasting-notes?utm_campaign=FYF+Nature+Brain+%28LViHFm%29&amp;amp;utm_medium=email&amp;amp;_ke=&amp;amp;utm_source=Marketing+Team&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;CU Boulder&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&#39;http://www.nature.com/news/2004/040531/full/news040524-12.html?utm_campaign=FYF+Nature+Brain+%28LViHFm%29&amp;amp;utm_medium=email&amp;amp;_ke=&amp;amp;utm_source=Marketing+Team&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Nature&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25387270?utm_campaign=FYF+Nature+Brain+%28LViHFm%29&amp;amp;utm_medium=email&amp;amp;_ke=&amp;amp;utm_source=Marketing+Team&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;U of Alabama&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.backpacker.com/skills/prof-hike-this-post-might-save-your-life?utm_campaign=FYF%20Nature%20Brain%20(LViHFm)&amp;amp;utm_medium=email&amp;amp;_ke=&amp;amp;utm_source=Marketing%20Team&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Backpacker&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb30&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb20&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center; padding-top: 50px;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;FYF logo&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_footer_logo.jpg?15675909462053748714&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Looking to Find Your Frontier this summer but don&#39;t know where to start? We got you. &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/pages/find-your-frontier#resources&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;br&gt;Read More Stories Here →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/finding-new-frontiers-with-sierra-club-s-military-outdoors",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "    This is a special guest post from Aaron Leonard, a retired U.S. Army Officer and the New York...",
  	"lab_cycle": 300
  	, "icon": "icon-news-events"
  	},
  
  	{
  	"id": "2434301979",
  	"title": "Frontier Gear Check",
  	"tags": "stories,",
  	"content": "&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_5946.jpg?11211076407104033600&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Johnie Gall shares how to not go gear crazy when trying something new on your outdoor adventures.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider mb50&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;My father-in-law used to go skiing in blue jeans. When he was in college, he and his friends hiked up Mt. Washington and sweated through their denim. Exhausted from the climb, they balled up their damp pants and tossed them in the corner of their tent. When they woke up, their pants were so frozen that they had to spend the next twenty minutes trying to warm their only gear up over an old camp stove.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Outdoor sports can be expensive. Most of them were also first popularized by the type of guys who wore old blue jeans, ate tuna from a can, and lived out of their vans (before it was trendy). If they could get by on a tight budget with the gear they already had, so can you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That being said, of course you need to invest in some gear. The key is to do it strategically — for every piece of gear you buy, you’re also committing to storing, cleaning, transporting, and maintaining it. Simply put, you can own gear or your gear can own you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Learning from my own adventures in gear accumulation — good and bad — I’ve become a big proponent in doing more with less whenever you can. Whether you’re pursuing a new sport or a new outdoor adventure, here are some tips for not going gear crazy while finding your frontier.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;Know What Can Wait (And What Can’t)&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Northern California - Private Campsite&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_4232.jpg?13829862859017119454&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p&gt;Okay, you’ve decided you want to try rock climbing. That means you need a helmet, a harness, a rope, quick-draws, carabiners, a belay device, and shoes, right? Yes and no — with every new sport, there are some items you’ll need to buy new, and some that can wait, be borrowed or rented, or be purchased second hand. Start with the things that are going to be the first line of defense between you and serious injury (or worse), and items you need to know the history of. A helmet and harness should always be purchased new. Ropes are measured in the number of falls they can sustain, and need to be retired when they’ve been exposed to too much water, dirt, or sun. The same goes for things like parachutes, trad climbing gear, and life jackets. For items you’re buying second hand, it’s still safety first: check for deformities, bad stitching, and obvious wear and tear.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;Generic vs. Branded&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Often times branded gear comes at a higher price tag — you’ve heard the saying about paying for a name. Don’t skimp on &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/blogs/lab/prepare-for-your-frontier-wilderness-safety-tips&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;gear that’s important to your safety&lt;/a&gt;, but it’s totally fine to look for creative workarounds when you’re trying to save a few bucks.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;Learn the Cost-Per-Use Formula&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Southern California - Private Beach Campsite&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_2691.jpg?13829862859017119454&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p&gt;There’s a reason it’s so easy to find mountain bikes and skis on Craigslist. Say you buy a $2,000 downhill mountain bike and plan on riding that bike 20 times that year — that’s $100 a ride. A little pricey, but not too shabby. Then baby showers and dentist appointments come up and you end up riding that bike five times, and now that bike cost you $400 per ride, whereas the running shoes you use every single morning may only cost you $3 per run. That’s the cost-per-use formula. Use it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;Rent, Borrow, Buy Second Hand&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;The Landing, Washington - Riverside Campsite&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_5613.jpg?13829862859017119454&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p&gt;There is a giant free library of gear all around you. It’s in your dad’s garage, your best friend’s basement, the back of the van of that guy you keep running into at the coffee shop. Chances are, you know someone somewhere more than willing to let you borrow a 60-liter backpack or a two-man tent or a surfboard —sometimes the biggest hurdle is just asking. If that’s not true for you, rent your bigger ticket items from outdoor retailers like REI or local sporting good shops. Learn how to sew and suddenly second-hand gear shops seem like goldmines. Volunteer for a local outdoor club or climbing gym and they’ll typically let you use their gear whenever you want. Demo days (designated days when gear shops let customers try out their stuff for free) offer a smart way to try out gear before making an investment. Don’t let your poor choices end up in the Craigslist graveyard.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;Start a Gear Pool&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Canon City, Colorado - Hiking in the Rockies&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_5711.jpg?13829862859017119454&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p&gt;If you have a &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/blogs/lab/how-to-find-your-outdoor-adventure-community&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;community of friends&lt;/a&gt; that live nearby, start a gear pool. Split the cost of bigger-ticket items that can be easily shared like tents, climbing ropes, camp stoves, kayaks and bouldering pads. Chances are not everyone in the group can get after it every single weekend, so spread the wealth — you can even start a Google document to “rent” out the gear you need from your gear pool.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When you’re traveling with a group you can also minimize redundancy by coordinating who brings what. Talk to each other before leaving about who is responsible for bringing the staples. If someone is bringing along a &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/campstove-2&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;camp stove&lt;/a&gt;, you might not have to go out and buy one.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;Think Like a Pioneer&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Weed, California - Shasta View Campsite&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_2452.jpg?13829862859017119454&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;The pioneering men and women of your new outdoor sport did not have the latest and greatest gear. They had what they had, and they made it work. Of course adventures are easier when you have a complete top-of-the-line kit, but most of the best surfers, climbers, kayakers, bikers, and alpinists started out scraping together their kit just like you are. Listen to recommendations from your peers, make do with what you have, and don’t get caught up in the “Newest Overpriced Gear You Must Have” lists. They’re usually wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb30&#39;&gt;Versatility is Key&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Monument Valley - Arizona Mesa Campsite&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_2318.jpg?13829862859017119454&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;A hammock is not a hammock. It’s a hammock, a sun shelter, a beach blanket, a tarp, and somewhere to coil a climbing rope. When you start planning a new adventure or on trying a new outdoor sport, look for the most versatile gear you can. Maybe that’s a rain shell that can keep water off you in a storm and while kayaking. A well-made 35-liter backpack with good support is probably a lot more practical than buying one day pack and one 60-liter overnight bag. You can’t go wrong with a solid pair of waterproof hiking boots that can take you from the desert to the high peaks. A camp stove that can boil water and charge your electronics is a space saver. Who knows — it may even come in handy for defrosting your pants.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Shelton, Washington - Cedar Arms Campsite&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/IMG_4511.jpg?13829862859017119454&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt20 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;When it comes down to it, the best way to learn how to keep your gear in check is experience. Try out the tips above, learn from your time off grid and discover how you can do it better the next time you get outside.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Keep up to date with Johnie’s frontier adventures via &lt;a href=&#39;http://dirtbagdarling.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Dirtbag Darling&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb30&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb20&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center; padding-top: 50px;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;FYF logo&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_footer_logo.jpg?15675909462053748714&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Looking to Find Your Frontier this summer but don&#39;t know where to start? We got you. &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/pages/find-your-frontier#resources&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;br&gt;Read More Stories Here →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/frontier-gear-check",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "  Johnie Gall shares how to not go gear crazy when trying something new on your outdoor adventures. My father-in-law...",
  	"lab_cycle": 330
  	, "icon": "icon-user-stories"
  	
  	},
  
  	{
  	"id": "2434334747",
  	"title": "PizzaDome Cookbook: Greek Flatbread",
  	"tags": "",
  	"content": "&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Pizza_Dome_4.jpg?7984835855902841941&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;h6 class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;em&gt;This camp pizza recipe is like a bright beam of Mediterranean sunlight shining down on your campsite.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h6&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;Sometimes a traditional meat and cheese pizza can feel just a little too heavy. Perhaps it’s really hot outside or maybe we haven’t been eating super healthy all day. We’re not saying we don’t want pizza - we definitely do - but if we could just find a way to make it feel a little lighter, that would be great.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;Enter our Greek-style vegetarian flatbread cooked up on our BioLite PizzaDome bundle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;Start by lightly spreading olive oil on your pizza dough. Then cover with crumbled feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes, sliced artichoke hearts and chopped kalamata olives. After a few minutes inside your Pizza Dome, the crust will turn golden brown and the feta will be soft but not quite melted. This will make each bite crispy, tangy, and bright.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;So if you’re looking to lighten up your pizza selection, try this vegetarian Greek pizza the next time you’re camping.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;See This Recipe In Action&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;iframe width=&#39;560&#39; height=&#39;315&#39; src=&#39;https://www.youtube.com/embed/9PGPlTlbHxo&#39; frameborder=&#39;0&#39; allowfullscreen=&#39;&#39;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb20&#39;&gt;Greek Style Pizza (makes 1, 10&#39; pizza)&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt20 mb50 pr10&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Pizza_Prep_1.jpg?6559453322864703007&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt20 mb50 pl10&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Pizza_Prep_4.jpg?6559453322864703007&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Equipment Used&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/pizzadome-bundle&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BioLite PizzaDome Bundle&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ingredients&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;8 oz. pizza dough&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 tablespoon each flour and cornmeal&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 tablespoon olive oil&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 teaspoon oregano&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;¼ cup chopped pitted kalamata olives&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;2 whole artichoke hearts, drained and cut into quarters&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Pinch of salt&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Preparation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Place the metal triangle base on your BaseCamp stove and set the pizza stone on top. Cover with the PizzaDome and preheat to at least 450.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Dust your cutting board with the flour &amp;amp; cornmeal and roll out your dough into a 10” circle using a rolling pin or water bottle. Prick the dough all over with a fork (this prevents the dough from bubbling up too much while cooking).&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Top the pizza with olive oil, oregano, sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, crumbled feta, and a sprinkle of salt.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Top the pizza with the remaining ¼ cup BBQ sauce, cheese, chicken, red onions, and a pinch of salt.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Remove the PizzaDome lid from the stove and carefully transfer the pizza to the pre-heated pizza stone. Cook above 450 for 10-15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Remove pizza from the stove, cut into slices and enjoy!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Pizza_Dome_3.jpg?6559453322864703007&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/pizzadome-cookbook-greek-flatbread",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "This camp pizza recipe is like a bright beam of Mediterranean sunlight shining down on your campsite.   Sometimes a...",
  	"lab_cycle": 420
  	, "icon": "icon-news-events"
  	},
  
  	{
  	"id": "2434367515",
  	"title": "Bringing People Together: How To Find Your Outdoor Adventure Community",
  	"tags": "",
  	"content": "&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/170218_SAJoshuaTree_ShaniLeead_104.jpg?735770903657916900&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Shoestring Warriors on a Joshua Tree Camping Trip, photo by &lt;a href=&#39;http://www.shanileeadphotography.com&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Shani Leead&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is a special guest post from Alyx Schwarz, the Founder of &lt;a href=&#39;https://shoestringadventures.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Shoestring Adventures&lt;/a&gt;, an LA-based community connecting city-dwellers who love the the outdoors.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;On New Year’s Day of 2012, I dragged my dried-out Christmas tree to &lt;span&gt;Dockweiler State Beach in Playa Del Rey, CA, &lt;/span&gt;along with a wood saw and a box of matches. The previous year was marked by back surgery, the end of a year long struggle with chronic pain and the beginning of a long road to recovery. But if all my training as a triathlete and marathon runner taught me anything, it’s that every setback sets you up for your biggest comeback.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As my tree turned into ash in the fire ring, I made a simple promise to myself — say yes to everything — road trips, race car driving, sound baths, jade hunting, dune sledding, waterfalls, dirt biking, you name it. You know the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you approach the edge of your comfort zone? That’s where I wanted to live — a curious place for a shy introvert — but I wasn’t going to waste another moment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At the time, I didn’t have many friends who spent time in the outdoors, but I knew I didn’t want to go alone, so I set out to find my adventure community. I started off going on weekend trips with my little sister, but everything changed when my friend Rachel and I decided to climb Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in 48 states. I started a Meetup group for others to train with us called &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.meetup.com/shoestring-adventures-la/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Shoestring Adventures LA&lt;/a&gt;, and my adventure community found me!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Before long, I discovered the many benefits of joining a group vs. going solo. I was accountable to show up for our 7am weekend training hikes. I met fellow outdoors-women and men, many who are still my friends today. I was exposed to a wealth of knowledge, from new trails to first-hand gear reviews. (My bucket list grew exponentially overnight.) On the toughest hikes, I had a team to cheer me on. Last but not least, if anything ever happened to me, I knew I would be in good hands.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With the help of our adventure community, Rachel and I successfully summited Mt. Whitney in July 2014. After that experience, I continued to foster the small community we&#39;d built, so others could benefit in the same way. Flash forward to today, &lt;a href=&#39;https://shoestringadventures.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Shoestring Adventures&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; has grown from a small ragtag crew to a flourishing community of engineers, teachers, lawyers, artists, veterans and doctors from ages 18 to 65+, who often keep in touch long after their first adventure.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Alyx&#39;s Adventure Community&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/151021_havasupai_aschwarz_002_1.jpg?735770903657916900&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;em&gt;(The Shoestring crew hiking to Havasupai. Photo by &lt;a href=&#39;www.instagram.com/shoestringadventures&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Alyx Schwarz&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether you live near us in California or all the way in Arkansas, here are some tips to find your adventure community wherever you are:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt10 mb20 pl10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Shoestring Adventures&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/161106_WFA_AlyxSchwarz_058.jpg?735770903657916900&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt10 mb20 pl10&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Hiking adventures above treeline&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/SHOESTRING_YOSEMITE_082016_by_JustinSullivan-15_1.jpg?735770903657916900&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt; (Family photo at Camp Sturtevant, photo by &lt;a href=&#39;www.instagram.com/shoestringadventures&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Alyx Schwarz&lt;/a&gt;. Hiking around Yosemite, photo by &lt;a href=&#39;http://www.justinsullivanphoto.com&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Justin Sullivan&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Tap into your immediate network.&lt;/strong&gt; Share what you love about the outdoors with everyone you know. Chat about it by the water cooler and around the dinner table. Holler from the mountain tops if you have to! Chances are, the right friends will come to you if you are open.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Keep in mind that not everyone is ready for the adventure life, and that’s okay! But the friend who&#39;s down to wake up at 4am to climb a mountain and feed you gummy worms along the way is more valuable than gold. You will share experiences that will be retold around the campfire for years to come.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. If you don’t have friends who love the outdoors, seek them.&lt;/strong&gt; Social media can be a powerful tool to connect with others who share your passions. Don’t be afraid to reach out, and who knows? You might just end up sharing an adventure with a new friend in real life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether your group is open to the public or brings together different groups of friends, spending time outside is a great way to meet new people. If you showed up, chances are you already have one thing in common: you&#39;d rather be outdoors! Before every adventure, we start with a simple icebreaker question, like, “What’s your favorite national park?” or “What’s your favorite hike?” These questions often lead to deeper discussions down the trail.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Look to existing communities.&lt;/strong&gt; Meetup.com worked really well for us but as in dating, every &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.meetup.com&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Meetup&lt;/a&gt; has a different personality. If the first one is not a match, don’t give up! Here are some other communities to check out:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;Hiking Communities&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Backpacking adventure in Yosemite&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/SHOESTRING_YOSEMITE_082016_by_JustinSullivan-33.jpg?735770903657916900&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Two Shoestring Warriors reaching the summit in Yosemite, photo by &lt;a href=&#39;http://www.justinsullivanphoto.com&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Justin Sullivan&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.trashfreeearth.org/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Trash Free Earth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is a nonprofit that organizes cleanups and “eco hikes,” which are fun hikes mixed with Leave No Trace education. Join their Facebook group to host your own clean-up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;http://www.52hikechallenge.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;52 Hike Challenge&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is a global movement inspiring you to take a personal journey to discover the physical, mental and spiritual benefits gained through hiking once a week for an entire year.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://socalhiker.net/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;SoCal Hiker&lt;/a&gt; + &lt;a href=&#39;https://socalhiker.net/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Six Pack of Peaks Challenge&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: In order to train for the John Muir Trail, SoCal Hiker’s Jeff Hester developed a series of six peak-bagging hikes, each progressively more challenging and all within a couple hours drive from anywhere in Southern California.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://hikeitbaby.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hike It Baby&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting families to one another and getting them outside with a focus on children from birth to school age.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.womenwhohike.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Women Who Hike&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; encourages women to seek the outdoors for personal balance, stress relief, and overall improvement of life conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;http://outdoorafro.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Outdoor Afro&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; has become the nation’s leading, cutting edge network that celebrates and inspires African American connections and leadership in nature.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h5 style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;Camping &amp;amp; Backpacking Communities&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;Camping &amp;amp; Backpacking Communities&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/SHOESTRING_YOSEMITE_082016_by_JustinSullivan-6.jpg?735770903657916900&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Mid-hike during a camping trip to Yosemite, photo by &lt;a href=&#39;http://www.justinsullivanphoto.com&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Justin Sullivan&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;http://trailmavens.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Trail Mavens&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;: Based in San Francisco, Trail Mavens offer overnight camping and backpacking trips to empower women to be the fire-starters, the tent-pitchers, and the map readers, creating opportunities for adventure, leadership, and starry-night campfire conversation in the great outdoors.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.boldbetties.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bold Betties&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: Based in Colorado, Bold Betties offers outdoor gear and adventures designed for women to connect with each other, the outdoors and themselves.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://outdooradventureclub.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Outdoor Adventure Club&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; offers adventure trips in and around the San Francisco Bay Area, led by professional guides.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;http://firstdescents.org/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;First Descents&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is a non-profit organization that provides life-changing outdoor adventures for young adults (age 18-39) impacted by cancer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;http://www.makelifecount.co/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Make Life Count, Co&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. plans adventures around your regular schedule to help enhance your life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.rei.com/adventures&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;REI Adventures&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; offers 150+ active vacations, weekend getaways, family adventures, and volunteer expeditions for all levels of experience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.nols.edu/en/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; is a non-profit outdoor education school based in the United States dedicated to teaching environmental ethics, technical outdoors skills, wilderness medicine, risk management and judgment, and leadership on extended wilderness expeditions and in traditional classrooms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;http://www.outwardbound.org/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Outward Bound&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is the premier provider of experience-based outdoor leadership programs for youth and adults.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Shoestring Adventures offers guided weekend camping &amp;amp; backpacking trips across California, as well as a supportive family for anyone who wants to experience the outdoors. We have led over 15 weekend adventures for 90+ &lt;a href=&#39;https://shoestringadventures.com/category/categories/shoestring-warriors&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Shoestring Warriors&lt;/a&gt;, from Joshua Tree to Yosemite and beyond.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;http://bit.ly/sa-adventures&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Join us in 2017&lt;/a&gt; to explore Yosemite’s Half Dome, Palisades Glacier and Santa Cruz Island to name a few. We will also be offering courses in basic backpacking skills, photography and Wilderness First Aid. We hope to see you out there!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb30&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb20&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;FYF logo&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_footer_logo.jpg?15675909462053748714&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Looking to Find Your Frontier this summer but don&#39;t know where to start? We got you. &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/pages/find-your-frontier#resources&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;br&gt;Read More Stories Here →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/top-14-outdoor-adventure-groups",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "(Shoestring Warriors on a Joshua Tree Camping Trip, photo by Shani Leead) This is a special guest post from Alyx Schwarz, the...",
  	"lab_cycle": 250
  	, "icon": "icon-news-events"
  	},
  
  	{
  	"id": "2434433051",
  	"title": "Epic Road Trips: A Whirlwind Through the West",
  	"tags": "stories,",
  	"content": "&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Scott_Kranz_Image_06_-_DSC06479.jpg?16627969985029160265&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;em&gt;This guest post comes to you from BioLite ambassador, Scott Kranz.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider mb50&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;12 days. 7 states. 3500 miles on the road. The trip idea was aggressive, if not a little crazy. But we knew it would be anything but boring.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For too long I wanted to tackle a classic American road trip across the Western United States. It’s one thing to fly in and out of a destination for some limited time in the mountains or the desert. But nothing can replace the sense of freedom and adventure you find on the open road, nor the chance to experience all of the natural diversity of the West in a single trip.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Along the way, we planned join to some of our closest friends and find our adventures (or let our adventures find us) from day to day. Overall, the plan was to fly by the seat of our pants and to embrace the unknown.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb0&#39; style=&#39;text-align: left;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;map&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Blog_Map-01.jpg?11016557362729995817&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb20&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;The journey began on familiar terrain, as we drove eastward through the Cascades and into the sprawling fields of central Washington. We were well equipped for countless hours on the road. We had cell phones with weeks’ worth of music, podcasts, and audiobooks; grocery bags loaded with snacks and roadside meals; and plenty of off-grid energy stored in my BioLite gear to keep cameras and other technology charged and ready. In this roundup, I’ve pulled together 8 of my favorite moments from the trip.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;!--**********************************BEGIN SLIDESHOW **********************************--&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full text-center&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large blog-slide-show-container&#39;&gt;&lt;div id=&#39;Glide&#39; class=&#39; glide&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;glide__arrows&#39;&gt;&lt;button class=&#39;glide__arrow prev&#39; data-glide-dir=&#39;&amp;lt;&#39;&gt;&lt;i class=&#39;icomoon icon-LeftArrow_slider world-icon&#39; style=&#39;color: #fff; font-size: 28px !important;&#39;&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/button&gt; &lt;button class=&#39;glide__arrow next&#39; data-glide-dir=&#39;&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;i class=&#39;icomoon icon-RightArrow_slider world-icon&#39; style=&#39;color: #fff; font-size: 28px !important;&#39;&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/button&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;glide__wrapper&#39;&gt;&lt;ul class=&#39;glide__track&#39;&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 1--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://s3.amazonaws.com/biolitemedia/Hayley+Blogs/%C2%A9Scott+Kranz+Image+01+-+DSC04962.jpg&#39; alt=&#39;slat flats&#39; title=&#39;utah slat flats&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Experiencing A Passing Storm In The Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;Veering southeast, we passed through the corners of Oregon and Idaho and eventually reached Utah, where we’d spend most of the week. Pulling into the northwest corner of the beehive state, we arrived at the Bonneville Salt Flats before sunset. We stepped out and looked up to see a desert storm passing overhead. Before this visit, I had not experienced the salt flats, and the dramatic weather made for an awesome first experience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 1--&gt; &lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 2--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://s3.amazonaws.com/biolitemedia/Hayley+Blogs/%C2%A9Scott+Kranz+Image+02+-+DSC05397.jpg&#39; alt=&#39;Title Goes Here&#39; title=&#39;Title Goes Here&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Watching the Sunset In Southern Utah.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;We took in the Moab area&#39;s many desert wonders, from arches and canyons, to mesas and hoodoos, we experienced it all from the road and trail. Between iconic sunrises and backroad sunsets, we stayed caffeinated and charged up (courtesy of my BioLite gear). We were ready for anything we’d find down the road. In Southern Utah, we joined forces with my wife, Jill, and our friend, Amanda, the runners of the group, who were gearing up for their 30k and 50k races through the Moab desert (good news to report, Jill and Amanda both finished their races by large margins ahead of their goal times).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 2--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 3--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://s3.amazonaws.com/biolitemedia/Hayley+Blogs/%C2%A9Scott+Kranz+Image+03+-+DSC06153.jpg&#39; alt=&#39;Monument Valley&#39; title=&#39;Monument Vally Arizona&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Checking A Few Items Off My Bucket List.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;After southern Utah, we drove south to northern Arizona and stopped at Monument Valley and Horseshoe Bend (pictured above) to take in the breathtaking views. These stops have been on my bucket list for years and for good reason.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 3--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 4--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://s3.amazonaws.com/biolitemedia/Hayley+Blogs/%C2%A9Scott+Kranz+Image+04+-+DSC06178.jpg&#39; alt=&#39;BaseLantern XL&#39; title=&#39;Charging Off Grid&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Staying Charged Off The Grid With The BaseLantern XL.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;We were driving constantly and chances to stop near an outlet were few and far between. It was great to have the BaseLantern XL along with us to keep our gear charged while driving or at pitstops. This gear allowed us to stayed powered as we circled back into the southwest corner of Utah for some more sightseeing, and then head west through Las Vegas into southern California, to begin the long last leg of the trip. Before we knew it, we pulled into Death Valley in the middle of the night.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 4--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 5--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://s3.amazonaws.com/biolitemedia/Hayley+Blogs/%C2%A9Scott+Kranz+Image+05+-+DSC06244+(1).jpg&#39; alt=&#39;Death Valley&#39; title=&#39;Death Valley Sunrise&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Walking Towards Sunrise in Death Valley.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;After too little sleep and an early start, we walked into a landscape of wind-swept sand dunes for the trip’s first California sunrise. Despite strong winds and airborne sand flying in what seemed like every direction, we took in the vast layers of dunes as the sun rose over the eastern horizon. After our Death Valley sunrise, we continued on, heading north. Despite one close call of a near-empty gas tank, we eventually reached the Lake Tahoe area.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 5--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 6--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://s3.amazonaws.com/biolitemedia/Hayley+Blogs/%C2%A9Scott+Kranz+Image+06+-+DSC06479.jpg&#39; alt=&#39;Lake Tahoe Relax&#39; title=&#39;Lake Tahoe Chats&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Roadside Talks in Lake Tahoe.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;After eating, sleeping, and driving in the desert for so many days, the beautiful, blue waters of Tahoe were truly a sight to see. Sitting on smooth rocks along the shore, we enjoyed a classic Tahoe sunset. We were fully absorbed in the moment, despite knowing we had only a few more days on the road. The trip’s end was in sight, a bittersweet thought. After catching up on some much-needed sleep in the Tahoe area, we drove into northern California, hunting for some trees. One overnight of torrential rainfall in a near-abandoned campground later, we woke, shook off our tent, and drove into the mighty Redwoods, age-old giants that had our necks tilted back all morning.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 6--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 7--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://s3.amazonaws.com/biolitemedia/Hayley+Blogs/%C2%A9Scott+Kranz+Image+07+-+DSC06549.jpg&#39; alt=&#39;Scenic OR Coast&#39; title=&#39;Oregon Coast&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Driving North Up The Oregon Coast.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;We eventually hopped another state border, reaching the southwest corner of Oregon. The vast Pacific Ocean was a welcome sight, to say the least. We explored the on- and off-shore rock formations scattered along the coastline, despite some of the strongest winds I had ever experienced. We took in what we could until sunset, and called it a day.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 7--&gt;&lt;!--BEGIN SLIDE 8--&gt;&lt;li class=&#39;glide__slide&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://s3.amazonaws.com/biolitemedia/Hayley+Blogs/%C2%A9Scott+Kranz+Image+08+-+DSC06629.jpg&#39; alt=&#39;Crater Lake&#39; title=&#39;First Light at Crater Lake&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;First Light At Crater Lake.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;For our final adventure, we drove from the Oregon coast throughout the night and arrived at the one and only Crater Lake before daybreak. Stepping out of the car, we felt the first freezing temperatures of the trip. The chill made clear that the warmth we had enjoyed in the Southwest deserts was a far cry away. Marching through knee-deep snow up to the edge of the crater rim, we caught our first glimpse of the deepest lake in the country, in its entirety. Minutes later, the sun peaked over the eastern rim, and illuminated the opposite rim in golden light. The beauty of the scene was jaw-dropping.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;light text-center&amp;gt;&#39;&gt;As the morning spectacle unfolded, I happened to reflect and was struck by the huge diversity of experiences we had just encountered over the last week and a half. From arid deserts to rainy forests, from windy coastlines to snowy mountain tops – it felt like we experienced it all. We left Crater Lake, and headed north one last time, ready to complete the full circle of driving and return home to Seattle with smiles on our faces.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;!--END SLIDE 7--&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;glide__bullets&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;script&gt;// &lt;![CDATA[$(&#39;#Glide&#39;).glide({        type: &#39;carousel&#39;    });// ]]&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;!--**********************************END SLIDESHOW **********************************--&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt0&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt0 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;meta charset=&#39;utf-8&#39;&gt;&lt;p style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider mb50&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;As it turned out, my classic American road trip across the West far exceeded my expectations. There is so much to see right here in our own “backyard,” and I believe it’s best experienced as part of a big road trip, unrestricted by airport proximity and rental cars.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do you agree? If so, what are you waiting for? Step out your front door, hit the road, and open yourself to what you might find down the open road.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/whirlwind-through-the-west",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "  This guest post comes to you from BioLite ambassador, Scott Kranz. 12 days. 7 states. 3500 miles on the...",
  	"lab_cycle": 300
  	, "icon": "icon-user-stories"
  	
  	},
  
  	{
  	"id": "2434400283",
  	"title": "Fuel Your Frontier",
  	"tags": "stories,",
  	"content": "&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FOTG-X-BioLite-Find-Your-Frontier-10_1.jpg?12613775200045202039&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&#39;text-decoration: underline;&#39;&gt;How To Build A Camp Kitchen + Two Recipes To Up Your Camp Cooking Game&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is a special guest post from our friends &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Fresh Off The Grid&lt;/a&gt;. Michael &amp;amp; Megan are off-grid culinary experts who’ve built a traveling camp kitchen to support their frontier adventures. They’ve cooked nearly a thousand meals during their time off-grid leading them everywhere from Zion to Cuba. Whether it’s cooking one pot Dan Dan Noodles on a backpacking trip or whipping up campfire paella on the Oregon Coast, each of their recipes leave us wanting more.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let’s be honest: cooking can be pretty overwhelming at home, nevermind trying to pull together all the various steps of a meal at a campsite. Without access to a refrigerator, microwave, oven, dishwasher, or even a sink with running water, camp cooking can feel pretty daunting - especially if it’s your first time. Figuring out what to cook is a common hang up for most campers, no matter the experience level. Finding a clever way to cook delicious, filling meals outside is a frontier in and of itself. Epic off-grid meals are crucial to finding frontiers as they are an important way to refuel for your journey especially if you’re pushing yourself hard. Thankfully, cooking delicious meals outside and on your frontier doesn’t need to be difficult. The best way to start is to build a mobile camp kitchen that works for you. Below, we’ve pulled together our advice for building a camp kitchen that meets your needs and a few recipes that are sure to fuel your frontier adventures this summer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What exactly is a camp kitchen?&lt;/strong&gt; ‘Camp Kitchen’ gets thrown around a lot but here at Fresh Off The Grid we mean all the equipment you need to cook outdoors - preferably stored together inside a single box. With your gear in one centralized location, all you need to do is throw this box in the back of your car and you’re prepared to cook wherever your travels take you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what gear should go into your camp kitchen?&lt;/strong&gt; That will depend a lot on your style of camping and style of cooking. Do you need your gear to be lightweight for backpacking or walk-in campsites? Or are you a car camper or #vanlifer and does weight not really matter? How big is the group you’re cooking for? What type of meals to you typically make at home?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While no two camp kitchen setups will look exactly alike, there are some basic gear categories that will be found in every camp kitchen.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Fuel_your_frontier_blog_image.jpg?17539376002293791454&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Camp stove&lt;/strong&gt; - This is your primary heat source and perhaps the most critical piece of gear. What’s the right stove for you? That will depend on a couple of factors, such as where are you camping? What types of meals do you want to cook? What type of fuel do you want to use? We bounce around and use a lot of different types of stoves for different occasions, but we used the &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/campstove-2&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;CampStove 2&lt;/a&gt; on a few of our most recent trips and find it to be a really versatile option. Zero fuel costs, compact size, and charges electronic devices as added bonus.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Cookware&lt;/strong&gt; - Depending on what you like to cook, there are a lot of different options when it comes to cookware. Since we typically make one pot meals, we find that we can get away most of the time with just a cast iron skillet. Cast iron is great because it can be used over an open fire and retains heat well, but there are also a lot of great non-stick options as well. The key is find out what you feel most comfortable cooking on and tailor your camp cookware around that. &lt;span&gt;We own a &lt;a href=&#39;http://shop.lodgemfg.com/skillets-and-covers/10-25-inch-cast-iron-skillet.asp&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Lodge 10” skillet&lt;/a&gt;, a &lt;a href=&#39;http://shop.lodgemfg.com/skillets-and-covers/12-inch-cast-iron-skillet.asp&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Lodge 12” skillet&lt;/a&gt;, a &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.barebonesliving.com/store/products/cast-iron/10-cast-iron-skillet&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Barebones 10” skillet&lt;/a&gt;, and a &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.polerstuff.com/products/the-poler-dutch-oven-with-lid&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Poler Dutch Oven&lt;/a&gt;. But truth be told, the best cast iron cookware can often be found at your local Goodwill!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Tableware&lt;/strong&gt; - You will definitely want to pick up some durable plates, bowls, and utensils. While ceramic tableware might work at home, it can be easily broken out in the field. We recommend plastic or enamelware for the outdoors. If you want to reduce items to pack, you can find deep plates that can double as shallow bowls. And of course, there’s sporks and reversible spoon/fork combos. &lt;span&gt;We have the iconic blue speckled enamelware plates and bowls that are sold at seemingly every outdoor retailer and Army/Navy outlet. Plus a few pieces we picked up from our local thrift store.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Accessories&lt;/strong&gt; - Cooking utensils like a spatula, wood spoon, and can opener are important to items to include in your camp kitchen. Also, be sure to bring along a sharp knife for food prep. If you like grilling, then consider a pair of metal tongs, some heat resistant gloves, and perhaps the &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/portable-grill&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;portable grill attachment&lt;/a&gt; for the &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/campstove-2&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;CampStove 2.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Drinkware&lt;/strong&gt; - While anything durable will do, insulated drinkware can really take things to the next level. We like to keep our coffee hot and our beer cold by using insulated mugs and pint glasses. It’s definitely not required, but we can sort of be divas when it comes to our morning coffee. &lt;span&gt;We have an embarrassing amount of insulated drinkware, including: &lt;a href=&#39;https://snowpeak.com/collections/dining/products/titanium-double-450-mug?variant=671141837&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;2 Snow Peak Mugs&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&#39;http://yeti.com/rambler&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;2 Yeti Ramblers&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.hydroflask.com/true-pint?utm_source=google_shopping&amp;amp;92=58&amp;amp;gclid=CJjvra600tQCFUsvgQod7KEKyQ&amp;amp;mkwid=suFbs6B22_189726347260___c&amp;amp;mtid=23047xrl59908&amp;amp;slid=&amp;amp;product_id=P16415&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;2 Hydro Flask Pints Glasses&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.hydroflask.com/tumblers&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;2 Hydro Flask Tumblers&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.hydroflask.com/10-oz-rocks#92=52&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;2 Hydro Flask Rocks Glasses,&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.hydroflask.com/beer&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;a Hydro Flask Growler&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6. Coffee&lt;/strong&gt; - This will depend on personal preferences, but you will want to make sure your camp kitchen has everything you need to make coffee. When it’s just the two of us, we typically go with an &lt;a href=&#39;https://aerobie.com/product/aeropress/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Aeropress&lt;/a&gt;. But for larger groups, we like that the &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/kettlepot&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;KettlePot&lt;/a&gt; for the &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/campstove-2&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;CampStove 2&lt;/a&gt; has a nice &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/coffeepress&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;CoffeePress&lt;/a&gt; attachment. Good coffee in the great outdoors is an absolutely must for us.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;7. Clean Up Supplies&lt;/strong&gt; - &lt;span&gt;The most dreaded aspect of cooking outside is often the inevitable cleanup. But with the right supplies it can make the process a lot more pleasant. What you’ll need: at least two vessels to serve as sinks, a sponge, biodegradable soap, a metal strainer, and drying cloth. Depending on your definition of clean (a sliding spectrum in our opinion), there’s a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://lnt.org/blog/dinner-dish-duty-digging-dirty&#39;&gt;2 bucket&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span a=&#39;&#39;&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://freshoffthegrid.com/washing-dishes-while-camping/&#39;&gt;&lt;span&gt;3 bucket&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://lnt.org/blog/leave-no-trace-skill-dishwashing-frontcountry&#39;&gt;&lt;span&gt;4 bucket&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; wash process. We use the three bucket system. To see our process check out article about &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://freshoffthegrid.com/washing-dishes-while-camping/&#39;&gt;&lt;span&gt;how to properly wash dishes at a campsite&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the end, the ideal camp kitchen consists of the fewest pieces of gear that allow you to cook the greatest number of meals with the least amount of stress. The equipment you use might change from trip to trip, but so long as you’re following that guiding principle, cooking outside can be as easy - if not easier - than cooking at home.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As you head out to Find Your Frontier this summer, here are two recipes that spice up dishes we know and love.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;a name=&#39;recipe&#39;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb20&#39;&gt;Lemon Poppyseed French Toast (30 minutes, Serves 2-4)&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FOTG_X_BioLite_Find_Your_Frontier-7.jpg?434345006583157732&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Equipment Used&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/campstove-2-bundle&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;BioLite CampStove 2 Bundle&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ingredients&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;1lb loaf of brioche bread&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;4 eggs&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;2/3 cup milk&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 lemon&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1/2 teaspoon salt&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;4 tablespoons butter&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Poppyseed Syrup&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;1/4 cup powdered sugar&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1/4 cup milk&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Zest of 1 lemon&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 teaspoon poppy seeds&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;em&gt;Optional:&lt;/em&gt; Blueberries to top&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt50&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Off-Grid Preparation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FOTG_X_BioLite_Find_Your_Frontier-9.jpg?434345006583157732&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1.&lt;/strong&gt; Cut the bread into ¾” - 1” thick slices.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. &lt;/strong&gt;Zest the lemon using the small holes of a cheese grater and set the zest aside. Juice the lemon.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. &lt;/strong&gt;Beat the eggs, ⅔ cup milk, lemon juice, and salt together in a bowl large enough to accommodate a slice of the bread, until thoroughly mixed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. &lt;/strong&gt;Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. &lt;/strong&gt;Dip a slice of bread in the egg and milk mixture and let it soak for about 10 seconds on each side. Let the excess drip off and then fry it in the skillet until golden and crispy on each side, about 3 minutes per side.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6. &lt;/strong&gt;Repeat with the rest of the bread, adding more butter to the skillet as needed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;7. &lt;/strong&gt;To make the lemon poppyseed syrup, mix the powdered sugar, milk, lemon zest, and poppyseeds in a small bowl with a fork until smooth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;8. &lt;/strong&gt;Serve the French toast drizzled with the syrup, fresh fruit, and a cup of hot coffee. Enjoy!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;a name=&#39;burger&#39;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb20&#39;&gt;Grilled Fennel Burgers (20-30 minutes, Makes 4 Burgers).&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FOTG_X_BioLite_Find_Your_Frontier.jpg?434345006583157732&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Equipment Used&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/campstove-2-bundle&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;BioLite CampStove 2 Bundle&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ingredients&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 bulb fennel&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 tablespoon olive oil&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 lb ground beef (80% lean)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;4 oz blue cheese&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;4 burger buns&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 cup arugula&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Mustard + mayo&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Salt + pepper&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt50&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Off-Grid Preparation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FOTG_X_BioLite_Find_Your_Frontier-2.jpg?434345006583157732&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1.&lt;/strong&gt; Preheat the Portable Grill.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2.&lt;/strong&gt; Shape the ground beef into four patties. Create a small indent in the middle of each patty (this will help it cook flat). Set aside.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3.&lt;/strong&gt; Slice the fennel into ½ inch rounds. Coat both sides with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Once your grill is hot, grill each side for a few minutes until the fennel is soft. Remove and set aside.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4.&lt;/strong&gt; Place the burgers on the grill and season with salt and pepper. Grill on both sides - the exact time will depend on the thickness of the patty and the heat of the grill, but 3-4 minutes on each side is a good starting point. Remove from grill.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5.&lt;/strong&gt; Warm the buns on the grill. Spread the mayo on one bun and the mustard on the other. Build your burger: Bun, burger patty, Blue cheese, arugula, bun. Enjoy with a cold drink!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;See This Recipe In Action&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;iframe width=&#39;560&#39; height=&#39;315&#39; src=&#39;https://www.youtube.com/embed/FrcFWNbep4g&#39; frameborder=&#39;0&#39; allowfullscreen=&#39;&#39;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb30&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb20&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;img alt=&#39;FYF logo&#39; src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/FYF_footer_logo.jpg?15675909462053748714&#39; style=&#39;float: none;&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39; style=&#39;text-align: center;&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Looking to Find Your Frontier this summer but don&#39;t know where to start? We got you. &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/pages/find-your-frontier#resources&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;br&gt;Read More Stories Here →&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/fuel-your-frontier",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "How To Build A Camp Kitchen + Two Recipes To Up Your Camp Cooking Game This is a special guest...",
  	"lab_cycle": 330
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  	{
  	"id": "2434465819",
  	"title": "PizzaDome Cookbook: Classic Calzone",
  	"tags": "stories,",
  	"content": "&lt;section class=&#39;hero hero--xmedium&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;hero__image&#39; style=&#39;background-image: url(&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Calzone_Final.jpg?7496310270925830643&#39;);&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/section&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;wrapper mt40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&#39;font-weight: 400;&#39;&gt;This traditional calzone recipe from &lt;a href=&#39;https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;Fresh Off The Grid&lt;/a&gt; brings a classic Italian favorite right to your campsite. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The calzone originated in Naples, Italy around the 18th century, and was invented as sort of a “walk around” pizza. At the time, pizzas were very thin with damp centers that needed to be eaten at a restaurant with a fork and knife. The calzone, on the other hand, was a self-contained pocket stuffed with traditional pizza filling. It’s easy to transport and can be eaten with or without utensils. A huge plus, when it comes to camp cooking.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To make our calzones, we rolled out our dough as if we are making a pizza. On half of the dough we put a few dollops of ricotta cheese, some prosciutto, a few slices of fresh mozzarella, and chopped parsley. Then we folded the other half on top to create a half moon shape. Using one finger over the other, we sealed the outside edge and make 3 slits at the top to let out steam.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Since a calzone is thicker than a normal pizza, they can take a little longer to fully cooked (approximately 15-20 minutes). If you want, during that time you can heat up a little bit of tomato sauce to have on the side for dipping.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When finished, out comes a golden pocket of baked deliciousness, as if it came from the streets of Naples straight to your campsite!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;See This Recipe In Action&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;iframe width=&#39;560&#39; height=&#39;315&#39; src=&#39;https://www.youtube.com/embed/m0xHS36IWuM&#39; frameborder=&#39;0&#39; allowfullscreen=&#39;&#39;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h5 class=&#39;light gray-warm mt50 mb20&#39;&gt;Classic Calzone (makes 1 Calzone)&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-divider&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt20 mb50 pr10&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Pizza_Prep_5.jpg?10660155228783892228&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large--one-half  mt20 mb50 pl10&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Pizza_Prep_6.jpg?10660155228783892228&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Pizza_Prep_7.jpg?10660155228783892228&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds blog-main mt40 mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;two-thirds&#39;&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Equipment Used&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#39;https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/pizzadome-bundle&#39; target=&#39;_blank&#39; rel=&#39;noopener noreferrer&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BioLite PizzaDome Bundle&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ingredients&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;8 oz. pizza dough&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1 tablespoon each flour and cornmeal&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1/4 cup ricotta cheese&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;2 oz. low moisture mozzarella, sliced or shredded&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;2 oz. sliced prosciutto (or thinly sliced salami, pepperoni, or ham)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;1/4 cup chopped parsley&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Pinch of salt&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Optional: 1/2 cup marinara sauce, warmed&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p class=&#39;mt30&#39;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Preparation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Place the metal triangle base on your BaseCamp stove and set the pizza stone on top. Cover with the PizzaDome and preheat to at least 450.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Dust your cutting board with the flour &amp;amp; cornmeal and roll out your dough into a 10” circle using a rolling pin or water bottle.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Spread the ricotta over one half of the pizza dough, leaving a ½”-1” border around the edge. Lay down the prosciutto followed by the mozzarella, parsley, and salt. Fold the other half of the dough over the toppings to create a half moon shape. Seal the calzone by pressing the two edges together (using a bit of water may help if the dough is dry). Cut three slits into the top of the calzone so that it can vent while cooking.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Remove the PizzaDome lid from the stove and carefully transfer the calzone to the pre-heated pizza stone. Cook above 450 for about 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Remove the calzone from the stove and enjoy!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;blog-full&#39;&gt;&lt;div class=&#39;grid__item large mb40&#39;&gt;&lt;img src=&#39;https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0666/9741/files/Pizza_Dome_9_d32d3cd6-87f7-499a-b544-23cb074bc1a5.jpg?17477195567347112853&#39;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;",
  	"url": "/blogs/lab/pizzadome-cookbook-classic-calzone",
  	"featured_image": "",
  	"post_excerpt": "  This traditional calzone recipe from Fresh Off The Grid brings a classic Italian favorite right to your campsite. The...",
  	"lab_cycle": 420
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  	},
  
  {"title": "","tags": "","content": "", "featured_image": "", "post_excerpt": ""}
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 }