The final stretch of my Backbone Trail adventure was this Sunday. If you haven't already read my first two posts, this was the third and final section of the Backbone Trail - a 68 mile trail that extends through the Santa Monica Mountains from Will Rogers Park in Pacific Palisades to La Jolla Canyon near Point Mugu. My friend and I divided up the trail into 3 sections and completed them on three consecutive Sundays - part 1 was Will Rogers to Piuma Road (23 miles); part 2 was Piuma Road to Encinal Canyon Road (20 miles); and part 3 would be Encinal Canyon Road to La Jolla Canyon (25 miles - though it actually logged in at 28 but more on that later). 

This final stretch was the farthest from my house and since we were dropping one car at the start and one at the finish, it required the most pre-hike commuting. The shorter days and our hike pace necessitated we have as much daylight as possible, so we opted to stay overnight in a nearby hotel, reducing our morning-of commute to only 45 minutes instead of nearly 2 hours.

The logistics of taking all my gear and SCD meals to a hotel for an overnight stay were more complex and so this post will go into how I prepared.  

If you're new to using an Instant Pot, it can feel overwhelming (especially if you're also new a special diet like SCD). There are a bazillion amazing looking recipes online, but if you don't know the basics on how to cook with your IP, they'll likely feel a little out of reach. 

When teaching my Intro to the Instant Pot classes, I focus on getting students comfortable with how to use the buttons. Once they've mastered the concepts like pressure, natural vs quick release, and saute, complex recipes seem less daunting. 

I've laid out 5 simple and easy, intro to Instant Pot food prep guides (that are also SCD friendly) to help you learn the function of your machine. 

With Amazon Prime Day kicking off tomorrow I thought an Instant Pot post was in order. This is the first of many that I'll be posting about Instant Pot cooking because I'm a #1 fan - I've taught classes at my local community center, library, in homes, and on Zoom!  I've learned all the cool ways to use it and have even invented some of my own tricks. Keep an eye on my page for tons of info, especially for those who follow SCD or any special diet like KETO, FODMAP, GAPS, or PALEO.

INSTANT POT AS A TIME SAVER
If you are following an elimination diet or if you want to rely less on processed foods, you are well aware how cooking and eating becomes a central life focus! I’ve been following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) for 3 years and even though it is now second nature, much of my day is spent in the kitchen either prepping, cooking, or cleaning up. The other part of my day (or so it feels) is spent at the grocery store and wondering what to cook for dinner!

An amazing tool for the kitchen that can simplify things is the Instant Pot.  I love mine - in 

(please note that this trip took place pre-COVID when masks and social distancing were not a consideration. I wrote it back then but thought it had some good tips for travel during pandemic times, since many of us are sticking to our cars and not eating in restaurants along the road). 

Whether you are considering participating in a Ragnar Relay (or other multi-day sport event) or have a long road trip with minimal stops in your future and want some ideas on how to stick to your special diet, this post is for you. You may need to read between the Ragnar-specific lines, but I hope anyone who is about to spend over 36 hours on the road will benefit from my experience. 

WHAT IS A RAGNAR RELAY?
Imagine 12 people spread across 2 vans, taking turns running a total of 200 miles. The course is broken down into 36 “legs” that are typically 3-10 miles long. Each person takes a turn running every 12 hours or so, a total of 3 times. That means someone is running at all times, even during the night and early morning hours - until all 12 people have reached the finish line about 30-36 hours later. The two vans leapfrog for a period of 4-6 hours each. When Van One is “on” the team of 6 on board is shuttling and cheering for each other; meanwhile Van Two is “off” meaning the other 6 runners have stopped to have a meal, rest, restock supplies, etc. Then they switch, a total of three times. Sleep is never a given because 4-6 hours goes really really quickly when you have to commute to the next location. The rule seems to be sleep, eat, get clean – pick 2.

EXTREME ROAD TRIP ON SCD
Being on a restricted diet – Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) for my ulcerative colitis -