We’re only about a mile from where we planned on camping.

After a 6-hour drive to the trailhead, we decided to hike in a few miles of our 20-mile adventure to stretch our legs.

The rain starts.

Slowly at first. Then bigger drops. The drops turn to hail.

We frantically dig through our packs for rain gear, trying not to let any rain into our packs at all costs.

Thunder rolls. Then CRACK! Lighting.

Mary isn't convinced we're still on the dry side of the Pacific Crest.

“Did you bring a ground cloth?” I ask as we search for a desperate dry-ish campsite after our intended campsite looked like a sea of dirt and needles.

Yes! “I learned that miserable lesson in the Olympics,” Mary said.

We made the split-second decision to pitch our tents in a nearby mini-meadow.

At least the clumps of grass and coarse soil beneath offered better drainage of the monsoon that was attempting to let up.

Hopefully we'd find warm sun in the morning to dry out.

Hi, Reader!

Here's an important life lesson.

Don’t forget a ground cloth when camping in the mountains, ever!

This thin piece of nylon, designed to fit perfectly under a tent, is the foundation for staying dry and protected in the backcountry.

Over 15 years of backpacking in Washington State, I learned how essential a ground cloth is for keeping gear and clothes dry and a smile on your face in the backcountry.

Kind of like gentle nutrition is the essential foundation to a healthy relationship with food and your body - especially when Mother Nature throws perimenopause symptom curveballs.

At the same time…

Gentle nutrition doesn’t need to be complicated or perfect.

Let it be messy - like getting caught in a rain-hail storm you didn't expect.

Remember the advice from The Bike Guy: “show up, think about it, and give a sh*t.”

Don't obsess over the "think about it" part. That turns gentle nutrition into dieting real quick!

Easy to say. Hard to do.

95% of the women I work with get tripped up here.

Thanks to decades of diet culture, they don’t know how to “think about it” unless it’s a list of food rules.

What happens when you’re tired of following the rules, or the rules don't make sense for your life?

Or when you’re overwhelmed by health “shoulds...”

"I should eat more vegetables. I should eat more protein. I shouldn’t eat processed food. I shouldn’t eat sugar. I should cook from scratch."

Shoulding on yourself leaves you feeling defeated and confused.

Not your fault.

Diet culture's entire business model is built on you not knowing how to “think about it.”​
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Let’s make The Bike Guy’s advice work for you.

Watch your inbox on Thursdays over the next few weeks.

I’ll break down what gentle nutrition is, why it’s the foundation for health AND a healthy relationship with food in midlife, and how to practice eating this way without falling into the dumpster fire of diet culture.

In the meantime, try one of my favorite foods when I get home from a backpacking adventure -next to pizza, of course!

Recipe Share

The first meal I had when we got off the John Muir Trail in 2025 was THE BEST. Breakfast Burrito. The tortilla was smeared with guacamole and melted cheese, then rolled up around roasted veggies and fluffy eggs. In this adapted recipe, I added black beans because who doesn't want an extra dose of fiber and phytoestrogens to start the day right? Make a batch on the weekend for grab-and-go breakfasts or quick lunches. They freeze great!​
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Breakfast Burritos with Roasted Vegetables and Black Beans

serves 4

4 flour tortillas

1 cup guacamole, divided

1 cup shredded cheese, I like Manchego or an aged cheddar

8 eggs

1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt, plain

1 medium sweet potato, cut into chunks

1 zucchini, cut into chunks

1 red pepper, cut into chunks

1 yellow onion, cut into half-moons

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1 tsp garlic granules

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried parsley

1/4 sea salt

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Spread 1/4 cup of guacamole over each tortilla. Sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded cheese over each tortilla. Place tortillas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and Greek-style yogurt. In a medium skillet coated with 1 Tbsp olive oil, over medium-high heat, scramble the eggs and yogurt until fluffy and cooked through. Remove from heat, set aside.

In a large bowl, toss sweet potato, zucchini, red pepper, and yellow onion with olive oil, granulated garlic, paprika, dried parsley, and sea salt.

Spread veggies on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 25 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork.

To assemble the burritos, add 1/4 of the scrambled eggs and 1/4 of the roasted veggies to each tortilla. Wrap the tortillas burrito-style with the open edge facing down on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F to melt the cheese.

Serve warm with extra guac, sour cream, and salsa.

What's your favorite to-go food or meal when you get home from traveling?

Hit reply!

I need more ideas. Adventure season isn't over yet!

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Have a delicious weekend savoring food and your body!

Amanda

PS: Gentle nutrition is the essential foundation for a healthy relationship with food and your body - especially when Mother Nature throws perimenopause symptom curveballs. But it doesn't need to be complicated, and you don't have to obsess over getting it right. Over the next few Thursdays, I’ll break down what gentle nutrition is, why it’s the foundation for health AND a healthy relationship with food in midlife, and how to practice eating this way without falling into the dumpster fire of diet culture. Stay tuned, and scroll up for a delicious recipe in the meantime.