If you are looking for some pictures of the Allagash, they will come. This is not a post to show off amazing scenery, but about nutritional and psychological necessity. When you paddle for a few miles per day (up to nearly 20 miles), your body is begging you for something good to eat. It is easy to reach into a backpack and grab a granola bar or a handful of trailmix to get through a rough spot when you’ve bonked, but there is something psychological about watching a homemade meal being prepared over the fire and getting to put warm, delicious, food into your system.
Dave Conley and Wayne Daggett are not only experts on the river and understand the needs for safety, they also understand that when you get done with a few hours of paddling, you are ready for a real meal. River novices will resort to the easiest things to cook and eat, but with Canoe the Wild, you should be prepared to eat like royalty.
Think about the last 5 days and try to reconstruct what you ate, in your head, day by day. It gets a little fuzzy doesn’t it? It is kind of funny. My son, Aaron, and I were able to remember every meal in detail. The meals were firmly pressed into our memories.
Here is the rundown… (Lunches were mainly sandwiches, wraps, and pockets, so I will not go into detail there even though they hit the spot for a hungry paddler).
Monday – Allagash Campsite “Jaws”:
Supper: Grilled sockeye salmon and some sides. Strawberry shortcake for dessert.
Tuesday – Allagash Campsite “The Ledges”:
Breakfast: French toast.
Supper: Spaghetti with homemade sauce… it’s all about the sauce… amazing! Spice cake for dessert.
Wednesday – Allagash Campsite “Back Channel” (on Round Pond… my favorite spot!):
Breakfast: A very fruitful/nutty oatmeal (very filling).
Supper: Ribeye steak with potatoes and corn. Brownies for dessert.
Thursday – Allagash Campsite “Ramsey”
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, sausage, home-fries (with onions optional)
Supper: Chicken and dumplings. Apple crisp for dessert.
Friday
Breakfast: Blueberry pancakes and bacon.
Friday was our day to leave, so we had simple sandwiches and snacks on the road.
In summary, you will not likely eat this good while you are at home, but Wayne and Dave put on a pretty good feed. From what I understand, all the trips led by Canoe the Wild will include meals comparable to the menu above. Dave and his crew take care of their guests and will also accommodate gluten free and vegetarian (though a trip guest might need to bring some of their own substitutes).
We give a big “thank you” to Dave and Wayne for amazing meals! I know Aaron and I will be talking about this trip for years to come.
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