Serves: 1
Packed weight: 214g
Cooking Time: 25mins
Energy: 2686kj

This is a super satisfying meal at the end of a long day and  doesn't require a lot of ingredients. A good non-stick fry pan makes all the difference. Nutritional information based on a Ham, Cheese and Pineapple combination.

Ingredients (per serve)
1/2 cup Plain Flour
1/2 Tbsp Powdered Milk
Pinch of Salt
1/2 sachet of tomato paste
Selected toppings
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Tin Foil to cover pan

Prep at Home

Pack flour, powdered milk and salt together in a ziplock bag
Dehydrate fruit or vegetable toppings like pineapple or capsicum and pack in ziplock bag
Pack other ingredients separately


Cooking

Re-hydrate toppings as required
Add 1/4 cup of water to flour in a small pot or bowl (do this slowly so as to not add too much)
Mix until dough just comes together and is not too sticky (see above!)
Add half the oil to your pan
Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan leaving just enough room to get a utensil under for flipping
Cook on one side until just starting to brown
Turn off heat and flip the pizza
Add tomato paste and other toppings before covering with foil and pressing around the edges of the pan
Cook for approximately 15 mins until cheese is melted and base is golden

Serves: One
Packed weight: approx 132g
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Energy: 2510kj

Ingredients
​
1/4 cup plain white rice, cooked and dehydrated
100g chicken mince, cooked and dehydrated
1/2 chopped mango, dehydrated
3/4 cup chopped capsicum, dehydrated
1 tsp mild curry powder
2 Tbs coconut milk powder

Prep at Home
​
Cook and dehydrate rice over night
Cook (with a small amount of water not oil) and dehydrate chicken mince over night
Slice capsicum and mango into small pieces, dehydrate over night
Place all ingredients in a zip lock bag

Cooking

Boil one cup of water in a medium sized pot
Pour in contents of bag and cover, leave to sit for 10 mins
Bring back to the boil and let simmer for 10 mins, adding more water if needed until the rice and chicken are re-hydrated
 

Serves: One (or more)
Packed weight: approx 77g
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Energy: 1184kj

This is a quick and easy treat for after dinner and takes up minimal room in your pack! Use a small non-stick camping fry pan and a cooker with a good wide base for stability. Top with lemon juice and sugar to serve.


Ingredients (per serve)
​
1/4 cup plain flour
1/2 tablespoon powdered milk
1 teaspoon powdered egg
1/4 teaspoon caster sugar
1/2 tablespoon butter for frying

*If using a whole fresh egg you will need to triple all other ingredients (will make 3-4 crepes)

Prep at Home

Pack flour, powdered milk, powdered egg and sugar into a zip lock bag.
Pack other ingredients separately (including toppings)
Mark 70ml on your drink bottle or camp mug if you don't have another accurate measure for water

Cooking

Slowly add 70-75ml of water to the dry ingredients and whisk or mix with a fork until smooth (this is easier to do in a small bowl or pot)
Light cooker and melt butter in a fry pan over the heat
Pour crepe batter into pan without filling to the edges
Cook on one side for a few minutes until you see bubbles appear
Flip and cook on remaining side
Serve with your choice of toppings

Nutritional Information (per serve)

Energy (cal): 283
Energy (kJ): 1184
Fat: 11.5g
Carbs: 38.2g
Protein: 8.2g

Total weight: 77g

Lots of very well meaning people advised me that when I became a mother I'd have to give up a lot of my outdoor hobbies for the foreseeable future. Multi day hikes were definitely off the table and day trips would be possible as long as it was to a local park and not a far off mountain range or lake. While hiking with kids (and babies in particular) definitely presented some challenges that were new to us, the last 21 months have taught me that if something is really important to you, you'll find a way to make it work anyway. There's been some trial and error along the way and a few things I wish I'd known in the beginning but I'm hoping that the following post will give you some confidence to get back out there postpartum and enjoy the great outdoors as a family (and without tearing your hair out!).

1. Your body will heal and get back to full fitness in time but it might be a lot longer than you initially expected.
Before I get into gear and what to do with nappies in the wild I really feel like I needed to state this from the get go. It took me months to get back to pack carrying fitness again and it felt like forever. Every single one of us is different so if you bounced straight back into running two months postpartum then you go girl! My journey however was a very slow, methodical process of gaining strength and confidence in my body again and it was incredibly frustrating at times. I literally had to start with walking around the block, then walking up a little hill for the first time and so on. I also didn't do much baby carrying myself until I felt 100% certain I could stay stable on uneven terrain (with poles). All I can say is have no expectations of yourself and stay away from social media until you know you're in a good place mentally with your recovery. I had this warped idea that I should be out running again at a certain point because I saw other Mums out there doing that at the same stage I was at. My body just wasn't ready and that's okay.

2. How to transport them and at what age can they go in a backpack?
This is the question I've seen crop up most often on forums with parents wondering what's appropriate at what age. We started out using a sling for the first month and didn't love it to be honest. It was fiddly to put on and my son was gaining weight quite rapidly and this just wasn't a comfortable way to carry him. We bought a second hand front pack (Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier Mini) and as well as finding it perfect for those first few hikes, it turned out to be the only way we could get him to sleep for weeks! The front pack was great when he was 2-6 months as he was kept warm by whoever was carrying him and having the weight so close to your body meant it was easier to walk with him. The downside of a more minimalist front pack was the lack of a waist belt though. With all of the weight distributed across your shoulders instead of your hips like with a hiking pack, it meant he outgrew his welcome in this earlier than we had anticipated. 

At about six months, we started transitioning him into a proper child carrier with the Macpac Vamoose. I work for Macpac so I never bothered looking at other brands here as I knew the Vamoose had all the features I wanted. The pack has an adjustable back harness which meant both me and hubby could wear it comfortably at our two quite different heights. The pack itself has heaps of storage as well as a small detachable day pack and we found we could pack enough gear in this and a 65l pack for both Max and ourselves when heading on overnight trips. The carrier has adjustability for your baby as well and it's been great having the option of moving his seat lower as he's grown over the last year or so. It also features a removable sun shade and rain cover, both of which we've needed often! If you're looking at carriers and don't know where to start, take your child into a store and ask to fit them in a carrier for you to try on. You'll soon know what you like and dislike about a particular model right there in the shop. Max and I actually helped with the how to video below after I realised there was a need for more helpful information out there on this.

3. What do I need to take other than the usual?
To save a little time I'm going to assume you have a standard packing list for multiday walks and just want to know the extra you'll need for bubs.
​
Nappies
The hardest and first question on everyone's minds is usually nappies/diapers and how to manage this over several days. My advice would be to just stick to what you're doing at home and take a wet bag with you. If you usually use disposables then keep using these but carry a waterproof lightweight bag to pack out all the dirty and used ones and factor this into how much space you're going to need by the end of the trip in terms of storage. Pro tip: if your dog has their own pack, this is a great place to stash some of the used nappies for the trip out! We roll with a mix of disposables and cloth nappies and on our first 3 day hike when Max was 7 months old I had him in cloth during the day and then a disposable at night. This was mainly because he soaked through anything else I tried at night so this was the only safe option. I washed the cloth nappies on the second day and hung them out to dry in the sun so these were ready to use again the next day. Any solids need to be disposed of responsibly in either a long drop or a hole dug well away from any water sources just as you would yourself (make sure any disposable wipes or liners are packed out in your rubbish bag though). Similarly I have a small travel pack of wet wipes for number twos and a muslin cloth that can be washed and reused for just wet nappies.

Food
Breastfeeding is pretty amazing for multi day excursions when bubs is little as you don't have to worry about carrying bottles and formula with you. I have found it hard to locate a comfortable spot on the side of some tracks to feed on occasion but I was fortunate that this was an option for us for the first year. For bottle feeding I found pre-portioning formula in zip lock bags or buying the single serve sachets was an easy way to transport powder for each day. We had a filter bottle which we could use to treat river water during the day and boiled water in the evening for his bottles. Fruit, crackers, cheese and all the snacks we usually took anyway were great to keep him happy once he was older and eating more solids. Baby food pouches are super convenient but the extra plastic packaging is something I don't love so we try to find alternatives where we can to using these. The main challenge was to pack enough food as though there were three adults as he always ate more than we anticipated! Water was best straight from my hydration bladder which he learnt to drink from early on.

Clothes and Sleeping Bags
Figuring out what we were going to have him sleep in was a bit of a mission. When he was still little I wanted him to have his own bag so that I could be sure his face wasn't covered in the night but that he'd still be toasty warm. We ended up layering him in a Primaloft onesie inside a homemade down sleeping bag made from a sewn together child's down jacket. This isn't an option for everyone but it worked really well having him tucked up between us and I could still feed him easily in the night. Now that he's almost two, we just bring an adults bag for him and tuck up the end so he doesn't disappear to the bottom of it. This means we all get some sleep as co-sleeping hasn't worked well for us when we've attempted that while camping. We also carry a merino blanket to wrap him in either in the pack or in the tent/hut if needed.

The clothes I regularly pack for him are:
Merino top and pants
Fleece onesie (now fleece jacket and pants)
Primaloft Onesie (now jacket)
Wool Beanie
Wool Mittens
Wool Socks
L/S Cotton Tees to keep the sun off
Sun Hat
Waterproof jacket and pants
Regular shoes as he's too small for any hiking boot brands
*I add regular cotton pants in summer too

Things that are hard to manage are their feet and hands getting cold while they sit not moving in the pack. I found buying onesies with built in foot and hand covers helped and on some of the winter trips we layered our own wooly socks over his feet and legs for extra protection. His body was easy to keep warm as it's snuggled in the pack but his limbs and face we always check every 20mins or so to make sure he isn't getting cold. He's big enough now to fit some fleece mittens that work really well.

4. How do I make this work?
Firstly I'm going to be honest, if you haven't done much hiking before having your baby then don't expect to find the process of planning and executing a trip easy the first time. It wouldn't have been even without small people! Start simple and test out your child's tolerance levels for being in a pack with just a walk around the block first. We went for lots of short walks before graduating to longer stuff so that we knew he was going to be relatively comfortable being carried.

Secondly you're going to need a certain level of physical strength and fitness to carry your child and enough gear to go on overnight walks. We didn't attempt this until I was confident I could carry 20kg for 4-6 hours as no matter how we split our pack weights up, that was about the minimum we could get it down to. Walking poles make a world of difference but also pick tracks that don't require too many steep climbs, difficult river crossings or are overgrown in significant places. There are so many amazing places to explore in this country, leave the really technical stuff for another time.

Thirdly, and this probably should have been my very first comment on this post (this is your reward if you're still reading!) bring help. We have been so lucky to have friends and family come away with us and act as a spare set of hands which has made continuing our adventures in the outdoors so much more achievable. You can absolutely do it on your own but having another couple of packs to spread gear around, someone to hold the baby while you eat dinner and another voice to distract and amuse is priceless.

Lastly, it's not rocket science and in our experience the good times have always outweighed the more difficult aspects of hiking with a baby. We definitely had to put up with some serious judgement from complete strangers in the early days as many people don't feel that the outdoors are suitable for anyone under the age of 18 for some reason. Yes if you take a baby to a hut it will quite likely cry in the middle of the night and we've opted to tent in some locations for this very reason. I have to be clear though, 2 minutes of a crying hungry baby who then gets fed and falls asleep again is nothing compared to sleeping next to a traction engine of a snorer who carries on the whole bloody night. People should buy ear plugs. That's all I have to say about that.

Top Bonus Tips
- Hammocks are great play pens before they start crawling. The mesh helps protect from pesky sandflies and you can keep them dry and warm while you manage things around camp.

- Plan plenty of breaks into your trips once they're walking. We let him out to run around every half an hour and explore things. It keeps him happy but makes for much longer walking times so just factor that in.

- Sleep is much harder to manage in summer when it's light outside until much later. Sometimes it's just easier to keep them up a couple of hours later rather than fighting to stick with your normal routine this time of year.
 
- Primaloft synthetic insulation is a huge winner for kids. It'll keep them warm even when wet (although it's reasonable hydrophobic anyway) and is a lot easier to look after than down options. Our Macpac Pulsar Onesie was the most useful thing we bought for him. No matter the weather we knew we could zip him up in that and we wouldn't have to worry about him getting cold.

If you have any specific questions or just want to know more about how we take our toddler hiking please leave a comment below.

I've always enjoyed a bit of mountain biking but despite being an avid outdoors-woman it had never occurred to me to mix my love of hiking with the sport. When I first heard the term bikepacking I thought of all of those sad looking people I saw on the highway through to Arthurs Pass, struggling in the wind and rain to push their bikes, laden with panniers, to some undisclosed location. I've never been one for road cycling so I couldn't think of anything more miserable to be honest. Then a while back I came across a blog by Mark Watson of Highlux Photography fame (a beautifully curated photo blog following his path from Alaska to Patagonia) and it got me all intrigued about the idea of multi-day, off the beaten track expeditions by bike. Since then we've dabbled in a few adventures of our own and learned a thing or two about what makes the art of bikepacking pretty darn cool.

Still not sure what this is all about? In a nutshell, bikepacking is a combination of trail riding and lightweight, minimal camping. It allows you to cover much bigger distances than you might do on foot and enjoy riding in areas that are can't be reached in a single day of biking. The terrain might range from reasonably technical single track right through to forest trails and 4WD tracks. The best thing about it is you don't have to run out and buy a bunch of really specific bike packing gear, as long as you have a bike (that bit's pretty important) you can adapt your current hiking kit to suit riding instead. Alternatively, if you want to dive right in, wallet first, there are a plethora of awesome brands out there making seat packs, frame bags and handlebar bags so if nothing else, you'll at least look the part!

STEP ONE: WHERE AM I GOING?
It's all very well saying you've become a bikepacking machine but finding the right trip for you may be the difference between Instagram glory and a miserable weekend away. If your'e a confident rider then look for tracks that will challenge you enough to be fun but allow you to still maneuver with the added weight of your camping gear either on your back or attached to your bike. If you're less technically able like myself but have a good level of fitness then choose a 4WD track or forest track that will be easier to ride on but still get you to some super good looking wilderness. If you're not used to riding for 6 hours then I wouldn't recommend making your days that long unless you don't mid a seriously sore butt the next day!

From Christchurch I would recommend the following:

For the Purist: The Old Ghost Road - 84km of Grade 4 Advanced biking with 5 bookable huts along the way. The logistics are a little more involved as this is a one way trip but you'll be rewarded with incredible views (unless it's raining) and a pretty good yarn to tell your mates when you get back. 

For the Weekend Warrior: The St James Cycle Trail - 64km over 2 days of mostly intermediate riding. The weather in this part of the country can change dramatically in a small space of time so be prepared for anything including snow. There are several huts along the way with great camping spots at each to set up a tent if needed. As a bonus when you get to the ed it's a 20 min drive back to Hanmer Springs for a soak in the Hot Pools and/or a cold beer.

For the Newbie: The Hakatere Conservation Area - Mostly Grade 2 biking across a wide expanse of land littered with tracks and huts. Head into Manuka Hut via the Stour River or Boundary Creek Hut from Buicks Bridge (add in a side trip to Mystery Lake if you like punishing climbs!). Connect up several huts for longer days in the area or keep it short and sharp the options are endless.
 

STEP TWO: WHAT DO I TAKE?

So you've got a bike and helmet but what else are you going to need to make it in this new world of bike hiking? As a general rule go as light as possible without skimping on safety and without rushing out to buy new lightweight gear (unless that's what you really want to do!). The old adage to "beg, borrow or steal" is a good place to start and even now I still operate on a communal gear supply within our extended family depending on what I need for a trip. Let's start by breaking down your bike gear vs your camping gear.

Bike
A bike that can handle the terrain you plan to ride on. It doesn't need to be fancy but if in doubt get it serviced at your local bike shop before you take it miles into the wilderness.
Helmet and Gloves - If you can get hold of some padded bike shorts these will make a huge difference also!
Basic Repair Kit - Tyre levers, set of Allen keys, patch repair kit, chain breaker with missing link, spare tyre tubes (preferably learn how to change a tyre before you leave)
Bike Pump
Any packs/bags you plan on attaching to your bike

Camp
Lightweight Tent Solution - I take a tarp like the one above as it packs down small and weighs next to nothing but any small tent will suffice. A second tarp to sleep on is a good idea if you think the ground will be wet.
Sleeping Bag (go small and light but still warm enough for the conditions)
Sleeping Mat - you can lose a little weight by using a short mat and stuff your pack or a dry bag under your feet
Stove, Pot and Gas - You're probably going to be eating freeze dried food due to the weight restrictions so you'll only need a set up big enough to boil 2 cup of water
Spork - eat straight out of the bag or your cooking pot to save space rather than bringing a plate

Along with food and clothing, you should be able to fit the above in a backpack of around 25l if that's your only option. If you can attach some of your gear to your bike with compression straps, bungee cords or similar, then you will be much more comfortable riding and you can substitute the bigger pack for a smaller hydration pack or none at all.

Don't forget to add in appropriate personal gear and a first aid kit + Locator Beacon if you have one.

STEP THREE: WHAT DO I DO?

Planning a bikepacking trip is not dissimilar to a hiking/tramping trip although you may want to take a few things into consideration. Bike fitness is different to walking fitness so if you're not sure of your ability plan a trip that's slightly shorter or easier than what you think you can do. That first trip will be a good gauge for what you're capable of and more importantly what you're going to enjoy in future! 

Before you go:
- Most importantly, let someone know where you're going and when you intend to return - just like a hiking trip.
- Check the weather. Riding in the rain can be dangerous especially if you're a novice and tracks can become muddy and difficult to negotiate. Make sure you have enough warm gear and a change of clothes for the end of each day.
- Make sure you've got some way to transport your bike to the start of the track and a pick up option if you're not coming back the same way.
- Check you have enough food and snacks to last the trip as well as some emergency rations in case you get caught out for an extra night.
- Get your bike checked out by a mechanic or if it's already had a recent service make sure the chain is lubed and your tyres are pumped up.
- Rethink packing any of those luxury items you might normally walk with, they'll feel twice as heavy especially if you're carrying them in a backpack

On yer Bike: 
- Riding with the added weight of camping gear will slow you down and make it harder to maneuver your bike. You will also use more energy as your whole set up will be heavier and harder to get uphill. Allow yourself extra time and plenty of rest stops when you need them.
- Drink lots. It's easy to forget to drink water when you need to stop and get the bottle off your bike (if you're like me and can't ride on uneven trails one handed) so schedule regular breaks and fill up whenever possible. Even better, if you know this might be an issue grab a hydration bladder that you can sip away at hands free while you demolish those trails.
- Enjoy waving to all of the walkers as you cruise effortlessly passed them in a cloud of dust and superiority.

For more information check out these awesome websites

www.bikepacking.com 
bikepackingnewzealand.co.nz

The track here climbs somewhat steeply and then traverses under the mountain and around towards Mt Herbert. This is where the fun started. All that rain I mentioned earlier? Yea that froze. The track would have been perfect for ice skating but it proved less so for running. As this part of the track is south facing it gets hardly any sunlight and as such had frozen solid and wasn’t thawing anytime soon. I ended up holding on to any foliage I could and sidling above or below (watch out for the bluffs!) the track to get past the worst bits. When I finally made it back into the sun on the saddle between Mt Bradley and Mt Herbert It had taken me about 40 minutes to cover less than 1.5km. Thankfully here the ice made way for snow and I passed the Mt Herbert Shelter around midday. 

The final 9km from here drops down from the summit through farmland directly into Diamond Harbour. I must admit that I found this section a bit tedious; constantly dodging cow crap and trying not to fall over in the mud. It would definitely be more enjoyable if it were a bit drier. The old pins were starting to tire somewhat by now too so I was happy to be on the home stretch. The track crosses Marine Drive and drops down alongside a stream directly to the ocean. Once you pop out at the water's edge there is a track to follow the 500m around to the ferry wharf. I ended up using the last of my energy sprinting this to try and catch the rapidly approaching ferry. I got a few strange looks from the locals as I ran down the wharf covered in mud and no doubt looking somewhat haggard. My total time for the day was 7 hours and 15 minutes and distance was just over 43km with about 1700m of climbing. The ferry costs $6.50 and is a hell of a lot quicker. ​