The Food Clock

By Sean Anderson, 2020 WCC Intern

BEEP BEEP BEEP, BEEP BEEP BEEP, echoed throughout our camp at an early 6:30 AM wake up. If the sound of five alarm clocks going off didn’t wake you up, then the rustling and brushing of fabric inside everyone’s tents definitely would have. Groaning at the thought of climbing out of our warm safe spaces and entering the cold harsh Bob Marshall Wilderness made everyone dive deeper into their sleeping bag. However, eventually it would be time to emerge from that sanctuary and start the day.

The first person to make it to the kitchen area was in charge of throwing the kettle on. This was to ensure there would be hot water for tea, hot chocolate, or oatmeal. Just as the water was boiling, you knew it was around 6:50 or 7:00 AM.

Loading our day packs with snacks and tortilla wraps we would hit the trail, hiking on average between 2-6 miles each way to reach the worksite. Once the pocket muffins were pulled out and munched on, you could guess it to be roughly 9:00 AM.

After digging tread, clearing trees off the trail, or moving rocks to divert a river, Wayne (our crew leader) would call break. This 15-minute break where all of us would open pop tarts to see if we got the special flavor, would indicate that it was 10:30 AM. *SIDE NOTE: I got two out of the four strawberry milkshake flavors.*

Right as our hands were starting to cramp and our forearms ache from swinging tools, a call out would be made: “LUNCH! Take 30.” This was a joyous and beautiful sound to be heard. Sitting underneath hundred-year-old Ponderosa Pine stands, enjoying the shade they cast, we would dig into our snacks and wraps made earlier in the morning. Most days lunches would consist of; a piece of fruit, almond clusters, cheese-its, trail mix, and either left overs from the night before or a wrap of some sort. Finishing lunch, we would start to work again. 1:00 PM.

Continuing to work for another hour or two, fueled and energized by the hardy lunch we had just ate, we would finish the day off by hiking back to camp. Roughly 5:00 PM.

Stumbling back into camp, exhausted, sweaty, and simply gross, dinner was on our minds. After stretching and tasks were assigned like firewood and filtering water, we would enjoy a short yet relaxing break. Then dinner was here. Throughout the season we enjoyed some great meals, but our favorites were; pitas & fajitas, curry over rice, and chicken alfredo. Roughly 6:30 PM.

Sitting around the fire telling stories and drying out our soaking wet boots, once again food was on the horizon. What else could we possibly eat in the backcountry? Well dessert of course. Peanut M&Ms, cookies, or bark thins were consumed in mass amounts, particularly by myself. 7:15 PM.

Throughout the season our bodies adjusted. No longer did we have to check our watches, internally our stomachs told us what time it was. There was no more need to watch the time, as we ourselves had turned into food clocks.