Jerky Well Traveled

For a number of years, a crew of us would take packhorses up the Ram River in Alberta, then usually up Ranger Creek. The area is relatively remote, so we wouldn’t see many people, just the way we wanted it. We would go in for a week at a time, so preplanning on the necessities was critical. Pulling off a fondue three days in is nice, real food, not freeze dried. Real bacon & eggs. Pack it in frozen, then use a fresh mountain stream as our ‘fridge’ (water proof bags). We would always spoil ourselves with treats….some you can eat, some you can tipple.

Once base camp was established, we would take leisurely day rides up the mountain valleys and creeks. Lost Guide Lake is a great day adventure.  As well as planning everything we needed for a comfortable base, these day rides would have each of us filling our saddlebags with what we needed for the day. If we hit a little mountain rain….we could take a break, whip up a tarp, build a little fire, brew a little Apple Cinnamon tea on the mini stove, add a little Amaretto to lift the dampness, break out fine chocolate & sweets and pass around fresh wool socks for a happy ride home. On sunny days, we’d dip into a different magical stash. Usually, we’d stretch out on a creek, chill our rationed “tall boys” in the creek and break out a pack or two of our Longview Jerky, along with great cheese, some cashews & whatever else we brought along. Now that is the way to enjoy that great jerky! We would always spend a couple of hundred dollars in our favorite flavours to bring along. Debates would rage about which flavour we were trying next. When I think back to those sunny breaks, half dozing by a fresh mountain stream, our trusty horses grazing nearby, a cool one in hand, no one else for miles and those nice juicy flavours (sticky & juicy is the key), warm thoughts always flood back.

So, I guess a little ‘Western’ advice is in order….your saddle bag is never properly packed until you have a stash of Longview jerky in it. And make sure you have enough to last the whole trip.
                           ~ The Gang From Ranger Creek

Our favorite camp. We’d start with the ‘dancehall tarp’ (it’s huge) as a roof & smaller tarps could be added as walls if a storm was blowing in. That is us enjoying some fine ‘chews’ under the orange tarps.