Welcome to episode 162 of the first 40 miles.

If you're new to backpacking, or if you're hopelessly in love with someone who wants you to love

backpacking, then this podcast is for you. We'll talk about the

essentials, how to lighten your load, and how to make the most of your time on the

trail. I'm your host Heather Legler. And'm Josh Legler and this is the first 40 miles.

Today on the first 40 miles our family did something that exercised our risk muscle and prepared us for some interesting side trails on autumn and spring backpacking trips.

We went mushroom hunting without someone holding our hand this time.

Then we'll review a sturdy piece of outdoor gear that will give you a place to organize

mushrooms, do a little outdoor sketching, and maybe some meal prep.

All this, and that's about it.

Today on the first 40 miles.

Last week's episode, number 161, was all about our first mushroom hunting trip with the Oregon

Mycological Society. We learned a ton on that trip, but after

we got home from the trip, we knew that we wanted to get out with our family as soon as possible

to see if what we'd learned was really going to stick.

The question in my mind was, okay, we went out with the Mycological Society,

we identified some chantarels, we identified some rusillas,

we identified some rusolas, we identified some cats tongues, all of those are edible.

Now if we go out on our own, will we be able to identify those mushrooms confidently enough to bring them home and

cook them up for dinner. And we knew if we waited too long, we might lose that

fresh knowledge. And the nerve, it takes a little bit of nerve to go mushroom hunting.

So we went out with the Oregon Mycological Society on a Tuesday, I think.

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