With all projects, no matter the size, I try and do what some call a “post-mortem.” Otherwise known as an after-action report (AAR). I also do this on hikes, and yes, other vacations. For example, last year for my husband’s birthday we took a train trip adventure from Wisconsin Dells, WI to Pasco, WA. It was quite an adventure, and we had an enjoyable time. The train ride was two nights of sleeping on the train both there and back. Both of us agreed that two nights on the train was one night too many. We loved the train and will do it again but will approach it differently moving forward.

During my nine-day trip last year to Isle Royale, there were several items I added in my notebook during the trip that I thought could have had a better solution. Here is a small list I will be talking about today.

Clothes – It rained on night one and some of my clothes took too long to dry out.
Food – The weight of the food and the fuel as it could be changed for improvements.

Solution Evaluation can happen in many parts of the development process. When I apply this information to my hiking trips, I like to do it as part of the Pilot or Beta releases portion. Check out this March blog for more on sleeping in my hammock. I will be trying out or piloting some of my solutions through a smaller, two-night, three-day 15-mile hike in May. Two of my hiking partners will be joining me and will also be trying some updates they would like to try before our nine-day trip in June. The three of us went hiking last November and did a brainstorming session. Both ladies had been to Isle Royale many times and had some good input.

Because of my AAR, I believe that I can increase my enjoyment of the trip and keep my pack weight to a reasonable point by focusing my energy on two fundamental areas. Clothes and Food. My current base weight without food is 24 lbs.

Clothes change – my layered shirts and some of my socks did not dry well when they got wet, so I carried wet clothing which added weight I did not need or want. My pants dried quickly, so I did not need to address them. During our first night on the island, there was a major rainstorm and a lot of wind that caused some of my gear, like extra clothes, to get wet. Without sunlight the air stayed so damp it took a long time for some of it to dry.

Food – I am doing a lot of research on cold-soaking the meals and then heating them up, if necessary, so less fuel is being used. My morning meal plan is to bring oatmeal and then bring a bag I call add-ins, such as nuts, dehydrated berries, and spices so I can mix up what I want to eat that morning. Last year I had oatmeal for breakfast and halfway through the trip I started cold soaking and I preferred that. It was a quicker morning routine to get packed up and move to the next shelter. We also have Island Mine planned as a stop for a night, which has a standing grill. I am planning to cook on that grill and not need to have fuel for that night. We plan to cook over dried sticks and such unless it is raining, or we cannot find fuel that will light the fire. My goal is to bring the smallest fuel canister, which is almost 4 ounces (about 118.29 ml) or a ¼ pound. If I run out of fuel, I should be able to purchase some at Washington Creek where there is a store.

Another option I am considering is cold soaking my meals. For example, If the chili takes 6 hours of a cold soak to get hydrated, then I just need to warm it in the evening which should use less fuel. If I hike ten miles which should be about a five-to-six-hour hike with stops as my goal is to hike two miles an hour, I should be able to soak my food for five to six hours at camp before eating it. However, I have not tried this out yet and want to make sure it is feasible, or my trip could be much less enjoyable. I liked having a warm beverage in the evening last September so want to make sure I can pack some extra hot cocoa and apple cider. The less fuel I use for food the easier it will be to have those hot drinks.

In Solution Evaluation, there are five tasks that I will be doing before and during my May Pilot.

Measure Solution Performance
Analyze Performance Measures
Assess Solution Limitations
Assess Enterprise Limitations: In this case, I am the enterprise
Recommend Actions to Increase Solution Value

I am looking forward to my evaluations between now and my pilot in May. Between now and then I will be testing how fast it takes for new clothes to dry, how well some meals rehydrate and if they need heat to rehydrate well. My follow-up to this should come in early June.

Do you do this time of analysis for your adventures? If not, why? If so, what did you evaluate?

Solution Evaluations