[Taking a moment away from listening, emphathy & advice-offering mode.]

You're going to be chasing storms? How cool is that? You mean, like Reed Timmer does? I have to admit, when I was stuck in a hotel room one night during a hard rain last summer, I watched a program with him & his friends & colleagues chasing storms & by the time it was over, I had fallen just a little bit in love with Reed Timmer. (I know he has a girlfriend, Jene -- mine was a far-off love. Like, "I want a guy who has a little Reed Timmer in him.") I would not be able to do that, but I love watching people who are REALLY PASSIONATE about their jobs getting to do them, since mine is not the kind of job one gets passionate about.

Okay, end of that.

Now. I think Amanda has given you some excellent advice. I do something similar when I am traveling & moving into Unfriendly Food territory. A good cooler with ice is important. I pack up lots of plain nonfat Greek yogurt. I bake healthy muffins beforehand. I get the peanut butter. I get lots of fruit. I hit Trader Joe's & stock up on nuts. (Not trail mix. Just plain unsalted nuts.) And I figure on ordering really really plain fare at the diner. It's not hard to get a grilled chicken breast at such places. Also, it helps if you like seafood. Fish can be an excellent option, if it's not breaded & fried or glopped with sauce.

If you can commit to something like "two out of three meals must be healthy" & make one of those breakfast, then you'll be coming out better than you otherwise might have.

The hard thing while traveling, I find, is not just eating healthily, but not succumbing to peer pressure to eat cr@ppy food. Everyone else throws all the rules out the window. I cannot afford to do that, the way they can. I just accept that & realize I will be the weird, pain-in-the-butt person who is always looking for a healthy option. Groups tend to accommodate various weirdnesses of their members, so they may as well accommodate my "gotta eat healthy" weirdness.

Two words: Portion control. No matter how hungry you are, don't eat "the whole thing."

Good luck! It sounds like an adventure!

Jay

Hello everyone, once again, really useful tips! I shared them with another friend that will be out there, she also has the issue of being vegetarian. Her problem is completely opposite--she's already stick thin and doesn't want to become skin and bones from being in the heart of red meat country for 7 weeks.

@saef Reed isn't with Vortex2, but I'm sure we'll run into him again this year. Sean Casey tags along with V2 since he teams up with Josh and company. Those of us that are out there are all slightly off-kilter, I think you have to be for this kind of work. ;)