ARC COMMUNITY

Tenting Hacks

Outdoor poly carpet, can be staked on an incline, provides traction and an insulating layer to the snow.

Hand warmers for the feet and hands of parents staffing the tent.

Grill rack that sits off the surface to allow for foiled food to stay warm.

Precut foil which allows quick hot food wrapping and holders.

Plastic sleeves for the race start lists protecting from snow and also allow fixing to tent legs

Portable deep cycle battery especially for crock pots of chili to keep warm.

Level tables lead to less material sliding off and general chaos. Using tent stakes/screws to pull-out holes for folding tables works.

Race Day Recipies

Cook ahead of time and keep the food foiled and warm in the grill. Rotate as needed to not overheat food for racers cycling in.

No Sugar for racers still competing in the day, after is fine. 2 mugs of hot coco mix will cause a glycemic spike and ensuing drop is unlikely to help a racer shave hundredths of seconds off their race

It takes a Village If you see behavior not becoming of a young ski racer (sugar eating, bragging, bullying) you should engage. Kids have a habit of not listening to their parents, and a constructive suggestion from another parent can actually make a difference.

Bring Personal Water Bottle to avoid the plastic water bottles which can carry microplastics and loads of trash

Kale Chips: Baking/Air Frying Kale chips creates a nutrient dense snack food for racers. Unfortunately cooking them without burning can be challenging. Here is a recipe that works most of the time!

1. Wash and destem Dino Kale: remove the main stem and cut them into 1/2 or 1/3 for chip-size (they will shrink)

2. Oil Kale using Avocado oil.

3. Distribute Kale on open-bottom (grill/mesh) surface in toaster oven (ideally) with no leaves touching each other. Use Airfry mode or convection bake. Set to 365deg and 5 minutes to start, it might take over 9 minutes depending. Every single oven is different and Kale is heat-sensitive and comes in many thicknesses. While its cooking ensure there is no significant browning of the Kale as it becomes bitter quickly. If there is, pull that piece out, and keep an eye on the others. As they become crispy it is time to pull the piece or shut down the oven altogether. I recommend leaving the Kale in the toaster oven for at least 10-15 minutes after cooking, as they will continue to get crispy and not burn as the moisture is dried out in the warm oven.

4. Salt Kale in a bowl. Transport in glasslock or rigid container so the chips do not crumble. Sometimes i give a very light spray oil treatment to ensure the salt sticks.