Figgy and Her Figs!

My parents named me Lauren, but out on the trail, I'm known as "Figgy." Why? You can read this story behind our trail names.

As a Type 1 diabetic, I've been eating figs as part of my daily diet to boost my blood sugar whenever it gets low. My conscience began nagging as I was throwing out several plastic containers each week. So, I began looking for ways to buy mission figs in bulk. Not only did I find a company who sold them in bulk, I also found the best figs I've ever tasted! Valley Fig Growers have been my source of figs in Los Angeles, so I didn't think twice about who my source for figs on the trail would be.

On the A.T. I've been consuming about 15 figs each day to keep my blood sugars up and my energy levels strong. I love numbers, so naturally I calculated my fig needs for the entire stretch of our 2,174 mile trail.

Lauren's Fig Consumption (15 figs/day equals...):
1/3-lb/day
2.3-lbs/week
10-lbs/month
45-50 lbs/entire trip

Wow! That's a lot of figs. So, I wrote to Mike Emigh, Valley Fig's President, and told him our thru-hiking story. He was happy to hear from me, and gladly wanted to sponsor our trip by delivering all of our fig needs for the entire trip to Maine! I couldn't have been more delighted! Every 3 weeks I look forward to picking up my 5 pound box of mission figs from our resupply point.

Have you ever tried a fig? Many people haven't, and most just think of the Fig Newton Bars. What I like best about Vally Fig's figs is that they are, big and PLUMP! One of their figs picks me up, where as other kinds take two. The skin is firm and intact. The taste is jammy - almost like maple syrup on pancakes.

So, thank you Valley Fig for your support - I'm enjoying every step, hiking strong, and staying healthy much to your help!