PART 2 | Hiking the Grand Canyon with Fruitcake: The Hike

Our Interview with Tim Hoime

Collin Street Bakery (CSB): Hi Tim, thank you so much for hopping on this call. We know you're a busy guy, and really appreciate being able to do this with us.

Tim Hoime (TH): I’m happy to do it. I have a little extra time during quarantine these days.

CSB: Well if you don’t mind, we’d love to dive into a little background about your trip – the famous Rim to Rim hike you completed last year with some of your friends.

TH: Sure. Within the hiking community, the Rim to Rim is a pretty iconic hike at Grand Canyon National Park. The traditional route is 23.9 miles. It was a spectacular experience in a truly majestic location. I came to learn of the hike about three years ago. Although I had done a number of hikes at the Grand Canyon, they were mostly hikes around the rim – looking down into the Canyon. So a few years back when a friend from work and I looked into the Rim to Rim, we were both intrigued. However, I wasn’t sure I’d have enough time to train for the hike itself.

CSB: Wow. Well, obviously, you decided to tackle the Rim to Rim! What was the preparation like once you committed to the hike?

TH: Yes, we decided the time and training would be worth it for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And approached the training component in three different phases: physical training, endurance training, and mental training. All-in-all, training comprised 14-weeks for me and a few friends who worked through various exercises leading up to the hike.

CSB: What did “mental training” look like for you exactly?

TH: Good question. Although everyone might have different exercises and modes of getting them mentally focused, I really can’t stress how important the right mindset is to a hike like this. The accountability really helps to mentally train. Somedays, when your mind wants to call it quits, you need friends who push you to keep going. We underestimate what our bodies are capable of in terms of endurance and physicality.

CSB: With a strenuous training regiment, there must have been a nutrition plan leading up to the hike?

TH: Oh yes. The training was a time for us to get in great shape, and that meant an accompanying diet. Training also gave us time to try out different snacks and energizers to see what we liked and didn’t like. I already had somewhat of an idea because I’ve been hiking for 40+ years, but we all knew the Rim to Rim was a different beast. This called for some fresh meat.

CSB: Literally?

TH: If you call beef jerky “fresh”.

CSB: We typically call it “delicious”. The salty to Collin Street’s sweet.

TH: Absolutely – a great combo. And definitely part of what led to our connecting here today! During training, I started out with some of the traditional things like trail mix and jerky and fruit. Around the second or third week of training, I thought I should try some of Collin Street Fruitcake instead. I thought it was similar in form and function to a Cliff Bar™.

CSB: What’s a Cliff Bar™? (Joking)

TH: (Laughs) Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a good Cliff Bar™ and I’ve had my fair share throughout the years. But as I read through the ingredients of a Collin Street Deluxe Fruitcake™ I noted the high level of carbs and protein from the eggs. All bound in one great-tasting product. I thought, “You know what? I'm going to try this.” So I cut up some chunks and put them in a baggy and took it on my first hike.

CSB: How was that first experience for you?

TH: In the training process you really get to know your body and what your body needs for continued sustenance. I found the fruitcake pieces provided at least 45 minutes of energy before I needed to stop and eat again. I loved having the fruitcake on hand, but when I found out about the Petites is when I knew I had found a perfect snack for the Rim to Rim and beyond.

CSB: We were going to mention the Petites when you brought up “cutting the DeLuxe” into chunks. But it sounds like you stumbled upon them yourself. Great idea!

TH: I wish every hiker knew about [the Petites]. They’re like a hiking hack.

CSB: A hike hack . . . we like the sound of that!

TH: Exactly. I could put about a half-dozen to a dozen in a baggy and snack every 40 minutes or so. The Petites helped me feel full but not weighed down on any given hike. And because I believed in the product so much, I reached out to Collin Street to see if they’d provide Petite Bites for other friends hiking the Rim to Rim with me.

CSB: Really hoping we obliged . . .?

TH: Of course! Our whole crew was so grateful for Collin Street’s generous offer – you all definitely gained some new fans. Some real fun-loving fruitcake fanatics.

CSB: We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them! Fruitcake as an energy source speaks to its year-round use.

TH: Quick side story: we ran into four guys who weren’t in our group, during the Rim to Rim, at a stopping point along the hike. The four strangers—fit, young men—looked pretty worn down. Like they had hit a wall. Thanks to Collin Street, I had some extra Fruitcake Petites on hand. Although skeptical at first, they ate the bites and you could see them gain new life and a second wind. We talked for about 15-minutes before they headed back out on the trail.

CSB: That’s our favorite kind of marketing: word of mouth. And that’s a good segue into the trip itself. How did the Rim to Rim hike go once you showed up to the Grand Canyon? Once it was game day?!

TH: It went great, and I give all the credit to the training beforehand. We started the 24-mile hike at about 5:30 am, so it was a little dark outside. We had headlamps on and started at the North Rim – the temperature was about 45 degrees, so we were layered up with clothing. It is critically important to be able to readily layer, shed, and re-layer throughout the duration of your hike. By the time we got down to the Colorado River around Noon, the temperature was approaching 100 degrees.

CSB: Was it a challenge to stay hydrated the whole time? To maintain energy?

TH: Again, it’s all about preparation. Hiking can be such an incredible experience. But when dehydration and hunger set in, it’s difficult to appreciate the surrounding beauty, let alone make well-thought-out decisions. At one point on the hike, I was very relieved to have packed more than what I just needed because some folks in our group appeared to have done little research before attempting a hike of this magnitude. But for the most part, we were well-stocked with electrolytes, tuna packs, peanut butter, jerky, fruitcake, nuts, apples, as well as energy gels and chews. I stopped to snack about every forty-five minutes or so and drank continuously from my 100oz Camelbak pack.

CSB: When did you finally make it out of the canyon? (Assuming everyone made it).

TH: (Laughs) Yes, everyone in our group was fairly experienced hikers prior to the Rim to Rim. And of course, there was some adrenaline in all our veins. When we had finally arrived at the Southern ridge, it was about 6:30 pm and the temperature was pleasantly hanging around in the mid-70s. The group I was a part of took about thirteen hours total, including rest. Side note: If you are planning to complete the Rim to Rim hike, I would recommend attempting it sometime in either May or October. Going during these months will allow you access to all the facilities on both Rims while avoiding the summer heat.

CSB: Incredible, Tim! What an experience for you and your friends. And we can’t thank you enough for spreading the fruitcake love.

TH: Of course. The Petites were a pleasant surprise for many in the group.

CSB: Alright, so when it comes down to the essentials . . . we’d love to hear your ultimate hiking checklist – whether someone is hiking the Rim to Rim or near a local park.

TH: I’ve touched on most of these thus far, but here are the main four: 1) You have to physically train for longer hikes at least 10-14 weeks in advance. The physical training will lend itself to mental training, which is just as, if not more, important. 2) You need a quality pack to carry and store essentials. I mentioned the Camelback Backpack earlier. They have a great selection – Kavu is great too. 3) Make sure you purchase quality hiking shoes/boots. You cannot skimp on quality when it comes to clothing for longer hikes. And 4) Plenty of food and water depending on the length of your desired hike. This is another reason training is important – to get a feel for how many snacks, etc. you’ll need on your big hike.

CSB: And there you have it!

TH: Yep! If you’re missing any of those four components, you're going to have problems. And then there’s the bonus fifth component as well.

CSB: What’s that?

TH: Collin Street Petites, of course.

CSB: Tim, you’re too sweet.