Some kayakers I know call trail mix “GORP” - (you know, the peanuts, raisins, M&Ms, almonds, mixture.) I’ve heard this before, but don’t know the origin. Is it an acronym for something?
Good Old Raisins and Peanuts.
Did GORP used to be just raisins and peanuts? Because I’ve only seen it with other things thrown in.
I’ve heard it as “Good Old Raisins and Peanuts” and as “Granola, Oatmeal, Raisins and Peanuts”. It just means trail mix to me.
My GORP doesn’t contain any of those things. …want my recipe?
corn nuts (CRUNCHY, salty and not as much fat as peanuts)
date pieces (more interesting flavor than raisins)
short pretzl sticks (more salt)
sour jelly beans (wake up, mouth!)
peanut M&Ms (just a few)
Mix 'em in equal proportions (except for the M&Ms - they’re prizes for exercising).
Yes, it’s an acronym for granola, oatmeal, raisins and peanuts. This was the basic mix when I first started backpacking in the early 70s. We would have gorp for lunch and glop (rice + various flavoring ingredients) for dinner.
That seems fairly redundant, seeing as granola is mostly oatmeal.
I thought Gorp was that video game from the early 80s that was kind of like Space Invaders mixed with Defender.
Nope, that was GORF. Awesome game; I have an emulator for it now.
It was “Good Old Raisins and Peanuts” first. It acquired other definitions later. I’ve seen it countless times in old books on the subject of hiking and backpacking. I’ll have to dive into my period books to find an early cite, though. The acronym probably originated with the dawn of the backpacking boom at the end of the 1960’s.
If it’s an acronym, then I’ve heard Good ol’ Raisins and
Peanuts.
Websters’ online dictionary isn’t confident enough to make
that assertion, though. I’d defer to their (lack of)
knowledge.
I definitely recall being told it was “granola, oatmeal, raisins, and peanuts” when I started backpacking in 1972. I can’t say I ever heard it called “good old raisins and peanuts” back then (and anyway, at least in my experience it never contained just raisins and peanuts). I’d be interested in early cites.
Hmmm… Well this is interesting. I went back to two early-modern backpacking sources. In both cases GORP is referred to as the word “gorp”, and not an acronym - just as bup suggested. Here’s what they say.
"The Well-Fed Backapcker" by June Fleming, 1976.
Various recipes are provided. Even earlier:
"The Complete Walker" by Colin Fletcher 1968.
The description of trail food continues with a mixture of various dried fruits and nuts which were chopped and crushed within a metal rod …
I should probably look through my library of Appalachia Journals from the 1950’s and 1960’s - but that would be quite a task. I checked other sources from that era - tales of AT long hikes and such. In nearly every case, GORP was referred to as “Good Old Raisins and Peanuts”, but I’m now inclined to believe that gorp is a generic word for a mixture of dried energy foods, with the various acronyms derived thereafter as easy-to-remember recipes.
Wasn’t this addressed in that 60’s-era song:
“GORP! - Hunh! - Good Gawd! What does it stand for?? Uuuhaabsolutely nuthin! Say it again!”
I think Granola, Oatmeal, Raisins and Peanuts is the general consensus.
But, for those of you who watch Saturday Night Live, GORP stands for Granola, shoe leather, urine…and Carl.
Merriam-Webster claims it originated in 1968. But it seems from evilhanz’s cite that it must have been in use previously. Maybe we can be responsible for changing the date in Webster, if only we can find an earlier cite.
You mean it’s not Grand Old Republican Party?
When I was in Girl Scouts in the 80s we had GORP when we had hikes and stuff. Every girl was to bring a bag of candy or snack food. Just think…peanuts, m&ms, Andy Capp hot fries, cheetohs, potato sticks, cheez balls, raisins and sweet tarts…mmmmm.
Been backpacking since I was 18 months (mom carried me several miles up the AT and back in September 1969) and Dad’s been at it since the late 50’s. I have never heard anything but “good old raisins and Peanuts”. Today is the first time I’ve heard the granola and oatmeal definition before now.