Tried the salt trick on some green beans last month after my neighbor swore by it, and sure enough they came out way better than the soggy ones I used to get. The big surprise was brussels sprouts, though. I cut them in half, tossed them with a little oil and garlic powder, and did 375 for about 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway. They got crispy on the edges like little chips and my kid ate them without complaining, which never happens.

Watched a friend do the exact same thing with a $30 contour gauge he used maybe twice.

Cutting miles is fine if you have the time, but most people have a window before work or weather shuts them down. Six weeks of 25 mile days gets you to Canada. Six weeks of 18 mile days gets you to... northern California, and now you're hitching or quitting. The knee ache might just be your body adapting to the load, and backing off delays that instead of fixing it. Plenty of hikers push through that rough patch and come out the other side stronger.