[at-l] Trail Hygiene (was Purell vs. Poisen Ivy)

[rafeb@adelphia.net (Raphael Bustin)]

At 10:57 AM 2/20/02 -0500, Elizabeth A. Foshion wrote:

>I wonder how this is impacting people's willingness to pick up hikers. 
>And, how
>businesses feel about it - I imagine a grocery store or restaurant 
>wouldn't be too keen
>on hikers if the majority started smelling like the one I picked up.


Not offending flatlanders is one thing.  Not offending myself is another.

A good part of what drove me off the trail was the difficulty of maintaining
proper hygiene.  I quit just as summer was kicking in -- I imagine it must
get far worse as the summer wears on.

OTOH, maybe this is what keeps it all manageable.  If walking the AT
weren't so uncomfortable, we'd have 50,000 people starting it each
spring, instead of a mere 5,000.


rafe b.
aka terrapin