[at-l] "Good stuff" not found in books.

[shane at theplacewithnoname.com (Shane Steinkamp)]

> Without going into gory detail... one of the (few) things I did right
> on my last section was to take along and down a cup of Metamucil --
> orange-flavored, in packets -- each day.  But hey, I'm an old
> geezer (52) and maybe the young 'uns can ignore that advice.

I'm getting to that point...

> Very few hiking partners actually walk together, tho.  Most
> often they camp, eat, and take breaks together -- but walk
> separately.  Sen. Daniel and Opa (on this years' hike) were
> among the few exceptions I've seen.

I'm one of those people who can match someone else's pace and actually walk
with them.  I rarely do it though.

> I traveled with a buddy through Europe when I was young.
> We spent eight months together traveling in a tiny Fiat.
> We didn't speak to each other for about a year after that
> trip was over.

That happens a lot.  It's pretty rare to find two people that can hike
extended periods of time together and not drive themselves nuts.  Jim and
Ginny can probably give good advice on this subject.  I have had a few
people that I could hike for a long time with, but they are few and far
between.

> Offhand, I think hygiene is a huge topic that needs more attention.
> I can't say I've mastered it, by a long shot.  How do you deal with
> the sweat, grime, DEET, sunblock, etc. -- using just a tiny
> washcloth or bandana, without messing up the stream, your
> cooking pot, or anything else...

As long as the temperature is above 35 degrees Fahrenheit and water is
available, I shower every day.  For many years I used a Sun Shower, but now
I've switched to a 4 liter Platypus with the shower attachment.

If it's below 35, I usually shower every third or fourth day depending on
several factors.  Under arctic conditions, I just don't bother.

When there isn't enough water for a shower, I used to sponge off with a
bandana, but now I additionally use my knife as a stridgel.  A stridgel is a
device used by the Romans to scrape the body.  A good knife works just as
well.  Make a paste out of a little water and a little soap (you can also
use potash, or just mud - and if you don't have enough water but REALLY need
to be cleaner, you can use urine) and then scrape it off.  Works wonders.

In the desert, I usually just scrape off 'dry', since after a long day in
the heat I'm pretty slimy anyway...

I really reccomend the Platy shower. shower is a REAL shower, or as close as
you can come in the woods.  Of course, you have to know how to use it
properly, and not may people do...

A Platy shower head is just a thing in a tube that sprays water.  It fans
out in a cone that doesn't really work well as a 'shower'.  BUT, if you know
how to use it, it's great. Again, this is something that isn't intuitive,
and nobody ever tells you how to do.

A full 4 liter platy bag will 'shower' for 2 minutes and 26 seconds.
Definitely talking 'navy' shower here.  Best thing to do is to use twenty or
thirty seconds of shower to moisten yourself.  Soap up, then shower off.
Sounds simple, but...

Your hair is the hardest thing to rinse, so rinse that first, after soaping
it LAST.  Then, rinse your back.  This should take 60 seconds, so you've got
60 seconds left.  Now, grasp the nozzle where it meets the hose in the crook
of your thumb pointing in towards your palm.  Now use your hand to rub and
rinse as the shower 'sprays' onto your body. Rinse well especially under
arms, around privates, and your arse.  (Well, gluteal cleft if you have to
be proper...) I get itchy in those areas if I don't get all the soap off me.
(I use Ivory, BTW.)

Take a few showers in your tub at home to get the hang of it.  I can shower
in 7 minutes, and be every bit as clean as a 15 minute shower at home.

A HOT shower is nice too.  Platy bags can be warmed in the sun, or on warm
rocks, the dashboard of your car, and on top of your pack.  You can heat
them by a fire, but you have to be careful.  You can hang it over your stove
while cooking dinner too, but again caution is needed. Remove the hose and
put a closure cap on the bag if you do this.  Since I cook with wood, I have
taken to heating my water that way.  Works great.  I think that if I was
going to leave on a long distance hike tomorrow, I'd actually carry two
Platy bags and have a longer shower every few days just for the joy of it.
An extra bag is only a few ounces, and it's useful for carrying extra water
if you needed it.

Platy's also have a bad tendency to leak if you don't have the cap just
right, so watch that too...

> Sometimes when folks ask, "how do I prepare for a thru hike"
> I suggest this:  try a week with no running water, no stove,
> no toilet...

I actually like going potty outdoors.  Nothing like a set down with a
view...

Shane