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RE: [at-l] Wondering...

A A Sarra wrote:

> First "I Wonder"
> Is there any good rule of thumb for estimating what we called speed of
> advance
> in my prior career (USCG ship driver) but which might best be defined
> as MPH
> or MPD (miles per day) under normal conditions for reasonably fit but
> inexperienced hikers?? 
> 
Well, I don't think having been in the Coast Guard is necessarily
relevant, but since I spent 72 - 76 guarding the coast, I figured that I
should respond.  I only hike a week or two a year, and I start out each
time in fairly good overall shape, but not really in "trail shape".  I
generally use 2 MPH as an estimated speed.  But it terms of MPD, my
experience is that it's not how fast I can walk, but how long I can walk
in a day before it gets to be too much.  I try to keep MPD down to about
10. I'll go up to 12, but if I find a section is going to be more than
that, I try to find a different way to break up the miles to keep the
daily total down.  Sometimes that means a short day, but I always enjoy
the relaxation time.  

> Second "I Wonder"
> How do you folks handle the 'I'm allergic to poison ivy' problem??
> Intuitively, I would think that this rules out shorts - which would be
> a
> bummer in hot weather.  But, what else does one do??  I know that I
> spend so
> much time with my eyes on the ground so as to avoid contact with the
> dreaded
> leaves of three that I am inclined to miss the things going on around
> me. 
> 
I can get it, but haven't ever picked it up on the trail.  In these
later years, I've taken to wearing gaiters, though I wasn't thinking of
poison ivy.  These may help, but if you're extra sensitive, then I'm
sure you're aware that oils rubbed off the leaves onto the fabric of the
gaiters (or pants) are still dangerous.

Peter ( former Quartermaster, 3rd Class )

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