More Efficient Stove

After my Huntington Ravine excursion I realized that there were many problems with the design of the alcohol stove that I made: It leaked, it was inefficient, used a lot of alcohol. Morning Glory suggested a new design of homemade alcohol stove and referred me to the following website: http://www.backpacking.net/makegear/stove/index.html. Of course I had to give it a try and so below is a step by step of how to make this more efficient stove.  

You will need two 6 oz tomato paste cans (I used Hunts), one aluminum can, tin snips, stapler, hammer, tack, permanent marker, ruler/tape measure.

Remove the labels from the tomato paste cans and any glue residue using nail polish remover and a cotton ball. 

Next, use a can opener and empty out the contents. With a permanent marker, mark 1" on one can (this will be the burner) and 1.5" on the other (this will be the base). Use the tin snips to cut the cans at these points (the ridges on Huts tomato paste cans make it easy to make a clean cut). 

Use a hammer to punch 32 holes around the burner (1" can) about 1/8th " from the edge.

Use the tin snips to make 8 evenly spaced slits around the stove and cut out a 1/2" hole in the center.

Use the tin snips to make 8 evenly spaced slits in the top of the can from the center of the 1/2" hole to 1/8" from the burner holes. 

Cut out a 5" x 1 3/8" section of the aluminum can and staple it into a ring (diameter slightly smaller than burner holes). Next, make four evenly spaced triangular notches at the top of the can.

Place the aluminum ring (triangular notch side down) into the center of the base (1.5" can), bend side flaps of burner in and fit into base in between aluminum ring and base.

Once burner is secured push center flaps down. And viola! We have a more efficient stove!!

Heather's Alcohol Stove and My Alcohol Stove Side by Side.

Heather's alcohol stove and mine side-by-side created quite the contrast. Hers was rusted and over twelve years old with over 2000miles on it and mine was shinny, brand new and never been hiked. 

Heather's Kitchen setup: wind guard, pot stand, stove, and 900ml titanium pot.

Machine McCarron

Leap, on Grayson Highlands

In 2008, Andy McCarron, trail name, Leap, finished the AT in 90 days while sporting a 50lb pack through snow-covered terrain. He covered 24.9 miles the first day.  When I asked him why he decided to trek he replied, “I didn’t have a reason; there was nothing else to do.”

Most AT thru-hikers lose weight, Leap, remarkably gained 15lbs while eating oatmeal, peanut butter sandwiches, dried fruit, trail mix, Knor and rice. “Eating 16 pancakes had nothing to do with the chubby cheeks” he smirked.

When I asked Leap if he had found himself in any survival situations he filled me in on his forging of the Kennebec River, a river that has taken the lives of thru-hikers who have attempted this. This is a highly discouraged practice. There is usually a ferry service, however, it was not beginning for another day and Andy opted to wade through the 100yrs of rushing tons of water. He got 2/3rds of the way through calf-deep water and with a few more steps was literally almost “in over his head” being carried down river. With the use of his handy dandy hiking poles he was able to get out of the sticky situation although drenched and cold. He met a trail angel at the post office who let him dry his clothes and welcomed him to a hot meal after picking up his soggy peanutbutter sandwiches at the post. The task of eating such sandwiches became dreadful at this point. When I asked him, if he experienced any funny situations he laughed and said that the aforementioned was funny.

“Did you ever want to give up, and what kept you going,” I inquired. “Two times…but you’re in the middle of nowhere so it doesn’t matter…the choice was easy.” He added, “There may have been some swearing involved which didn’t help.”

Leap urged that I get shoe inserts the minute my feet start going numb which indicates the arches are going flat. He ignored this feeling and hiked through the pain which resulted in 1 ½ years of recovery. A true feat and beat for feet! “All I could smell were my feet” he exclaimed, however, denied that he smelled.   

I asked Leap if he encountered any sketchy people. One man in Virginia, he explained gave him a bad feeling, “the first thing he said to me was, ‘so, you hear ’bout the murders on the AT this year?’” It turned out that the man was a scout leader who was meeting up with his buddy to take part in an annual cook-off to see who could come up with the best trail cuisine. Luckily potential serial killer turned into woodland chef and provided Leap with the “best trail meal” that night.

Two weeks after reaching Mt. Katahdin, Leap was peddling cross country with his buddy, so there was not much readjusting. If I was hiking with Andy I would have named him Machine because that’s what he is. 

Why am I hiking the AT?

Today I was asked why I was hiking the AT, and I realized that I have not addressed this in “typing” thus far, so here goes:

Over the summer a moth infestation erupted in my closet due to a stocking filled with cashews from last Christmas. I opened the door to two dozen luminescent bodies shimmering in the light of my closet. I am a proponent of “catch and release” so I took the time to collect the fluttering adults in a jar and returned them to their natural environment (Job done, or so I thought). At closer look I discovered an up and coming generation: larva, their tubular wriggling bodies following invisible trails on my ceiling. So I collected and tossed outside where they belong. Then, much to my despair, I noticed a third generation of these ballsy beasts Velcroed to my clothes by a sticky cocoon of silk-like threads.

I did not realize how many clothes I had until I had to clean them all including 6 sweatshirts, 20 shirts, 12 pairs of pants, 11 dresses, etc.  And I’m not talking ball them up, toss in washer, add detergent and press button. Oh no, I’m talking prior to laundering I had to inspect every square inch of material including pockets, folds, pleats, insides, outsides, back sides and front sides for the pupae housed in fuzzy white burs. I experienced cold sweats and nausea as I reached my hand blindly into a pocket or pant leg to turn inside out wondering if I was going to contact a tubular body; or worse, reaching my arm inside a pant leg, turning it inside out and discovering some pupae that my skin had just brushed across. The Buddhists believe that our possessions are our enemy because they create worry. I now know what is meant by this.

Sure I will be living with bugs on the trail, however, come June I will be the moths infestation. It seems that tables will have turned. Ha ha! But I am just joking, I am not hiking the AT to get back at the flitting fluts that took up vacancy in my closet. Long story short, my life is filled with extras, excess, clutter, and waste and I have a desire to experience living off of necessity for a while; The events that unfolded this summer amplified this want.

So, I responded that living out of a backpack for six months is appealing because I would be getting back to basics. “That is not typical for a girl,” she said. I like not being typical. 

Adult pantry moth

Larva

Pupa

Taking a Pole or Two

Mike on the AT

This morning I gave my hiking poles a second try, through less treacherous terrain and I began to appreciate the multiple uses they provide:

Weapon, cobweb wand, snake and bear signaler, catapult, extra set of legs, weight support, arm toner and depth stick. It is also a great accoutrement in a hiker photo.  

I did a bit of research and found that poles reduce impact on knee joins and leg muscles, tone muscles which support and relieve leg muscles and improve circulation; ones' hands no longer swell up when it is hot because the arms move so the blood doesn't pool in the hands. "A study published by Dr. G. Neureuther in 1981 proved that use of "ski poles" while walking reduces the pressure strain on the opposite leg by approximately 20%" (http://www.slackpacker.com/trekking-poles.html).

My hiking buddy, poles and feet.

When I was about 10 years old I watched the movie “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” The credits rolled to the Proclaimers belting “I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more.” I thought, why would anyone willingly walk that far? In June my hiking poles and I will walk this distance times four. 

The forest floor this morning

Huntington Ravine

It was windy and our faces were frozen on top of Mt. Washinton. 

This weekend I got a little taste of backpacking. A couple of my friends and I hiked up Tuckerman’s Ravine, stayed in a lean to overnight, hooked up with Huntington Ravine (A.K.A the hardest hike in the White Mountains) in the morning, enjoyed the luxurious lodge at the summit of Washington and made our way down Lions Head, and back to our car and civilization.

Huntington Ravine Hiking Buddies

Here I thought I was “hard core” considering alternatives to tents and sleeping bags, such as ponchos and emergency space blankets respectively, however, I was surprised to hear of an alternative to toilet paper. My friend explained that all you need to do it find a smooth and flat stone and you’re golden, or russet. I guess you can’t chuck it until you try it, consider the perks: you can deduct a few ounces from you pack and get “stoned” instead of doing “paper work”.  I did not try this; I opted for the potent compost toilet located on the other side of the trail across from the lean to. My other hiking buddy asked about toilet paper:

Going up Huntington 

“What are you going to use for toilet paper?”

“Biodegradable sheets, of course.”

“Isn’t all toilet paper biodegradable?”

“…Good question.”

All toilet paper is made of the same material, it is whether or not the cellulose fibers are woven or felted (http://en.allexperts.com/q/Environmental-Science-1471/Toilet-paper-biodegradabilty.htm ) And, yes biodegradable sheets are thinner, however, you end up using more sheets in the end so that you don’t get a “brown thumb”.  My friend also informed me that the most eco-friendly way to poop is to do so on a rock and smear it so that the sun can dry it up and allow it to flake off. I did not believe him and so I looked it up and this is what I found:

 

How to Poop in the Wilderness when Camping

Above the treeline...you'll be doing something that backpackers call "Smearing":


1. Find a flat, eastern or western facing rock. Poop on this rock.
2. Find a different, smaller rock that you are able to hold.
3. "Smear" your poop across the bigger, flatter rock. 


As gross as it is, this is the best way to make sure that you don't damage other hikers or the environment. The poop will dry in the sun, and flake off when wind comes up. It's the best option for getting rid of your waste when you can't bury it (http://www.wikihow.com/Poop-in-the-Wilderness-when-Camping)

Therefore it was both an awesome and shitty weekend.

Nelson Craige Trail

Huntington Peak Cairn

70 mile/hr winds were forcing us to hunch on our hump to the summit. 

A few things I need and could do without. Gators are a must, I did not have them and the bottoms of my pants were getting both ripped and soaked. Hiking poles are a nice idea, however, I felt uncoordinated and awkward. Huntington Ravine was probably not the best place to get acquainted with them. I realized that my stove is inefficient. With the strike of my match came the clink of my friend’s spork against an empty pot from inside the lean to. By the time I had my stove lit, everyone else’s bellies were full. The alcohol well is small and needs to be refilled until the alcohol in the stove starts boiling and flames shoot out the sides, however, the alcohol burns off quickly and needs to be filled 4-5 times. It is unsafe to pour alcohol onto an open flame and it is a waste to use 4-5 matches to light the stove each time it burns out, therefore, I plan on making a more efficient stove. If it wasn’t for a wind guard my stove would not have stayed lit, so that is also a must. That night I feasted on ramen with cheddar cheese and pepperoni along with Oreos for dessert. I need warmer gloves. The huge cairn at the peak of Huntington reminded me of a Christmas tree inviting us as we crossed from fall foliage into winter snow and ice covered rocks. The Signs needed to be scraped in order to be deciphered. Nelson Craig trail took us 0.8 miles to the auto road through 25 degrees and 70 mile/hr winds.

Foot Circle on Huntington. My friends and a few Canadians took part in a feetoshoot. 

It was so good to see the summit. 

Woohoo! We shouted as the fog cleared for a few seconds and unveiled the sturdy summit lodge against a bright blue backdrop. Once inside while drinking up the heat and clam chowder for $I don’t care how much because I need something hot, several people came to our table and asked us questions: “Did you hike up the mountain said the two overweight women with their high heels and car keys”, “do you know how to work a digital camera?” asked a older man who couldn’t remember how the memory card worked and the best was a concerned, bug-eyed woman who asked if we left a couple of dogs outside.  I thought, nope, but they are probably a couple of chili dogs now.


When we got down to the lodge at Pinkham Notch, we weighed our packs and mine was 29lbs.  

It was steep. 

Acquiring Gear

Today I purchased a backpack, water bladder and sleeping pad for a total of 2.95lbs. 

Hygiene: All You Need is a Little Arm and Hammer

My goal is to leave the smallest footprint I can while hiking the AT. The products I use to brush my teeth, wash my hair and body, clean my clothes and scrub my pots will have the biggest environmental impact. I’m sure you are familiar with baking soda as a cooking agent, however, there are many other uses for this product:

Personal Hygiene

• Toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Deodorant
• Shampoo
• Exfoliating scrub

Cleaning Agent

• Dish washer
• Clothes softener
• Removes odors

Medical uses

• Reduces indigestion and heartburn
• Antiseptic- sterilizes
• Reduces itching

The Ancient Egyptians used baking soda as both a household cleaner and a personal hygiene product (http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/salt.htm). Can you imagine all of your hygienic needs being met with a little "soda" from a little orange box for the unbelievably low cost of only 58 cents? And this knowledge dates back to 3150 BC! I'm casting aside brand name products like Campsuds, Camp Soap and even Dr. Bronner’s and making room for baking soda in my pack.

I Shampoo Because I’m Greasy and I’m Greasy Because I Shampoo

Have you ever heard of the conditioner that hydrates, shines, smoothes, strengthens, protects and costs nothing? May be you haven’t but we all manufacture it. It is called sebum, A.K.A the grease that is secreted from the base of the hair follicles on your head.

My parents call me an extremist, my brother and a select few call me a hippie, however, I would like to think of myself as a purist. After all, we were not meant to wash our hair. So, I set out for the two week challenge, which turned out to be over 100 days without shampooing or conditioning my hair. I spent(past tense). I know this sounds totally gross. The thought of this may make you cringe, want to head to the loo to puke or stop reading this all together, however, you must also be wondering how I pulled off such an uncommon feat for so long while attending classes, giving hugs, and going about my daily business. Now you must also be wondering if you were one of the individuals who was hugged in this “unsanitary” sate. Oh, and I did this voluntarily. It was not prompted by a tight budget or lack of wheels, instead, it was do to my inquisitive nature mended with an organic lecture on protein structure. Let me explain.

Your hair is made out of a protein called keratin, and the genes in our DNA determine the way in which this protein folds, which translates into straight, curly and wavy hair. “My daughter” my professor explained “attributes her frizzy hair to me but I try to explain to her that it’s because she spends an hour in the shower twice a day.” Water is a polar molecule meaning it can break the hydrogen bonds, which gives your hair its shape, once these bonds are breached, your hair becomes dry and brittle. Sebum however, acts to waterproof your hair so that these bonds remain in tact.

The more you shampoo, the drier your hair becomes and thus the more oily your hair becomes to counter the dryness which creates a vicious positive feedback loop. For example: I shampoo cuz I’m greasy and I’m greasy cuz I shampoo. 

Also, consider this, the use of shampoo not only dries out your hair but also your face and body, so your body will respond by secreting more oil to counter this attack. The over expression of oil clogs your pores which requires you to use acne face wash which has side effects such as behavioral issues and the next thing you know you’re in therapy…all because you used shampoo. But I digress. Conditioner is applied to the shampooed hair to replace the natural oils that were stripped away with synthetic ones, to give your hair the shine, strength, and softness you desire. However why replace a good thing?

Now, for a bit of physiology. The secretion of sebum is made up of fatty acids, waxes, triglycerides, and squalene which act to soften, lubricate, hydrate and protect the hair in a bacterium killing sense. So if this secretion keeps our hair looking shinny, frizz free, hydrated, strong while combating foreign agents and it costs nothing…why are we washing our hair? It’s the conditioner that everyone wants but gets rid of. This is counterproductive and wasteful.

Did I mention sebum is odorless? Which brings me to my next point; could it be that our use of product is preventing us from finding “the right one” because it masks the body’s natural pheromones?

Of course when I explained this to my mom, my scientific endeavor was met with the usual, “don’t be an extremist” the same line I heard when I read a book about Buddhism, was a vegan for a year and stopped wearing mascara for eight months. Ironically, it seems as though the way we clean our bodies has become extreme.

Our bodies function to protect, nourish and detoxify. Our integumentary system, which is made up of the hair, skin, nails and their secretion, is our bodies 1^st line of defense and thus an impressive tissue that combats foreign invaders and prevents them from breaching the dermis. So let the system do it’s job, shall we? The next time you raise your bottle and prepare to squeeze some synthetic substance into the palm of your hand consider the benefits of your integumentary system. I’m not suggesting that you stow away the shampoo and conditioner for a hundred days but I am suggesting that you allow your hair and body to be cosmetic free for a few days here and there. This way our body will be able to serve and protect.

While I was conducting my scientific experiment, I noticed that I shed fewer hair follicles, there was less fizz, my hair dried extremely fast and it was always shinny. Now I wash my hair about every 3 days and I use Dr. Bronners which is a biodegradable shampoo that is safe for you and the environment.  I no longer blow dry or straighten. I have given up the battle I carried on with my hair for so many years, trying to force it to do the opposite of what it wants to all the while causing splits ends and frizzy dry hair. Once you learn a little chemistry you’ll understand that the bonds of your hair weren’t meant to be broken.

Long story short, hygiene is the least of my worries on the trail. In the book, “The Appalachian Trail: How to Prepare for and Hike it” by Jan D. Curran there is a quote that kicks off the chapter on Sanitation which says, “what separates two people most profoundly is a different sense and degree of cleanliness”- Nietzche. So do I need a ruler or a map to measure the distance between us?

Makeup with Yourself

Below is an essay I wrote last summer. Although I do still wear mascara now, I will not be applying it on my hike for fear of being given the trail name, Mascera. However, I hope this essay is inspiring to those of you who dread makeup removal. Sorry guys, another one for the girls.

May 12, 2009

I believe I got into the habit of applying mascara in the seventh or eighth grade. I was impressed by its enhancing effects and have worn the oil-based substance everyday since: while riding out step throat, before going downstairs for pancakes (in my own house), even, I’m embarrassed to admit, before going to the gym. I was late to my friend’s house one day because I needed to stop at the store and buy waterproof mascara so that I could jointly still look good and swim in the pool. Talk about a vanity!

The task of removing the dark brown residue, still lingering from the day before, from my eyes proceeds as follows:

1.      Turn faucet on (trickle)

2.      Doubled over sink

3.      Close lids half-way

4.      Use my thumb and pointer to gently rub matter from eyelashes

5.      Rinse smudges from finger tips

6.      Repeat steps 4-5 till makeup is fully removed

7.      Wash face (if smudges appear)

8.      Use baby oil to remove oily remains with a Q-tip

9.      Repeat steps 7-8 until makeup is fully removed

10.    Reapply

And all this for what?! So three days ago after completing my eye-makeup (mascara) removal, I did not follow up with step ten. I turned off the faucet, stowed my mascara in the drawer and the baby oil in the cabinet. And…I feel liberated! However, I admit that on this first day, I was tempted to darken my lashes before meeting up with friends at the drive-ins but thoughts of my extensive makeup removal routine provided enough incentive not to do so.

Without mascara, there is nothing to inspect, touch up, or evaluate but what your parents gave you and that does not changed. Whereas before, I would look in the mirror to make sure my eyes were still popping and free of smudge, now I look in the mirror to make sure I’m free of nose and eye boogers.

And I am just referring to mascara. To all the ladies out there tirelessly applying eye shadow, lip liner, lipstick, eyeliner, foundation, blush, shimmer etc, etc. stow away your cosmetics and makeup by applying a better sense of self. 

Walking Diva

Ladies, not gentlemen,
When it is that time of month
And you are trying to go with the flow,
Instead of staying in,
Padding around
And looking through the pains of glass,
Go out
With your cramp ons
Or hikers
Because not only can you swim, bike and run,
You can also thru-hike.
Cheers to the DivaCup(c).
Once you get it,
You forget you have it.
Period.

Male Discretion Advised: More on the DivaCup(c)

Thru-hiker, Heather, filled me in on how to deal with “women issues” on the trail. She began her hike using pads and tampons which she had to pack out in zip lock bags. Not only did this create a ton of waste it also turned her pack into bear bait. Soon after she was told about the DivaCup© which allows you to swim, bike, run and thru-hike; a reusable, eco-friendly, cost-cutting alternative to pads and tampons. Below is the link to the website:

www.divacup.com

Ladies, I highly recommend that you check this out, not only will you be doing the environment a favor you will also be saving loads of money. You can “make an environmentally responsible choice each month…(that is) as effective as switching from plastic to canvas bags.” I’m planning on purchasing the DivaCup© today! As for the guys who have made it this far, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.