Homeward Bound?

"How are you planning on getting home once you get to Georgia," asked my sister the other day.

When her question was met with a blank stare and a few blinks, she rephrased in an attempt to make her inquiry clearer, 

"Like, are you planning on flying home or something?"

I did not need clarity but a reality check.

"Let me get this straight...I will have been gone for six months and you're asking me how I plan on getting home...?"

"Yea!" 

"Here I was thinking that you all would be fighting over who would drive."

Pep Talk

Lately I have been getting the “pep talk”. You know the one that I am referring to. The conversation you have with the person you know who is voluntarily opting to spend 6 months sleeping in a tent and hiking in their free time. The person who considers dinner and shower complete with Ramen and a dip in the stream. Oh and the person who refers to this little trek as a vacation.

“Don’t hike yourself into the stone age, you know, don’t come back and go to luncheons with dirt under your nails because it’s ‘natural’,” my mom said as she regarded me with serious eyes and her hands firm but lovingly on my shoulders.

At a moment like this one I just laugh. I give my parents a lot of credit for putting up with my oddities, “scientific experiments,” and phases, like the time I covered all my mirrors for a week because I thought it was the root of vanity or the summer I stopped wearing mascara due to its root of insecurity, or the 100 days I boycotted shampoo because “it’s not natural,” which is my constant rebuttal.

And yes, I am a hypocrite. Is it wrong for me to think a guy is gorgeous up until he steps out of the tanning bed, because I see that as vain, while I still wear mascara? My friend pointed out that both Mr. GQ and I are doing different things for the same reason…because we think the application of UV rays or a cosmetic make us look better. So…there you have it.

I shared my near-future endeavor with a couple of coworkers and they expect that I’ll come back having lost the ability to speak, “you’ll grunt and I’ll say, ok I’ll get you some food Jill,” said Mr. Rock.

  

I don’t know how the trail will affect me. All I know is that I have started something and it needs to be finished. All of these “experiments” have intrinsically been preparing me for my upcoming journey. There will be reflections and applications just not those that come from mirrors and cosmetics.  

Walking Soon

Eat don't sit need to refuel fast
Sit and eat but drive to school
Watch out for crumbs
Be presentable
Present in class with a wandering mind
Always multitasking
Test in an hour, oops more crumbs
Emails, phone calls, can you do this
I can't but it's not because I don't love you
Mol looks glum, remember to hike, no time
Bag it up, I don't want the clutter
3 bags gone, two to go
Work paycheck straight to my tank
Muffler, sticker, don't get pulled over
My car is a can, clean it out, no time
Food for thought, haven't given much
Graduation can't come soon enough.
Focus.
I'll be walking soon.

Moon Rocks

Flem and Scout cross a tree in their path. 

Yesterday I was outside all day! It started off with a failed attempt of setting up my tent, continued with a drive to Erving, Ma for some rock climbing and bouldering with Scout and Flem and it ended with a night hike up Citataw with Drew and BW to take advantage of the warm air and big bright moon. 

Tent Set up

I got up early this morning and I decided to take my pooch for a stroll through the woods so that I could try setting up my tent. Though, once I got outside I thought I’d set it up in front of the kitchen window so that my parents could be apart of the experience. This proved to be a terrible idea because I royally embarrassed myself. First I thought I’d set it up from memory, but the improper setup and the front door facing the wind made the nylon hut look sloppy. I was using sticks to stake the corners and they kept snapping.

If this was a preview of the upcoming 6 months…I am doomed I thought. My cheeks were starting to get red and I hoped that my parents weren’t sipping their coffees watching my clumsy escapade through the kitchen window.

Was it the height of the hiking pole, improper placement of stakes or was I just incapable of following directions?

Though it was windy this setup was not a breeze. I decided I needed to relocate. Ah, “make sure the height of the canopy is 4-5 inches off the ground,” minor detail I did not pick up on during my initial scan of the directions. Yes it got to a point were I needed to grab the directions.

The final product came an hour later and still the canopy was not completely taught. I decided to put my perfectionism aside and crawl in. I took off my boots and crawled into my bag. If this is going to be my home for 6 months I better get this set up right, I thought as I pulled out my phone and texted section-hiker, Red. He used the same tent.

Our text conversation was as follows:

Me: Ok so right now I’m lying down in my 6moons tent after an hour of trying to set it up properly and I can’t seem to get the tension right. Do you think you could give me a tutorial? I could come over and you could show me how to do it?

Red: Yea I could do that. It’s tricky it took me several tries before I figured out a good system.

Me: Ok now I don’t feel so bad

It's Inanimate

The last time I met with thru-hiker, Morning Glory, she offered to give me her kitchen setup complete with her homemade stove, stand and windscreen. The gesture was overwhelmingly generous and I had a surprised look on my face when I said, “this is one of the only relics you have left from your AT experience.” I regarded her homemade stove which originated from a tomato paste can and had collected a decade’s worth of rust.

She smiled at me and said, “It’s ok, I have a really easy time letting go of things.”

When Morning glory returned, she was hit with fast paced pressures of civilization and burned all that she owned. Everything but her lucky Susan B. Anthany coin and her stove. She then packed up an extra shirt a pair of socks and her stove and hitch hiked cross country to live among the homeless in Arizona because it was the closest thing to being on the trail, living among people who carried all that they owned.

I did not take her stove, I couldn’t possibly, she had already given me her lucky Susan B. Anthony coin that accompanied her on her 2000 mile trek from Georgia to Maine and there was something so hallowed about her set up, but her words have stuck with me ever since.

Letting go of the possessions that we own, that we believe define us takes a little push or a deadline in my case. I’m going through all of my clothes and trinkets and reading the letters and cards that I kept from birthdays and ballet summer camp and I’m giving away lots of it.

As I pan through my closet, each piece of clothing stirs up a memory, and I realize that I have held onto most of them because of what they represent, some of which have not been worn in over a year. So as I toss these articles of clothing in the planet aid bags there is a little tug in my chest but Morning Glories words tell me to let go and I do. 

Bryson

If you ever get the chance to read, “A Walk in the Woods,” by Bill Bryson, do so. It is one of my favorites. I’ve read it twice just because it makes me laugh living through the saga of two middle-aged men ill prepared for the Appalachian Trail.

Since one of this month’s topics is wilderness first aid, I thought that the passage I’m about to share with you would be appropriate. I refer to it as: Chapter 17, Hypothermia: Bryson forgets his waterproofs.

Bryson hikes Mt. Lafayette with his friend, Bill Abdu. Abdu is an orthopedic surgeon and Bryson sees his occupation as a bonus and explains, “I didn’t suppose he’d be able to do much useful surgery up there, but if I fell and broke my back at least I’d know the Latin names for what was wrong with me.”

The Mt. Lafayette loop is a climb up Mt. Liberty and a traverse over Little Haystack and Mount Lincoln to Mt. Lafayette which stands 5,249 ft. By the time Bryson and Dr. Abdu reach the summit of Haystack, the temps plummet and the wind prevails. They proceed to pull of their waterproofs, however, Bryson has forgotten his.

He begins to think about the hypothermia horror stories of people being found after a blizzard halfway out of their sleeping bags with their shirts pulled off, or the canoe buddies who were found floating upright in the lake next to their canoe; one of the guys still had his glasses on.

It seems counterintuitive for hypothermic victims to remove their clothes or lower themselves into bone-chilling water but these victims get to a point where they feel like they are on fire, which usually marks the point of no return.

Bryson continues to hike in his jeans and cotton sweater which soon becomes saturated with moisture and he begins to shiver. He is too embarrassed to tell his friend since he is supposed to represent the conditioned and knowledgeable thru-hiker that he claims to be.  He glances at his watch and sees that it is 10:58am. When he regards his watch for a second time it still reads 10:58am. He thinks his sense of time is going. “How long would it be till I was dancing around half naked and trying to beat out flames,” thinks Bryson in his state of horror.

Obviously Bryson makes it over Mt. Lafayette and back to the car at which point he checks the time, 10:58, he taps the face and realizes the 2^nd hand had been stuck.

The take-home message is that, no matter what the season, the weather on tops of mountains is totally unpredictable, so it is pertinent that a hiker it prepared for all degrees at any time of the year. 

Good Job

You want the job? You got the job! 

Below is a list of things I still need to get:

• Steaks
• Stakes
• 1^st Aid kit supplies
• Compression sack for tent
• Shoes
• Maps
• Data book
• Drop boxes
• Food storage bags
• Water purification method
• Ground cloth
• Stuff sack for clothes
• Compression sack for clothes
• Food
• Food
• Fooooood

And now I can because I have a job!! I get paid to smile while people sweat. Sweet deal. 

River Crossings in ME

A little preview of water crossing during my hike today.

When people ask me if I am afraid of hiking alone referring to animals, I say that the only animal that scares me is man because wild animals are predictable and act by instinct, whereas man is just sick.

My biggest concerns while on the trail are having enough food to eat and river crossings in Maine. I asked Fox about his experience to which he responded, “very dangerous, I almost drowned twice, bring swimmies.” He was kidding of course and continued to say that he only had one bad river crossing, after a ton of rain “It was waste deep and the water was moving fast. Other than that they were knee deep and hardly flowing.” Just when I was starting to feel settled again he left me with, “They say to unclip your pack before you start incase you fall it won’t choke you and keep you down, but I definitely wouldn’t worry about it.” Fox sure does have a way of explaining things.

In her memoir, “A Journey South,” Adrienne hall blows up her inflatable sleeping pad and paddles across. Machine McCarron, plowed through the water and hoped for the best. Bryson and his mate Katz flailed there way across swapping roles of lifeguard and victim. But all of them made it.  

Now there is supposed to be a ferry person that escorts hikers across, but I have heard this is not always the case. If an Inuit can remove the bladder of a dead seal, blow it up, let it dry and use it as a canteen…I am confident I can figure out a way to cross a river. It’s about being resourceful. In the event I come to a river and there is not a ferry man in sight and the water is deep, which I expect it will be from all of the snow we got this winter, I will make a raft using my bear cord and fallen limbs and paddle myself across.     

Woods Con-text

Moll is pooped after a long hike.

I couldn’t sleep last night and I realize it’s been a week since I’ve been for a hike. When I got up…well I was already up, so when I got out of bed this morning I looked for heavy objects to put in my pack before I hit the trail, I needed to expend some of my energy stores. In went my physics and organic chem. texts, a gallon of water, my 2L water bladder and some fleeces (the mortar) along with 2 Clementine’s (emergency food). I’m sure it will be the only time I get on the scale and get excited about being 32lbs heavier. 

My pal Moll accompanied me while I completed a 6 mile loop in 2.5 hrs with a 32lb pack on…no big deal. When I came to the finish I saw that my mom’s hiking sticks, which marked my first attempt of the trail, were still propped against the tree. I was amazed.

Signs of Spring

You see a flash from out of your periphery

You come upon a hole in the snow from which extends a brown spotted luge 

An underground chipmunk highway.

Sounds of construction, you pause mid step to confirm 

Trees extend from the pond encircled with icy rings

They bend and stretch, working out the knots from their winter slumber

No the splintering and cracking of ice.

The eight legged arachnids pluck their webbed harps

They need to be repaired after I walk through

They must have warm winter coats to be out this early

Of course there are the sounds of birds but this sign of spring is cliché so I won’t describe it further.

Squirrel on a telephone wire, it’s feet almost invisible as it motors across to the transformer.

I wake up it is bright 

I can stay up longer.

Wilderness 1st Aid

Wilderness 1^st Aid

In order to prepare my 1^st aid kit and bring only the necessities, I’m going to need to learn a bit about wilderness first aid.

Some common mishaps I may encounter include: blisters, strains, sprains, cuts, severe bleeding, hyperthermia, hypothermia and snakebites.

Below I have provided the (1) definition, (2) signs, (3) preventative measures, and (4) treatment for each. Information was gathered from thru-hiker forum: whiteblaze.net, and my boy scouts handbook.

Blisters

(1)   A pocket of fluid formed in between the inner and outer layers of skin which have separated do to friction

(2)   Heat, redness, pain

(3)   Friction can be reduced by using sock liners.

(4)   Disinfect the site with alcohol, cut a hole the size of the blister in a piece of mole skin, stick it around the bubble, and cover with tape.

Strain

(1)   An overstretched muscle

(2)   Pain, stiffness, discoloration and bruising

(3)   Get your body conditioned

(4)   RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression & Elevation). A sleeping pad and an extra fleece can serve as a splint.

Sprain

(1)   A torn ligament or overstretched joint

(2)   Pain, stiffness, bruising

(3)   Train

(4)   RICE

Cut

(1)   A laceration of the skin.

(2)   Pretty obvious

(3)   Again, pretty obvious

(4)   Stop bleeding by applying pressure (if it’s a limb, raise it above the heart). Wash out the wound with clean water, tweeze out any debris. Application of an ointment such as Neosporin facilitates the wound healing process and can be applied to the area. Cover the wound to keep it clean and prevent foreign bodies. Change dressing whenever it gets wet or dirty. Air also speeds up the wound-healing process, so once the wound looks good, uncover it. Stitches are required for cuts deeper than 6mm. This is where my floss comes in ;). http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-cuts/FA00042

Fox told me that he brought a sewing kit and one time it came in handy because he had to give himself stitches. Naturally, I begged him to explain, but he smirked and said that he was joking. That would have been a great story.

Severe Bleeding-

(1)   Loss of a large amount of blood from circulation

(2)   bright red spurting blood

(3)   obvious

(4)   pressure should be applied to the main artery feeding the cut, a tourniquet secured on the heart side of the cut (use a bandana and place a rock where your fingers were applying pressure, tighten bandana until blood flow stops) The tourniquet should only be kept taught for an hour, afterwards it should be loosened, if bleeding continues tighten once more. (handbook)

Hyperthermia-

(1)   elevated body temperature due to the body producing more heat than it can dissipate

(2)   hot, dry and red skin, dizziness, low blood pressure

(3)   Stay hydrated, limit sun exposure

(4)   Rest, water, shade, loose some layers

Hypothermia-

(1)   Is the lowing of the core body temperature below 97 degrees

(2)   Grumbling, fumbling, mumbling, stumbling, tumbling

(3)   Stay warm, hydrated and fed

(4)   Strip individual of wet layers, get them wrapped in a sleeping bag (do not get into sleeping bag with them you cool literally catch their cold), have them drink something warm (not above 105 degrees since they are more sensitive to burns) http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=96956#post96956

Snakebites-

Cut off circulation above the bite to prevent it from spreading and suck out the poison. Leave the tourniquet tightened for up to an hour then slowly loosen it so that the poison that still remains slowly enters circulation (handbook).

“You’ll find the more you know the less you need to bring (whiteblaze).” Directions from a fancy 1^st aid kit are useless if you have to sit down and read them while blood is squirting or body temperatures are plummeting. So instead of storing directions in your pack store them in your head prior to your trip so that you can do your best to prevent accidents, but also know how to recognize and respond to them when they occur.

First Aid

According to guide, Keith, if you can't fix it with tape and gauze you're probably going to die or you’re going to need a professional. Fox claims that "duct tape and a sewing kit can fix anything." Heather suggests alcohol and mole skin since blisters will be the biggest problem. Thru-hiker, Red said that some hikers discard their 1^st aid kits, however, it is listed as one of the top 10 essentials according to, whitblaze.net. So the burning question is what to put in your first aid kit? 

“According to one 2005 thru-hiker, “You’ll find the more you know the less you need to bring (whiteblaze).”

One person will bring an expensive, store bought medical kit equipped with the eggs to apples of 1^st aid along with a lengthy book of directions, while another will get by with tape, a bandana and a knife.

The difference between the two is knowledge, which luckily does not take up any tangible space in your pack!

Below I have listed the 1^st aid items for some of the thru-hikers I interviewed:

M.J.Fox

·         mole skin

·        butterfly bandages

·        band aids

·        afterbite

·        alcohol prep pads

·        surgical sponges

·        extra lighter

·        sewing kit

·        amodeum

·        duct tape

·        tweezers

·        safety pins
*   Vitamin I

Red’s

·         Band aids

·        Neosporin

·        Wound closure strips

·        Duct tape

·        Sewing kit

·        Alcohol pads

·        Foam donuts in place of mole skin

“It's amazing how much medical care can be given on the trail with duct tape, a bandana, and a sharp knife up to and including brain surgery on a few people I met out there (Whiteblaze.com).” How about that for a statement? Now I need to find the incident when brain surgery was conducted on the trail. (I will get back to you.)

A first aid kit serves to repair both you and your gear. I have decided that I am definitely bringing dental floss because it can be used to clean the teeth, repair a pack, or close a suture.

This is a preliminary list of my 1^st aid items:

·         floss

·         needles

·         alcohol pads

·         mole skin

·         tape

·         gauze

·         razor blade

·         matches

·         bandana

·         duct tape

Feel free to give suggestions. 

My Protégé

 

 

Mr. Green and His Band of Brothers

So I have decided that some money is nice to have. It’s sort of like a vessel that allows you to do the things you want to do. Whether or not the monetary system works…well that’s a topic for another discussion. Believe me, it would be great if I could hand over a slab of beef in exchange for a nice pair of hiking shoes or a water filter, but the old barter and trade system has fizzled in the light of credit cards and green George Washingtons.

Therefore, I am applying for jobs at the moment so that I will be able to acquire the rest of the hiking supplies that I need and so that I can dehydrate that aforementioned slab of beef. Food, after all will be the most expensive thing to take care of. I need to dehydrate meat and lot’s of it, which requires, you guessed it, George Washington and all of his buddies.

Below is a list of things I still need to get:

• Steaks
• Stakes
• 1^st Aid kit supplies
• Compression sack for tent
• Shoes
• Maps
• Data book
• Drop boxes
• Food storage bags
• Water purification method
• Ground cloth
• Stuff sack for clothes
• Compression sack for clothes
• Food
• Food
• Fooooood

Can you imagine, I put off getting stakes (aluminum gutter nails) for a whopping $3.56, due to my state of unemployment, or let’s refer to it as my state of being in between jobs.

In order to hike the presidential range I’m going to have to spend more time with Washington and his band of brothers; maybe you know them: Lincoln, Hamilton, Jackson, Grant and Franklin.  

Water Purification

There is debate as to whether to bring drops or a filter as a water purification method. I was discussing this very topic with thru-hiker, M.J. Fox, and he brought both Aquamira chlorine dioxide drops and the Sawyer Inline Filter. He said that both were very popular on the trail and those with the drops would suggest drops and those with filters would suggest filters. Fox was able to experience the pros and cons of both.

Fox started off with the drops and after mile 1200 he got a filter. When the water looked good he used the drops, when the water was questionable he used a filter and when the water looked really bad he used both. He had to resupply himself with the drops 2 times and he was using the pump so I may be looking at 3 times restocking the drops. He also said that he only needed one filter but it wouldn’t have lasted him more than 980 miles.

A 1oz bottle of Aquamira drops treat up to 30 gallons of water (1gallon = 3.785 liters, therefore, 30 gall=113.55L). If I was drinking 2Liters/day then the tablets would last me 56.77 days. I will be on the trail for at most 180 days which would mean I would need 3 bottles of Aquamira total.

I may be off in saying 2L/day. Until I hear back from my experts I will have to rely on Wiki when it reads that “Moderate activity in a moderate climate requires 2 L of drinking water per day.” I will also have to treat the water I use for cooking and my level of activity will vary, so to be safe, let’s say I am treating 3L/day. This would require 4.75 so 5 bottles of the Aquamira to last the entire trip. It costs $13 online ($65). Fox suggested bringing duct tape. The bottles end up cracking and when you go to treat your water all the chlorine dioxide has leaked out. Duct tape the bottles to keep them from leaking.

The filter is a 1.8 oz $56 dollar contraption. It clogs, but Fox trusted its abilities even after filtering black, stagnant water. Fox said it wouldn’t have lasted longer than half of the trail and that was while using the drops some of the time so I may require at least 2 maybe even 3 filters for the entire trial. ($168)

Conclusion:

I have decided to make the comparison based on 4 categories:

1. Cost- even if I had to purchase 5 bottles ($65) it would cost half the amount I would spend on 2 filters ($112) and I may need 3.

2. Weight-The Aquamira drops come in a 1 oz bottle while the sawyer pump is 1.8 oz

3. Effectiveness- Fox seemed to think the filter was a more reliable water treatment method, but since it has been a snowy winter, I may not come across dark water.

4. Durability- Fox duct taped the drops so they wouldn’t leak, his filter clogged and would not last him more than about ½ the trail.

Fox suggested starting off with the drops and then maybe getting a filter as I get closer to the south if need be.

Expert Ed Spaulding (www.NorthlandAdventure.org) suggests bring a pump filter for 5 reasons:

1) the water tastes better, 2) less likelihood of cross-contamination, 3) you can get water from shallow sources easier, 4) Iodine is suppose to be bad for kidneys after about six months of constant exposure for that dosage, 5) You can't run out, just keep it clean. But bring a back-up of iodine tablets just in case your filter breaks.


I know that I will not bring Iodine tablets. Not only is there a bad aftertaste but Spaulding said he used them in the Whites and got giardia twice.

Readers, your comments are welcomed!