Contacted Bill Bryson

I wanted to share with you the correspondence I had with Bill Bryson, author of “A Walk in the Woods,” via email:

Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 5:17 PM

Dear Mr. Bryson,

A thru-hiker once told me that not many people accomplish even one of their dreams. Your story, “A Walk in the Woods,” inspired me to turn my dream of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail into a reality. I plan on heading out in June upon graduating. Your passages had me both laughing and crying. I loved that you and Katz had bonded to a point where he was willing to trek four miles back to get your walking stick.

I have started a blog: www.trackingjill.blogspot.com to keep a record my own experience. I have begun interviewing thru-hikers so that I can better prepare myself for the trail. Mike, A.K.A, Michael J. Fox, a thru-hiker named after his celebrity lookalike, finished the trail a week ago and filled me in on hygiene, food and women. I was familiar with terms such as blue and yellow blazing but never “pink blazing” –a label given to a guy who slows his pace to hike with the girl he is interested in. This lasts as long as she pulls her hair into a ponytail and exposes her unkempt armpits.

Ever since I read your account I have been itching to learn more about your trek. Would you consider a walk “thru” your experience with me over a cup of tea? It would be an honor.


Regards,

Jillian M. Toomey

Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 10:35 AM

Dear Jillian,

Many thanks for your message and apologies for the delay in responding, but I get a lot mail here and am always hopelessly behind.  I am afraid I am not able to meet, but I do wish you every success with your hike and hope you have a wonderful experience.

Thanks again and best wishes.

Yours sincerely,
Bill Bryson


I was so excited when I received the email from Mr. Bryson, because he is famous and I love his words and now I have his good sentiments.

That's my Bag Baby

 Today I purchased a 2 lb, 3 season synthetic mummy bag!!!

Walking-our most primitive form of transportation

Right now I am supposed to be finishing up Christmas shopping but the events that just went down at work have made it impossible to do anything but type. Today a naysayer, upon learning of my future endeavor, asked what I was doing to train for the trail. I explained that I hike when I can. As I said this he was shaking his head. “How far do you walk every day?” he asked. I joked and told him from home to work which is all but 0.1miles. He was not amused. I reiterated that I hike occasionally. Again, the head shake. “How would you prepare for the trail,” I asked. According to him I should walk two miles everyday for one month and double it every month till June. A novel idea, however with a semester left and a thru hike to fund I will be spending most of my time studying and working and hiking when I can. According to Naysayer, I need to practice walking everyday for six months in order to build the muscle I needed to carry my bodyweight for the six months I’ll be on the trail. Were we not designed to carry our own body weight? I thought. Yes, I will have a pack, which will be no more than 30lbs, however, we were designed to walk. Since when did walking, our most primitive form of transportation, become exercise? The other thing he told me was that I should walk coming down on the balls of my feet, otherwise, coming down on your heels you experience the shock up through your spine. Now there is another innovative thought…not. He said, quite confidently, “What’s gonna happen, is your feet will be hurting so bad and you’ll have so many blisters that by the time you get to Massachusetts, you’ll get off the trail.”  I assured him that I was hiking the trail in its entirety. To which he responded rather dryly, “Time will tell.” He even so boldly handed me his card and told me to call him when I get to Georgia. I know one thing, I’m going to accomplish my dream whether or not someone thinks I can do it. I’ll thank Naysayer for one thing…a post. 

The ABCs of Packing Your Pack

Yesterday I had the luxury of getting a backpacking tutorial, from one of my friend’s sisters who went to school for adventure-based environmental education. She regularly leads expeditions and had lots of great tips for packing your pack.

Khalila explains that packing your pack is like brick laying. You want to utilize all of the available space. The items in stuff sacks are your bricks while clothes are the mortar. Line your pack with a 3mm trash compactor bag which will keep everything in your pack dry.

The ABCs of Packing Your Pack

Accessibility- Pack the things you need readily on top: snacks, hat, gloves, and rain shell. Your tent and sleeping bag should be placed at the bottom of your pack, since they required only at the end of the day.

Balance- The heaviest items should be packed in the middle of your pack opposite the middle of your back. This allows you to have a better center of gravity while with pack.

Compression- “I’m not into the bag-lady look,” says Khalila, referring to items clipped to the outside of a pack. Loosen all straps and pack your pack using all the space available, then compress your pack by tightening the straps.

“Make your backpack your home; get organized,” she says.

Bottom Layer- “Your sleeping bag is like your baby…do not let this baby get wet…ever!” Line the compression sack with a 3mm trash compactor bag.

Your sleeping bag is the first brick. It goes in a compression sack and is placed at the bottom of your pack. Your clothes act as the mortar and are used to fill the cracks.

Middle Layer- Your heaviest items should fall in the middle of your back. These items consist of your kitchen setup, food and tent. These items fit into stuff sacks are another two or three bricks.

Top Layer-

Stuff you will need to access easily, e.g. first aid, snacks, rain shell, hat and gloves should be placed at the top.

It is vital that you get enough Vitamin C on the trail. Khalila suggested the commercial product, Emergen-C, however, a good friend once told me that the Indians used to chew on the pine needles of white pine (which are rich in vitamin C) to fight scurvy’s (a vitamin C deficiency). I have tried the needles and I think they are comparable to the combination of a mild orange peel and a white grape which is not what you would expect, but it’s enjoyable. So go try it for yourself. White pine is everywhere; it’s needles are about 3” long and in groups of five.  

Sometimes it Doesn't Go as Planned

I got stumped. 

My friend invited me out to western mass to hike the 7 Sisters of the Holyoke range. It sounded like an awesome idea, and by the time we set out the sun was going down. He was not sure how long it would take or how long the trail was but we had our headlamps and a full container of Oreos so we were set. Since it is a range we parked a car at each end. We parked my car at the end point and his car at the starting point. When we were about 20 minutes from the summit house (where my car was parked), he turned and asked, "you brought your keys, right?" That would have been the smart thing to do. My thoughts rewound to getting out of his car at the trail head, me putting on my pack and sliding my keys underneath his back seat. I believe I even patted them twice. So after a moments pause, I relayed the unfortunate news. "I don't believe you" he said with a tight laugh, "you're such a jokester." So, I was completely calm and suggested that we try hitchhiking, since it would be practice for the trail. On the way down the auto road to my car, I thought of an idea. What if we rolled my car down the hill and got it into gear (Plan B). This shows how much I know about mechanics because, my dad informed me later this morning that the key is needed to ignite the engine and rolling it down the hill would not do anything. Anyways, we put my car in neutral and pushed it as far as we could and the wheel locked. "Why does it do that?" I asked. "So that someone can't steel your car," said he. Place C, we walked to the road and attempted to  thumb a ride. Luckily his friend was able to give us a lift to the trail head where my friend's car was parked. Having a plan is good, but having a plan that doesn't work out is a great opportunity to get creative. I thought it was a pretty awesome night!

Hike This Morning; Two Poles Down

I took my pooch out for a stroll this morning and while I was taking in the serene beauty of the ice-coated beaver pond, I looked down and spotted a beer can. So I pierced it with the tip of my hiking pole and turned to head back home when I saw an appalling dumb heap like the Grinch’s soul. I poked what I could with my poles and stuffed 6 flattened cans and two plastic plates into my pack. So, poles are not only great for improving circulation, supporting your weight, and warding off bears, they can also be used for collecting trash.  On my way home I spotted another litter spot— torn envelops, scratch tickets and more cans.

 At the rate we are going a trash bag will be listed as one of the top 10 hiking essentials.

My hike was litter-ally ruined. Remember to pick up after yourself and the babies who rely on others to clean up after their dumps, so that we can keep our trails pristine.

Section Hiker, Red

Andrew aka, Red, sectioned hiked the trail in 2007 and 2009, completing about 1000 miles. During his adolescence, Red sat in front of a large map of the AT on a daily basis while he did his business. His mom had put it up on the wall opposite the toilet. The map as well as Bryson’s, “A Walk in the Woods” enticed him to check out the trail. In fact he has read the book five times!” and believes it to be great for hikers and non-hikers alike, I concur.

In 2007, Red set out with no plan definite plans other than to test out his custom-made pack, which did not break or require any repairs throughout his journey. In fact he brought a needle and thread and repaired other hiker’s gear. He went from Erwin, Tennessee to Parisburg, Pennsylvania which is one of the top ten most beautiful places to hike in New England according to backpacker magazine. In 2009 he hiked from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Virginia.

Apparently hitch-hiking is completely safe if you are with somebody. If alone and in need of a hitch to town, choose a pickup, “It would be much harder for them to abduct you if you’re in the bed of the truck,” he jokes. Once he and his friend were looking pretty burly and trying to thumb a ride, which brought them deeper into despair with each passing car. A female thru-hiker wanted to help them out, stood beside them and on her first attempt flagged down a ride. While Red and his buddy hopped in, she bid her farewell and continued on her way. I guess the driver was pretty dissapointed. So, there are moments when a woman absolutely needs to rescue a man.

There are lots of trail angels down south who are Baptists and try to convert you. They will give you a hot dog in exchange for a mini bible. I suppose the extra weight is worth the extra calories even if it is a weighted topic.

When Red hiked he played a game where, when the leaves would build up of the end of his hiking poles he would try to get them off with his feet without breaking stride, “it’s the goofy stuff like that, that get you through the day,” he laughs.

Bears are more of a problem down south, however, “mice are the biggest culprit of food theft.” “I ate Ramen every day for two months and I still love it!” I was exited to hear this because I love Ramen as well and believe that I could down it every day from June to November. Ramen is great because it is light, caloric, and very cheap. Depending on the cheese, some can last for a couple of weeks on the trail. “Snickers are a hiker staple, almost like currency.”

Advice-

• “Don’t bring a compass, unless you’re dumber than a bag of rocks, you’ll find your way no problem.”
• The trail is well marked, there is no need to buy the expensive maps. If you can, hike with a friend that carries maps.
• Get the “Thru-Hiker’s Handbook” by thru-hiker, Wingfoot.
• Get used to experiencing pain every day, once something feels better, something else starts hurting.
• Get thin nylon cord for hanging up food at night (there are bear cable systems in the south, but they are spotty in the north, so bring your own cord).
• Use a microfiber pack cloth to remove condensation from tent each morning so that you stay dry when you dress.
• Depending on the tent, you can use a hiking pole in place of tent poles.
• Ramen is easy to clean, oatmeal sticks to the pot so eat a cold breakfast and a hot dinner.
• The yellow bottle of HEET- gas line antifreeze— is a good substitute for Isopropyl alcohol when it is unavailable (never use white gas!!!)
• Have a small pocket knife, not for warding off beasts and crazies, but for cutting cheese (not to be confused with cutting the cheese which is sharper than a knife J ).
• Seam seal your own tent.
• Get a sleeping bag liner (wash the liner without having to wash bag).
• Use Tyek as a ground cloth.
• Aluminum gutter nails can be purchased at the hardware store and can be used as stakes.
• Bring a pair of Crocks which are nice to slip into at the end of the day; all the hikers have them.
• Bring short gators, not to keep dry, but to keep muck out of your shoes.
• When it comes to dealing with bugs, keep moving, and at the end of the day stay in your tent until bugs retire for the night.
• Aqua Mirror Chlorine tablets are better than iodine tablets, which taste really bad.
• Bring at least three bandanas, one for blowing your nose, another for dabbing sweat, a third for cleaning pots, “just don’t get them confused,” he chuckles.

The first thing Red did upon his return to civilization was set up his custom-made tepee in the back yard of his house, to slowly acclimate himself over the next month. The trail made him realize that his hike was just one step in his ladder of life. He is now the ranger at a boyscouts camp where he me maintains the grounds. “I have no regrets, I got what I wanted out of the trail,” he says with a smile. 

Karate Lesson from Anonymous

The first thing people ask me after they find out I’m hiking the trail is if I am going with somebody. When I say that it depends, six months is a long time and plans can change, they tell me to watch out for the “crazies” on the trail and it would be stupid not to go with someone. I have decided that fear is debilitating. It is easy for people to not do something because they are afraid. What is interesting to note is that every thru-hiker I have interviewed hiked the trail alone.

My job is to prevent sketchy situations and learn how to protect myself.

The other day I was hanging out with my friend and I told him that I wanted to learn self defense. And this is how it went down:

A- “I know karate, I can help!” he said rather confidently.

Me- “Oh, yea…were you a black belt?”

A-“No, I can’t remember.”

Me-“So can you crush cinderblocks with the chop of your hand?”

A-“No I did more like routines…series of movements”

(I thrust my arm towards his chest faking a “crazy” with a knife)

A-“What are you doing?”

Me-“Pretending to stab you.”

A-“I need to be standing up.”

Me-“Oh…ok”

(Now we are standing. I fake like a crazy with a knife I move towards his left shoulder and quickly jab my fist into his right thigh)

A-“What was that?”

Me-“I faked to the left and went to the right.”

A-“You can’t change direction”

I was unaware there were rules to an assault.

I’m sure we will have better luck next time.

On a serious note, I know that there is some level of risk involved whenever a woman decides to go out on her own, however, I am confident that by being aware of my surroundings, keeping my location known to friends every day, and keeping my lucky coin, I will be safe. 

Moss on How to Hike Cheap

Below are Moss' tips for hiking cheap:  

·        Spend less time in towns

·        Eat food you find in hiker boxes

·        Buy cheap stuff when grocery store is resupplying

·        Figure out all your gear choices beforehand and buy on sale

·        Hike with people who get huge mail drops of food - they will almost always have too much and will share with you!  

·        If you are going to mail yourself food anywhere, make sure it is only to places that do not have grocery stores, or only mail yourself food you can't buy there - it's pointless to pay shipping on stuff like oreos when you can buy them right down the street from the PO! 

Paws on Watatic

Molly and Me on top of Watatic.

On this turkey day I give thanks to my furry and steadfast companion. 

Thru-Hiker, Moss

The last time I met with Fox he suggested I get in touch with a couple of female thru-hikers contacts he met on the trail. One of them is, Angela, A.K.A Moss, who completed the trail in September of 2010. “I like being outdoors, I wanted the challenge, I wanted adventure, I hated the rat race,” says Moss.

Moss hiked alone and proclaims that “it’s nice to be able to stop whenever you want and hike at any pace.” She stopped shaving her legs and wearing a bra. “Basically, I became half-feral. And it was great,” she exclaims. 


She went on to say that many women do shave on the trail but If you don't want guys to see you as an attractive female, leave the razor at home. For the female hiking solo something as unsubtle  as hairy legs can keep men at bay. When I interviewed Morning Glory, she said that she shaved her head halfway through the trail mostly because it was long and golden was hard to manage and drew a lot of attention from the guys (many months in the back woods with a ratio of 5 guys to 1 girl can make any girl on the trail a victim of "pink blazing").With a shaved head, people tended to leave her alone. So I guess the take-home message is the more hairless I make myself the fewer men will come knocking on my shelter door. 

“I reeked. Most hikers do. Even when you wash your clothes, once you put the smelly pack on and start sweating again, you stink almost instantly.” It's interesting to note here that I have interviewed 5 thru-hikers thus far, and all of them admitted to reeking on the trail but two, Leap and Bob. Before we become skeptical I'd also like to note that both Leap and Bob were hiking through snow. Therefore, I think it makes sense that you stink a lot less when you hike in the cold weather because you are sweating less, there are less microorganisms hanging in the air that can attach themselves to your body. However, I will be hiking during the hottest months so I'm sure I will be one stinky girl! 

Moss informed me about the “pee rag” which is “a scrap of cloth (usually a section of bandanna) that you hang from the bottom of your pack with a safety pin and use to wipe after you pee.”  She explained that “not everyone uses them but I swear by it" because it eliminates the need for TP, it's reusable, and easy to clean (just rinse in the stream, after all pee is sterile) and "drip drying sucks.” I will definitely bring one!

“I am a certified pro at pooping,” says Moss, “…not just in the woods, but anywhere. The key is to have no shame. The other key is to be willing to wipe your ass with almost anything. My favorite move is to lift up a big rock, go, and then drop the rock back down on the whole mess.”

Morning Glory said that the best way to readjust was to have the next adventure already planned, otherwise you feel lost. After their thru hikes, Leap was peddling cross country, Fox went back to Dunkin Doughnuts ice coffees and shaven females, while Moss keeps herself focused on her upcoming trip to Haiti to volunteer for a few months. 

“You'll be surprised by how little you actually need, if you let yourself get comfortable with the idea of accepting slight discomfort in your life on a regular basis,” says Moss. I'm excited to live a life of necessity at least for a few months. 

How to Drop a Dookie in the Woods

My rock climbing friend suggested that I read the book, “How to Shit in the Woods; an Environmentally Sound Approach to a Lost Art,” by Kathleen Meyer.

The book starts off with stories of people getting into embarrassing situations after clipping a biscuit. One guy follows the outdoor pooping process to a tee. He finds a private location with a nice view far away from his camping site, however, forgets to dig a hole. So, after he releases his colon cannon ball it rolls down the hill, picking up speed leaving plumes of trail litter as it bounces off of rocks. His nugget finally hits the ground a few inches away from one of his hiking buddy’s foot 600 yards down the hill from his perfectly selected defecation spot.

Another guy takes a break from hunting, removes his poncho and flunks a dunk by a log. However, after completing his “do”-ty cannot seem to find his scat. He puts his poncho back on and pulls on his hood at which point he feels his dumpette slide down his head.

This is how you should poop in the woods:

Below Tree line

1. Find a spot well off the trail or campsite above the water line
2. Pick good soil with lots of humus
3. Dig a 6-8” hole
4. Do your business
5. *Wipe with vegetation or TP (TP needs to be packed out because it takes too long to biodegrade that goes for biodegradable TP, it’s a gimmick. You're not supposed to burn TP to prevent forest fires)
6. Stir your lumpette with a stick (this reduces the amount of time it takes to biodegrade)
7. Cover

* TP alternatives: smooth rock, leaves (watch out for the poisonous ones), water that you carry (never wash in streams)

Above Tree line

1. Find a spot well off the trail
2. Find a sun-baked rock
3. Poop on the rock
4. Take a second rock and “smear” your beans on the rock
5. Your chocolate cake will bake in the sun and flake off with the wind

During the winter months you are supposed to pack out your caca, otherwise the trail will look like the chocolate-brick road. And come spring the snow will melt but your  pellets won’t and the goal here is to “leave no trace.”

People did not start filtering water from streams and waterways until fifteen years ago due to the uprising of the disease Giardia—a parasitic disease which can survive in streams for several months. The parasite can pass between animals and humans from the feces of one animal to the digestive tract on another animal (one who ingests the waste orally). Some people may be carriers of the disease and not know it.  

Meyer urges, “the best line of defense for protecting our wild lands, our wild friends and ourselves is to…dig an environmentally sound hole and burry that shit (21).”

Fun Fact- In the middle 1800’s plumber, Thomas Jon Crapper invented the “water waste preventer…the siphonic cistern…with uphill flow and automatic shut off.” Hence the words: crap, crapper and jon.

For poop synonyms check out: http://www.heptune.com/poopword.html

Southbound-Thru-Hiker, Bob

“It’s only new for about three weeks…after that it’s just a routine,” says Southbound-thru-hiker Bob who completed the trail January 1^st 1982. The footpath “captured his imagination at the age of 12” when he and his family camped in Harpers Ferry, Pennsylvania right near the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. His mother explained what the AT was and he planned to set out after high school, which is exactly what he did.

Bob hiked with three of his friends and they literally licked their dishes clean as they did not bring any soap. Of course they had toothbrushes and paste and dipped into the occasional stream to rinse off trail grit but other than that would wait till they got to town for a good hose down. Although he could not smell his own stench, he could smell the clean day hikers and could only imagine what they were smelling as they passed!  

When I asked Bob if he ever wanted to give up he said he never dreamed of it. He was the only one to finish out of his three friends. One guy got hepatitis (most likely from the licking of the pots), another couldn’t handle the pressure of taking a year off of college and the third was emotionally drained by his lamenting girlfriend back at home. The thing all of these guys had in common was what Bob referred to as “distraction.” The AT conservancy provides a list of thru-hikers that are whiling to discuss their experience on the trail and Bob found that the ones who made it were in a transition period or experiencing a “gap year,” right after graduating and before getting a job or starting a family. “That’s me!” I exclaimed, as I will be graduated with no strings attached when I make leave June 1^st from Maine. One of the guys he went to high school with, turned 25 got a DUI and his license revoked. Though he lost his wheels he did not loose his most primitive form of transportation and decided to walk the 2000miles of AT. How about that for turning a seemingly bad thing into a positive experience!

“What is the hardest thing about hiking the AT?” I asked. Committing to 5 months, explained Bob. You’re going to become fit and develop the skills you need for the trail as you go but mentally “you need to find what it is to get you to go on everyday.” This has been a common thought among all of the thru-hikers I have interviewed thus far that hiking the AT is more of a mental than a physical challenge.

After completing the trail settling in was hard for Bob. For three weeks he slept on the floor with the windows wide open in the midst of February. It was hard for him to adjust to the traffic, the staleness of the indoors and the din of everyday life. He had to get used to wearing something different every day. “You become attached to all of your stuff. Learning to let go is a little difficult when it’s all you have had for five months.” It has been 30 years since Bob stepped off the trail and he still has his stove, sleeping bag and pack which he brings with him during backpacking trips when he conducts his outdoor survival courses. 

Contacts vs. Glasses

I have been going back and forth in terms of whether to bring contacts or glasses on my trip. Fox wore two-week throwaway contacts. His hands were always dirty and every night he would remove the lenses and place them in their respectable holders along with a layer of dirt making each lens look like a bubble in a stagnant puddle. However, he did not get an eye infection until he got off the trail. Very interesting…

Morning Glory, wears glasses but did not wear them on the trail, which is probably why her vision got worse, she laments. She said on the trail she felt like she could see better and did not need glasses.

EYE on the other hand wear both contacts and glasses and have decided to list the pros and cons of each and weigh out the benefits.

Contacts

Pros

1. Ideal for exercise
2. Provide perfect peripheral vision
3. Stay suctioned to the eye
4. Comfortable
5. Don't obstruct view
6. No glare
7. Don't fog up
8. Don't collect rain droplets 

Cons

1. Require the added weight of contact solution and contact holders
2. Reduces the amount of O2 that can penetrate the eye
3. There is a risk that they will fall out when swimming
4. If you get something in your eye (e.g. a black fly of knat) you need to first remove them
5. At night you need to take them out; In the morning you need to put them in (Both of which require hands to first be washed)
6. If you drop them they are difficult to find
7. If you need to get up in the middle of the night to “heed nature’s calling” you must first wash your hands then put them in, only to again wash your hands and take them out before drifting back off to sleep.
8. You are touching your eyes at least twice a day which enhances the chance of infection
9. Require dexterity and possibly a mirror
10. Require lots of maintenance 
11. Expensive 

Glasses

Pros

1. You do not need to take anything other than a holder which your pot can double as
2. Allows O2 to fully penetrate the eye
3. Before swimming you simply take them off as opposed to taking contacts out
4. If you get something in your eye you can leave your glasses on
5. It is much easier to take your glasses off then take contacts out
6. If you drop them they are easy to find
7. Which makes going to the bathroom in the middle of the night much quicker and easier
8. You don’t have to touch your eye
9. Maintenance is much easier than that of contacts
10. Less expensive 

Cons

1. Need to be careful not to break them
2. Need to keep them in a case (Fox kept them in his 9000ml titanium pot)
3. Not ideal for exercise (slip)
4. Not as comfortable
5. Do not provide perfect peripheral vision
6. Fog up
7. Collect rain droplets 
8. Obstruct view
9. Produce glare 

I think it makes more sense to wear glasses on the trail, not only will it reduce the amount of weight in my pack, it will also keep my eyes enriched with oxygen and free of infection. Plus putting glasses on or taking them off is way easier than putting contacts in or taking them out because I do not have to have clean hands,  a flashlight, a mirror or dexterity.

Please offer some of your insight, thanks! 

How to Pee in the Woods

“To whizz, men just find a tree…with backs turned but in full view…men piss for anyone present sometimes without a break in conversation. Women on the other hand search for a place to hide…where with panties dropped and sweet asses bared, we must assume the position of a flustered duck trying to watch itself pass an egg (Meyer, 86.)”

When I first met with, Michael J. Fox he asked if I was going to wear a hiking skirt, and I thought it to be a bit counterintuitive to be wearing a skirt on the trail, impractical even. I did not give it another thought until I read, “How to Shit in the Woods; an environmentally sound approach to a lost art” by Kathleen Meyer, suggested to me by one of my rock climbing friends. I learned that the reason men traditionally wear pants and women skirts has a biological significance, the fly provides a portal through which the male can water the shrubs and the skirt allows the female to empty her bladder incognito. Anatomically the skirt makes a lot of sense.

Zanika Sportswear provides clothing for women with “overlapping pull-apart layers in the front and front-to-back zippers (Meyer).” “All Zanika designs feature the exclusive "female fly" that enables women to heed nature's call without removing clothing (http://www.womenshooters.com/wfn/ladies1.html).”

“As a rule, men pee with dignity…it's…time women peed with a similar sense of pride.” ~Kathleen Meyer

Complete Kitchen Set!!!!

I finally have a complete and efficient, easy-to-assemble kitchen set. It consists of my Super Cat homemade stove, 900ml titanium pot from REI, heat reflector and windscreen, foldable titanium spork, 91% Isopropyl Alcohol, and Coghlan’s waterproof matches.

Kitchen setup complete with: titanium pot, SuperCat, heat reflector and windscreen 

Tonight I christened my stove and cooked rice and Veggie Knor, dinner for me my nephew and mom. It took 1 minute for my stove to heat up, took 4 minutes for 2 cups of water to boil, and it burned for 9 minutes. I was thoroughly pleased.

First meal

Below is a breakdown of what I have spent on kitchen components:

Handheld hole punch-1.99

Fancy Feast Can-0.65

91% Alcohol- 1.75

Matches- 4.99

Titanium pot- 54.50

Heat reflector and windscreen-15

Titanium spork-10.50

My 900ml Titanium pot was 54$ and the titanium Spork (a gift from a thoughtful friend J) was 10.50$. They will never rust are nonstick and will last forever so definitely worth the investment. My 16 ounce bottle of 91% Alcohol cost under 1.75$ at Walmart. If you use one ounce, once a day for super for 6 months (180 meals = 180 ounces) that would require 11.25 bottles of alcohol, meaning you spend less than 20$ for fuel your entire trip! Coghlan’s Waterproof matches come in a package of 4 for 4.99$. With 45 matches/box you could light your stove once a day for 180 days for 4.99$. Therefore your 6 month long trip can be fueled for just under 25$. Making the Super Cat only cost me 65cents for the can and I needed to buy a handheld punch for 1.99$. I have made three different stoves and this kitty beats all of them. I highly recommend it for it’s quick assembly, light weight (.15oz.), and efficiency (heats whole bottom of stove as opposed to one spot). The heat shield and windscreen reduced the time it took the stove to heat up to a boil by two minutes and reduced the time it took 2 cups of water to boil by 1.5 minutes, so also definitely worth the investment (although I could have probably made one myself).

Whether or not you are a backpacker, I highly suggest that you try making your own kitchen setup. It tastes so much better when you not only made your food but also your stove! 

A Thru-Hiker's Sentiments on Ultralight Hiking

Leap, on Grayson Highlands

Below is an email I received from thru-hiker, Andy, A.K.A Leap, after posting “10 tips to getting your pack under 15 lbs”: 

Hi Jill, 

I just perused your blog and here are my thoughts on Ultralight hiking…the overall intent of hiking, at least to me, is to enjoy being in the outdoors. Ultralight hiking strives to make your time spent more enjoyable because you aren't lugging around a ton of stuff so the walking part is easier - the drawback is that you must make sacrifices in other areas of comfort, such as time spent in camp and in inclement conditions. The key is to strike a balance and maximize your overall comfort throughout the trip. You could probably hike the whole AT with only a tinfoil emergency bivy sack and a jar of peanut butter. Your bag would be super light but the journey would probably suck.

Lastly, be careful picking out a sleeping bag – I think the xx degree rating usually refers to the temperature at which the sleeping bag will keep you alive - not necessarily the temperature at which you can comfortably sleep through.  

Happy Hiking!

-Andy

I know for sure that I am bringing my Super Cat homemade alcohol stove which is not suggested for the Ultralight hiker. Also, my mom is convinced that you can't get through 6 months with one pair of skivvies. However, Mike, A.K.A. Michael J Fox, is proof of this.   

It Took 5 Minutes to Reach My Boiling Point

Today my 900ml Titanium pot from REI came in a nice little box delivered to my front door by the mail man. I grabbed my Super Cat homemade stove (the post called “The Super Cat” explains how to make the homemade stove), matches and alcohol. It took 1 ounce of alcohol 5 minutes to boil 2 cups of water! And it burned for 15 minutes! I was thrilled because it has been a long process recording the amount of time it takes different amounts of water in various pots to boil. None came close to 5 minutes, more like 15 to18 minutes.

The trick with the Super cat is you need to let the stove warm up before you place the pot on top, otherwise, the flames will not shoot out the sides. You know your food is ready to cook when you place your pot on the stove and flames shoot out the portals immediately after. If this does not happen let the stove heat up a bit longer. I found that 3 minutes was enough time to do the trick. No longer The Mediocre Kitty, I can now officially address my stove as The Super Cat. 

10 tips to getting your pack under 15 lbs

I am reading Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods” for a second time through and at work it acts as a conversation piece (while the customers pick out their fruit I read). Inquisitive folks ask “What are you reading?” Bryson fans exclaim “Oh, awesome book!” one elderly woman reminisced “Whenever I want to feel good I bring out his book” One guy jokingly asked “so when are you going to hike the AT?” and was surprised to learn of my endeavor. A few people have suggested contacts. One woman said that she would include me in her prayers.

Today a “frequent fruiter” came in to the stand and handed me “The Ultralight Handbook: 30 Tips and Gear to Make Switching easy” from the editors of Backpacking Magazine. We had discussed my perspective trek the week before and when he came across the handbook he thought of me. I thanked him. “Not everybody hikes the AT” he said. It was the nicest compliment and I felt good that I was making my plans for June public.

So of course I dove right into the handbook and it offered “a 10-step plan for getting your base pack weight under 15 pounds.”

1. Question Everything- It suggests that I "start from scratch and select only the gear that’s absolutely critical for the conditions (i’ll) face. If in doubt leave it out.”

2. Weigh It All- I am supposed to only select the items that have multiple uses and get rid of any duplicates. Andy McCarron started off his hike without a sleeping pad but learned that your sleeping bag compresses under your weight and looses its isolative property, thus a sleeping pad is a must. It also can be used as a splint and bum pad. An extra pair of socks can double as mittens, an emergency space blanket can triple as a ground cloth, sleeping bag and shelter and a bandanna can serve as a tourniquet, rag and towel. 

3. Rethink Shelter- Since there are shelters about every 8 miles on the AT I may want to skip bringing a tent. I am looking into tent alternatives such as tarps and ponchos that can double as rain gear.

4. Change Your Bedding- For an ultralight hike I am supposed to choose a sleeping bag that is rated for not the coolest but the average temperature I will encounter. When it is cold I should dress in extra clothes and begin hiking at dawn (the coldest part of the day).

5. Layer Down- Below is a list of what my ultralight wardrobe should consist of:
1. Rain shell
2. Midweight long sleeve top
3. Synthetic T
4. Lightweight pants
5. Lightweight shorts
6. Down jacket
7. 2 pairs of socks
8. One pair of undies
9. Warm hat
10. Baseball cap
11. And maybe gloves and rain pants

6. Improve Your Diet- I am supposed to leave my stove at home and enjoy “peanut butter, tortillas, cheese, jerky, dried fruits, nuts, sesame sticks and peanut M&Ms” because according to the handbook “remote trails are within a day’s hike of a road and hunger would take weeks to kill (me).”

7. Ditch the Map- Since I am thru-hiking I will only need to carry the map for the section of trail in between trail towns and I should find the lightest version available.

8. Downsize Your Pack- the handbook suggests that I get a 6ounce to 2 lb 3,000 cubic inch pack which equates to about 49 liters. Mine is a 2 lb 15 ounce 47L Osprey! I’m on my “weigh” to hiking ultralight!

9. Take Less Medicine- My first aid kit should consist of:
1. Antibiotic ointment
2. Duct tape
3. Gauze pads
4. Bandages
5. Blister treatment

         everything else is frou-frou.

10. Empty Your Bottles- Every liter of water weighs 2lb 2 ounces so I should only carry what I need to get to the next water source.

A funny side note: my good friend says he wants to hike “everything I hike” on the AT which means all of it. I asked him what he was doing to prepare for the trail and he said “reading your blog.” 

The Super Cat

So I tried crafting a new alcohol stove today—The Super Cat— named because the guy who designed it constructed it out of a Fancy Feast can. It is a two-in-one stove and stand. The directions are as follows:

You’ll need a 3ounce Fancy Feast can, tape measure, marker, and ¼” handheld hole punch

1. Remove label from 3 ounce fancy feast cat and remove the glue (nail polish remover works really well).

2. Using a ¼” handheld hole punch, punch one hole so that the top of the hole is ¼” from the top of the can.

3. Punch a hole ½” from the center of the first hole and continue punching holes all around the can (15 holes total).

4. 1/8” below these holes, punch another row of holes, spaced in between the 1^st row of holes.

5. Fill stove with one ounce of alcohol and light with a match through one of the holes. 

 

Before the pot is placed on the stove the flames shoot out the center, but once the pot is placed over the top the flames are forced through the side holes. The How To web page insisted that the stove (with 1 ounce of alcohol) could bring two cups of water to a rolling boil in 4.5 minutes, however it took mine 15 minutes to boil one cup of water; my stove is not the Super Cat but the Mediocre Kitty. 

I decided to give homemade alcohol stoves a rest and try making fire the Bow and Drill way. You need a bow, shoe string, spindle, bearing block, and hearth board as well as a knife, tinder nest and ember pan. 

From left to right: Bow, spindle, hearth board, bearing block, ember pan (leaf) and tinder nest (dryer lint)

I followed the directions from the following website:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC_54ICw-ao. 

I was able to get smoke however, I was not able to make fire. I think my hearth board was too thick so the embers were cooling off before hitting the pan. I have not given up on this. 

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.