We Will Never Forget September 11th 2001
God Bless America
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Last edited:
07/07/08 05:35 PM
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Delivering Experiences in Scouting Since 1941 65 years of Scouting |
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The Cure: Beating Poison Ivy
Learn to recognize, avoid and treat poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac
By Kelly Bastone, May 2006
Escape is impossible: Poison ivy grows in all 48 contiguous states. And its relatives, poison oak and poison sumac, amp up the threat in the West and South. Your concern is urushiol, the oily resin these plants secrete; it sparks an allergic reaction in 70 percent of us. Learn to recognize all three plants, then follow the tips below to minimize your risk and ease the burning itch of an encounter.
Prevention
Wear long pants and high socks when hiking on overgrown trails.
Banish Fido from the tent if you know he's been running through poison ivy. Your dog's fur can easily transmit the offending oil onto your skin.
Rinse your boots with water or swab them with an alcohol pad. Streaks or patches of resin on your boots can lead to a rash on your hands.
Back home, launder items that you suspect were exposed to poisonous plants. Urushiol on unwashed clothes can trigger outbreaks for up to 5 years.
Treatment
You have about 10 minutes to remove the urushiol before it binds to the skin. Thoroughly wash the area with slightly warm water (hot and cold water can trap resin in pores) and use soap if you have it. Then wash it again. Tecnu, a product formulated to remove resin without water, also works well. An alcohol sanitizer or prep pad from your first-aid kit is effective on small areas.
Blisters develop within 2 hours to 2 days, depending on your allergic sensitivity. An oral antihistamine (like Benadryl) and calamine or hydrocortisone lotion can offer some relief.
Apply a cool, wet compress to the in-flamed area for 20 minutes. Then allow the skin to air dry. The evaporation is soothing.
Scratch--but gently. Blisters don't contain poison ivy resin, so even if they weep fluid, they won't spread the rash.
The rash will typically clear up in 2 weeks or less, but if it covers 10 percent or more of your body or goes near your eyes, see your physician.
Eat For The Long Haul
Enjoy all-day energy by combining these 6 super-foods
By Melissa Wagenburg, May 2006
You could sit around wishing you were one of those kinetic people with endless stamina on the trail--or you could eat your way to better endurance. Start by choosing energy-boosting foods and consuming them in power-maximizing combinations. "A combination of high carbohydrates, moderate protein, and low fats at each meal produces a higher energy level by stabilizing your blood sugar," says Bob Seebohar, a sports nutritionist with the University of Florida who counsels endurance athletes. Seebohar recommends the following backpacker-friendly superfoods, and the recipes at right.
Dried fruit
The natural sugars in dried fruits work as fast-acting carbs--perfect for a boost at the bottom of a big hill. All varieties are jammed with nutrients, but plums are a standout with lots of fiber and antioxidants--compounds that boost the immune system, which can be compromised by endurance activities like 12-mile hikes.
Combine carb-rich fruits with protein and fat for balance. Try sunflower seeds and chocolate-covered soy nuts.
Nuts
Dense calories, protein, and a dose of healthy fat make nuts of all varieties nutritional powerhouses, with walnuts and almonds leading the pack. Walnuts are packed with antioxidants and heart-helping omega-3s, while almonds contain a significant amount of calcium and nearly as much potassium per 2-ounce serving as a medium banana.
Combine with carbs like raisins, pretzels, or pasta.
Pasta
This staple of the endurance athlete is still a smart choice, but noodles made with whole grains or ground legumes pack a nutritional punch that puts their white-flour brethren to shame. Our heartiest and tastiest find is Barilla Plus; a quarter-pound serving of this penne, rotini, spaghetti, or elbow macaroni provides a whopping 20 grams of protein.
Combine with fat and protein from foods like nuts or hard sausage.
Jerky
Pack jerky--beef, turkey, salmon--because it's lightweight, edible on day 5, and loaded with protein (11 to 18 grams per serving for most brands). Its high sodium content also helps replenish salt lost through sweating. Salt is an important electrolyte that regulates your body's fluids and keeps you from feeling sluggish.
Combine with fattier, high-carb foods such as cheese and crackers, tortillas, and grits.
Oatmeal
Oats provide those slow-burning carbohydrates that make you feel full longer, stabilize blood sugar, and are known to reduce bad-cholesterol levels. Bypass those sugar-laden instant packets; instead, opt for unadorned rolled oats or steel-cut oats. McCann's new Quick & Easy Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal cooks in 5 minutes instead of the usual 30.
Combine with your favorite varieties of nuts for protein and fat.
South Is Thata Way
Determine direction without your compass.
By John W. Spence - Lumberton, TX June 2003
If you are lost without a compass, point the hour hand of your watch at the sun. Halfway between the hour hand and 12 on the watch will be south. This even works with Daylight Saving Time.
Think Outside The Bottle
By Andy Dappen, May 2003
We all know that collapsible water bladders are a light, compact solution for on-the-move hydration. But don't limit these multitasking tools to mere drinking duty. New and recycled reservoirs have many uses beyond thirst-busting. You can use yours as a:
Shower: Fill it with warm water, screw on a push-pull lid, wet yourself, close the nozzle, soap up, then rinse off.
Urinal: On winter camping trips, guys will appreciate a .5-liter bottle for wee-hour relief. Wide-mouth reservoirs reduce the risk of annoying spillage.
Pillow: Fill it with air or water, and wrap it in a shirt.
Hot-water bottle: Fill a bladder with steaming water, tuck it next to your belly, and sleep comfortably under the stars.
Air conditioner: In the summer, add snow from late-melting drifts to your wide-mouth or zipper-lock reservoir, then tuck it against your back to keep cool. On sweaty winter hikes, refill your bladder with snow after each drink. Place it under your shirt--you'll sweat less and convert snow into drinking water.
Folding bowl: When your bladder wears out, cut off the upper two-thirds and use the bottom to hold breakfast and dinner.
Flask: There's no lighter way to tote a little wine or schnapps.
Waterproof storage: Zip or roll-top bladders can shelter maps, binoculars, and small cameras.
Cold pack: Speed the healing of strains, sprains, and bruises by applying a snow-and-water-filled bottle to the injured area.
Deadman: Fill a wide-mouth or zipper-lock bladder with snow, tie a guyline to the handle, then sink it deep in a drift to hold down your tent.
Among the most versatile bladders are Nalgene's 1.5-liter wide-mouth canteens ($11), Platypus's Big Zip 2 2-liter models ($23), MSR's DromLite 2-liter bladders ($18), and Camelbak's 2-liter UnBottles ($30).
Tools For Eating Cheap
How to complete your backcountry kitchen for $5 or less.
By Buck Tilton, BACKPACKER Contributing Editor, February 2002
Need utensils to go with your brand-new pots and pans? Here are a few tips for scavenging inexpensive items from your kitchen cupboard and local convenience stores.
Cup: That old plastic cup from the company picnic will do, or buy an insulated mug at most convenience stores. Ultracheap, ultralight option: Make a margarine or yogurt tub do double duty as a cup and bowl.
Bowl: Use a margarine tub, Tupperware container, mug, or small Lexan bowl, available from your local outfitter for about $3.
Plate: Eat off a pot lid, Frisbee, or plastic picnic plate. If you're alone or with a partner scoop out of the pot, or use dehydrated-food pouches.
Utensils: Lexan utensils are light and inexpensive (less than a buck at most outdoors stores). Or just grab a teaspoon from your silverware drawer. Forgot utensils? Take a couple of plastic spoons from a fast-food joint. Unless you're packing steaks, a spoon is the only utensil most backpacking meals require.
Beyond The Muscle
Does backpacking build up your bones?
By Christie Aschwanden, Julie Cederborg, August 2003
Probably, says Seattle osteoporosis researcher Barbara Drinkwater, Ph.D., "You build bone by always asking it to do a little bit more than it's used to," she says. "People who go backpacking are asking their bones to do this extra work."
Now for the bad news: "It's easier to lose bone mass than to build it," says Dr. Drinkwater. "By the time you're 18 or 19, you have most of the bone you're going to have." Chances are, you had plenty back in those days, but if you rest on your laurels, your bones will slowly wither away. Cheer up, though: Backpacking can slow this loss.
Guys, if you think a Y chromosome makes you immune from osteoporosis worries, think again. "Men do need to worry about osteoporosis because now that they're living longer, they're living to the ages where they can get osteoporitic fractures," says Dr. Drinkwater.
Trail Stale?
Freshen up stinky clothes with a portable washing machine.
By Mike Clelland, August 2003
Don't wait until you're told, because by then you'll smell like fermenting cheese, and the guys might kick you out of the tent. Now, before the stink sets in, go out in the woods and wash your sweaty, dirty clothes. Here's the easiest way to do your laundry.
Load Start with a medium-size stuff sack, preferably waterproof. Toss in filthy clothes and fill halfway with water. Add a few drops of biodegradable soap and close the sack with a few twists.
Soak This cycle happens as you walk 200 Leave No Trace-approved feet from water.
Agitate Shake the sack vigorously for several minutes. Smell-test clothes. Repeat as necessary.
Rinse Drain dirty water and refill (halfway) with clean. Shake the sack, wring out clothes, and repeat.
Dry Run a clothesline in the sun, or drape damp clothes over your tent. Pull socks over the handle of trekking poles that are solidly planted and standing up.
A Pain In The Knee
Q: I have bursitis in my knees. Can I keep hiking?
A: Yes, with the proper care and handling of your joints.
Ask Buck (Health Expert)
Buck Tilton
Anyplace in your body where there's a pressure point-often near joints where tendons or muscles cross a bone or another muscle-you'll find a small, cushioning, fluid-filled sac called a bursa. Knees, elbows, and shoulders all have bursae, and that's where most people experience bursitis, inflammation of a bursa that results in pain and swelling.
The exact cause of bursitis remains unknown, although prior injury and overuse are usually cited. Wrapping the joint in an elastic bandage (commonly known as an Ace bandage) or supportive brace prior to hiking may help prevent discomfort and reduce swelling. It's also a good idea to lighten your pack load and go ultralight.
If bursitis flares up on the trail, treat it with RICE-rest, ice (use a stream-soaked or snow-filled bandanna), compression (an elastic wrap), and elevation. In most cases, with a few days' rest, the excess fluid from the inflammation is absorbed into the bloodstream. Rest usually isn't an option when you're on the trail, so the next best thing is to head for the trailhead and apply RICE whenever possible.
A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen can help ease the pain and swelling. If you have recurring bursitis, your doctor may prescribe piroxicam, a stronger NSAID. If the bursa becomes soggy-feeling and infected, antibiotics and drainage may be required. In rare, persistent cases, surgical removal of the bursa may be warranted. Getting active as soon as symptoms subside helps prevent more problems. In other words, use it or lose it.
Food Savers
A few simple packing tricks and products will keep fragile foods from getting crushed.
December 2002
Use your cookpot for storage. Fill it with tomatoes, avocadoes, crackers, and other soft or crumbly foods.
Protect and insulate foods with Outdoor Research's Padded Cells. These lightweight, padded containers range in price from $18 to $25 (888-467-4327; www.orgear. com).
Nalgene's wide-mouth Lexan containers protect delicate foods and provide easy-pouring access (800-625-4327; www.nalgene-outdoor.com; $2 to $16).
Pack your favorite crackers in Tupperware, which comes in countless shapes and sizes. Or try Pringles canisters; they keep stacks of round cookies or a pound of spaghetti intact, and they wedge nicely into slender spaces against your pack frame.
Coghlan's Egg Holder lets omelet fans trek six eggs into the backcountry. Check out Coghlan's squeeze tubes for a clean way to pack spreads, sauces, and condiments (204-284-9550; www.coghlans.com; $1.95).
How To Frustrate A Bear
By Eric Hansen, Anne Steinberg, October 2001
My throw was perfect, and the rock sailed right over the tree branch I wanted-and kept on sailing. For the umpteenth time, the rock had slipped out of my knot as it cleared the branch, leaving my food bag's rope dangling 15 feet in the air.
If you're still mastering the fine art of hanging a bear bag, here's the solution: a homemade rock sack. Just drop in a rock, tie the sack shut, and let 'er fly. Not only does it keep your rock from going AWOL, you can also store your bear rope and any extra camp cord in it for easy finding when you need it. For a mere $5, even less if you cannibalize an old pair of gaiters or a tattered duffel bag, you can have perfect pitch every time.
Turn the bag right side out, then cut holes for the grommets just below the center of the hem on each side. Sear the holes with a lighter and install the grommets (for tips on installing grommets, see Gear Works, June 1996). Run bear cord through the grommets to close the sack.
Tricks For Tortoises
Shortcuts that'll help you keep up with faster hikers.
By Steve Howe, BACKPACKER Rocky Mountain Editor, February 2003
Do you find yourself falling behind faster-paced hiking partners? Always the last one to the lunch break? Here are a few ways to get ahead, and stay ahead.
- Pack as lightly as possible. Ten extra pounds makes a big difference in your pace, especially on steep uphills.
- Use a water bladder so you can sip as you walk. Keep snacks in your pockets for on-the-go refueling.
Peel down to high-exertion, wicking layers before you start. You'll prevent overheating and avoid another stop 10 minutes down the trail to shed clothes.
Keep gloves handy. Often they're the only layer you'll need to add if the wind picks up.
Even if you're falling behind, move loosely. Breathe deeply. Stride rhythmically and relaxed, exerting as little as possible.
Find the maximum pace you can maintain, and settle into it. Take short breathers rather than stopping to rest.
Arrive at the trailhead prepared, your pack packed, boots tied, bottles filled, and gaiters or climbing skins already donned.
Leave No Trace: Talkin' Trash
May 2001
Carry a zipper-lock bag in your pocket and fill it with garbage you find along the trail. Picking up other people's trash is a manifold good: the blemish disappears, a clean trail stays cleaner (since garbage attracts garbage), a witness to your deed might learn from your example, and you exercise your upper body by bending over with a pack on.
If you could only take one of the following on a
backapcking trip, which one would you choose?
Coffee
Toilet paper
A good book
Chocolate
Try your thoughts and let us know your answer. EMAILSPL@bsatroop115.org with your answer.
Walking On Water
Face it, you aren't Moses and the waters won't part, so here are ways to cross wild rivers safely.
By Steve Howe, BACKPACKER Rocky Mountain Editor, John Harlin, BACKPACKER Northwest Editor, May 2001
Pick your spot wisely
Don't cross unless you're sure you'll survive a dunk. If you wouldn't be able to swim those downstream rapids, look for a place where you can cross safely.
Estimate the river's power (depth x speed). Even shin-deep water can knock you off your feet if it's flowing fast enough.
Look for braided streambeds, which split big currents into smaller, more manageable channels.
Consider the river's conditionsa wide, smooth river is easier to traverse than one that is narrow and deep or running fast. The outside of a bend is typically deep and fast, and the bank may be undercut.
Watch for smooth streambeds (indicated by a smooth water surface) they are much safer to cross than rocky ones. But beware of slippery, algae-covered stones.
Make difficult mountain stream crossings early in the morning, before the sun melts the snowfields above and increases flow. After a rainstorm, wait for the water level to drop.
Prepare carefully
Waterproof critical gear in multiple plastic sacks or specially designed "dry bags.
Wear socks, slippers, or sandals, even for easy crossings, because cold bare feet can get cut or make you trip on underwater objects. For tricky crossings, wear boots, but first remove the insoles so the boots will dry faster.
Three or four legs are better than two, so use trekking poles or a sturdy stick.
Unbuckle your pack's hipbelt and sternum strap and loosen the shoulder straps so you can ditch the load quickly if you're swept off your feet.
Cross quickly but safely
To avoid the biggest hazardgetting an ankle trapped and your body pulled undershuffle your feet, testing the footing as you go.
Walk diagonally downstream for easiest travel, and drag (don't lift) your legs.
In strong currents, link arms with your partners. The upstream person breaks the current while the others provide a buttress.
Never tie in to a rope. It can drag you under.
If you have to swim, float your pack ahead of you and use it for balance. The pack won't sink, especially if the contents are in waterproof bags.
If you dunk...
Ditch your pack. It will wash ashore downstream.
If you can't stand up immediately, point your feet downstream to push off rocks, float on your back, and aim for quiet water.
To rescue a buddy, offer a stick, toss a rope, or make a human chain. Don't let yourself be pulled into the water, and never enter the water if you don't feel safe doing so.
Dry off thoroughly, eat hot, sweet foods, and hike fast to warm up.
Quick Tip:
The Heavier, The Better
In a fast-water ford, keep your pack on (with the hipbelt and sternum strap
unbuckled). The pack's extra weight will give your feet added purchase against
the current.
A Lofty Goal
Keep your sleeping bag up to fluff with proper care and handling.
By Kristin Hostetter, BACKPACKER Contributing Editor, February 2001
Storing
After each trip, air dry your bag for at least 24 hours before storing.
Never store your bag in its itty-bitty stuff sack! The longer you compress the insulation, the more loft it loses. It's fine to use a stuff sack-even a compression stuff sack-on the trail, but the minute you get home, get your sleeper out of that confined space, give it a good shake to fluff up the fill material, then store it in a cool, dry place. Spread it out under your bed, hang it in a closet, or put it in a big, breathable storage bag (often provided by the manufacturer). If you don't have such a sack, use a king-size pillowcase.
Washing
Wash your bag when it gets stinky, dirty, or loses a noticeable amount of loft, but not after every trip. For most people, this means once a year. Don't dry-clean your sleeping bag, because the harsh chemicals wreak havoc on the materials.
For safe and thorough cleaning, head to your local laundry and use a jumbo, front-loading washer. The agitators that churn clothes in most home washing machines can twist and damage insulation fibers and baffle materials (baffles inside your bag hold the insulation in place).
Before washing, unzip the bag and bring the slider halfway up on e side of the zipper. This ensures that the slider won't come off during washing.
Use warm water, the gentle cycle, and ? cup of a mild powdered detergent.
Drying
"The key here is transferring the wet bag from the washing machine to the dryer," says Bob Upton, president of Rainy Pass Repair in Seattle, Washington. "When a bag is wet and heavy, the stitching and baffling materials are prone to tearing. Gently lift the bag onto a rolling cart, being careful to support the entire bag. Don't pull on any part of the bag," he cautions. Exercise the same caution when lifting your bag into the dryer. Opt for the largest dryer you can find-"preferably one you could crawl into," says Upton.
For a down bag, toss in 6 to 12 tennis balls to help fluff it up.
Turn the dial to the lowest/coolest setting, and start feeding in the quarters. Sleeping bags take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours to dry completely.
Check the bag periodically to make sure the fabric isn't scorching hot and the insulation isn't bunching or clumping. If it clumps, line dry it instead.
Special Considerations
If your bag is an heirloom inherited from Great-Uncle Jeb, it might be unwashable. To check the integrity of an old bag, reach inside and grab a handful of lining material. With your other hand, grab the opposing shell material and tug gently. If you hear threads popping or ripping sounds, the baffles are damaged and will need to be repaired before washing.
A bag with a waterproof or water-resistant/breathable shell will hold a lot of water, so use extra caution when transporting it from washer to dryer. And prepare yourself for the 4 to 5 hours it will take to dry completely.
Detergents reduce the water-resistancy of shell materials. Treat your bag's shell after each washing with a spray-on waterproofing agent, available at outdoors shops.
If you'd rather have professionals wash and dry your bag, contact one of the bag specialists listed at www.backpacker.com/repairs.
Cold
Feet
Before you
go to bed make sure you're wearing dry socks. Even if your socks are a little
damp, don't just add another layer over them--change them. Remove your sweaty
liners too.