[pct-l] Tents....I know, I know, beating a dead horse

[Stephen]

Good point Mr Tortoise,
and I hope y'all got the point of my comment about if you are going to carry 
it drink it.  It doesn't hurt to have a little extra, or a lot extra, my 
point was drink.  being thirsty wont kill you, being dehydrated will, big 
difference.  I carry some hard candies for those times when I miscalculated 
and have to slog on for a couple hours, which is not to say I went without.
Let me put my comment to my friend in context, and youwill understand why I 
thought it pathetic.  She's carrying a filter.  We are hiking the Sierra 
high country in late July, so there's water about every five or ten minutes, 
sometimes more or less, but constantly available.  She's carrying two lexan 
qt Nalgenes full of water all day long and not drinking much.  What do you 
see wrong?
Me, I have no filter, and am drinking at what I think are good sources and 
carrying a splash to wet my whistle in between.  If questionable source I 
treat a whole qt, carry twenty minutes and down most of it ASAP, and 
continue on with a splash.  If I get hung out for a few mintues or an hour 
without a drink I doubt I'll die, and I can have a little sour candy.
The desert is a different deal, but you still need to drink, and often even 
if it's cool.  Drink the dish water everything, just don't use soap.
But just soes you'll know I value the difference, when I hike in the dry 
country I carry two military canteens on my hips and four liters in my day 
pack if I plan to be out for most of a day, and ussually come back with next 
to nothing.  For a half day I carry three or four qts.
So I don't know how far or conditions in which you were to hike to your 
evening camp, but if it were uphill and warm and about half  a day I'd want 
more than two qts.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tortoise" <Tortoise73 at charter.net>
To: "Stephen" <reddirt2 at earthlink.net>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 8:56 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Tents....I know, I know, beating a dead horse


> Your point is a good one. I often carry extra water because I'm unsure of 
> water sources and my consumption.
>
> OTOH, I once went backpacking with some friends and I said we should carry 
> 2+ liters of water each because there was no water until we got to our 
> camp in the evening.  The others persuaded me to go with just one liter 
> each.  Result by mid afternoon and with a mile or two yet to camp we were 
> all OUT of water and THIRSTY! We persevered and got to camp, I think it 
> was Pat Springs in Ventana Wilderness. I had even drank a little water 
> from a questionable source. When we got to camp I downed 2 liters of water 
> and then let that rehydrate me before I could produce urine.
>
> If the day had been hotter who knows?
>
> Carrying too much water is a burden. Carrying too little can be fatal. 
> Consider the situation and consequences then make your decision.
>
> Tortoise
>
> <> He who finishes last, wins! <>
>
>
>
> Stephen wrote:
>> That reminds me of the grumbling I got when I told a friend, "Look, if 
>> you are going to haul around two Nalgenes of water, at least drink it."
>>
>