[pct-l] Washing Clothes on the Trail

[hetchhetchyman at aol.com]

Mostly I washed my clothes in towns at the laundry-mat of the Angels house. 
However sometimes I got lazy and just climbed into the shower in the motel room with my trail clothes on
then lathered up. Strip down with the shower still running and lather up again while stomping my clothes. Then rinse
the body, rinse the clothes and put 'em back on and walk around town to dry them off. (Make dang sure you leave the shower clean so the management does not 
get pissed at future hikers!)
This shower technique worked especially great in primitive campground showers like Lake Morena, Shelter Cove, Cascade Locks, etc. 
There is something all together "ZEN" like about washing your clothes on your body and laying in the sun with a six pack of Coors next to the Columbia river.
Oops, sorry I drifted off into a pleasant reverie there.
 Anyhow you can save yourself some coin by using this "commando" washing technique.
Mostly it was just to get the salt out of them and used as a "better than nothing" strategy in places I was not planning to stay long.
Heck, my clothes got stinky so fast I really could not tell if there was difference between machine washing or shower washing.
It is particularly funny to see other thru's walking around with those permanent stains from shoulder straps and pack waist belts.. Nothing gets those out.
 -Iceaxe