[pct-l] Fw: Water purification/shower

Fri Nov 19 14:14:00 CST 2010

Hello Mike, 
I have also read the book that Hawk Greenway wrote about his ride from Covelo up 
into Oregon to visit his mother.  I lived for 34 years just north of the small 
village of Mendocino. I knew Hawk's father, Robert Greeenway, who was a very 
intelligent and independent poet-type. I believe Hawk was educated at home.  He 
wrote the book when he was in his 20's.  He had ridden that journey when he was 
about 17 years old.  I recall that Robert had mentioned meeting Hawk once of 
twice during his journey.

I also trailered Primo across the Bridge of the Gods.  I had arranged to park 
the rig and leave Primo and the horse trailer at a ranch in Cascade Locks while 
I drove ahead and checked out the bridge. I decided that it would be very 
risky to try to ride across. Then I hiked on the PCT north of the bridge to try 
to find a safe place to leave Primo, since I would have to trailer him over the 
bridge, leave him and drive the rig north to cache at two locations and park the 
rig.  I was lucky to find a residence in about a mile and was able to get 
permission.  I was to leave Primo and my tent with all of my tack, saddlebags, 
etc. I was again very lucky to get a ride back to Primo from a Back Country 
Horseman.  Then I saddled up and rode north on the PCT.  I had to cut out nine 
trees in the first few miles as the trail had not yet been cleared for horses. 
Most of the hikers take the shortcut via the town of Stevenson.

Shower:  Believe it or not - I can get "really clean" on less than two gallons 
of warm water. Here is my approach:  I select a place with a suitable tree 
branch more than 100' from any water source.  I hang my solar shower with a very 
light weight woven plastic feed sack beneath to stand on. (I use this same sack 
to kneel on while cooking, to sit on, and as a pad just outside my tent 
entrance.)  I use very little bio-degradable Dove soap (It is oil-based and 
helps keep your skin from drying) and start by getting my hair wet. The water 
drips down and helps get the rest of me wet. Then I shut the water off. Now I 
wash my hair and, using a very thin wet wash cloth,  wash the rest of my body. 
Then, I turn the water back on and rinse thoroughly starting with my hair and 
working down to my feet. That works for me - I have taken hundreds of showers 
that way over the years. I also have a solar water heater (with a thermometer 
and a gauge) and a shower in my compact Motor Home. It is my own design and 
manufacture. I have sold hundreds of these.

MendoRider/Ed Anderson

________________________________
From: Mike Cunningham <hikermiker at yahoo.com>
To: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>; pct list <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Fri, November 19, 2010 9:48:21 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Fw: Water purification/shower

Hi Mendorider,

I recently read a book by a kid named Hawk who rode part of the PCT in the 70s 
from northern Ca to Washington (he had to hire a trailer to get him & the 
horse over the Columbia river bridge), so I appreciate that a horse is not a 
car. He also walked quite a bit.

One liter is barely enough. Sometimes 5 gallons would not be enough to REALLY 
clean my feet. I do not heat the water. If I have left over water at the end of 
the day it is no longer freezing River water is COLD.I get damp, i soap up & I 
rinse off, all from top to bottom. I use only drops of soap. 

This is not enough to get clean, it is only enough to get the worst of the 
stench off before going into town.

hm

--- On Thu, 11/18/10, Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com> wrote:

>From: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Fw: Water purification/shower
>To: "Mike Cunningham" <hikermiker at yahoo.com>
>Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
>Date: Thursday, November 18, 2010, 5:13 PM
>
>
>Hey Mike,
>When you ride just one horse, unsupported, as I do, and must bring 6 pounds/day 
>of processed feed for your horse you must also be very conscious of both weight 
>and bulk. I even wear a knapsack. There are lots of other things that a solo 
>rider must also bring related to his horse - even a saw to cut fallen trees that 
>the hikers can simply climb over or crawl under. I had to cut many dozens of 
>trees during my PCT ride.  Also, I didn't always ride. I sometimes walked.  Next 
>year, because of the extra weight of having to carry three Bear Canisters for 
>the entire 500 miles (I don't visit towns), I will probably walk as much as 25% 
>of the distance.
>
>One liter for a shower, in my opinion, is not nearly enough.  I usually use 
>about five liters and often start by washing my hair and then working my way 
>down.  How do you warm the water in your one-liter soda bottle? It would work if 
>you put something black under it (having put on an extra cap without holes).  
>For an extra 3.5 ounces you could have a real shower and even have extra water 
>left over to provide you with camp-side gravity-fed water from a faucet.
>    MendoRider
>
>
>
________________________________
From: Mike Cunningham <hikermiker at yahoo.com>
>To: PCT-l at backcountry.net; Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
>Sent: Thu, November 18, 2010 1:24:46 PM
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Fw: Water purification/shower
>
>
>Interesting, yet you ride a horse, so can carry that weight. .
>
>Several years back I purchased what amounts to a bottle cap with holes in it as 
>part of a "shower kit" (the other parts were a bit of string & directions.) put 
>out by Cascade Designs to fit on their water bladders. I found that it also fits 
>on a soda bottle. One could probably just make some holes in a soda bottle cap & 
>get the same effect.
>
>I have found that I can take a reasonably adequate shower with one liter of 
>water using a soda bottle. It is helpful before getting off the trail to avoid 
>those looks from non-hikers. It weighs less than one ounce.
>
>hm
>
>--- On Thu, 11/18/10, Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>>From: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
>>Subject: [pct-l] Fw: Water purification/shower
>>To: PCT-l at backcountry.net
>>Date: Thursday, November 18, 2010, 3:07 PM
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>----- Forwarded Message ----
>>From: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
>>To: giniajim <jplynch at crosslink.net>
>>Sent: Thu, November 18, 2010 11:15:23 AM
>>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Water purification/shower
>>
>>
>>I wonder why the hikers don't bring along a solar shower - yet complain about 
>>being dirty and "stinky".  I always bring along my solar shower and make good 
>>use of it to sometimes shower and also for having the convenience of 
>>having gravity-fed running water from a faucet right at my campsite.  Mine holds 
>>
>>2.5 gallons and weighs only 11 ounces. I have had it for over 20 years.  The 
>>Pocket Shower, which I will bring on my PCT ride next year, also holds 2.5 
>>gallons and only weighs 4.5 ounces.
>>
>>MendoRider/Ed Anderson
>>
>>
>>
>>________________________________
>>From: giniajim <jplynch at crosslink.net>
>>To: Pct-L at backcountry.net
>>Sent: Thu, November 18, 2010 10:52:01 AM
>>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Water purification
>>
>>I'm good for a quick clean-up, but wouldn't water do as well?  
>>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>>  From: Ellen Shopes 
>>  To: Pct-L at backcountry.net 
>>  Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2010 1:31 PM
>>  Subject: [pct-l] Water purification
>>
>>
>>  Used the wet wipes and they were great for a quick clean up before I stuck
>>  my filthy legs in my bag.  Costco sells an over-sized alcohol wipe that was
>>  cheaper and good to clean up with, too.  A third option that I found in some
>>  towns along the way were 'feminine hygeine wipes' which were about the same
>>  and smelled better:-)
>>  Elderly Ellen
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>
> 