[pct-l] Water treatment

[Ernie Castillo]

Reinhold:
I appreciate your advice and just want to add one comment to a snippet from your thread.
 
 
> And if I want a more refreshing taste, I add a dash of Crystal Light 
> which I carry in a film spool container,

I used to carry medicine in film cannisters until somebody cautioned me during a 100-mile bike ride. His advice: the leader from the film rubs against the inside of the film cannister and can leave chemical residue.
 
I am sure you do your best to clean your containers but I just wanted to point this out to the audience.
 
Of course, few people buy photographic film nowadays.
 
I have switched to Zip-Lock bags that fit even better in my bicycle jersey pockets.
 


Ernie Castillo
Original member of the Revolving Ramen, PCT Class of 1980

 
> Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2010 00:04:36 -0700
> From: reinholdmetzger at cox.net
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: [pct-l] Water treatment
> 
> So that is why REI stopped selling iodine crystals....I often wondered why?
> 
> Different folks, different strokes....the same holds true for water 
> purification.
> As with bears and snakes some folks are overly concerned about the water 
> in the wilderness, others are
> overly naive.
> I know some hikers who never purify and drink straight from the river 
> with a cup.
> There are others, however, who do get sick.
> Even Scott Williamson, the undisputed king of the PCT with 13 
> "Thru-hikes", has gotten sick more then once.
> Giardia is out there, there is no question....the question is....WHERE?
> A water source may be safe today and tomorrow cattle, horses or other 
> animals may contaminate the stream upstream and it all flows downstream.
> Also, because some folks can drink the water straight from the river, it 
> does not mean all folks can.
> Some folks may have greater tolerance ore immunity to giardia.
> 
> Back in the old days we used to boil the water....then about 30 years 
> ago a chemist in our Boy Scout Troop supplied all the adult high 
> adventure leaders with a bottle of crystal iodine in solution.
> Now days, on my solo hikes, I carry a small 1.5 ounce bottle of iodine 
> crystals in solution.
> These 1.5 ounces give me peace of mind and eliminate all the guessing 
> and wondering.
> I don't like filters....to heavy, time consuming, can plug, can crack, 
> etc.,etc.
> Takes me 5 minutes to fill and treat my 2 liters and I'm on the 
> way...and there is not much to go wrong.
> The trace of iodine flavor does not bother me anymore....I've been 
> drinking it to long.
> And if I want a more refreshing taste, I add a dash of Crystal Light 
> which I carry in a film spool container,
> which is usually sufficient for a one week trek.
> WORD OF CAUTION.....wait 20 minutes or so, to give the iodine time to do 
> its job, before adding the
> Crystal Light.
> And yes, the iodine crystal solution should be in a glass 
> bottle....plastic will absorb iodine.
> 
> The good news....in 30 years of hiking with the scouts in S. California, 
> the Sierra and the Grand Canyon,
> nobody ever got sick drinking iodine treated water.
> Not a bad record....the iodine must be working reasonably well.
> 
> JMT Reinhold
> -----------------------------
> Ryan Brooks wrote:
> http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2007/fr0702.htm
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