[pct-l] Dangers of high elevation hiking

[Reinhold Metzger]

[pct-l] MHD....How it all started & Research Conclusion
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Yogi wrote:   Gender has no influence on hiking capabilities.
Linsey wrote: This is wrong, women have an endurance advantage....
Yogi wrote:   How many through-hikes have you completed?
               My guess is ZERO.
Linsey wrote: pct-l...WHO PISSED IN YOUR CHEERIOS?
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Reinhold writes:

Linsey,
Ignore Yogi's rude response.
She does not mean to be rude...it's just the nature of the beast.
Yogi has spend many, many nights at high elevation and as a result,
like many thru-hikers, may be suffering from a condition known in
medical circles as "MHD"...Moronic Hiking Disorder.
MHD is frequently associated with long distance hiking and oxygen
deprivation at high elevations and is known to give rise to odd
behavior and rude outbursts.

The below posts will help you understand this dreadful disorder and
how to recognize the symptoms in other hikers.

Poor Switchback seems to have it the worst.
He spends countless hours packing, unpacking and repacking his pack
and countless nights sleeping in his tent in his back yard thinking
he is in the wilderness, and when he is in the wilderness, he is
known to raid and plunder innocent hikers.
  
He thinks raiding and plundering innocent hikers is normal....but
we know better....it's  "MHD".

Poor, long suffering Mrs. Switchback has had to put up with this for
a long time.
  
Dr. Reinhold
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February 10, 2008 Reinhold wrote:

Switchback & Wheeew,
After reading your response and Wheeew's detailed research report
I have come to the sad conclusion that Moronic Hiking Disorder
''MHD''  is far more wide spread then I originally anticipated and
I suspect that many of our list members, especially Thru-Hikers,
also suffer from this dreadful disorder.
The sad part is that the afflicted party is not aware of this, but
his loved ones and fellow list members are, and suffer as a result.

Switchback, I always suspected you had it and I suspect that I also
may have gotten a small dose of it,....not as severe as yours of
course, when I camped 5 nights on top of Mt. Whitney last year,
waiting for you, but you never showed up........It's all your fault
Switchback.

It is truly sad, but that is the price we pay for prolonged stays
at high altitude, which is a part of long distance  hiking.

Dr. Reinhold
The Reinhold Institute for Moronic Hiking Disorders
We give discounts to list members and treat thru-hikers at no charge.

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February 11, 2008 Wheeew wrote:
/Yes Reinhold,
/Thank you for inviting me in to this most interesting of topics.
I spoke of this malady some time ago on the list.
The term you're looking for is "anoxic encephalopathy"......lack
of oxygen to the brain, resulting in brain cell death.
This has many causes, but being at high altitude without
supplemental oxygen or proper acclimation are prime causes.
To date, no one has found an UL oxygen tank to carry (< or = 2.5
oz), so many of our gram weenies suffer most...............

Make no mistake, there is no cure for MHD, and any further exposure
to low oxygen levels to the brain,(even after successful treatment),
will most likely result in irreversible damage.

I hope this explanation helps in some small way.
Please use PayPal to finance my hike and we can both help keep
corporate America alive and well.

Your resident Flo Nightingale............

Wheeew
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February 8, 2008 Reinhold wrote:

I have been following the thread about Corporate America and money
greed with great amusement and sadly came to the following
conclusion......MORONS....I AM SURROUNDED BY MORONS.

Some guys on this list are fruitier than fruit cakes...nuttier than
the nuttiest corn nuts....probably the result of to many nights at
high elevation resulting in oxygen deprivation, which in turn causes
brain cells to die, which in turn gives rise to a condition known in
medical circles as ''MORONIC HIKING DISORDER''....very frequently
associated with long distance hiking......can be fatal if left
untreated.......seek medical help immediately.
Wheeew (Gail) is a nurse and may be familiar with this disorder and
might be able to offer advice.

What is all this nonsense about Yogi making money on her book and
the evils of corporate America?
It costs money to publish books, so you need to sell them to justify
publishing them.
What do you guys do for a living?
Do you guys get paid or do you guys work for free?
Or maybe you guys don't earn a living and just live in the wilderness
gathering nuts and berries for a living.
But wait a minute, where did the money come from for those fancy
boots you are wearing, or the UL pack, the sleeping bag, tent etc.?
All products of corporate America or global corporations or businesses.
BTW.....where did the money come from for the computer (another
corporate product) that allows you to communicate with the list?

Some folks like to bash the evils of money and corporate America, yet
eagerly embrace it.
Seems to me, if you want to do away with the evils of money and
corporate America and their environmental impact, you may have to go
back to the caveman style of living, before tools and fire.
I don't know about you guys, but I am not willing to go back to that
kind of life style.
Hey, I like my beer, my Ford Truck, my cozy home, my UL pack, and oh
yes, I like my computer that allows me to keep in touch with you guys
even though you guys some times make my hair fall out.

BTW.....all the above are corporate products purchased with hard
earned money.

Do you guys get my point?........Ooohhh what's the use.......I'm
knocking on dead wood.

I'm going back to watching the humming bird outside my
window.....less stressful.

JMT Reinhold