[pct-l] Caffeine withdrawl

[jjolson at uwyo.edu (Jeffrey J. Olson)]

David C said:

> I had the same problem with coffee withdrawals so I weaned myself off of
it
> by slowly switching to decaf over about a month's time. It saved a lot of
time
> in the morning not having to have a cup of Joe. I could be out of camp in
15
> minutes most mornings.

I gave up coffee on the trail five or six years ago.  It takes about three
days of physical withdrawl, slight headache and sweats to intense headache,
before I've kicked the addiction.  Everything is so different from the
regular routine that it is just another layer of stuff to cope with...  For
me it's a factor of leaving camp 20 minutes after I start moving.

On June 7,1992 I smoked my last cigarette the morning my girlfriend and I
headed out on a 75 day section hike heading south from Hat Creek near the
Lassen boundary.  I remember sitting with my back against a tree 10' from
Hat Creek, savoring every drag.  The memory of that last cigarette is one of
my clearest.  So is the agony of starting that hike with a 72 pound pack.

Jeff Olson
Laramie WY