[pct-l] Beyond water purification

[m_factor at hotmail.com (Mara Factor)]

I know the instructions for iodine tablets mention this, and I'm pretty sure 
about the other chemical  treatments do too, but after the chemicals have 
been added and had time to start working, loosen the cap just a bit and tip 
the bottle so that the treated waterdrips through the threads on the bottle. 
  Then, retighten the bottle and let the chemicals finish purifying the 
water.

I use a Dromedary bag for hydration.  With the threads being on the largest 
opening and the tube on the smallest one, I don't bother loosening the big 
opening and always kept the small one clean.  After I got Giardia, I started 
using a film canister over my bite valve and haven't had any problems since.

When cooking dinner, I always bring the water to a boil before I add any of 
the food.  This gives me a chance to dunk my spoon and my cup (which I use 
for scooping from water sources and filling my Dromedary bag).

If I remember correctly, this should be enough to kill just about anything 
you'll encounter along most US hiking trails.  When traveling, you may have 
to boil longer or use another method to deal with Cryptosporidium.  (I'm 
sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.  ;-)

One other thing...  It seems some people are immune to intestinal bugs.  
Others are carriers without symptoms.  Then there are people like me who 
seem to get sick by just looking at a bad water source.  I tend to treat ALL 
of the time, not selectively like many others.

As far as I can tell, I've had Giargdia twice...  Once I picked it up on the 
Long Trail in VT (I used filtered water from a friend who didn't keep the 
input and output separate), the other time along the PCT (before I started 
usiong the bite valve cover).  I didn't respond to Flagyl the first time and 
didn't get better until I traveled to Nepal where I was given a miracle drug 
at an American clinic.  I want to thank whoever mentioned Tinidinazole (sp?) 
recently.  I suspect it was the miracle drug that cured my first bout of 
giardia.  I should be headed to Mexico sometime in the next few weeks.  I'm 
going to try to remember to pick up a supply.  Does anyone know how long it 
keeps?  I just want to figure out how much I shoudl bring back.  If it keeps 
indefinitely, I'll buy more.

Thanks,
Mara

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>From: "Don C" <res0rf6j@verizon.net>
>Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2004 10:02:38 -0800
>
...
>When you use some type of tablet, what do you with all the "buggy" water
>that is all over your bottle from scooping the water?  What about
>cleaning utensils, etc.