[pct-l] Muscle cramps - Hydration

[matt at mattmaxon.com (matt maxon)]

I have found the bladder / tube system gets me to drink enough water. By
several mechanisms

1. The water is right there... I don't have to stop to get it out of my pack
or where ever.
I have found I drink more water, as I tended to not drink enough.

2. I don't focus to much on how much water I have. If you are stopping to
get the water out you are also seeing how much you have left.

#2 can be a bad thing too as you'll tend to run out if you don't have
enough, but on long hauls between water I keep more in my pack so when the
1st batch runs out I can then determine any need for conservation or not

I guess if you run out it doesn't matter, you didn't have enough and screwed
up in your estimate and need to plan better, with time I've gotten better.

I have also taken to adding gatorade mix or some other electrolite to my
water once a day, as water, water, water and backpacking food doesn't give
me the replenishment of needed minerals and heat stroke results.

.Trail90
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marge Prothman" <marge@prothman.org>
To: "Pct-L" <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 9:27 AM
Subject: RE: [pct-l] Muscle cramps


>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
> [mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of
> enyapjr@adelphia.net
> Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 2:53 AM
> To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> Cc: Mtnned@aol.com
> Subject: [pct-l] Muscle cramps
> I was always told that I was not drinking enough water, so I have to stay
> hydrated better.  I stopped using tube to the mouth system and would stop
> only every hour to take off my pack and get the water bottle out.  Now I
> have been told that if I would drink a couple of glasses of water before I
> start hiking and then have some good sips every 10 to 15 minutes that this
> would help in numerous ways.  So back to the in line filter and bag.
>
> Cheers,
> Marge (the old gal)
>
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