Re: Camping in the hot regions.

[Guest guest]

If it is a real issue where it would cause health problems, I would at least sponge bath each day with creek water. My granddaughter has a portable camp shower, we put some water in it and hang it in the sun for a short time. It works well for a nice rinse.

And there is nothing like some good cold snow melt to wake you up in the morning! It also makes your hair glow. I try to wash my hair at least once real well when out like that.

Jane

[Guest guest]

Also using clothing that wicks the sweat away is helpful. But I still end up stinking after a few days

Jane

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately I have never had that problem. or fortunately...lol.

My husband use bag balm however when he gets a rash under his arms. He is over weight and if he lets a couple days go by without washing well, he has that problem. The bag balm seems to work for him. I imagine the same would be true if he was a hiker.

Jane

[Guest guest]

I do not mind at all. Some people are more sensitive to things such as heat then others are. Also I have a friend who is allergic to a lot of soaps, perfumes, etc. I do not like to use smelly things in the woods as it increases the possibility of attracting bugs and other wild creatures. I am fortunate in that I don't get rashes etc. However I like my hair clean, my face and my hands. I also never go without plenty of underwear. (Hope that is not too indelicate!)

On the trails where I go there is miles where there are no other hikers. If all else fails, I have just sat in some cold water with a cloth and water washed. It may not get all the dirt, but it at least gets the worst of it and lets you cool down. If you have companions with you just make arrangements for each in turn to bathe while the others keep a lookout.

Just some ideas, hope they are useful.

Jane

[Guest guest]

This brings up a subject I've wanted to ask about but it may be a little delicate.

When I get up in the morning, I really need a shower (or sponge bath) and one doesn't always get that hiking. I know there are some campgrounds that provide showers but I'm talking about the type of hiking Jane recently did. Sometimes it isn't even possible to warm some water (I need warm water to brush my teeth). I thought of this often when reading Steve's journal. Having to hit the road every day without a shower. I used to think, it's so hard to walk every day and to sleep on the ground, but not being able to do it without feeling clean when I start out in the morning.... That makes everything more difficult.

It's not just wanting to feel clean. Here's the delicate issue that everyone who's overweight is likely to understand. There's the sweat issue. If that sweat isn't washed off, it can get really nasty. There are places that don't get much exposure to air, wherever skin covers skin, that must be kept clean and dry, where sweat is most likely to collect. If bacteria is allowed to grow, and it can happen even when one showers every day, it could cause a huge problem. Enough to stop one from much of anything until it heals. After a very hot, sweaty day, if I don't shower at night, by morning I'm miserable and may have rashes.

I recently read a book about some people (not overweight, btw) who had gone to a remote place in Alaska for a few days, who said they used baby wipes because they couldn't wash any other way. Either way, that doesn't sound like a solution unless one was really desperate and even then using them for more than a day or two can't be good.

How do people deal with this?

Elaine

[Guest guest]

Of course, someone out there who camps out and deals with overweight and skin folds is going to have to answer this, but as an overweight person and a nurse, the problem is a combination of yeast/fungus which almost always also becomes a bacterial infection as well and can, as you say, happen very quickly. If one is a diabetic or borderline diabetic as so many (probably most) overweight people are, the problem is even more common (I am an expert on this :-) ) Baby wipes alone are not very good prevention. An antifungal product as some of the powders with an antifungal ingredient would help. My favorite product for most cases is Baza cream, widely used in hospitals and nursing homes. This does not work for some infections, and then Nystatin ointment or cream usually is effective. These are available only by prescription. For the opportunistic bacterial infection that often moves in, an antibacterial ointment is usually effective Often just getting rid of the fungal infection allows the bacterial part to heal on its own.

Back to prevention, I would think boiling water on the campfire and washing, then using an antifungal powder or the Baza cream preventively would be effective. Since I hope to do some camping this fall, I hope someone who has actual experience will advise.

W.

Re: Camping in the hot regions.

This brings up a subject I've wanted to ask about but it may be a little delicate.

When I get up in the morning, I really need a shower (or sponge bath) and one doesn't always get that hiking. I know there are some campgrounds that provide showers but I'm talking about the type of hiking Jane recently did. Sometimes it isn't even possible to warm some water (I need warm water to brush my teeth). I thought of this often when reading Steve's journal. Having to hit the road every day without a shower. I used to think, it's so hard to walk every day and to sleep on the ground, but not being able to do it without feeling clean when I start out in the morning.... That makes everything more difficult.

It's not just wanting to feel clean. Here's the delicate issue that everyone who's overweight is likely to understand. There's the sweat issue. If that sweat isn't washed off, it can get really nasty. There are places that don't get much exposure to air, wherever skin covers skin, that must be kept clean and dry, where sweat is most likely to collect. If bacteria is allowed to grow, and it can happen even when one showers every day, it could cause a huge problem. Enough to stop one from much of anything until it heals. After a very hot, sweaty day, if I don't shower at night, by morning I'm miserable and may have rashes.

I recently read a book about some people (not overweight, btw) who had gone to a remote place in Alaska for a few days, who said they used baby wipes because they couldn't wash any other way. Either way, that doesn't sound like a solution unless one was really desperate and even then using them for more than a day or two can't be good.

How do people deal with this?

Elaine

[Guest guest]

<< I would think boiling water on the campfire and washing, then using an antifungal powder or the Baza cream preventively would be effective.>>

I was thinking of situations where this isn't possible. Think of the attention Steve would have attracted doing this at his camp near a road, lol. It's not like one can lie down in a tent and do it. Plus, even when I spent a couple weeks in a cabin that had no plumbing or running water, I had to have something to put the water in and that is something else one has to carry with them. Plus once the water gets soapy one has to have something else to have clean water in (or a creek nearby) And Jane, I wasn't sure how plentiful creek water was. You'll have some company (other hikers) on the Lost Coast that isn't so lost in summer, so how is that handled? And are there enough creeks there?

I have been reading the trail journal for Big Red that someone on this list mentioned. I love reading it -- thank you to whomever posted it. Many days he stayed in shelters with other campers and there was no privacy. He just got going on the trail. Where there were creeks he may have found a private spot to bathe but close to the trail there would have been other hikers, or one never knew when one may come along. He was a big guy and while he often stayed in motels, there were lots of days when he didn't, for days at a time. He never mentioned washing but one time he said he got a heat rash in a delicate spot that he later referred to as crotch rot, lol. There was only one instance of this mentioned and there were lots of hot hiking days for him.

Reading his journal got me thinking of the practicality of me being able to hike or at least camp so I'm really interested in this subject. Hope no one minds all my probing. Plus, if I lose my home, this info may come in very handy. -- not a joke.

Elaine

Of course, someone out there who camps out and deals with overweight and skin folds is going to have to answer this, but as an overweight person and a nurse, the problem is a combination of yeast/fungus which almost always also becomes a bacterial infection as well and can, as you say, happen very quickly. If one is a diabetic or borderline diabetic as so many (probably most) overweight people are, the problem is even more common (I am an expert on this :-) ) Baby wipes alone are not very good prevention. An antifungal product as some of the powders with an antifungal ingredient would help. My favorite product for most cases is Baza cream, widely used in hospitals and nursing homes. This does not work for some infections, and then Nystatin ointment or cream usually is effective. These are available only by prescription. For the opportunistic bacterial infection that often moves in, an antibacterial ointment is usually effective Often just getting rid of the fungal infection allows the bacterial part to heal on its own.

Back to prevention, I would think boiling water on the campfire and washing, then using an antifungal powder or the Baza cream preventively would be effective. Since I hope to do some camping this fall, I hope someone who has actual experience will advise.

W.

Re: Camping in the hot regions.

This brings up a subject I've wanted to ask about but it may be a little delicate.

When I get up in the morning, I really need a shower (or sponge bath) and one doesn't always get that hiking. I know there are some campgrounds that provide showers but I'm talking about the type of hiking Jane recently did. Sometimes it isn't even possible to warm some water (I need warm water to brush my teeth). I thought of this often when reading Steve's journal. Having to hit the road every day without a shower. I used to think, it's so hard to walk every day and to sleep on the ground, but not being able to do it without feeling clean when I start out in the morning.... That makes everything more difficult.

It's not just wanting to feel clean. Here's the delicate issue that everyone who's overweight is likely to understand. There's the sweat issue. If that sweat isn't washed off, it can get really nasty. There are places that don't get much exposure to air, wherever skin covers skin, that must be kept clean and dry, where sweat is most likely to collect. If bacteria is allowed to grow, and it can happen even when one showers every day, it could cause a huge problem. Enough to stop one from much of anything until it heals. After a very hot, sweaty day, if I don't shower at night, by morning I'm miserable and may have rashes.

I recently read a book about some people (not overweight, btw) who had gone to a remote place in Alaska for a few days, who said they used baby wipes because they couldn't wash any other way. Either way, that doesn't sound like a solution unless one was really desperate and even then using them for more than a day or two can't be good.

How do people deal with this?

Elaine

[Guest guest]

You're right, Jane, perhaps I have the problem more than most. I know there are others though, lol.

It's not truly a problem for me normally because I do shower each day, I ensure I'm completely dry before dressing and I use cornstarch for powder because I'm allergic to many perfumes. I use a hair dryer to dry off and that speeds the process. Life became easier for me when I discovered using the hair dryer on my body and the cornstarch. But even when I recently stayed in a hospital, and couldn't get out of bed because I was wired up, I couldn't wash as I would have liked and became uncomfortable. I won't be using that hair dryer while camping either, lol.

This is it for me tonight. Good night all and Happy Father's Day to those to whom it applies : ).

Elaine

I do not mind at all. Some people are more sensitive to things such as heat then others are. Also I have a friend who is allergic to a lot of soaps, perfumes, etc. I do not like to use smelly things in the woods as it increases the possibility of attracting bugs and other wild creatures. I am fortunate in that I don't get rashes etc. However I like my hair clean, my face and my hands. I also never go without plenty of underwear. (Hope that is not too indelicate!)

On the trails where I go there is miles where there are no other hikers. If all else fails, I have just sat in some cold water with a cloth and water washed. It may not get all the dirt, but it at least gets the worst of it and lets you cool down. If you have companions with you just make arrangements for each in turn to bathe while the others keep a lookout.

Just some ideas, hope they are useful.

Jane

[Guest guest]

I don't miss Mississippi at all. My youngest son was born on base at Kessler AFB.

My youngest daughter was born Egland AFB Florida.

[Guest guest]

,

I don't miss Mississippi at all. My youngest son was born on base at Kessler AFB. I remember the humidity being terrible living so close to the beach. My makeup would just slip right off my face!! Ok that makes my Texas dry heat a little better!! LOL

Hugs,

TnT

From: thefatmanwalking_group [mailto:thefatmanwalking_group ] On Behalf Of labtrek1941Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2006 5:41 PMTo: thefatmanwalking_group Subject: Re: Camping in the hot regions.

Dittto for Mississippi, , and the humidity magnifies it. How about late fall? I keep telling everyone that we have autumn here, it just comes in December. That is probably the time to go camping. Right now, I have to walk at just after daylignt. Now that Katrina has given me a :beach view:, it is heaven to walk at sunrise.

I have always wanted to hike and camp in the Big Bend. Have you done that?

W.

RE: lindy's backpacking gear

I love camping.. But I hate how HOT it is in TEXAS!! I have camping geargalore since I was a Cub Scout Leader for over 10 years!! But that heatgets me every time!! in Texas (TnT)Give yourself a real pay raise. GET OUT OF DEBT!

[Guest guest]

,

Keesler AFB brought my family here, too, but my parents loved it from day one. My heart was always in Texas, where we lived prior to Mississippi (Bergstrom AFB) and in western North Carolina, where I was born. I have been here in Mississippi for 57 of my 65 years and still consider myself a North Carolinian.

Love it here in November and December and all the people I love are here, so that is what matters. I still have a great love for Texas and think Texas women are the strongest most colorful people anywhere.

I subscribed to Texas Monthly so I could follow your governor's race. It should be most entertaining.

W.

RE: lindy's backpacking gear

I love camping.. But I hate how HOT it is in TEXAS!! I have camping geargalore since I was a Cub Scout Leader for over 10 years!! But that heatgets me every time!! in Texas (TnT)Give yourself a real pay raise. GET OUT OF DEBT!

[Guest guest]

Another thing to consider is the case of last year in the Texas area with the

outside burn ban in effect, WHAT campfires?

Gerard

>

>

> Date: 2006/06/18 Sun PM 11:22:33 EDT

> To: thefatmanwalking_group

> Subject: Re: Camping in the hot regions.

>

> << I would think boiling water on the campfire and washing, then using an

> antifungal powder or the Baza cream preventively would be effective.>>

>

> I was thinking of situations where this isn't possible. Think of the

> attention Steve would have attracted doing this at his camp near a road,

> lol. It's not like one can lie down in a tent and do it. Plus, even when I

> spent a couple weeks in a cabin that had no plumbing or running water, I had

> to have something to put the water in and that is something else one has to

> carry with them. Plus once the water gets soapy one has to have something

> else to have clean water in (or a creek nearby) And Jane, I wasn't sure

> how plentiful creek water was. You'll have some company (other hikers) on

> the Lost Coast that isn't so lost in summer, so how is that handled? And

> are there enough creeks there?

[Guest guest]

you can wipe down with Dickinsons witch hazel, it helps a lot.

i have some of those problems now, and i am still waiting to see how

it's going to work out. I have to shampoo my hair every day,

psoriasis, and cold water or not, i have to do it! and it isnt any

fun. but there's no point if i cant dry my hair right away, so i'm

going to have to stick with going when it's warm and sunny!

laurie

>

> This brings up a subject I've wanted to ask about but it may be a little

> delicate.

>

> When I get up in the morning, I really need a shower (or sponge

bath) and

> one doesn't always get that hiking. I know there are some

campgrounds that

> provide showers but I'm talking about the type of hiking Jane

recently did.

> Sometimes it isn't even possible to warm some water (I need warm

water to

> brush my teeth). I thought of this often when reading Steve's journal.

> Having to hit the road every day without a shower. I used to think,

it's so

> hard to walk every day and to sleep on the ground, but not being

able to do

> it without feeling clean when I start out in the morning.... That

makes

> everything more difficult.

>

> It's not just wanting to feel clean. Here's the delicate issue that

> everyone who's overweight is likely to understand. There's the sweat

> issue. If that sweat isn't washed off, it can get really nasty.

There are

> places that don't get much exposure to air, wherever skin covers

skin, that

> must be kept clean and dry, where sweat is most likely to collect. If

> bacteria is allowed to grow, and it can happen even when one showers

every

> day, it could cause a huge problem. Enough to stop one from much of

> anything until it heals. After a very hot, sweaty day, if I don't

shower at

> night, by morning I'm miserable and may have rashes.

>

> I recently read a book about some people (not overweight, btw) who

had gone

> to a remote place in Alaska for a few days, who said they used baby

wipes

> because they couldn't wash any other way. Either way, that doesn't

sound

> like a solution unless one was really desperate and even then using

them for

> more than a day or two can't be good.

>

> How do people deal with this?

>

> Elaine

>