Physical, Psychological and Spiritual Update

Trying to keep the trip from becoming The Trip, or worse, THE TRIP!!! is the other part of  . . . the trip. Failure would amount to a real drag. Managing the balance between being serious and too serious is a daily thing.

First Aid: A Not Definitive List

• When I broke my hip in a bike crash in ’05 and spent several days in the hospital I acquired a large collection of patches designed to cover abrasions typical of bicycle accident. Packaged sturdily already, they fit perfectly into my growing kit.
• What hikers call Monkey Butt is common to bicycling, too. Saddle soreness is our version. Zinc oxide is the consensus treatment and is available as an ointment or as a deodorant stick-style named BodyGlide. Adding good hygiene, triple antibiotics and some peroxide probably takes care of chafing and most wounds.

Food: For The Times When There’s No Other Choice

• Freeze dried and dehydrated food is big business for hikers. Maybe it’s dumping boiling water into a foil bag and waiting 20 minutes is the problem I have with hiker food. I feel much more satisfied by adding something to boiling water and having to “stir occasionally” for 10 or fewer minutes. So, I have these assorted 4 serving packets made by Bear Creek that I divided (by weight) into 2 servings and repackaged that will easily stir into my 4 cup titanium cup/pot. The taste is acceptable and the composition sufficient to take care of carbohydrate, protein and fat needs.
• Larabars. No added sugar. In fact, nothing but what they claim to be, cashews and dates; dates, almonds, walnuts, unsweetened cocoa powder, unsweetened coconut; dates, cashews, almonds lemon juice concentrate. Larabars have about half the calories (190 to 230) of Probars (350 – 400), but are very similar in carbs and fiber (22-23gm/4 to 6gm).
• No Man’s Land Beef Jerky is the best I have ever eaten. Mostly, I find jerky to be offensively salty and inordinately stiff.. Stiff I could tolerate if saltiness was less pronounced, otherwise, sucking on a piece as a diversion results in curing a portion of your inner cheek or lips.

Shoes: What About Those Very Large Feet?

• I found another pair of Skecher Safari Sandals and have worn them only enough to be sure they fit without causing any irritations. What I haven’t solved is how to carry a more substantial show to use as an alternative, especially if the weather turns cold.

Georgia: Is There Nothing In Coastal Georgia?

• Much of the trip can be made easily from campground to campground and an occasional motel, except in Georgia. <sigh>.