To liner or not to liner?

Wearing sock liners with your thicker socks and hiking boots are a matter of personal preference, and not everyone prefers to wear them. Sock liners are mainly recommended as a preventive measure to getting blisters. The problem I have found with sock liners is that it is challenging to find the right thickness sock to go with the right thinness of liner. If the end result of 2 socks is that they are too fat for your boot, well, you will get blisters anyway.

I used to be an avid sock liner wearer - I had the right weight wool sock and the right weight liner and it was beautiful. But those socks got holes, and they stopped manufacturing them to buy new ones. I have tried numerous sock combinations with and without liners and came to the conclusion that now, liners made my feet more prone to blisters.

I thought I had my system figured out: I was one of those people for whom liners did not work- until I went backpacking in Havasu Canyon last week. My no-liner system failed me and I got huge blisters. After 3 days in the Canyon, hiking mostly in Chaco sandals and soaking my feet in cool water, the blisters diminished. Time came to backpack out (10 miles) and I went back and forth on whether to wear the liners on the way out. But they really made my boots tight and I worried I would get blisters in new areas. So I decided to go just with hiking socks again. 2 miles into it my feet were killing me. I stopped, put on mole skin and my sock liners. I hiked the remaining 8 miles, got no new blisters and the ones I had got no worse. I was amazed. I think my feet were just too hot and needed the liner as both a cooling effect and to reduce the friction.

Whatever the reason - it worked. Now, not only do I advocate testing whether or not sock liners work for you, but test whether they work for you in different climates, on different hikes, different days. I am now a sometimes sock liner wearer.

lightweight "everyday bags" for travel

On our recent trip to Tanzania, several participants commented that it would be convenient to have a small bag to use on the safari part of the trip. The daypack they used on Kilimanjaro was overkill for bringing water, sunscreen & a camera on game viewing drives or for bringing a book, ipod, and sunglasses out to the hotel patio. For this purpose, you don't need something that's comfortable to wear six hours a day loaded with 15 lbs. of gear—just a place to stuff your stuff. I find that a lightweight nylon tote or backpack is perfect for this. Plus, you can use it as an extra piece of luggage if your souvenirs don't fit in your duffel. Here are some bags that weigh 6 to 14 oz., cost $25 to $70, and often come in a variety of colors. All the manufacturers have websites so you can comparison shop.

Eagle Creek: Packable Tote, Packable Daypack
Baggalini: Zip-Out Backpack, Zip-Out Shopping Bag
Patagonia: Lightweight Travel Tote, Lightweight Travel Pack & Lightweight Travel Courier
Timbuk2: Cinch Daypack
OwareUSA: Daypack/Stuffsack
Kiva Designs: Convertible Tote

ground tarps

Rain flies help keep the water out from the top, but the bottom of a tent (typically) is not a water-proof material. In a heavy or steady rain, the water often runs under the tent and eventually soaks through the bottom, getting you and your gear wet.
So, you need an additional piece of material to act as a barrier.

What to use?
Some tent manufacturers sell what is called a Footprint - a piece of coated nylon in the shape of the tent body. They attach directly to the poles of the tent, are cut slightly smaller than and in the shape of the tent body so there are no overhanging pieces of material to collect water, they are compact and lightweight. But they can be expensive, and can be limited if you don't have a tent that makes a Footprint.

There are some generic shaped Footprints - like a 6x8 hexagon or a 7x7 square. But if you don't know the dimensions of your tent, this is not always a great alternative.

You can also buy a sheet of plastic to use as your ground tarp. You can get these at most outdoor stores or even the local hardware store. Some people cut them into the shape of their tent body, and others just fold the plastic underneath the tent to match the tent shape. This is an inexpensive option, though the plastic ground tarp can be a bit bulky and slightly heavier.

Where to put it?
Outside: It seems simple enough - by definition a ground cloth goes...on the ground. As I said, Footprints directly attach to the poles on the outside, underneathside of the tent. For a plastic tarp, lay the ground tarp on the ground, and then set your tent up over it. If your tarp is bigger than the shape of the tent, you want to fold the tarp edges downward, and tuck them underneath the tent, so it is just smaller than the tent body. This will help keep water from pooling on the excess edges of the ground sheet and with it folded downward, the water that runs under the tent should follow the curve of the tarp and flow away from the tent.

Inside: However, sometimes even with all this attention to set up, the water still pools on the ground cloth, in between the the tent and cloth or on the edges. In this situation it can be useful to put the plastic sheet inside the tent. Putting the tarp on the inside, acts as a direct barrier from your bag to the outside of the tent. The tent floor may be wet in the morning, but since the tarp is covering the tent floor, you will be dry. It can be a bit noisy to have the tarp on the inside, but overall does a better job of keeping you dry. Note: if the plastic sheet is not as large as the inside of the tent, there will probably still be water seepage into the tent where the tarp does not reach. Just make sure your gear and sleeping pad and bag are on the plastic. In a pinch you can use garbage bags.

One more reason for a ground tarp:
To protect your tent from the ground itself. Sticks, dirt, gravel, sand, etc. all are abrasive to your tent body, and over time can wear holes in the nylon.

Whether you put the ground tarp inside or outside of the tent is largely based on where you camp and a little bit on personal preference. If you are not camping in a place that rain is a big risk, like Joshua Tree, I suggest putting your tarp on the outside of the tent. Conversely if you are camping in a wet environment, like In the BWCA or Cascade Mountains, put the tarp on the inside because rain and wetness are a much bigger factor than damage from the ground. Play around with it and see what you prefer, but remember the ground tarp's primary purpose is to help keep you and your gear dry.

--Deb

Kilimanjaro climb

I recently returned from AGC's Kilimanjaro climb & safari. Our intrepid group of five, plus our helpful and encouraging Tanzanian guides, all made it to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro (in very windy conditions). What an incredible feeling, to be at the highest point on the African continent!

One thing I enjoy about this trip is getting to know the guides and porters we work with. Most of the porters know very little English, so our interactions were based on smiles and the few words of Kiswahili I've learned. They seemed pleased (or perhaps amused?) that I could say "you are very strong!" as they passed us on the trail carrying loads on their heads.

The guides, on the other hand, are required to know English, and some of them speak it well. Our guides hiked with us every day so we had plenty of time to talk. We learned about their families, how they ended up working as a Kilimanjaro guide, and what they do for work in the off-season. Three of our guides usually work together as a team and it was nice to see how much they enjoyed each other's company. I hope we can work with them again on our next trip to Tanzania!

Anne from AGC

The Paradise Known as Kaua'i

I recently returned from an amazing trip to Hawaii. I must say when I was first presented with the opportunity to go to Hawaii, I thought about saying no. Then I was told we’d be spending 5 days on Kaua’i; I immediately said yes. Kaua’i is known as the Garden Island for good reason. It is the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands and therefore has the most rich, red, volcanic soil supporting lush vegetation. One of the highlights of the trip for me was visiting the Limahuli Botanical Garden. Because it is winter, very little was blooming, but it was easy to imagine how beautiful the mountainside looks in the summer.

Much of the beauty of the island is accessible by car – Waimea Canyon, the “Grand Canyon” of the Pacific, the Limahuli and Allerton Botanical Gardens, and the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge (a fantastic spot to observe sea birds). One of the gems of Kaua’i that is accessible only by foot or boat is the Na Pali Coast. Na Pali means “the cliffs” and spectacular cliffs they are: up to 4,000 ft high, carved by numerous streams and waterfalls inland and the by the ocean and just about everything is covered by green vegetation.

A popular day hike is from Ke’e Beach to Hanakapi’ai Beach along the Kalalau Trail. Given the starting and ending points you may think this is a pleasant walk next to the ocean. Instead it is a strenuous hike over rocky trail with nary a level spot. You are rewarded with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and NaPali and a beautiful sandy beach at the end. This section of the trail is about 2 miles one-way, and you should allow a couple of hours to complete it.

For those of you with more time and strong legs, you can continue on another 4 miles to Hanakoa Valley. You will hike through Hono o Na Pali Nature Preserve where you can see rare Hawaiian lowland plants as you make your way to Hanakoa’s hanging valley. It is called a hanging valley because the Hanakoa stream ends in a waterfall into the ocean; there is no beach.

The final destination along the trail is Kalalau Valley. I didn’t make it this far, but am thinking this will be an excellent trip for my 50th birthday. I’ve seen the Kalalau Valley from an overlook at Kokee State Park and would love to see it on the ground. I haven’t decided if I will backpack or kayak to the valley. I’m sure that either way I would have a memorable trip.

If you would like more detailed information about the Kalalau Trail or to see pictures of the area, check out the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources website, http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dsp/NaPali/na_pali.htm.

My recommendation if you decide to go: bring your hiking poles. I was able to take them as carryon luggage by wrapping them in a thin piece of foam and putting them in my yoga mat bag. I told the security personnel what they were, they did a hand search of them, and let me proceed.

Have fun exploring this beautiful island.

-Shelley

International layovers

When you are flying internationally and have connections in different cities and countries, there are many occasions when your travel itinerary includes an extended or overnight layover. Many of us are not interested in sitting/sleeping in a hard plastic chair for the duration of our layover. So what are some better options?

--walk around the airport. This helps stretch your legs, gives you some exercise, and sometimes unveils some great dining and lounge spaces in other areas of the airport. There is usually an area where you can check your luggage securely. Just remember to bring your boarding pass and ID so you can get back to your gate.

--There are often inexpensive hotels near the airport where you can stay. These sometimes have "day room" rates where you can pay a fee to use their services for a few hours.

--Many times taking a taxi or train into the city hub can afford even more choices of inexpensive hotels, as well as access to touring the city for a few hours. This may or may not be more of a hassle than it is worth. The drive can be slow and long, the taxi may be expensive and you need to get back to the airport the following day for departure.

--Another option is to check if the airport itself has "day rooms" or even sleeping rooms. Most rooms are chargedin blocks of time, usually 2 -4 hour segments. Some airports have a "whole day package" which includes overnight hours. Usually for about the price a hotel would cost you can get a bed or comfortable couches, and have access to food, internet, books, and sometimes even massages and showers.

--research your options before you go, and make sure you check numerous web sites as airport amenities are always changing.

--deb

Caffeine Withdrawal

I forgot AGCs favorite method for making coffee: the coffee sock. We learned about this on our Baja kayaking trips and now use it on most trips. It is a long cone of soft material (usually cotton) on a wire ring with a handle. You put the grounds into the sock cone and then pour boiling water over it, and the coffee liquid drains out the porous sock. We often make this into a pot and then pour it into thermoses to keep it hot. You can also do individual cups. It is easy to use, easy to clean, small and lightweight to carry. It is also reusable, though it does take on a grayish color after a few uses, even with a bleach solution. You can buy one for about $5 at many kitchen stores as well. Enjoy! --Deb