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takethisbread
01-25-2011, 14:44
Totally free and virtually weightless.

1. A empty Gatorade bottle: I would rank this below only my sleeping bag as essentials for trail enjoyment. Oh too many times I got up out my tent or shelter on a bitter cold night to take a pee. It took a while to figure out the Gatorade bottle thing, but it made me much happier on the trail. I'm so addicted to this technique I now utilize it in everyday life. Note: this may not be applicable for women.

2. Handkerchief: I used an old t shirt and cut into two squares. One I used as I sign to hitch rides with, one side saying "To Town" the other "To Trail"
The other rag I used for cleaning out pots, and general wiping of stuff.

3. Condiment packets: I loaded up at the Vince Lombardi Memorial rest area on the NJ Turnpike. I found the Hot sauce and the spicy mustard packets added zest to my usually boring Ramen. The salt and pepper packs are good too.

4. Trash Bags: a guy handed me two when I was getting on the bus to GA. They were handy. One was a layer of waterproofing for stuff in my bag, the other an emergency raincoat for the warmer dryer months when u use a raincoat never, as it can make u too hot.

5. Safety Pin: steal from your mom, wife, gf, or a niece or nephew. Temporary fix for clothes, tent and great at popping blisters!

I'm sure there are more. But these help me ongoing.

Sickmont
01-25-2011, 14:46
Another good thing about the condiment packages is that mustard apparently is good for cramps, and the amount those packets have is about perfect.

Pioneer Spirit
01-25-2011, 15:58
One I used as I sign to hitch rides with, one side saying "To Town" the other "To Trail"



I have a commercially printed version of that one.



Oh too many times I got up out my tent or shelter on a bitter cold night to take a pee


Left hand bag zipper and left hand tent zipper. In stealth sites, I never leave the warm confines of my tent, just side lean past all of the Zippers and over the ground sheet.

Roland
01-25-2011, 16:09
~ It took a while to figure out the Gatorade bottle thing, but it made me much happier on the trail. I'm so addicted to this technique I now utilize it in everyday life. ~

The guy working in the cube next to yours must think this is pretty weird. :D

sbhikes
01-25-2011, 17:07
Some of your items weren't really free.

Here's a few free ones:
Use 2 sticks as chopsticks.
Use 1 small stick to clean your fingernails.
Use a big leaf to blow your nose.
Use an old pinecone to wipe yourself.
If someone litters a plastic bag, save it in case you need a plastic bag. In fact, there are all kinds of things people litter, leave on the curb, drop on the trail, leave behind in their campsites. You can get a lot of good stuff that way.

Sickmont
01-25-2011, 17:11
Use an old pinecone to wipe yourself.


Ouch. My butt's not tough enough for that.

Luddite
01-25-2011, 17:12
Use a big leaf to blow your nose.


Thats too civilized for the trail. Just do a farmer's blow.

ATSeamstress
01-25-2011, 17:17
Prescription cough syrup bottle for denatured alcohol. It has the ounces right on the side so no measuring device needed. Free if you can reuse one or ask at the pharmacy. They charged me 35 cents for an empty one. I put a big "FUEL" label on it for safety purposes.

mweinstone
01-25-2011, 17:17
hugs
directions
campfires
sunrise
sunset

Buffalo Skipper
01-25-2011, 17:24
Prescription cough syrup bottle for denatured alcohol. It has the ounces right on the side so no measuring device needed. Free if you can reuse one or ask at the pharmacy. They charged me 35 cents for an empty one. I put a big "FUEL" label on it for safety purposes.

One of my hiking buddies is a pharmacist. Another is a PA. Great when we all get together. If someone is hurt, one can write a perscription and the other can fill it on the spot. Makes hiking aches and pains go away. :D

ATSeamstress
01-25-2011, 17:35
One of my hiking buddies is a pharmacist. Another is a PA. Great when we all get together. If someone is hurt, one can write a perscription and the other can fill it on the spot. Makes hiking aches and pains go away. :D

I could have used them both on my last trip out! :sun

the goat
01-25-2011, 17:39
Totally free and virtually weightless.

1. A empty Gatorade bottle: I would rank this below only my sleeping bag as essentials for trail enjoyment. Oh too many times I got up out my tent or shelter on a bitter cold night to take a pee. It took a while to figure out the Gatorade bottle thing, but it made me much happier on the trail. I'm so addicted to this technique I now utilize it in everyday life. Note: this may not be applicable for women.
.

i have a tent w/ zipper openings on either side. one for entry/exit & the other for peeing out of.

takethisbread
01-25-2011, 17:41
i have a tent w/ zipper openings on either side. one for entry/exit & the other for peeing out of.

The guy in the shelter next to me hated when I did that!

Helios
01-25-2011, 18:41
The guy in the shelter next to me hated when I did that!

Hahahahahahahahaha!!!! :D

Blissful
01-25-2011, 18:42
Some of your items weren't really free.

Here's a few free ones:
Use 2 sticks as chopsticks.
Use 1 small stick to clean your fingernails.
Use a big leaf to blow your nose.
Use an old pinecone to wipe yourself.
If someone litters a plastic bag, save it in case you need a plastic bag. In fact, there are all kinds of things people litter, leave on the curb, drop on the trail, leave behind in their campsites. You can get a lot of good stuff that way.


A pinecone? egads. :eek:

Spokes
01-25-2011, 19:19
....... Air ........

wvgrinder
01-25-2011, 19:31
Ouch. My butt's not tough enough for that.

Wow, that's one tough lady. Are you from West Virginia sbhikes? :D

Gipsy
01-25-2011, 19:55
Thanks for your tips! As a "frugal" hiker your post inspired me to start a tread about more freebies!

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=68694

McPick
01-25-2011, 21:32
Use an old pinecone to wipe yourself.



My dear Ms. Hikes...

I am L-ingMAO ! OMG... PINECONE!! I simply CAN'T imagine!!

However, I am intrigued... Is there a certain species? I mean, just think of those giant honkers in California. (see below) WHOA, now there's a ride.

Plus, I recall those long skinny, sappy green ones along the AT in Maine. The ones that squirrels and chipmunks eat on a rock and leave a pile of leftovers behind. (Or throw down on unsuspecting, intruding hikers.)

I mean, can't you just see it? Hiking along and there's a huge pile of pinecone remains and some poor chipmunk, flat on its back, legs straight up, dead. from eating a, well, from eating a, well, um that is, a highly impacted, (which direction do you recommend anyway?) left over, discarded human waste removal pinecone?

And that super sticky sap? Man alive... That stuff dries like GLUE!!

Or some poor unsuspecting soul, out hiking in the woods, collecting pinecones for a Christmas wreath? Surprise!

Diane... No offense intended. I appreciate your posts very much and am eternally grateful to you for your (Gotta Go Girl type) salad dressing bottle suggestion, which we take everywhere. This post, however, is hilarious!

:)

RGB
01-25-2011, 21:59
I'm all for frugality, but some of those California cones seem like something they'd replace the TP with in Guantanamo Bay. That's a bit too primal for me.

Gipsy
01-25-2011, 22:05
OOOOOOOF! Those are some scary cones. I think I'd try a cheese grater before one of those bad boys!:eek:

Mr. Shorts
01-26-2011, 02:05
Another good thing about the condiment packages is that mustard apparently is good for cramps, and the amount those packets have is about perfect.


DUDE!!! ive heard that too! i know a guy that was in the middle of a monstrous Mountain Bike race, O.R.A.M.M i think, and partway through he cramped so bad that he just fell over in a rhodo thicket and couldnt move his legs. A fellow racer was riding by, saw him, stopped, went over to him, and said open your mouth, (freaked out) he complied, and the dude had a lil gel flask filled with mustard, which he squirted in hs mouth and within five minutes or so his cramps were gone and didnt cramp the rest of the race.

fredmugs
01-26-2011, 12:47
Some of your items weren't really free.

Here's a few free ones:
Use 2 sticks as chopsticks.
Use 1 small stick to clean your fingernails.
Use a big leaf to blow your nose.
Use an old pinecone to wipe yourself.
If someone litters a plastic bag, save it in case you need a plastic bag. In fact, there are all kinds of things people litter, leave on the curb, drop on the trail, leave behind in their campsites. You can get a lot of good stuff that way.

Ouch. I have used a large handful of leaves to wipe myself.

I always bring several of the plastic grocery bags. They do a good enough job of keeping your stinky clothes from stinking up the rest of the pack. Plus they're great food hanging food and packing out trash.

Pommes
01-26-2011, 16:44
Ouch. I have used a large handful of leaves to wipe myself.

I always bring several of the plastic grocery bags. They do a good enough job of keeping your stinky clothes from stinking up the rest of the pack. Plus they're great food hanging food and packing out trash.


I suggest yo only wipe your butt with "leaves of three" they are the only really safe ones.