On a long distance hike we all learn tricks we never read about in books. Hanging washed socks on my pack with a safety pin, then when they are still a little damp tossing them in my sleeping bag so my body heat dries them completly. On a wet day an excellent fire starter is alcohol hand sanitizer but watch the blue flame. Filtering water through a bandana to remove the floaties before treating it were three tricks I learned the first week out. I know there are a million tricks backpackers use to make their hike more pleasant and I would love to learn some of them.