One Full Canteen At A Time!

   Hiking the Appalachian Trail in 1980 was always dependent on one essential thing: water. Your body can live for weeks without any food, but only days without water. Without water, it would be impossible to hike the trail. I carried canteens that could hold about a half a gallon of water (that's about four pounds of water). Hiking up and down mountains with a heavy backpack is hard work. I had to drink lots of water in order to stay hydrated. I carried a small tube with me for siphoning water when necessary. Imagine the small tubing used in home aquariums. When I reached a water supply I usually did not have to use the tube, but every now and then I did.
   I got water primarily from springs and small streams. When rain falls on the mountains, it soaks into the ground and is filtered by the ground. It eventually comes out in springs which usually run into small streams. Most of the time I stayed in shelters built along the trail. They almost always had a spring or stream nearby (although sometimes it was a steep walk down and back up!) It was great to get a cold, refreshing drink from a mountain stream on a hot day!
   Did I ever get sick from the water? No, I didn't. I have a confession to make. Hikers are supposed to either filter water or use treatment tablets. In 1980 I didn't do either one of those. I took it straight from the spring or stream and drank it. I wouldn't do that today! There are so many more hikers today that the chance of getting bad water is too big of a risk. But hey, it was 1980, I was 18 and invincible! I was sometimes low on water, but I never went without. Conversations with other hikers who were headed South usually began with information about the next water supply. One full canteen at a time, I made it all the way to the end in Maine!
   Here in 2011 I weighed in at 180.2 pounds this morning. Yesterday while jogging, I started getting a stiff muscle just below my right calf. Today it was very sore and hurt to walk. I will have to let it heal up some before I can go back to jogging. That means I will do a heavy workout in the garden tonight when I get home (time to plant some more green beans & corn!) I'll be sure to drink a lot of water too, it helps when you are losing weight!