Alternative Energy Backpacking

[rlown]

Eric,

Do you regularly wear that on the trail?

[quentinc]

Am a bit surpirise by the venom toward folks who choose to use an mp3 player. .

I'm glad you posted that, since I must confess I'm one of those rubes who brings my iPod. Absolutely essential for dull, unpleasant stretches of trail on solo backpacks. Like the JMT switchbacks up the dry hill north of the Florence Lake junction -- don't think I'd have gotten up there without it. Or the descent down endless ankle-breaking, knee-wrenching steps and loose gravel on the Pine Creek trail. (Probably should start a different thread for most unpleasant stretch of trail candidates!)

Ironically, I am otherwise the lowest tech of all hikers -- no GPS, no compass, no stove (and no beef). I think that improves my carbon footprint profile a bit.

[e_l_green]

There is no such thing as a too-boring trail. Even dull desert washes that are nothing but brown gravel and brown rocks and brown brittlebrush and dull-green creosote brush are interesting enough to keep my attention. Hmm, is that a burro trail or an old mining trail? And then there are the sounds of nature. Wind, the rattle and crunch of gravel as your feet walk over it, the rustle of branches...

I looked at the weight of those solar widgets vs. the weight of carrying some spare AA batteries for my GPS and some spare AAA batteries for my headlamp (the only two electric-powered thingies I carry other than the squeeze flashlight for emergency use). The batteries come out cheaper by far, especially since I only operate the GPS maybe once every hour or so just to validate that I am where I think I am based on my map and compass and thus can generally get by with only one spare pair of batteries for the GPS. For entertainment in-camp I carry a paperback book or two, which is heavier than an ipod maybe but doesn't need any electricity.

[ERIC]

Eric,

Do you regularly wear that on the trail?

You know you want one just like it, Russ.

[rlown]

I actually carry two shirts. one light colored for hot or reflective days, and a dark shirt for colder days where the sun might heat up the shirt. I know, not really reducing the "carbon footprint", as mine is pretty big anyway, but, Eric, the black shirt for cold days looks pretty good, regardless of what might be printed on it.

I still do not like my friends carrying iPods.. It's the shouting at them to get their attention that bugs me.. and their singing along with whatever they're listening to. They cant sing.

and e_l, i agree, lighter to carry the bats then the solar array.

Russ