Water pH / quality in Sierra Nevada streams / springs / lak

[Fly Guy Dave]

When it comes to alternative ideas, I say: to each his own, but I'm sensing a troll here, not real sincerity...

[TehipiteTom]

I like food. I love to eat.

That is all.

[fourputt]

In this case it's hard to tell a troll from a ... whatever.

"God willing, we will prevail, in peace and freedom from fear, and in true health, through the purity and essence of our natural fluids."

- General Jack D. Ripper

[dave54]

When it comes to alternative ideas, I say: to each his own, but I'm sensing a troll here, not real sincerity...

That's my thought... but then again, someone has to make those 'Darwin Award' lists.

[intrek38]

Sorry, I just can't resist...

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[circusoflife]

Umm...if one saw my prior / recent posts...I think that eliminates the idea of a troll...

Thanks for the additional comments on water pH.

Haven't responded.. because I've noticed no one has commented about the documentaries.... anyway... ignorance/fear of unknown is your loss.

As for experience...well what has my life been about:

- Traveled to 70-75 countries in my life (The longest ones were RTW / Round the World trips of 5 & 7 months - solo) - all 6 continents except Antarctica. Easy countries (Europe) and "harder" ones where few (western) travelers go...in 2010 went to Iran for example. Along with Jordan & Bahrain, and a return trip to UAE...but those latter 3 are easy...although few travelers go to Bahrain.

- 3 month X-country drive around the USA, put in about 12,000+ miles and made a big X...
some drive days were 500+ miles...

- Visited about ~145 UN World Heritage Sites and many more not classified as such.

- Hiked all over the world.

- Seen about 40+ documentaries on food/water/light/plastic/EMF energy alone, both popular (Like Food, Inc, Forks and Knives - 2011 documentary with already 200+ reviews on Amazon) to obscure ones about light and water, where I wrote either one of only a few reviews. Read hundreds of books...Have written about 55 reviews on Amazon about things I've seen, 83% helpful rating - 836/1008 votes or so.

But I won't post any of those documentaries, because apparently, nobody here wants to click and even watch a few minutes...too eager to respond as a knee-jerk reaction -- which I wrote / warned about.

- Scuba dived in 12 or so countries - 125+ dives...from easy dives to fast current drift dives to beautiful coral gardens and shipwrecks. All over the Philippines, Palau to the Galapagos Islands, Red Sea, Maldives, Thailand, and on and on....

I have experience going & doing different things. Both theoretically/academically and on the ground. For this upcoming SN venture, consciously it will be the result of at least the last 6+ years of effort, unconsciously -- 10 years, really my whole life -- in my late 30s now. Actually...going far beyond what I described, but nobody here is ready to hear that. And the final steps won't take place in the SN...some far away islands for that.

- Have a UW Business degree, but a technology background (Using computers since the Apple II+ days, probably even earlier with some small TI/Radio Shack models), and was a corporate slave for a while, had my own business before that, nothing big or fancy... but have realized learning in the real world without titles and boundaries and beyond the confines of "normal life" is much more powerful.... also technology is just a tool -- not a way of life...

...and have built a website organizing many of the things I've learned (And videos), but that really isn't important nor helpful, because if watching a few documentaries is difficult...there is no point in navigating to that.

If anyone here does want links to BBC, Discovery Channel, History Channel, Indie video clips (On Youtube) on many hidden powers of our own human body...well....I'm game for that. I may take a while to respond though because I am in the process of moving back to the USA from Medellin, Colombia (Base for the last 5 years)

-- While I can't say I won't run into problems (Thanks for the offers of help!), what I described above about my life can speak for itself. When I quit my last corporate job in SoCal (OC) ~10 years ago to go traveling and see for my own eyes the reality of our world/existence -- I told my father/self (Mother died from cancer...and that changed my view of life & death) that I wondered if I would even survive my planned travels / change of life plan. Well...I have...and soon I won't just be surviving...but thriving like never before.... but that is a story you will have to see in person if we ever meet....

Cheers

[circusoflife]

...oh and if we meet on the trail and we recognize each other from this forum...tempt me all you want with your food...I've learned how to turn off emotional attraction to anything...

All eating is emotional (Feeling) based.....that's why it's called being hunGRY...like anGRY.
Conditioned as babies...when we CRY -- we are taught to eat...food CRAvings...who feels reGREt over something they didn't want to eat, but ate anyway?

Repressed emotions inside of us affects our taste buds. Some simple quotes:

"We crave SWEET foods to take away the BITTERness of LIFE"

"We crave HEARTY foods to take away the emptiness of a broken heart"

The above also affects how water tastes (Taste is an individual thing).....going contrary to comments of earlier poster. Try some of my pH 9.5+ water...

but now I'm talking about patterns in words, and unorthodox knowledge...and that is better left unwritten for now...



That's me with my GLASS bottle of water!

[circusoflife]

And an extra thank you to the poster who called out attention to UV Strength above 11,000 feet - that is something I was not aware of. Though I recall a bad sunburn in the late 90s when I climbed half-dome with a tank top...

I have a small portable UV meter.

As stated earlier, I have been based in Medellin, Colombia the last 5 years and thus live at 5,000 feet/1500 meters/~ 1 mile high most of the year. I never wear sunglasses, don't even own a pair any more...I used to believe all the anti-UV hyperbole...but have since weaned myself off sunglasses. In recent travels 2010 in Peru - Lake Titicaca (High altitude), and Macchu Pichu, etc..., didn't use any sunglasses nor did I bring them. It was sunny all the time.

I am aware of snow blindness which can occur....

When I lived in SoCal I owned a pair of pricey Maui Jims, lost them, then replaced them with a brand - Rudy Project...so...I don't plead ignorance with fancy sunglass marketing. But lack of knowledge of our bodies is the reason we need so many "tools/gadgets"

I will take into this new information into consideration. But -- one benefit of not eating is a reduced IRON content over time. Our urine is yellow because of HEME removal. The presence of iron and other trace metals in our body is what causes sunburn (and red blood). It has to do with (electromagnetic) properties of these metals in our body reflecting the UV rays...

So...no eat...gradually less iron and B-12? (Which is cobalt I think)...among other vitamins / unnecessary minerals.

Now, someone will remark about anemia...but that is not a concern...but again, one needs to learn certain things to overcome this fear.

Another bonus..less sweet blood (sugar)...no bug bites / bug attraction -- no insect repellent needed. No need for bear box then due to food or fragrant repellents. But we're getting ahead of ourselves here.

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http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/fgz/science/uv.php?wfo=fgz" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So how much more UV radiation am I receiving in Flagstaff, versus in Phoenix?

As mentioned earlier, UV radiation increases with altitude. This increase has been shown to be between 4-5% for every 1000 feet ascended. Thus, for the same day in June, the amount of UV radiation would be approximately 27% higher in Flagstaff than in Phoenix (about 6000 feet elevation difference). If you were going from Phoenix to the top of the San Francisco Peaks (approximately 12,000 feet), you would experience an increase in UV radiation of about 50%!

If you were to do this on a day in the winter with snowfall on the ground at Flagstaff, you would also have to factor in the affect of the reflection of UV radiation on the snow, and your UV exposure would go from 27% higher (just due to the elevation difference) to approximately 100% higher due to snow on the ground (snow is approximately four times more reflective than desert). While skiing up at 10,000 feet, you would receive about 200% higher levels of UV radiation than you would receive on the same day in the winter in Phoenix.

This underscores the important fact that protection from the sun should be even more of a concern for anyone who is planning activities at higher elevations, even in the winter.

[markskor]

Haven't responded… because I've noticed no one has commented about the documentaries.... anyway... ignorance/fear of unknown is your loss.

Hey Circus – welcome back. Nice to know you are indeed serious about your intended odyssey and not the troll as many here suspected. Perhaps the reason many have not responded to your posted “documentaries” is that: 1) we doubted your sincerity, 2) Many here have spent multiple Sierra days above 11,000 feet and know firsthand what to expect and where you are in error: IE, the sun can all-too-easily harm your eyes sans glasses, and 3) Realize the high energy expenditure entailed in hiking all day/ energy stores needed. The fact that you proposed two wilderness weeks without food - water only, no sunglasses, and at altitude goes against everything we have learned. While applauding your efforts, I still believe you may be making some wrong, possibly life-threatening decisions, and that hopefully you have a back-up plan in place when things go astray.

Have written about 55 reviews on Amazon about things I've seen, 83% helpful rating - 836/1008 votes or so. But I won't post any of those documentaries, because apparently, nobody here wants to click and even watch a few minutes...too eager to respond as a knee-jerk reaction -- which I wrote / warned about.

Just a thought: While many here strongly disagree with your wilderness nutrition ideas, still many are somewhat intrigued. Name-calling, whining, and derision seem a foolish way to convert anybody to your way of thinking.

Another bonus...less sweet blood (sugar)...no bug bites / bug attraction -- no insect repellent needed.

No bug bites...Really? Statements like this confirm my suspicions that you are somewhat out of your element/comfort zone when discussing this upcoming, high-altitude, Sierra journey. The High Sierra is not Flagstaff. I eagerly await your trip report afterwards but anticipate that by you going sunglass-less, without any bug protection, and without solid nourishment for two weeks Sierra, you will encounter problems you may not be adequately prepared to deal with up there. Your written words today could be writing checks that your body may not be prepared to cash later on.

Best of luck though!

Mark

[Fly Guy Dave]

Since I’m the one that called your post a troll, I think I should be the one to reply. You sound like an interesting and alternative lifestyle kind of person that, to use a Thoreau-ism, “marches to the beat of a different drummer.” I DID read your post prior to the one about the ph level of the water in the lakes in the Sierra, your post about walking barefoot. Well, given the fact that you posted two threads, which are really way out of the norm, I’m kind of surprised that you are a bit miffed at people’s reaction. I would think that a person that thinks in drastically alternative ways would get used to the fact that they are “different,” and that kind of reaction and misunderstanding from others comes with the territory.

I think people here responded the way that they did because they are concerned with your (and others) well being. With so many folks and so many decades of experience represented by them, I think that they (and me included) are quite skeptical of your plans. No on wants to see you get hurt, incapacitated, or have anything happen to the SAR folks that have to go out there to get you. Their job is risky enough. If you chose to follow through with your plans, and are successful, I say more power to you, but you have to ask yourself if the risk you put yourself through is worth it to others who might be dragged into this as well.

I still remain skeptical of your plans, but if you are sincere and you follow through with it, well… When I’m on the trail this summer and I see a guy drinking water out of lakes and walking barefoot, I’ll introduce myself and share some food with you...if you would be so inclined. No hard feeling intended, but I have to call things as I see them. I don’t say things on the internet that I wouldn’t say to a person if they were standing right in front of me.