Words about science and hiking
The short answer is no. Although nearly all plants contain antimicrobial compounds, these compounds are present only at low concentrations. Diet certainly influences microbiome composition. But this influence works through the availability of foods that different bacteria prefer. “Food antibiotics” are not a thing. Sloppy health journalists are responsible for the confusion. They often call Read More …
As a lifelong devotee of fermented malt beverages it pains me to say that this is not a great idea. Why? Because: All drugs are poisons Alcohol is also a poison Mixing two poisons is never going to lead to a good outcome. More specifically, the same enzymes that break down alcohol in the liver often either Read More …
Until the end of the 19th century, nearly all science was done by amateurs. The first modern research university was Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876. Up until that time, universities were vehicles for transmitting established knowledge – divinely revealed wisdom at first, the humanistic classics later. They were not seen as engines for creating and Read More …
BPL is once again doing an online series of talks covering all sorts of aspects of hiking fast and light. And once again I will be doing a presentation, this time on how to eat better (and thus hike better) on the trail. This will be happening the evenings of Feb 22-24. Tickets are required Read More …
It rained a good deal of last night but was not windy or cold, so not so bad. My route left Pushawalla Canyon and its hiking corridor and headed west cross country along the face of the Little San Bernardino mountains. Although rain threatened early, the skies began to clear and the weather was fine Read More …
Another cloudy night last night. I was hoping for some good stargazing on this trip but it is not to be. At least it hasn’t been as cold the last couple of nights. But warmer nights have their downsides. I was pestered by some buzzing insects much of the night, which may or may not have Read More …
I covered a lot of ground today. But that is because the first 10 miles were on the CRHT, which was smooth and sloping gently downhill. Also I was down to a couple of liters of water, making my pack a much more reasonable weight. Easy to walk fast under those conditions, to get into Read More …
I was a bit slow getting up and out of my cold and soggy camp this morning. It’s remarkable just how wet it got, heavy dewfall is not something one often encounters in the desert. Especially when the ground is dry. It must have been the clear skies and subsequent rapid drop in temperature that Read More …
The dwindling daylight of winter got me thinking about hiking the desert again: somewhere warm, or at least warm enough that I could light out on a trail and stretch my legs and not have to strap anything on my feet in order to move across the landscape. Not that backcountry skiing is so bad, Read More …
The canyon country of western Colorado is greatly underappreciated as a backcountry destination. It has basically the same geology and topography as the red rock country of Utah, but without the Moab-centered crowds of hikers, campers and off-roaders. It’s also a good deal closer to Boulder. I’ve long had Rattlesnake Canyon on my radar. It Read More …