Camping Tips??

[UselessJo]

and drink as much alcohol as possible, lol.. Keep warm from the inside!!
 

I think you are just joking BUT  I want to give a warning here.. A few years ago ( think it was 1st night of arrival or so), I got a pretty nice buzz going and spent several hours in the evening enjoying townpark.. I think I only had my shorts on, fleece jacket and crocs... I was feeling no cold nor pain.... When I did crawl into bed, Steve was seriously concerned ( from a medical standpoint) of how cold I was. He said, it took quite awhile for my skin to warm under covers and with him rubbing it.. So,,, just a small word of caution especially for us warm weather folks....

Is this a warning about pacing yourself and dressing appropriately or is it a warning to not let Steve use his old "I'll rub your skin for you" trick? 

[Debbiefromtucson]

Steve use his old "I'll rub your skin for you" trick?   

LOL..

[UselessJo]

Has anyone had any expierience (good or bad) with the altitude sickness med Diamox?

[vetniles]

To stay warm, you will need some designated "Dry clothes."  If you just put long sleeves, and pants on OVER what your wore all day, the sweaty matieral against your skin will make you cold.  I tend to even have a 3rd pair of "Tent Only" clothing to ensure it is dry. 

The wool hat is essential unless you like to really mummify yourself in the bag.

Get yourself off of the ground, the emergency reflective blankets are great for insulating yourself from the ground.

[heaubeau]

Has anyone had any expierience (good or bad) with the altitude sickness med Diamox?

I have heard good things from a friend who used it last time he went to do his research near Potosi, Bolivia (elev. approx 15,000 ft.).  I am going to get some before I join him on his next research trip in August (if I can I will get some before Telluride, just don't know if I will have time to get to a doctor before I leave).  I didn't have any problems in Telluride, but I spent the first day and a half drinking almost exclusively water.  I personally don't have much trouble until about 10,000 to 11,000 feet, but everyone is different.

 Listening to: Guero Canelo - Calexico

[mark2010]

Has anyone had any expierience (good or bad) with the altitude sickness med Diamox?

Im taking Gingko, its supposed to work, and its natural 

[UselessJo]

Is it a Ginko tablet or what? Do you start taking it for a period of time before you get to altitude?

[Cindy Lou]

If you are flying in, drink some ginger ale before you leave.  Ginger is very good for altitude sickness.  Ginger snaps, candied or pickled ginger, ginger ale.  NOt sure about ginger beer.  If you feel crappy in the mornings, come see me and I will have something that will pick you right up,  is easy to drink and also works great on hangovers.    You'll find me in Runamuck.

[lalagay]

Ohhh dear, I'm getting all worried again... I forgotten all about the mountain sickness issue 

I don't know, I can't remember the last time I was up at that altitude, and if I got sick or not 

I have feeling I'll be ok, but if ginger is a cure, that's fine with me, I love the stuff! 

[Hurricane M]

Altitude sickness- Ginger treats nausea, which is a symptom, but I don't think it is preventative, except that it would help you from getting more dehydrated.  Who will get sick is seems unaffected by gender, age, or even fitness level.  Many of the symptoms are the same as drunkeness or as hangover     which makes for some great jokes, but can in reality be very dangerous.  If you seem to be getting way too drunk on the amount you normally would drink easily, or if you hangover is way out of proportion for what you had to drink the night before, beware.  Don't overexert    or over-party  for the 1st 24 hours, and again, the broken record, DO drink lots and lots of water.  Just keep it in constantly in front of you and make it automatic.  There is great filtered water in the festival grounds to refill your water bottles, and you can always find a entrepreneurial hyperactive youngster (A-man?)  to go over and refill your bottles for a quarter so you can stay lounged on your tarp.

This is an excerpt of an online article about natural cures for altitude sickness:

What Causes Altitude Sickness?
The obvious causes of altitude sickness, especially for people accustomed to living in lower altitudes, is the "thin air," or lack of oxygen at higher altitudes. The thin air causes the body to get less oxygen. To make up for this lack, the body compensates by increasing the heart rate and respiration, which helps to a certain extent, but not totally. The lack of oxygen to different parts of the body then causes symptoms like dizziness, headache, sluggishness, and so forth.

Natural Methods for Preventing Altitude Sickness
Taking certain measures while at high altitudes can prevent symptoms. Here are a few that we have found work really well.

- Take CoEnzyme Q10: Coenzyme Q10 plays an important part in cellular energy production, and has been shown to help cells use the available oxygen more efficiently.

- Increase High-Chlorophyll Foods: Foods high in chlorophyll, such as blue-green algae or leafy greens, increases the body's level of hemoglobin as well as increasing the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

- Eat Small Meals Frequently: Digestion takes a lot of energy, which can worsen symptoms. Eating small frequent meals high in complex carbohydrates can prevent feelings of tiredness and nausea.

To prevent altitude sickness, you start following these guidelines a few days before you go into the high country. In addition, you can also try breathing deeply to increase oxygen intake, moving more slowly, and sipping rather than gulping large quantities of water. If all else fails, descend to a lower altitude for a few days until your body adjusts before returning to the higher altitude.

    Optimize your TBGF experience!!!  Have a blast!!!   

[TellurideTom]

Water sometimes may not be enough to rehydrate, so be sure to have a bottle of Gatorade now and then. It definitely helps!

[NooAwlenzCat]

From a guy who lives below sea-level in the bowl we call New Orleans and who often works at 12,000 ft., I can second the "lots of water" recommendation.  Try to acclimatize for a day or two before doing anything too strenuous (hehe)

 Listening to: The SteelDrivers - Blue Side of the Mountain (too cool!)

[Allison]

Whenever I pack for camping I try to think in Layers!  I avoid cotton as the first layer because it doesn't try out or insulate when it's wet if you sweat in it or it rains or anything like that.  Layers are important because you can add them as you need 'em and strip 'em just as easily.  Camping isn't always pretty-but everyone's right there with ya.  That's what I always tell myself at least.  Good luck!

[mark2010]

Is it a Ginko tablet or what? Do you start taking it for a period of time before you get to altitude?

Yeah its in tablet form, most health food shops should have some.

Its a naturally remedy which has proved quite sucessful.

Also it seems to help with memory loss which is a bonue for me 

[mark2010]

Ohhh dear, I'm getting all worried again... I forgotten all about the mountain sickness issue 

I don't know, I can't remember the last time I was up at that altitude, and if I got sick or not 

I have feeling I'll be ok, but if ginger is a cure, that's fine with me, I love the stuff! 

I believe a well known cure is to get into a confined space with another sufferer (for example a sleeping bag) and then feed each other freshly baked croissants. The croissants must have been allowed to rise of course. 

 Listening to: Hombre Libre - EEELS