I was joking with a friend the other night that I don’t like surprise camping. When I’m gearing up for a weekend in the woods, I’m in the mindset of having zero power and getting bit by no-see-ums with a cold beer in my hand. Completely cool with roughing it.
The disconnect between Mother Nature and humans has plagued our sleep cycle since Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb.
If you feel restless during the hours when your head is supposed to hit the pillow, you’re not alone. Artificial light leaves us feeling unrested. Twenty seven percent of American adults report that they have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep most nights, according to a 2016 Consumer Reports survey. Of the 4,023 participants included, 68 percent struggled with sleep at least once a week.
“Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
Nearly a thousand years ago, the primitive Māori departed eastern Polynesia on canoes. Becoming the first on the island, they arrived on the empty shores of what is now known as New Zealand over the course of two decades without the aid of instruments or tables. Instead, they relied on the stars, weather patterns and currents to find their way.
“Nature is an outcry, unpolished truth; the art—a euphemism—tamed wilderness.”
― Dejan Stojanovic
When caught in a real-life snowstorm, there is no Saint Bernard waiting to bound up to you with a cask of warming whiskey around its neck. Also, your cat would 10/10 eat your face if left alone with your corpse. Do you really think a bear is going to be picky?
If you’re going on a long hike you’ll probably need to wash your clothes at some point while on the trails. Unless of course, you’re backpacking in the buff or you’re celebrating Nude Hiking Day with the other freewheelin’ naturalists in Colorado.
Mother Nature doesn’t have a laundromat that we’re aware of yet, so your choices are either spending days in dirty clothing, hauling around a heavy pack, or learning how to wash your clothes on the go.
I personally recommend skipping the wash cycle and embracing the buck-naked backcountry, but for the more inhibited, here’s a guide to doing your laundry while hiking.
