meta user
network profile
| bio | website | twitter.com/lbell |
|---|---|---|
| location | Taos | |
| age | ||
| visits | member for | 1 year, 3 months |
| seen | May 4 at 7:12 | |
| stats | profile views | 21 |
During my adult life I have spent more nights outdoors than in.
I have served as an outdoor guide, educator, conservationist, researcher, crew leader and enthusiast from the bear-chomps of Alaska to the rock-falls of canyon country.
Currently working at a remote research station deep in the rain forest of Borneo studying primate ecology.
"I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on Earth" - Steve McQueen
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Sep 21 |
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Can I replace Dish soap? Even biodegradable soaps should never be used directly in a water source. They need the enzymes in the soil to properly break down. |
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Aug 2 |
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When do I need a permit to go into nature? Most permit systems exist to limit usage, not to track you. Search and Rescue should never be expected - regardless of whether you have a permit or not. |
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Jul 20 |
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How do I prevent rocks or sand from getting in my boots? Try these: rei.com/product/778003/… used for years - not too hot. But make sure they crank down low to the heel if you are using them with tennis shoes. |
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Jun 19 |
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How much garlic in the mountain kitchen? As much as possible. (from a culinary standpoint...) |
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Jun 11 |
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An alternative to geocaching, but with classic maps instead of GPS? +1 All a gps is, is a map that tells you where you are - taking 1/2 the fun (and all the skill) out of navigation. |
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Jun 8 |
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Practicality of Beards @mr-wizard - The other day I let an Indonesian barber shave my neck with a straight razor - because he doesn't see a lot of whiskers and begged me to let him try... |
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Jun 8 |
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Practicality of Beards @RussellSteen Were you traumatized by a beard once? |
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Jun 8 |
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Surviving a forest fire +1 for Mann Gulch reference. However, note there was some controversy about whether the fire he set is what caught up to those trying to make it to the ridge... or whether it mattered. |
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Jun 8 |
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Does eating snow help dehydration? True - was just hoping for more "hard science" but I agree. I'll give it to you since this answer is the only one that provides hard, not anecdotal, evidence. Mind if I edit it a touch to crystallize the point? |
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Jun 8 |
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Mountaineering / glacial traverse: rope-up or go it alone? Never argue with the guy in the climbing helmet. Doing some more searching, it seems conventional wisdom confirms roping together - with that caveat that on steeper / icy conditions where self-arrest would be difficult, you should work off anchors. (nols.edu/publications/mtneeringbook/ropesystems.shtml#glacier among others.) |
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Jun 8 |
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Does eating snow help dehydration? Ok... so it takes ~66 calories to warm up the water... But does that expenditure of calories have anything to do with hastening the body's use of water? The answer is almost there - but just needs to close the loop re: @xpda 's comment. |
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Jun 8 |
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Practicality of Beards Despite some possible pros and cons - not sure this has a definitive answer... |
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Jun 8 |
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Practicality of Beards Not a fan eh? ;) |
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Jun 2 |
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Finding water in the dry wilderness ... which I see includes an answer by you which seems to answer this same question you just asked... Or am I missing something? |
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Jun 2 |
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Finding water in the dry wilderness This will vary greatly depending on climate, geology, season, ecosystem. Focusing your question such as: outdoors.stackexchange.com/questions/740/where-are-good-places-to-look-for-water-sources-when-i-have-run-out-on-a-multi-d will help get better responses. |
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Jun 2 |
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Folding versus fixed blade knives @vorac Both. Especially in the example I give. Try this: jump upside down into a washing machine full of webbing, steel boxes and water. Have your friend turn on the agitator. Try opening a folding knife one-handed and cutting some rope. ;) |
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Jun 1 |
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Why do some knives have one-sided sharpening? Go ahead and add it to your super-thorough answer. Thank me later ;) |
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Jun 1 |
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Why do some knives have one-sided sharpening? Another design element: folding knives sharpened on one side fit flush against a handle allowing for the half-sheath type popular with the kids these days. It is lighter, and the blade won't catch on things in your pocket. |
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Apr 28 |
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Is it safe to eat poison ivy berries since I don't react to the leaves? -1 for "you're never find out for sure unless you eat them." Although tongue-in-cheek, this seems to suggest (dare?) a dangerous practice. Additionally, there are lots of ways to find out for sure without first-hand experience: ask the experts being one... |
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Apr 23 |
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How should I put out a campfire while away from civilization? If building fire on stone, please put down a layer of soil first to avoid creating a fire scar. Leave No Trace. |
