Boondocking VS Freestyling

[Boondocker]

So would a rally under those conditions be a boondoggle?

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Boondocker

So would a rally under those conditions be a boondoggle?

Boondoggle (project), term for a scheme that wastes time and money.

I think 99% percent of camping fits that, but then that's the whole idea isn't it?

If you get anything constructive accomplished, then it is work.

Ken

[Gringo]

So, would a pointer born on such a Boondoggle be a Boondoggie?

Would you name it Spaniel Boone?

[Gene]

I forgot about the hellish temps Gringo usually lives in. We've lived in the mountain boonies for so long, 90˚ feels like death to us. After several weeks at 7,300', Gringo may start to become acclimated to Colorado temps and wish for A/C. Several years ago we went to a baseball game in Phoenix at the enclosed, air conditioned ball park. The temp felt like the 80's and people were wearing sweaters. It was 108˚ outside. When we travel to places like Fla., we wilt fast with the temps and humidity, but start to get a little used to it after several days, but crave cold. Next summer we'll find out if Gringo starts to become a Coloradan after a while.

Gene

[Gringo]

I think you might be right. After experiencing life at 7300 ft. for a few days, I definitely felt the difference. No doubt about it, it affects me. Breathing and light headedness, mostly. I did notice a tendency to headaches which for me is also a sign of dehydration. As noted, the max temperatures are routine for us. It's 84 here right now. All the windows are open. Nice breeze blowing through. Blue water. White puffy clouds.

Its the O2 starvation and evaporation at altitude that has my attention. I assume the UV is also relatively fierce for that latitude, but again, we have a lot more of that here year round, relatively speaking. I fight UV on a daily basis. I have wondered what it's like for someone who is acclimated to the altitude when they go back to sea level. Is there this excess oxygen to their systems for a few weeks?

But if that were the case, you mountain guys would be vacationing here every year for the rush, and NObody would ever beat the Broncos....anywhere.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Gringo

........................................


I have wondered what it's like for someone who is acclimated to the altitude when they go back to sea level. Is there this excess oxygen to their systems for a few weeks?

But if that were the case, you mountain guys would be vacationing here every year for the rush, and NObody would ever beat the Broncos....anywhere.

I have always been physically active. (Hiking and biking etc.)

When I first moved here from Seattle, I did not notice the difference at all until I got above about 11,000' while hiking. After nearly 20 years here, if I am at the top of Mt Evans or Pike's Peak, I can feel it a bit if I do something strenuous , but not enough to stop me from doing anything I feel like (although maybe slower). However, I ride my bike at least 50 miles a week so I'm sure that helps. When I go back to Seattle or visit my son in San Diego, I don't feel any different, but I can certainly walk up the Seattle downtown hills with no problem.

I'm not a physiologist, but I think your body just adjusts your breathing rate to take in as much as it needs at the time. If you are in a more oxygen rich environment, you just breath slower. I do know that you can pass out from too much oxygen, and that hasn't happen yet. I also know that the less oxygen available, the more red blood cells the body will produce. The number of red blood cells in your blood will slowly go back down over time at sea level. So you will arrive at sea level initially with the ability to use more oxygen, but unless you panic and hyperventilate, you will automatically breath at the rate that provides the amount of oxygen you need.

By the way, I am sure smoking greatly reduces one's ability to deal with the higher altitude, but you still see plenty of people puffing away even up in the mountains.

Ken

[Gringo]

Yeah, I noticed that in Boulder, now that you mention it. A whole bunch of people smoking and eating a lot of Cheetos and laughing.

They seemed to be dealing with the higher altitude all right. Guess those college age folks acclimate faster...

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Gringo

Yeah, I noticed that in Boulder, now that you mention it. A whole bunch of people smoking and eating a lot of Cheetos and laughing.

They seemed to be dealing with the higher altitude all right. Guess those college age folks acclimate faster...

I understand that;
"if you are higher than the altitude, then the altitude will not affect you."
It is one of the basic rules of Baropotonamics.

Ken

[Gene]

Going down to sea level we have found we can walk further and faster. This is why athletes train at high altitude. We have more blood so we can accept and retain more oxygen. This is why some athletes get transfusions—blood packing—which is not legal, so they train here if they don't want to break the rules. This makes us more tasty to vampires as well, so most Colorodans wear garlic around our necks.

It takes men a few days to acclimate and women more time because they don't make more red blood cells as fast. Some people acclimate very fast, other don't. It is party genetic, but a physically fit person will probably do better. Age makes a difference too. Gringo experienced a mild version of altitude sickness—shortness of breath, sleepiness and headaches are not uncommon. I once saw an older man pass out on top of Mount Evans (14,000+ feet). That was a long time ago, so I am probably older than he was then. The solution to that is to rebreath into a glove or paper back until you recover. People who fly in don't get as much a chance to acclimate as someone who drives here and has more time as the road gets higher and higher. People who fly to ski resorts and go skiing right away, may sleep all day the next day.

Every fall I try to go outside with lighter clothing than may seem necessary. This gives my body a chance to adjust to cold. People in cold climates, I read somewhere, have more capillaries and their skin is warmer, so I try to give my capillaries a chance to grow. It hasn't worked for my feet and they will next be warm in June.

Gene

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

............................

I once saw an older man pass out on top of Mount Evans (14,000+ feet). That was a long time ago, so I am probably older than he was then. The solution to that is to rebreath into a glove or paper back until you recover.
.................................
Gene

Hi Gene,

I don't want to be picky, be this is fairly important concept, so I will.

If a person is suffering from exertion or lack of oxygen at a high altitude, breathing in a bag is the opposite of what needs to be done. The best possible thing would be supplemental oxygen combined with an expeditious descent to lower altitude.

Breathing in a bag is the treatment for someone who has hyperventilated (over oxygenated) usually due to anxiety. Breathing into a bag causes one to re-breath the air they just expelled, thus each breath contains less oxygen. They will soon return to a normal level. There is another way to treat it. If it is caused by anxiety, they will eventually pass out. At that time their brain will cause them to return to an appropriate respiration rate and they will wake up.

Here's a good bit on altitude sickness.

Altitude sickness - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ken

[jimmini]

Originally Posted by w7ts

Somebody on these forums said they never use their toilet. They just go in the surrounding area. Anyone want to invent a term for that?

Not me.

Ken

Wild bears **** in the woods?

[Gringo]

Skid Row?

[ESCAPE POD]

OK, so back to the original question started by this thread: alternative terms to "Boondocking" (freestyling, etc.). I've always thought the essential requirement for "boondocking" was to do without hookups, and usually, in a "undeveloped" setting. How about "going gridless"? (Off-the-grid camping). Just my $.02.

[Gene]

Ken, your post regarding rebreathing is interesting. I have wondered about how it could possibly work because of the reasons you explain except I have seen it work. Most cases of altitude sickness are mild and the person will usually recover fast anyway. Anyone who is having problems breathing will probably be anxious and the use of something no matter how silly it might be reassures them they are being treated and will recover.

More severe altitude sickness can be solved by a quick descent and people usually don't have oxygen with them. Fear of heights can also bring anxiety and reassurance is the best treatment for that. The road to Mt. Evans can be scary and once on top you can look down thousands of feet—this can be unnerving. One time I climbed another fourteener and looked over the edge (straight down thousands of feet) and got anxious and my friend told me to breathe into my glove and I felt better. Then I went the last 100' not looking down.

So I think you are probably correct about rebreathing on a physical level, but what the mind does is also important.

Altitude sickness at 7,300' is hardly ever dangerous except for people with lung problems who live at sea level. Rest usually cures it. But I knew someone with lung problems who lived here (close to 7,000') and had to move to a lower altitude.

Gene

[Gringo]

The people that we bought our CO property from had that happen to them. She developed a lung condition that meant she could no longer even visit the property. All their thoughts of building there went out the window. She was even having issues in FTC, which I think is around 5,000.

As for me, I have been a diver for 49 years. I am way familiar with most combinations of gases and their effects, and their treatments.

My own altitude effects were really mild. Not enough for me to even consider coming down out of the hills. Au contraire. I can do mixed gasses in my sleep. I used to have the navy decomp tables memorized. I recognized it for what it was.

Nothing like the headache you get from oil fumes in your air supply, ha ha.

When we were researching properties before settling on this one, we looked at another 35 acre spot ( Colorado standard size lot, it seems) up at 9200 ft. We spent an entire day up on that property walking it, and a lot of climbing was involved. It was all up and down, maybe five acres buildable out of 35. That kind of thing. Great views. I had a pretty decent little headache started after spending all day there at 9200. But I had been at sea level the day before, too.

[dcheshire]

I use three settings that I think don't sound like you're trying too hard.
- dry camping (no hookups, whether that's in my uncle's field, in the boondocks, or just a SP without hookups)
- partial hookups (usually juice, sewer is the most rare)
- Full hookups

I guess mine doesn't give you all the color, but it does give people a sense for what you're doing and you can add modifyers (i'm dry camping at the SP) vs (We'll dry camp at a wide spot in the road).

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by ESCAPE POD

OK, so back to the original question started by this thread: alternative terms to "Boondocking" (freestyling, etc.).

Let's see…

Unplugged… Nope. Musicians already have a lock on that one.

Bivouacking. That only works for ex-military Airstreamers.

Outbacking… Nah. I'm not Australian.

Rusticating… Uh uh. Rustic isn't always a good thing.

Waldening… Thoreau would roll over in his grave if he heard that one.

Sorry. I've got nothing.

[SteveSueMac]

Boonstreaming?

Alumidocking?

Wallying?

Airing Out?

Dry Streaming?

Freestreaming?

Aluminum-a-minimum?

Fresh Airing?

Non-grid-powered?

Off-gridding?

Windmilling/Airmilling?

SlipStreaming?

Alumicamping?

Aircamping?

Campstreaming?

[epperp]

Untethered?

[cwf]

AirDriftin....