Cold Feet and Diaper rash

["Ed Hauser" <sisufarm@mmmpcc.org>]

Cold hands and feet are an expected part of life here in the North Woods.
The suggestion of Thinsulate(TM) lined riding boots is a good one as is the
suggestion of Sorel(TM) felt pack boots.  If you live in a warm area of the
country and your local stores don't carry Sorels, any of the mail order
catalogs by the hunting and fishing companies as well as LL Bean do carry
them.  You can easily find names and addresses by buying a copy of a hunting
magazine at the local news stand.  I personally, like Sorels and find that
most endurance stirrups fit them.  When I rode western I had a set of
"winter stirrups", which were just large oxbow stirrups.

The rest of the key to keeping the hands and feet warm is to wear a hat and
lots of clothes on one's body.  When I was inventing Thinsulate(TM) thermal
insulation in the 70's, I read all of the US Army cold weather literature,
the accounts of other arctic expeditions, and arctic research.  In a
nutshell: People are designed to live in the tropics so when a person's body
cools the blood flow to the hands and feet shuts off.  It does not start
again until the body gets overheated and decides to cool itself.  If we were
designed for cold weather, like horses and dogs, the blood flow would
continue to prevent frost bite, and there would be heat exchange to allow
continued flow of cooled blood to the extremities. This prevents tissue
damage.  So, dress in layers, start out your ride warm, ventilate to prevent
sweating, but don't allow your body to chill.  Warm hats are a must, as the
body does not shut off the blood flow to the head to conserve heat.  (The
brain is pretty useless if it doesn't get enough oxygen).  If hands and feet
do get cold, get off and walk or run until feet and hands get warm. One of
the standard references on arctic travel states that the author was studying
Eskimos, who could sit for hours on the ice waiting for a seal.  He finally
asked if he was cold.  The answer was that of course he was cold.
Apparently, when one is hungry enough one learns to live with cold hands and
feet.

Diaper rash is a real problem in our humid hot summer weather.  Last week at
MNDRA II it was 94 on Saturday.  (Yes, the 25 mi.. competitive riders were
allowed to sponge in camp.)  Men have more of a problem than women.  I
discovered that a combination of Micatin(TM)  powder and cornstarch works
well.  The Micatin spray powder (or other anti fungal spray powder) is
applied first.  This prevents fungus growth in the cornstarch and on the
body.  Then a liberal application of the cornstarch absorbs sweat and dry
lubricates.  Not all problems are eliminated, but most are.

Ed Hauser  and Ranger (I was hot too, but didn't get any cornstarch, just
buckets of water for 50 miles.)
Sisu Farm
1140 37th St.
Hudson, WI 54016
(715) 386-0465
email: sisufarm@mmmpcc.org