A research team says it’s essentially true, and that, actually, taking 10 or fifteen seconds to grab a bit of food off the floor is safe, too, SportsGeezer reports. No word on whether it’s trail-safe, but the next time you…

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Alert reader Rachel sent along a couple links in UK-based publications about the relationship between walking in the country and improving one’s mood. The study by the University of Essex compared the benefits of a 30-minute walk in a country…

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Sarah at freezerbagcooking.com says they really do exist!

Hypothermia, natch. From lightbackpacking.com: At Caribou Lakes Wilderness last year, backpacking buddies Duke, Wild Bill and I walked a 10-mile day-hike loop in t-shirts. When we returned to base camp, the sky was clouding up and Bill decided to go…

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Scout’s Campfire notes that May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Have to confess that sunscreen is one of my numero uno omissions, though I learned the hard way that there’s a big difference between walking in the sun and standing…

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Scoutmaster posts a U.S. map showing where Lyme disease risk is greatest.

Keep the little buggers off you to begin with, this article says. One tip: 4. Use a tick repellent when going hiking or taking a picnic. Here’s a page with even more anti-tick strategies.

Maybe you need the Chinese Suction Treatment.

Cyberhobo and Crow have already linked to this — a doctor’s description of medical care for long-distance hikers — but I thought I’d post a few excerpts for the poor unfortunates who might’ve missed ’em. Though the guidelines were intended…

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