A Tough Chapter to Write

 

I'm finally getting my groove juggling three separate writing gigs - my two or three articles per week for TravelAwaits, the 5th Edition of "Hiking Alabama", and my latest book, "Space Oddities".

For the latter, I'm working on a chapter titled, "In Memory of Laika", and finding myself having a tough time getting through it. Not only because of the tragic details of the first orbiting animal, but also the many other animals that were loaded into a rocket, many of whom met a terrible death.

Most people don't know it but the first animal to fly into space was a rhesus monkey named Albert II in 1949. He reached an altitude of 83-miles. There were four monkeys in all named Albert that were launched during Project Blossom in 1948 and 1949. All four met with untimely deaths - three died on impact when their parachutes failed while one rocket exploded.

And that's only the beginning of the story of animals in space. Ugh! Somehow, I will get through this chapter.

A True State of Surprises

 

A while back, the Alabama Department of Tourism came up with a clever slogan - "The State of Surprises". Many people, residents included, thought that was an odd moniker but it is the truth, especially when it comes to outdoor recreation and nature.

Don't believe me? Then check this out - my latest article on TravelAwaits.Com.

Bon Appetit

 

Another one of my articles posted today on TravelAwaits.Com. This one will cause a stir (pun intended).

Founded in 1702, Mobile, Alabama is the state's port city, and it only figures that dining in the city is centered around seafood. Click here to read more and take a short gastronomic tour of Mobile.

Bon Appetit.

The Titles are Backing Up

What a week it has been. I never thought I'd be offer the chance to re-write Hiking Alabama. No pun intended but recreational guides like that have a limited shelf life. So I was quite surprised to have a call from Falcon asking me if I wanted to revise it. Needless to say, I said YES!

And here we are, 20 years after the first edition, Hiking Alabama 5th Edition is officially in the works. But as they say, WAIT! There's more!

Prometheus Books, an imprint of Rowman and Littlefield (another of their imprints is Falcon Guides), has made an offer on my book proposal, Space Oddities - Forgotten Stories of Mankind's Exploration of Space, and I have accepted.

I can't tell you how excited I am. This is the book that I've always wanted to write but never had the time because of other projects I had already contracted to do. It will be a Spring 2022 release.

I'll have plenty more to say on both books in the coming days. Time to get writing and hiking.

Here We Go Again

 

Wish me luck. I'm wrapping up yet another book proposal that will ship out to an "interested" publisher in the morning. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten my hiking roots and more hiking books and projects are on the way. I know, I promised a few this past year. They're coming. Really!

For this new title, I am once again heading down that history rabbit hole that I love to travel down. This time, I'm falling back on my love of the space program with a manuscript tentatively titled, "Space Oddities - Forgotten Stories of Mankind's Exploration of Space". I'm really loving the stories I've uncovered for the book. Trouble is, I keep digging up more (thank you to the NASA history team!).

Anyway, the proposal ships out today for this new book which means I won't hear anything for the next 3 months. In the meantime, I created a cover to help me keep the faith. 😊 (Trust me, this won't be the final cover if the project moves forward).

The Weird, Wacky, and Wild Side of Alabama

  

All states have them, weird roadside attractions that either bring joy to your heart or leave you scratching your head wonder what were they thinking? Traveling the backroads of Alabama as I do for my hiking guides, I've come across some weird, wacky, and wild roadside attractions. Here are a few of my favorites, my latest article for TravelAwaits.Com.

Latest TravelAwaits Article Has Posted

 

How about a little light reading? My latest article has just posted on TravelAwaits - a few of the best trails to hike with your dog in Alabama. There are literally hundreds of great trails to hike with you pup in the state, but these are eight of my favorites for an easy couple of hours, maybe a half day on the trail.

Click here to read more.

And Once Again...

 

And once again, I've kind of, sort of, put the work load on myself, but it's all good. I work much better under pressure. 

So, the new gig with TravelAwaits writing travel pieces is keeping me busy. I have 3 new articles due in just a few days. Work on a new historical book (details to come) is probably halfway finished and just now, the editor at Falcon sent me the edited manuscript for Hiking Waterfalls Alabama that I need to proof and correct by next Friday. The manuscript doesn't look too bad. Let me rephrase that - at least I don't have to answer a lot of questions. They did a great job correcting the grammatical errors I made from rushing it to completion, which I am prone to do when I rush something to completion. 

Needless to say, all of this has held up some other projects I promised to complete, but I'll get there. Right now, I need to put my nose to the old grindstone.

It Was 20 Years Ago Today...

It is hard to believe but 20 years ago today, my first book, Hike America Alabama, was released by a small publisher in Virginia, Beachway press. The book is now in its 4th edition thanks to all of you! The book has led to quite a nice little side-job in writing.

I'm constantly asked, how did it all begin? How did you get published? Well, that's an interesting story and one that had a roundabout trajectory and was a bit...odd.

I had been writing since high school with mixed success, penning articles and short stories submitting them to newspapers and magazines only to receive the dreaded, "Thanks, but..." rejection letter. Oh, and I amassed quite a few. They are all now neatly in binders filling my library. 

I also did plenty of writing during my radio career - copywriting, news copy, and my own comedy bits. How "Hike America Alabama" came to be actually started in the 90s when the Internet was still finding its footing and people would buy “CD ROMS” to get information. For example, you could get the entire Encyclopedia Britannica on a CD with articles, photos, audio, and video.

A friend of mine suggested that since my radio career had ended and I was now a software programmer that I should create my own CD ROM. He suggested doing one as a guide to collecting the Beatles since we were both fans of the band. It would be a combination price guide and how-to guide with audio, photos, videos, etc. So I did and “Beatlepedia” was born.

This was in October 1998. I marketed it myself and son-of-a-gun, it was a hit! With that success I began another project. I also enjoy listening to shortwave radio. I loved tuning the dial to pick up radio stations from the smallest countries in the world. 

I decided to create a new CD-ROM for SWL’ers (shortwave listeners) called “DXLog” that featured monthly station schedules, maps of transmitter locations, audio copies of interval signals, and lots of information on the stations themselves. It was also a hit winning rave reviews from several hobby magazines. 

So far, so good, right? I then decided to try one more CD-ROM. I would put my love of hiking and my experiences with the sport into a guide about section hiking the Appalachian Trail again with photos, videos, the works.  This time I wouldn’t publish it myself. I would submit it to publishers and let them get the word out.

Up to this time I had another hobby – rejection letter collecting. As is the case with many writers when it came to getting that first book published it was an uphill battle but I went ahead and submitted this new CD to publishers despite my track record.

 

I submitted the proposal to 20 publishers. Immediately my rejection letter collection grew by 19. The 20th publisher, a little company out of Virginia called Beachway Press, called me.

“Joe,” the voice crackled over the phone. “There is so much out there about the A.T. that we can’t use your project. But have you ever thought about writing a book about hiking in Alabama?”

“No,” was my answer. “But I am now.”

And with that the first edition of what was then called Hike America Alabama was born and was it ever an experience to write. GPS units were too expensive for me to buy so it was written the old fashioned way – measuring wheels, pedometers, compass, pencil, and topo maps. 

That first edition was released in October 2000 then re-released soon after when Falcon Books bought the small company. Falcon has a big audience for their titles and word got out to a gentlemen in California, I believe, who hand carved hiking sticks. He had a design for every state in the country and called them, "Hike America <insert state name here>". A law suit was threatened and the book was renamed "Hike Alabama".

The second edition of the book came out in 2003 and as I’ve said before, I wasn’t happy with it, and neither were many readers, for many reasons. Falcon soon after requested a 3rd edition which was released in 2007, giving me the chance to revamp the title. It was better but still not quite what I wanted it to be. 

 

Finally in 2014, I was offered the chance to write the 4th edition, which I did and it received nice reviews, back to where we started I hated that it was limited in how many trails could be included and that I had to do shorter hikes (by now, the knees had said, "What are you doing???"), but still, I like this edition as much as the first and from reading reviews, apparently many of you do.

Thank you again for purchasing Hiking Alabama all of these years. I hope you liked the latest edition and it serves you well. Cheers!

The Most Exciting Time in the Life of a New Book for This Author

 

I've said it before, but for me, there are 3 exciting moments in the life of a book that is being published: When the manuscript has been completed and shipped to the editors, when the book is finally released, and in between when you get to see the cover for the first time. That's what happened today - I got to see the covers for the first time for "Paddling Alabama 2nd Edition" and "Hiking Waterfalls Alabama" and couldn't be happier with the choices. There's plenty of editing to do on both books then a long wait for publication. "Paddling" is scheduled for May, "Waterfalls" in June. Sigh. Better get writing something else.

It's Show Time!

Wow! Has it been a month since I last wrote in the old blog? Time flies when there is a pandemic, when you're working from home with your day job, and you have a deadline looming - like TOMORROW!

Writing my latest Falcon Guide, "Hiking Waterfalls of Alabama", has been a real challenge. There was a lot that kept me off the trail. Some personal injuries, weather, visiting waterfalls on my list that have since been tagged as being closed to the public since the last time I visited, but it's all good and I think you'll like the finished product. Only problem is - it's not finished and the deadline is - TOMORROW!

It's not that I'm a procrastinator. I always have a schedule laid out and I had planned to have this wrapped up the beginning of March, but here I am, still cleaning up maps, changing which photos to use, re-wording the manuscript. I can't tell you how many times I have re-written the manuscript or how many times I have re-ordered how the hikes will appear in the book. The book will be divided up into regions - waterfalls of the Bankhead National Forest / Sipsey Wilderness, then the north, central and south regions of the state. I finally decided that the Bankhead / Sipsey area should come first. Then within all of the regions, I started re-ordering the hikes first one way, then another, then another. trying to make them more logical in their presentation. Every time I do that, I have at least 4 maps per hike plus photos that have to be renumbered - and sometimes re-edited.

The sad part is that after all of that, I usually end up right back where I started. But that's a good thing. All of that hashing makes for a better book. And don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. It's my own doing. I am fanatical about all of this. I guarantee you that I will not be satisfied when I turn it in tomorrow, but I will quickly get over it when I get my first 'atta boy.

On the horizon, the new podcast, "Bama Bound", work on a new mystery, and I'm fleshing out the possibility of two new historic titles. No rest for the weary!

Till next time - cheers!

The Anniversary Continues...

Good Monday morning, everyone. As you know by now, my first book was published 20 years ago this October – Hike America Alabama. Since its release, the book has been renamed Hiking Alabama and is now in its fourth edition thanks to all of you!! I’ve had many requests for a copy of the first edition over the years but sadly, it’s out of print. Oh, you can buy it on eBay for $8 or on some off-the-wall sites for $300, but why when I’m giving the chapters away free?

I have already posted the Gulf Coast and Southeast region chapters and today, it’s the Central Region. These files are in PDF format and are available on my website’s Download Page. Remember, these chapters are 20 years old. A lot has changed since then, but it gives you a good idea about hiking in the state. And of course, you can buy the latest edition right now at your favorite bookstore.

Enjoy! I love to hear from you about the book and my other guides. Drop me a line.

Hiking Alabama 20th Anniversary Continued-Southeast Region

A little more from the first edition of my book, "Hiking Alabama" which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. It was called "Hike America Alabama" when it was originally released in October 2000 by a small company out of Virginia called Beachway Press. Not long after publication, Globe Pequot and their imprint, Falcon Books, re-released it with a new title - "Hike Alabama". There were two reasons for the name change. The first was because it fit with all of the other guides in their series. Second - there was a lawsuit. Apparently there was a guy out west who hand carved hiking sticks with images from each of the 50 states. He called the series of walking sticks "Hike America...(insert state name)". You just never know.

Today, I have for you the hikes of the Southeast Region from that first edition that has been long out of print. Remember, this was 20 years ago. Some trails have changed. Some have disappeared. And contact information has changed.

You can download a copy of the PDF file from my website's DOWNLOAD section:

Hiking Alabama's 20th Anniversary

Hard to believe but my first book, "Hike America Alabama" (later renamed "Hike Alabama" then renamed - again - to "Hiking Alabama") is celebrating its 20th anniversary! The book is now in its 4th edition, but the first was my favorite.

We're working out some fun events hopefully in October if the numbers of the virus cases ever start dropping in the state and we'll tell you about that as we get closer. I'll tell the story about how the book came about and the name change by Falcon in an upcoming post.

Many people have asked if that edition is still available. It is out of print but available only if you (A) want to buy it for $200 from some used book source on Amazon or (B) well, there is no "B". BUT, in lieu of that, I'm cobbling the book together piece by piece and will be posting each of the four regions over the next four Mondays.

The book began with the Gulf Coast region only because, well, I live there :) and that’s where we’ll start eventually working our way up north. These will be PDF files you can download from my website of the original galley from the publisher for each region. I see that the first one is missing the Honorable Mentions, but I'll post those tomorrow for you.

Remember, this is 20 years old. Phone numbers and websites have changed. Trails have changed (for example, the Redoubt Trail at Blakeley Historic State Park is WAY different now), but you will still get a feeling for the locations and how to hike them.

Next Monday - the Southeast Region. Hope you enjoy! And please, feel free to share and I’d love to hear your comments. Here's the link:

http://www.joe-cuhaj.com/downloads.html

In the Words of Bob Dylan...

A headline in the New York Tribune following the
hurricane of 1906 that slammed Mobile, Alabama.

In the words of Bob Dylan, "This is the story of a hurricane".

So much for the drought here on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Cristobel dropped nearly 6” of rain according to my gauge. Lots of gusty wind but not much else so we’re thankful for that. 

Mobile has seen its share of devastating hurricanes in the past. Many Mobilians don’t realize that the city was select to be one of the first 22 National Weather Service offices established in the country back in 1870. The office was housed in the old Customs building downtown. In September 1893, without the benefit of radar and satellite imagery, the meteorologists there knew something was brewing as they watched the barometer fall. Immediately, they hoisted a simple red flag atop the building warning residents of an incoming storm.

The weathermen and townspeople had no clue as to what was coming their way. An unnamed storm – later dubbed the Cheniere Caminada in honor of the Louisiana town that lost half its population that day – turned east and slammed Mobile. News accounts across the country painted a grim picture: “On the marsh, the loss of life is appalling. Whole families have been swept out of existence and the actual number of the lost will never be known.”

In the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, one family told of their frightening night: “We all remained in the house until 2 o’clock when the wind kept increasing and blew out and carried away the doors and windows. I was standing in water up to my armpits and the waves were continuously washing over my head. The women and children were almost strangled by the salt water.”

The Cheniere Caminada hurricane caused over $5 million in damages and took over 2,000 lives making it the fourth deadliest storm in U.S. history.

Read more about the storms that ravaged Mobile and the Alabama Gulf Coast in my book, “Hidden History of Mobile”.

Water(falls), Water(falls) Everywhere

Work is continuing on Hiking Waterfalls of Alabama. Despite the urgency to get this done by deadline (there has been a few roadblocks like, oh, droughts, floods, pandemics 😉 ). 3 more long weekends in store and I can start assembling the manuscript...barring a hurricane or something. 😲 Here's Just a few photos from my adventures.

(Photos copyright Falcon Books)

Armchair World Traveller

Rummaging through my stash of trash (aka articles, photos, etc.), I came across an article that I wrote in 2006 that was probably my favorite of all time to write. It brought me back to another (of many) hobbies from when I was a kid - shortwave radio listening.

Being an SWL (shortwave listener) is a real challenge: armed with anything from a cheap portable receiver to something more expensive, a hunk of wire hung out the window for an antenna, and just the right atmospheric conditions, you attempt to pick up radio stations from around the world, learn about their cultures, and what's going on in their country.

It has always been a challenge to pick up stations from the smallest, dot-on-the-map countries in the world, but with satellite radio and the internet, it is getting more and more difficult as stations are shutting down.

I was asked by Monitoring Times magazine to see if it was still possible to do a "Century Weekend" - 100 stations in one weekend. I dusted off my trusty Radio Shack receiver, plugged in the 100 batteries (kidding), strung up an antenna, and went to work.

This was the result.

The Tale of the Washington Square Deer

Good morning, everyone. I thought this morning I would share with you a story from my latest book, "Hidden History of Mobile". The book - available at all of your favorite books stores like the Haunted Bookshop in Mobile and Page and Palette in Fairhope, or online - tells little and unknown historical tales of Alabama's Port City. This one is about the infamous Washington Square deer.

Mobile is divided up into seven historic districts, each with its own special charm and history. One of the most popular is the Oakleigh District, where the stately Oakleigh Mansion stands, recalling the city’s antebellum days. In this historic district, only two blocks south of Government Street and two blocks west of Broad Street, there is a beautiful little park—Washington Square. Along its walkways there are castiron castings of a small Civil War cannon. Cherubs rim the park’s central fountain along with one more cast-iron statue that is a true survivor of the war, that of a deer.

The antebellum period that began in the early 1820s and ended with the outset of the Civil War spawned a renaissance in architecture that was based on either Greek or French Colonial styles. Tall houses featured large windows, sprawling balconies, grand staircases, decorative plaster work and tall porticos with decorative columns. Naturally, this style became known as antebellum architecture.

Another feature of antebellum architecture was the use of cast iron. Most balconies were lined with cast-iron railings, the portico might have cast-iron flower and plant vases welcoming guests inside and their sprawling property may have decorative cast-iron statutes of animals.

George A. Tuthill Sr. resided in one such home on Springhill Avenue. His yard was adorned with two majestic cast-iron deer, each being tended to by two cast-iron African American boys. These statues were considered the handsomest of all in the city.

Following the Battle of Mobile Bay just south of the city at Fort Morgan and the Battle of Blakeley on Mobile Bay’s eastern shore—the last major battle of the Civil War—Union troops moved across the bay and the last Confederate port city, Mobile, surrendered. Eventually, Union soldiers made

their way from downtown to the Springhill area and came to the Tuthill home. The Union officer in charge of the brigade spotted the statues in the yard and took them as a challenge.

“It is an affront to our cause,” he said. “Look, two Negro boys in bondage, and cast in iron at that. Free them!”

The soldiers removed the statues from the yard, and with the mission to remove all vestiges of slavery, they decided to “free” these statues from their “bondage” on the Tuthill property. The statues were unceremoniously hauled downtown to the Mobile River then thrown into the river’s dark green waters.

Tuthill went into grieving, mourning the loss of his prized statues. As Union troops stationed throughout the city began to stand down, Tuthill made it his mission to find the missing artwork. He would spend thousands of dollars and an incredible number of hours trawling the river in search

of the statues.

The two African American statues and one of the twin deer were never located. He was, however, able to find the other deer, and it is now standing proudly beneath the gnarled live oak branches at Washington Square.

Father Brown

I love a good British mystery. Just finished the "Father Brown Complete Collection" - 52 (OK, it's missing one of the stories so it's not "complete") Father Brown short stories. They are very short, no foul language, just good, short mysteries. And I mean short, not like some "short" stories today. I'll echo the sentiments of many when they remind us that these stories were written by G.K. Chesterton over 100 years ago and the English used reflects that time period making it hard to follow at times, but still, a good read.

RootsRated

Good morning, all. I trust you are all well and safe this Wednesday morning. On my Facebook page the past several days, I have been posting some past articles of mine from the online content provider, RootsRated.

I was very fortunate to be offered the opportunity to be a regular contributor of outdoor recreation and travel articles about Alabama for them. The staff there are great to work with especially my editeors Suzanne Loring and Marcus Woolfe.

Just wanted to share my 150 or so articles with you this morning. You will find them at the link below. Hope you enjoy them and they inspire you to not only get out and explore Alabama but your own backyard as well, wherever you live.

Click here to go to the RootsRated site. Have a great, safe, and healthy day!

Multi-Genre Writing: A Multi-Faceted Marketing Nightmare

Once again, thanks to all of you who follow and like my books, various writings, blogs and Facebook pages. I am at a quandary, though – marketing multi-genre writing. It is a tricky business and as I’m finding out, it is one that has not been mastered.

My most popular books are my outdoor recreation guides which are followed by my historical books, followed by my humorous short stories and miscellaneous articles, and then new novels I am writing.

See what I mean? When you visit my page or website – www.joe-cuhaj.com - you’re probably all confused about what does he write. Or maybe you visit these pages looking for content that is geared more specifically toward your personal interests like hiking or tent camping and not a mystery novel.

I’ve seen it all – people giving their opinions: have one website / Facebook page for all of the genres. Have separate pages for each genre. Is there a right way? I’d be interested to hear what you think, especially all of my writer/author friends out there. Maybe we can help others in the same predicament. It’s a good one to be in, just tough to navigate.

Radio Daze

Everyone must REALLY be bored with this staying at home, LOL! I was asked on my GoodReads page yesterday why was my radio career cut short. First of all, my family told me I needed to get a job - a real job. :) Here is the real answer in a short clip featuring two pun laden bits and a couple of spots with bad impressions and Monty Python-esque scripts.

Lightweight Backpacking: Thoughts and Tips

Good morning, everyone. Apparently, this stay-at-home due to the virus is causing people to think more and more about hitting the trail and doing some extended backpacking treks. Last week I had several people DM me and ask if I had suggestions for lightweight backpacking. Good guestion. 

You know, when I think about it, I've never really worried about the weight of my pack because I learned early on to seriously look at what I actually needed and not what I thought I needed. That philosophy has always worked for me.

There are many who really dig deep into the subject and strip down to the very basics while still remaining comfortable on the trail. I've hiked with some who boast about how light their pack is by putting tags on every item they are carrying showing its weight. Doesn't that defeat the purpose?

Anyway, maybe some of you who are really into lightweight packing could "weigh" in on the subject drop a few suggestions here.

In the meantime, here is an interesting list to get you started compiled by GreenBelly.Com:

1. Trash compactor bag for backpack liner.
Pack covers are bulky, heavy and, sometimes, ineffective. Instead of covering the outside of your pack, line the inside of it with a trash compactor bag and keep all gear inside. Trash compactor bags are super waterproof, replaceable, affordable and weigh a fraction as much as a pack cover.

2. Rocks vs stakes.
Tie your shelter down to some nearby rocks. If necessary, make a pile to keep it more stable. Rocks can also be used on hard surfaces where stakes are unable to penetrate the ground.

3. Get a scale.
A digital scale is a worthwhile tool to invest in - it can reveal what each item actually “costs” in weight. Knowing the exact weight of your gear and supplies helps you pack more strategically.

4. Cut excess straps.
Compression straps, excess hip belt straps, sternum straps, shoulder straps, manufacturer's logo, anything. You can trim all of these to shed a couple ounces. If you pack your gear right, you won't even need compression straps.

5. Share the load.
Got company on your trip? Consolidate your resources. Chances are you probably don't need two stoves, two shelters, etc. Take some extra time to distribute and share your gear weight evenly between the members of your group.

6. Drink up at the water source.
Remember that your water supply is also one of the heaviest items you will have to carry. Drink as much as you can at the water source, plan how far your next source is and carry only what you need to get there.

7. Dry out your gear.
Morning dew can cover the entire surface area of your shelter and, subsequently, add a few ounces if packed up in your bag. Be sure to dry out tents, tarps, clothes, and any other gear before packing it away. You can always hang them on your pack to dry as you hike or lay them out in a sunny spot as you pack up and eat breakfast.

8. No duplicate anything.
Except for 2 pairs of socks, you don't need a spare of anything. Even your clothes have a strategic time and place to be worn (see 42).

9. No cotton.
When packing your clothes, choose lightweight synthetic materials over heavier clothing like cotton and denim. Not only do synthetics weigh less, they’re also more water resistant than their traditional counterparts.

10. Ditch the boots.
Trail runners are lighter weight, dry faster and are more comfortable.

11. Use a one-liter plastic water bottle.
Water bladders with chords have too many excess parts. A plastic water bottle is lightweight, cheap and durable. Smart Water bottles are particularly great for their liter size and because their threads match well with Sawyer water filters.

12. Dental floss to stitch and tie.
Stronger than thread for stitching clothes and mending gear. Floss can also be used as a dry line or for tying items to your pack.

13. Duct tape saves.
Wrap it around your water bottle or roll it into itself to prevent bulk and the extra cardboard weight. Duct tape can be a great barrier to prevent blisters as well as helping mend the obvious gear repairs.

14. Ultralight stove.
Consider an ultralight alcohol fueled stove. You can make one out of a soda can.

15. Shave off your toothbrush.
Cut off the handle. Or get a travel toothbrush that comes in two pieces and discard the extension half.

16. Analyze everything.
Do you really need it? Is there a lighter version of it? Can it be shaved or cut down? I spent months preparing my Appalachian Trail gear to keep it as light as possible. Even five months into the hike, I was still cutting off things that I was not using.

17. Go primitive (or electronic-less).
Goodbye cellphones, watches, iPods, kindles, GPS, chargers, etc. This is the trail. Enjoy the solitude. If you're worried about safety - tell someone ahead of time where exactly you are going and when to expect your return.

18. Razor blade for knife.
Very rarely do I ever miss my knife and I certainly have never needed my knife. A razor blade can be great an ultralight alternative.

19. Ultralight pillow.
Inflate one of your Ziploc bags and wrap it in your extra clothes and stuff sacks. The Ziploc bag will give it some loft and the clothes, some cushion. See more ultralight pillow ideas.

20. Multi-use bandana.
A bandana (yes, cotton) can be used for:
o Head wear or sun blocking neck tie.
o Hanging food or other delicate items off your pack.
o A slow drip coffee filter.
o Dish cleaner and sponge.
o Hot hand for your pot.

21. Multi-use Vaseline.
Other than the obvious lip moisturizer, Vaseline is essentially petroleum jelly which can be used for a variety of things.
o Got blisters? Rub a little Vaseline in between your toes or on your heel before you get going in the morning to reduce friction.
o Vaseline is a great slow burning fuel that can be used as a fire starter.
o If you have a fresh, uninfected wound, Vaseline (plus some duct tape) can help shield the sore from outside infection.

22. Ultralight fire starter.
Cotton balls (or lent from your dryer) plus the aforementioned Vaseline make an easy-to-light fire starter. It will burn slowly and can be stuck to anything. The slow burn can be crucial to getting wet sticks to catch.

23. Tarp, not a tent.
Tents can weigh twice as much as a tarp shelter. A tent provides two walls - an outer one for shelter and inner mesh one for a bug-free enclosure. You only need the outer one for shelter (a tarp). What about the creepy crawlies though? Use a mosquito net for your face, everything else will be covered by your sleeping bag.