On Sunday, we wrote about the displeasure of hiking and other outdoors pursuits in really hot weather.
Since then, the weather changed. It feels like the first week of October in Central Arkansas, and that puts hiking and all other activities squarely on the table for as long as the pleasantness lasts.
For anglers, cooler temperatures mean you can fish all day in relative comfort, but you still need to take all of the usual precautions to protect yourself from sunlight and dehydration. Wear your sunscreen as you would if the temperature were in the high 90s and replenish it often.
Another overlooked aspect of sunscreen is that you need to keep it away from your eyes. When sunscreen gets hot, it succumbs to gravity and migrates down the steep slope of the face and forehead. When it gets in your eyes -- and it will -- it will ruin your day. I don't apply sunscreen above the eyes. I stop on a plane parallel with the bottom of the orbital sockets and away from the bowl of the orbital sockets. A cap protects the forehead, and wraparound sunglasses protect the eye region.
For hunters, pleasant temperatures are excellent conditions for working in the deer woods. If you hunt on private land, now is a good time to cut limbs and brush from shooting lanes. Doing it now instead of in early fall will minimize your intrusive presence in the woods. Spooking deer now is not nearly as consequential as doing it three days before muzzleloader season.
Knocking those chores out now will give you more time in the fall for scouting and enjoying some excellent early fall fishing.
When working in the woods right now, drink plenty of water. You can carry a large jug of cold water on a four-wheeler or side-by-side, as well as sandwiches and snacks in a cooler.
Apply sunscreen as you would on the water, and of course, treat your clothes with permethrin to deter ticks and chiggers.
Also, beware of venomous snakes in the summer. Wear snake-resistant boots and avoid stepping into the kinds of places where a snake might hide. Any kind of brushy area or protected ambush spot next to a downed tree is a place that snakes like. Two weeks ago, a rattlesnake bit a friend on the hand while she was pruning around a crepe myrtle bush next to her house. Her treatment included 10 vials of antivenin at a cost of $3,200 per vial.
Fortunately, she was able to jump in her car and dash to the hospital. It's a bit more problematic when it happens deep in the woods. Snake boots or snake resistant chaps and a bit of common sense will spare you immense amounts of pain and suffering.
While the weather is pleasant, you might be tempted to hike on the Ozark Highlands Trail or the Ouachita National Recreation Trail. Now is a good time for overnight hikes because warm weather enables you to minimize your pack weight. Shorts are comfortable, but I prefer the scratch protection that long pants give you from briars and other woodland abrasives. LIVESN Flex Canvas Pants are light all-purpose trousers that are appropriate for all seasons.
Instead of a tent, you can shed some weight by sleeping in a hammock. A Hennessey hammock is lighter than a tent but still provides protection from rain. Best of all, you don't have to worry about rocks and uneven terrain. String it between a couple of trees and you're set.
Also, you won't need a heavy, bulky sleeping bag. You can pack light thermal underwear for warmth or a Zenbivy quilt. It is a rectangular quilt that can be configured into a mummy bag. It is light and stows into a small bag, but it is very warm and plush. For information, visit www.zenbivy.com.
Carrying sufficient amounts of water is always challenging for backpackers, especially in the summer when seasonal creeks dry up and springs ebb to mere seeps. Water is too heavy to carry in quantity, but you can drink directly from any water source with a Lifestraw. It's small, very light and reusable.
Good food is essential to an overnight hike. There are vast selections of excellent freeze-dried backpacking food, including beef Stroganoff, lasagna and turkey tetrazzini. Add boiling water to the pack and you'll have a delicious meal in minutes.
Many hikers learn to their regret that black bears, raccoons, skunks and other animals are active at night. The delicious smells of camp food and dirty dishes draw them from a long way. Clean up your camp area, wash your dishes and utensils away from the camp and suspend your pack from a high branch where animals can't get it. Otherwise, animals will ransack your gear and even carry items away. Maybe you'll find them. Maybe you won't.
Don't leave your trash. Pack it out or burn paper items, if appropriate. Check with the national forest district office before you hike to see if the fire risk level allows for campfires.
This beautiful weather won't last long, so enjoy it while you can. Consider it a love letter from autumn.
In warm and dry weather, a light hammock can substitute for a tent, allowing you to sleep comfortably in any terrain. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Bryan Hendricks)