Welcome to episode 141 of the first 40 miles.

If you're new to backpacking or if you're hopelessly in love with someone who wants you to love

backpacking, then this podcast is for you. We'll talk about the

essentials, how to lighten your load and how to make the most of your time on the

trail. I'm your host Heather Legler. And I'm Josh Legler. And this is the first 40 miles.

Today on the first 40 miles, if you're too darned hot, today's episode will give you some ideas for cooling down.

And we'll keep the heat coming with a review on a fire starter that's non-toxic, long-burning, and waterproof. Then the backpack hack of the week you'll learn

how to create your own ultra-light human-powered air conditioning unit. Is that overselling it a bit?

A bit.

All this and that's about it. Today on the first 40 miles. Well so many of our trips that we take are cold, wet. Trips where we're

doing everything we can to stay warm. Right, And so one of our listeners actually contacted us and said, hey,

do you think you could do an episode about staying cool? And honestly, the thought

had not crossed my mind.

And we took a trip this summer to New Mexico, so that was a good reminder that there are actually

places in this world where you're too hot and you're trying to stay cool not the other way around.

Right and if you live in one of those locations it's really hot there are some great ways little tricks to

avoiding the heat. There are actually places that you can go, probably not too far

from your home that are cooler than maybe what you're experiencing in the city.

You mean like high elevation places?

High elevation, yes.

I was talking with a friend of ours who did a trip this summer in the Willawas in Northeast Oregon,

and you know know hot summertime

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