Q: My boyfriend and I are going
to the Great Smoky Mountains on a multiday hike,
and we're wondering if you have any
suggestions on the best way to pack a backpack?
TIM HILL, Seattle
A: Most experienced backcountry backpackers will tell
you one main thing: Pack lightly! Only when you have
to lug 80 pounds of miscellaneous items up trails do
you realize how many things you can actually do
without. The rule of thumb is that heavier items should go
toward the top of the pack, closer to your body, while
the lighter ones should go to the bottom (as long as
they don't get crushed). Instead of smushing your
sleeping bag into your pack, strap it on to the outside
bottom of the pack (this also keeps the down from
being damaged). In bear country, it's always
good to be loud to scare them off, so hooking on clanking
pots or tools on the outside of the pack is a good way
of making noise, as long as it does not get in the way
of your movement. Keeping your tent on the outside of
your pack or right on top (in a waterproof bag) is also a
good idea when you want to set it up quickly in the
rain. Keep items like sunscreen, jackets, bug spray,
toilet paper, and a camera easily accessible in outer
pockets of the pack. Cooking fuel should be stored
upright and away from your food, in case of an accidental
spill. And although it may be easier to hike with the
pack's straps cinched tightly around your
waist, after a couple hours you'll have cramps in
your abdomen, so keep them snug but not too tight.
Q: I recently took a job that
requires me to travel within the United States on
a weekly basis. I'm really starting to feel
like a professional "Out Traveler," yet
I'm still unsure about tipping hotel
bellhops. Is there a general rule? ED
GRUNWALD, Tallahassee, Fla.
A: Before you leave the house, make sure your wallet
is packed with $1 bills--you'll need
them! Throughout the United States the general rule is
to tip the bellhop $1 per bag and an additional $3 to $5 if
he shows you to the room (tip more if you make him lug
your collection of Swedish crystal). Whip out those
singles again when the doorman hails you a cab,
fetches your car, or opens your door (again, $1 is
standard). The money exchange should be quick and
seamless. It's nice to fold the bill in half,
extend a smile and a handshake, and say "Thank
you." By the way, the word tip, which
originated in England, was meant as an acronym for the
phrase "to insure promptness."
Q: I'm going to the
Montreal Outgames next summer. A friend told me
that a new law requires that I show a passport
when traveling to Canada, but isn't that just for
Canadians wishing to travel into the United
States? JANE ROBERTS, Oklahoma City
A: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is moving
forward with plans to require Canadians and U.S.
citizens to present their passports when reentering
the United States, but the plan, which applies to all
incoming travelers from the western hemisphere, won't
go into effect until December 31, 2006, for travelers
arriving by air or sea, and December 31, 2007, for
travelers arriving by land. So you won't need a
passport for July's Outgames, but why not join the
approximately 84% of gays and lesbians who have valid
passports (as compared to 29% of the general U.S.
population)? Standard passports, processed in about six
weeks, cost just $97.
