HikeArizona.COM

I have no idea if this has ever been brought up, but I'm going to ask. How does everyone feel about using tabacco products on the trail? Smoking while hiking? Chewing while hiking? Just a curiosity. How many HAZ members smoke or chew? I quit smoking... for 4 months and then picked it back up again, for umfteenth time. And I have been known to chew sometimes.

snakemarks wrote:@Jim_H
Your link is for New Mexico.
This is current for Arizona: http://www.publiclands.org/firenews/pre ... EAzdLsRZul
And, this goes into effect 5/11/11: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOC ... 298271.pdf

The link is to New Mexico's forest service, but the link still provides the explanation for stage 2 restrictions. As I said, stage 1 is what most AZ forests are under. If we move to stage 2, as has been done in the Gila, smoking is stated as being banned. I was not saying that we have stage 2 in the Tonto or other AZ forests. other than that, they are universal and not state dependent. As you had written your post, it made it seem that the Tonto had the policy of stage 1 at all times, for smoking. It does not, and I was letting you and tough boots know this.

snakemarks wrote:A Red Flag Warning is intended only to inform firefighting and land management agencies of ideal fire conditions. Those agencies issue their own restrictions based on that warning. The NWS does not issue restrictions of their own.

pumpkin NPR lying to me again! ;)

@survivalhike
I know how the Native Americans did it to their pipe stems that did not have a direct line from mouthpiece to bowl.
They carved two stems to match top and bottom and then carved the airway around the center openings Then they attached the two pieces using resin.
Is this how yours is done?

@Alston Neal
That's exactly it, assuming you mean the Native Americans split the stem lengthwise. I split vertical grained pieces off the end of a flat sawn piece of wood that are about 18" long and 1/4" thick. I take one and run it through my table saw with the depth set to 1/8" so it cuts a channel down the length of the piece, thats about half the thickness deep. I plane the other piece down to 1/8", and attach it tot eh 1/4" piece with the groove running the length. I apply Titebond III Wood Glue which is waterproof, food safe, and completely non-toxic (you can literally drink the stuff) to the insides before clamping in a curved clamping mold I made. The wood glue dries in the mold, which sets the curve. There is a little spring back, but not much. From there I attach the bowl once I have drilled or chiseled out passages to draw through. For the finish I use Tru-Oil on the outsides only.

I've made a few now, and through some experimentation I figured out what works and what doesn't as far as wood selections goes. I am planning on making a set of these for a few friends of mine that go on an annual camping trip with me. We have been doing the trip for 10 years now, and I think it would be a nice gift that everyone would like. I am going to be making these pipes out of Sugar Maple (Hard Maple) for both the stems and the bowls. To get the color right I'll be using an alcohol based stain to tint them darker, then buffing with carnuba wax, which is how real pipes are finished.

Sooo...you only use them for tobacco?

azbackpackr wrote:Sooo...you only use them for tobacco?

As hard as that is for everyone to believe, yes I only use them for tobacco. I have a nice English Blend called North Sea that is a custom blend at Blew Smoke tobacco shop in Gilbert. Even though you don't inhale the smoke, the nicotine hit from the pipe after a 30 min smoke is all the buzz you need. I won't lie and say I have never tried "other substances" in my life, but they never really did it for me.

I used to joke with my friends and say that if pot were legal I could carry some of that in my pack instead of a heavy bottle of scotch and save a few pounds of weight in my pack. But I realized that the weight I lost would have to be replaced with funions, doritos, beef jerky, and all other manner of food for when the "munchies" strike. lol Either that or I would eat the entire 5 day ration on the first day...and at that point I don't know what trail I would be down, but I know what creek I would be up.

@survivalhike
Good answer!
(I can't imagine heading off into the wilderness with less than all of my brain. It's even better if you can also bring someone else's brain along with you for back up! ;) )

I do smoke TObacco but have cut way back in recent years. Rarely, if ever, do I smoke on the trail and if I do then I pack my ciggie butts out with me. If I'm backpacking, I only smoke at camp and then only one or two. I also do not smoke in my car when I have non smokers with me. (that's just rude)

Even as a smoker I have a REAL problem with people leaving their butts on the trail or worse is throwing them out their car windows. Everyday I see people just nonchalantly tossing them out their car windows.

Trishness wrote:I do smoke TObacco but have cut way back in recent years. Rarely, if ever, do I smoke on the trail and if I do then I pack my ciggie butts out with me. If I'm backpacking, I only smoke at camp and then only one or two. I also do not smoke in my car when I have non smokers with me. (that's just rude)

Even as a smoker I have a REAL problem with people leaving their butts on the trail or worse is throwing them out their car windows. Everyday I see people just nonchalantly tossing them out their car windows.

I have to agree with you on all points, except maybe one or two at camp. I usually have more than that. It's hard for me to sit around at camp and NOT smoke. Oh well.

One of the times the Mrs. and I quit smoking we were doing ok till we camped for a week in the San Juans.
When we went to resupply, I bought a pack for camp as an after dinner treat...
Arrrrrrggggghhhh!