Date:         Sat, 21 Oct 2006 09:37:44 -0600
Reply-To:     David Etter <detter@MAIL.AURACOM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Etter <detter@MAIL.AURACOM.COM>
Subject:      Re: Westy Winter Camping Suggestions..(NVC)
In-Reply-To:  <5c1si1$8rguup@smtp01.lnh.mail.rcn.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Joy:
        I can't stand it any more, I had refrained from jumping into
this most enjoyable topic but seeing as it's just too much fun...here
goes.
Alcohol is a vasodilator, drink it and your peripheral blood vessels
dilate to absorb external heat or radiate precious heat depending on
the ambient conditions.
        So.. For Winter camping, drop the caffeine and tobacco (both
vasoconstrictors) and have a hot rum toddy and jump into bed with
some hot blooded person.
        Unfortunately, having first ingested the booze, one's
judgment as to what or who is a hot blooded may tend to be blurred.
However with the clarity of morning after, the correctness of the
decision will become apparent.
Good Luck!  ;-)
                                        David (dsl82westy)

P.S.; Again, I stress taking a toque to cover the head, in this case,
your's at night to keep you warm and your misdiagnosed hot blooded
companion's in the dawn's early light.  ;-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


>Well, actually I don't know much about the impacts of alcohol, though I
>doubt that it dilutes blood vessels.  Probably doesn't dilute blood, either.
>
>
>{spelling geek at work!!!}
>
>And I wouldn't search the Vanagon archives for into on caffeine - I'd try
>googling caffeine!
>
>But yeah, if you drink spiked hot chocolate before bed in the winter in
>Alaska, do make sure to use your down comforter!
>
>
>
>Joy
>
>p.s.  It is Friday, isn't it?  Did this make any sense?
>
>
>:::-----Original Message-----
>:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
>:::Of Sam Walters
>:::Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 6:14 PM
>:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>:::Subject: Re: Westy Winter Camping Suggestions..(NVC)
>:::
>:::Maybe this isn't a heretical suggestion after all.  As much as Joy likes
>:::coffee, a well documented fact, if you search the archives (smile Joy),
>:::I am sure that "cut the caffeine" doesn't mean to go without it
>:::altogether, but to limit / lessen the intake "if your hands and feet are
>:::cold," as she wrote and before bed so you won't be working at a
>:::circulatory deficit when trying to stay warm under the covers.
>:::
>:::And, IIRC, I think that the alcohol dilutes the blood vessels not
>:::constricts them, so I doubt that Joy will offer the same advice.  But I
>:::think that this creates a false sense of warmth at the skin sometimes
>:::causing people to underdress, (and in football crowds partially undress)
>:::to their possible detriment.
>:::
>:::So, if you drink a bunch of spiked hot chocolate and think about going
>:::to sleep in the Vanagon during the Alaskan winter with just a sheet over
>:::you, remember that your body may be playing tricks on you.  Of course,
>:::by then you may not care.
>:::
>:::Sam
>:::
>:::--
>:::Sam Walters
>:::
>:::Baltimore, MD