Five Questions with Whitney "Allgood" LaRuffa

ALDHA-West had its Gathering on August 27-29 down at Camp Augusta, near Nevada City, California. I had the chance to attend the event, and take a few minutes to interview my good buddy Whitney "Allgood" LaRuffa. This is my second five questions format video (the first was with Uncle Johnny!), and I think I will produce more of these going forward. Anyway, I thought it would be good to do this as a tribute to Allgood, since he is finishing his tenure as the President of ALDHA-West.

Congratulations Allgood on your six years of service to ALDHA-West! Your dedication and leadership has transformed the organization to meet the needs of the long distance hiking community.

First Post In Nearly 7-Years

Ker-splash! Yesterday, I made a splash back into the world of blogging with my post about pooping in the woods. I've been gone from this blog for a while. Try 7-years! Not that I have been totally away from doing this blogging thing, since I made a few posts on my other blog hikethecdt.blogspot.com back in 2016.  Still, there's this blog, and I started it back in 2007 when blogging about long distance hiking and thru-hiking was becoming a thing, so I'd like to think I was part of a hiker digital revolution back in the day.

Climbing Baden-Powell in 2003 on the Pacific Crest Trail

I started this blog when I was getting a certification in Integrated Marketing from San Francisco State University. I took a social media class, and part of the exercise was to create a blog about something I was passionate about. Of course, I chose long distance hiking and the name Distance Backpacker, because I had to come up with a unique name on the spot (I think thruhiker.blogspot.com was taken at the time, and if you click the the link, it's still there with no meaningful content. Who the hell is sitting on that?!). Anyway, this blog was created for a class project, and I ran with it for 5-years posting content on a semi-regular basis.

My content at the time was sometimes pretty random. I'd post something about a gear idea, or I'd write about a fire closure, or a hiking trip I took with my niece in Colorado. As I look back on my posts, I think it's good to post trip reports, and gear ideas, but I don't think it's necessary to make posts about trail closures and fires. Organizations like the PCTA and the Appalachian Trail conservancy got that pretty well handled.

I am going to blog more about my expertise, knowledge, and experience in long distance hiking. I've been doing it for 20-years now, and you know, I've got some wisdom to share with the world. Dare I say that I am an authority on the subject? Hell yeah! Granted, I am kind of an old fossil when it comes to all the latest gear companies, apps, and innovations, but I am pretty much still in the know on what is cool, and what people are using these days.

Whitney "Allgood" LaRuffa would be a good interview!

Still, I don't think this blog should be concerned so much on gear and innovations as it should be about the people who are involved in the hiking culture, long distance hiking wisdom, and long trails. I've had some ideas swimming in my head, and I plan to do a few interviews (like I've done before with Uncle Johnny (RIP) and Billygoat), continue with trip reports from sections I am re-hiking on the Triple Crown and other trails, and share the knowledge, thoughts, and ideas swimming in my head.

I will re-commit here on the blog, and see where it goes. I am not sure how much traffic this blog will get, but as they say, "content is king on the internet," and I am sure that people are still reading and not just looking at the pictures only. It's good to be back, and dammit, I have something to say!

Pooping in the Woods

Using the Deuce of Spades #2

One of the newest pieces of gear that I carry with me is the Deuce of Spades #2. My friend Allgood turned me on to using the Deuce on a few trips, and now I am sold on its use. The Deuce can be ordered at thetentlab.com, and comes in three different weights: Deuce #1 weighs in at .45 ounces; Deuce #2 is .6 pounces; and Deuce #3 at .97 ounces. Deuce #1 is light duty, or where soil conditions make digging easy (think sand). Deuce #2 (model I am demonstrating here) might be used in woods like the Pacific Northwest where soils may have some small roots, but soil is somewhat loamy. Deuce #3 might be used in soils that are more compact or dense. The Deuce is made from "aerospace grade 7075-T6 aluminum" according to their website, comes in a range of colors, and ranges in price from $18.95 for the #1 to $24.95 for the #3. My #2 cost $19.95.

Leave No Trace ethics asks that poop be buried in a 6" to 8" deep cathole that is also 4" to 6" wide. The Deuce of Spades make this digging pretty easy. The serrated leading edge of the trowel cuts through the top surface of the soil, and can carve out small roots that get in the way of digging a hole. Remember trying to use one of those cheap Coghlan orange plastic trowels? Digging and removing soil was difficult, the size and shape did not match ultralight hiking gear, and weighs 2-ounces. The Deuce is lightweight, and its wide, curved shape is ideal for removing soil quickly and easily. 

On a recent trip to Indian Heaven Wilderness in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, I used the Deuce#2 for disposing my waste. Below is a video I made on using the Deuce to bury poop.

I recommend adding the Deuce of Spades to your hiking gear arsenal. It works! It's lightweight! And, it does a great job of disposing of your poop properly. Buy one now!