I think these were the dirtiest pants* in the parking lot Saturday .... thanks to Mark H. for being a good sport and letting me take a picture!
This past Saturday's work trip (July 20) was a great example of why it is a very good idea to bring along a change of clothes and footwear for 'after' a day of maintenance (or hiking) on the trail. The day had all the ingredients for very dirty, nasty clothes: heat, humidity, muddy conditions from previous rain, poison ivy juice from weed whipping, and a thunder storm that dumped a lot of rain on most everybody.
If you're one of those 'hardcore' types who could care less that your clothes are perhaps sweaty, stinky, muddy, covered in poison ivy juice, and gosh-knows-what-else (and maybe all of the above), think about your fellow trail mates on the ride home ..... and their vehicles if you aren't driving your own!
One of the "traditions" that the maintainers enjoy after a day on the trail is to go somewhere after, chow down and enjoy talking about our day. Most folks who anticipate going out to eat after the work trip definitely bring a change of clothes, although we've had folks now and then who forgot or didn't realize how dirty they'd be getting. So far, we've not had any restaurant refuse us entry, but you get a lot less 'stares' if you're reasonably presentable.
Saturday, a lot of us got caught in a big thunderstorm. Our group didn't put on rain gear which tends to quickly become steamy and too warm/uncomfortable during hot/humid weather. The cool rain felt pretty good and and although we weren't "singing in the rain" (especially with all the lightning around), it was quite liberating to know getting wet didn't matter one whit because we all had a clean, dry change of clothes waiting back at the tool shed!
Clean dry clothes after a work trip ..... a definite trail work favorite.
*Yes, Mark had clean clothes to change into!
(Photo: Merlot)
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