[QUOTE= always bring some antibiotic ointment with you.

David in PA[/QUOTE]

zinc oxide, or the stuff that life guards put on their noses, is both an antibiotic or can double as a sunscreen, especially for burned/exposed areas. I love the double use of this stuff, and a little tube of it always sits in my gear.

I always carry a sarong too. It has multiple uses - towel, a ground cloth, a sheet. In the desert I wet it and wrap it around me to keep me cool. If its cold, I shove it in my pants, shirt, or jacket to provide extra insulation. I throw it over my shoulders or over my head (secured with a bandana) to wear a-la Saudi headress style for some sun protection. Do I look like an idiot? Yeah, probably for about two seconds, but then again that might be due to my long lean frame and an occasional beard that might make me look a little like Osama. Oh, and then it can always be used as a fashionable wrap. Can anyone say "toga!?"