Packing a Cruelty Free Backpack Part 2

My friend and I came upon the largest collection of cairns that I had ever seen before.
Cougar Crest Trail, Big Bear CA. 2017

I just learned that cairns have been used since ancient time as markers on the trail, or as a way to identify where buried items could be found.  Sometimes they were used as ceremonial features...usually when the stars and planets were involved.  I know that people today use them as a tool for meditation or mindfulness.  Either way, cairns are pretty cool to look at and appreciate out how the creator got the stones to balance.

To continue sharing what I'm going to pack in my cruelty free backpack, I want to start with some of ways I plan to stay clean for a month on the road.  The Camino de Santiago is considered a pilgrimage, and whether you are walking the camino for religious, spiritual, athletic, or adventurous reasons, you are considered a pilgrim while you are walking on it.  The thing that separates this walk from most hikes you hear about is that this one has dorm-like locations for pilgrims to stay in at night.  Most pilgrims will be sleeping in a bed, whether in the pilgrim's dorm, a hotel, a hostel, or Air-BNB rather than in a tent.  In Spain, they call the dorms set aside for pilgrims "albergues."  Most of the albergues have showers and many, but not all, have a washer and dryer that pilgrims can use to wash out stinky socks every night.  Sometimes those washer and dryers are difficult to get a turn with.  In the caminodesantiagoforum.org.uk, many experienced pilgrims share how they got around that.

     I will be doing my laundry in a sink...and the kindest soap I could find came in the form of nuts, Eco Nuts.  They are also called soap berries and are cruelty free and about as natural as you can get.  Usually people would put about 5 of the nuts in the muslin bag they provide and throw that in the washer.  I had to play around and figure out how to make this work on a small-as-a-sink scale.  I figured I had better try them out before I took off, so I filled a basin with warm water and one Eco nut. 

     The part of the nut that has a soap-like capability is in the shell. The shell is rock hard, dry, and cracked.  I tried rubbing the shell on a stain...and nothing happened.  I decided to wait and let the nut soften up.  Well, it never softened up but I did notice that the stain started to disappear. It wasn't like a bleach clean, but it did really well.  I guess the soap from the shell leaches into the water and then starts washing the clothes.  Supposedly it works like a softener, too. I was thrilled to see that it could really clean something...especially because these Eco Nuts are so light.  They won't add any weight to the pack. I'm going to bring 3-5 nuts with me (they are supposed to be good for 10 small loads each) and that should be plenty if I'm walking for about 40 days.

To hang up my clothes I will be bringing two long shoelaces and some safety pins. This way I can either hang up clothes right on the clothes line I make out of shoelaces, or hang them from the outside of my backpack to dry in the sun.  This is one method pilgrims use to clean their clothes...it's the method I will use.  

Next, I have to have a way to clean myself so that I'm worthy of my fresh clothes.  I made a separate little bag to carry my shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and other hygiene items.  I read in the forum that there may not be a shelf to put my items on in the showers that I'll be using...but some said they found ways to hang bags on the shower door.  

This is my solution:  I am going to hang my shower bag using a S-hook. I ordered the S hooks through Amazon which came 10 in a pack for around $7.00. Maybe I will use the other 9 hooks to hang scarves on a line in my bedroom.....

Inside my shower bag I am bringing a bar of shampoo and conditioner. I got these (the ones that look like orange crescents below) from Sweet and Sassy.  I contacted the company and they confirmed that they are cruelty free and vegan.  I cut the bars in half to keep the weight down.  I practiced with the other halves to make sure they would work and was shocked to see what an awesome lather the shampoo bar made. The scent is a fairly strong mandarin orange/other citrusy mix and I felt really fresh after washing my hair.  Unfortunately, the conditioner wasn't as impressive...but it did the job enough.  Especially since I plan to wash my hair and put it in two side braids almost immediately each night.  I also have a midget bar of Tom's Soap.  Now, I've heard that not all of Tom's products are vegan/cruelty free, this soap came in a box that claimed it was.

  I am also bringing hair elastics, a microfiber bath towel that I have already cut in half, some q-tips that I have also cut in half, and have the lotion I described in "Packing a Cruelty Free Back Pack Part 1" here, ready to use right after a shower.  I am bringing a shower cap in case, but I'm having a hard time believing I might not want to wash my hair every night after walking 15-20 miles every day!
  Below is the deodorant I found and am currently crazy about.  It is Rosewood and Bergamot by Honestly Phresh.  I have been using it before I go out on practice hikes and it is actually holding up really well. I just use the wooden paddle to take out a little bit of the deodorant in the jar.  I take the deodorant paste off the paddle and use my hand to spread the paste under my arm.  It goes on easily, washes off my hand quickly, and keeps me smelling great all day.  It's the best deodorant I've found so far!

Wow...I really needed to find this.  The last deodorant I had left little ball thingies under my arms and didn't really protect me from odor!  Yuck!

I read recently that this was one of the best vegan/cruelty free toothpastes.  Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil and Neem Toothpaste 



Another company that made the great toothpaste  list was David's Toothpaste...I own and love that one, also.  I bought two tubes at a vegfest and love how it cleans my mouth. But I will be using the Tea Tree Oil paste on the trail.


Believe it or not, the little white "capsules" below are actually toilet paper.  If you put a few drops of water on one of these little tablets they will puff up and unfold to become toilet paper or a hand towel.  I heard that sometimes the albergues run out of toilet paper when there are a lot of pilgrims...and that it was a good idea to bring a roll of TP for my personal use.  I think these little paper tablets are perfect for this trip.  I don't need too many because there will be TP most of the time. On those few occasions I do need some of my own, this is a light weight way to make sure I've got a small stash.

The TP tablets are directly on top of my journal.  I will be bringing a little bullet journal to keep track of my adventure, names of people I meet, and the important information I don't want to forget.  


The famous John Brierley Travel Guide for the Camino de Santiago is off to the left in this photo.

I will also be bringing some bandaids, toe nail clippers, tweezers, bobby pins, band-aids, and a needle with thread.  Believe it or not, the needle and thread are for blister care, not clothing care.  If you get a blister you are supposed to put thread in the needle, sterilize the needle, push the needle through your blister, and pull it through...but letting the thread to only come out half way.  So, there should be thread, blister, thread...This way, the thread acts like a wick and lets the fluid drain out and air out while it begins to heal.  Good to know!

In part three of Packing a Cruelty Free Backpack, I will show you the sleeping bag I've chosen and more things I'm excited to try on the trail!

Until then,

Take a hike!

Peace!