The touching cotton question

“We have all had the moment...touching cotton, prarie dogging, turtle head poking out.....

The feeling on the trail that "something" is going to happen in the nether regions. So the debate is...go when you feel it...or walk the extra mile or so to the next stop (Maybe more than a couple of miles)?”

“Is this poop talk?”

“Paging Nigal, calling Nigal...”

“I guess it depend on how bad it is. If I can hold it, I'll walk the extra mile or so to use a privy. If I can't it's off into the woods I go.”

“... I have toilet paper in a Ziploc in every pack, in the car and in some pockets.

I also have wet wipes, but they're all non-alcohol and they frezze in winter.”

“put some vodka in the ziploc with those wet ones, grem...”

“i had a moment like this on the AT in penn. i was hoping i could make it to the next shelter and a privy. i knew there was a road-crossing coming up and i decided i would go if they had a privy there, and maybe even if they didnt. well, i got there, no privy, but i was bursting by this time, so i set my pack down in the parking lot and went off into the woods a little bit to look for a place to dig. the ground was a bit hard rocky and i had to do bit of searching but i finally found a suitable spot. im watching the parking lot at the same time, and just as i pull down my pants, a police cruiser pulls into the parking lot, and starts checking out my pack. i pull my pants up quickly, thinking hes seen me and ive just mooned a cop, but he goes off in another direction. i come back down to the parking lot, and he asks to see my identification. says its for my protection, lots of people get hurt or lost in the woodss, dead bodies, yadda yadda yadda, but of course its because he wants to make sure im not some terrorist leaving strange packs behind to blow up AT trailheads. if i dont poop at the shelter privy, the terrorists win, i guess”

“Privy on the trail? You Easterners are so civilized. We Westerners don't have such facilities along backcountry trails and dig a cathole 6-8 inches deep, preferably with the most amazing view we can find.”

“Having seen many of the privies in my area, sometimes it's preferable to dig a cathole.”

“i've found that my body knows what "hitting the trail" means...if i get this feeling just before stepping off it will "reabsorb" by the time i'm 200 yards down trail”

“Not only do you pinch up and keep going but you lock it up until Sunday when you get out.”

“LOL, that's a whole different thread altogether...i think we've all hiked with someone that took meds to keep them from going while out”

“seems to me I remember Binks as having that lockup problem”

“No meds needed here. It just stops cold on it's own. Over the years I can count on one hand the number of times I've pooped in the woods. [sniff sniff]”

“Wow. Loosen your hipbelt!”

“...I can count on one hand the number of times I've pooped

you really should start using TP instead of your hand...that's just gross”

“Holding your #&%!$ is a major contributing factor to the development of Diverticulitis. Add Stress and the All American fiberless diet and your asking for a World of Hurt you never want to experience.”

“And b/c of the amount of fiber in my diet I don't think I can hold for very long, especially while mobile. I go when I need to go.

;)”

“An excuse to buy booze.

Thanks from the bottom of my heart (and why had I never thought about that?).

Doug”

“Rosey,

When I backpacked with the kids in Kananaskis Country, Alberta in 1988, we were only allowed to camp at designated spots where posts were supplied for hanging packs (we saw two grizzlies one evening). There were privies at each site. I wondered how they could possibly get them up there when I noticed cables on the top. Roving crews, mainly summer students I guess would check each sit regularly, cut wood and call for a helicopter when the privy was full.

I was impressed.”

“That is impressive. I've always thought the NW and Canada have it more together with their campsites e.g. established, permanent firerings with swivel grills, etc. I wouldn't be opposed to crappers in the woods, especially in some of the more heavily used areas where people don't seem to know how to bury their waste well. However, there is something slightly lame about coming up on a plastic portapotty in the middle of the wilderness.”

“bpbaby held it for three days once.....”

“Plastic portapotty? You should see some of the ones we have in NY. I’ve seen and used some that were nothing more than a wooden box with a hole cut into it, sitting over a larger hole in the ground. This isn’t the norm though; most have a wooden structure with a door surrounding where you sit. Most are panted dark brown or left natural. Most of the time you have to look for them to know they are there.”

“"There were privies at each site. I wondered how they could possibly get them up there when I noticed cables on the top."

I stayed at a designated site once like 9 miles in and they had a big plastic portapotty that was wheelchair accessible.”

“Anytime you need an excuse to buy booze gremmy, I'm here for ya...



Zac - one of the rangers in BSP calls those type of outhouse (toilet seat on a box) wet willys. It's kind of nice to sit with the breeze and the views, etc...”

“Many years ago we used to take things to plug us up before a field operation then when we got back we took a MAJOR production oriented med. Spent time in the head...

RESULT....last January I spent a few days recovering from Star Trek Surgery.”

“Geez, I thought you were backpackers!
What do you think duct-tape is for?”

“Out west at Philmont they have "piloted bombadiers", an open air double seater, where you sit back to back.”

“all these years I thought the purpose of those cotton thingies was to CATCH and CARRY 'til ya got to a place....!”

“AAARRRRGH...LOL A couple of years ago we had a unit at a certain MOUNTAIN campsite. THe evening they got there they noticed a nice Tree Limb running on the edge of the cliff. Heck you could sit there and "unload"...the next morning they were hiking down the trail and noticed that their campsite as directly ABOVE a number of other campsites....(LOL)”

“That sure was one big bird...”

“ROTFLMAO...@ rosey, we had a guy a few years ago who was on a long trip from Washington to Charleston. He got off I95 in SC and really needed to go. But he didn't want to stop.

So he used a coffee cup, opened the window and threw it out....wind being what it is....luckily we had a spare uniform for him”

““Out west at Philmont they have "piloted bombadiers", an open air double seater, where you sit back to back.”

For those who may not know, Philmont is the premier Boy Scout high-adventure destination. They built these because it's so difficult to get the average young Boy Scout to properly dig his cat-hole, etc.

Didn't want y'all to think we had privys out here like you do out East... as Rosey said above, "“Privy on the trail? You Easterners are so civilized. We Westerners don't have such facilities along backcountry trails"”

“Wanderer another reason for that would be that after a few hundred trips...there are so many Cat Holes you can dig.

Nigal remember the bathroom we found on the FTMA hike?”

“"another reason for that would be that after a few hundred trips...there are so many Cat Holes you can dig."

True-Dat! Really funny story, when I was a Scoutmaster my troop was all "high adventure", we were backpacking at least once/month, 12 months out of the year. Our "50 milers" and other extended trips were along the John Muir Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, etc. Of course we live in the best place in the world to BP, so everything else was "secondary" to these guys. Anyway, toward the end of their Scouting Career when we were planning summer activities, I asked... "are you guys sure you don't want to go to Philmont? It is the "mecca" for Boy Scouts around the country?" They laughed at me, Philmont?? we don't want to hike with a bunch of rookies!

I loved those guys, they were the best Scout Troop I have ever come across, and no, it wasn't because of me, it was all the parent support I had and the fact that we are so close to so many awesome places to hike it just seemed natural that we would be a BP-oriented troop!
last edited: 11/15/06 4:08:13 PM”

“XL,you shouldnt be wearing cotton while hiking. DUH!”

“LOL...I don't wear cotton...I am a confirmed member of MACC....Mothers Against Cotton Clothing (LOL)>

Since I can only wear cotton skivvies....why wear any at all.”

“I avoid privies like the plague. Of course I avoid trails too. I usually find some place (away from parking lots & trails).

My brother-in-law has encountered some problems while hiking during hunting season where the hunters wear camo or ghillie suits. Boy,,,,was HE embarrased.

I've worn cotton hiking for over 40 some-odd years. More specifically it's generally a 50/50 cotton synthetic mix. They're cheap & dry quickly. Worn em in rain & -20 below for days.

This year, I'm actually going to try 100% cotton in winter. Again more specifically it's (firehose) canvas & water resistant.”

“I have to wear cotton like t-shirts and skivvies due to the effects of 19 years or so of absorbed chemicals from fires. Things like elastic make me break out.

but I am a big fan of Poly pro and fleece. Great when it is cold and wet.”