[pct-l] bathroom stops

[Edward Anderson]

Hi Diane,
 
Peeing during the night:  I have had that problem for years. When I have to pee it wakes me up - this happens two or three times every night - whether on the trail or at home. Here is how I deal with it if I am in my tent. I don't get out of the tent to pee. Before unzipping the tent netting to enter I dig a shallow hole just outside. Then I cover it up with my kneeling-sitting pad (a feed sack with grommets in the corners. That pad has many uses.) Then, after unzipping the insect net door, I quickly enter and kill all or the insects that I can find. To pee during the night (the mosquitoes usually are not very active then), I unzip the door, push the pad aside, kneel and pee into the shallow hole. I was careful to select a tent (an MSR Hubba) with enough headroom to allow me to kneel. Another approach that I have used is to pee, while kneeling, into a small plastic container (the bottom 25% of a Gaiter Aid bottle). and dump it into the shallow
 hole. I realize that my approach is fairly easy for a guy. For a woman, a slightly larger diameter plastic container ought to work -  perhaps 1/2 ounce.
 
As for #2: My experience is that usually right after I have my great big cup of hot chocolate (over 300 calories) in the morning I have to go.- sometimes rather urgently.  So, I always locate my cat hole spot the night before, and dig a proper and deep enough hole. I seek out organic material that will favor decomposition because of the bacteria and acids present. Before covering the hole in the morning I pee in it to add moisture.
 
Hope these tips might be of help to some.
 
MendoRider-Hiker
 

________________________________
 From: Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
To: pct-l at backcountry.net 
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 6:23 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] bathroom stops
  
Are you currently thru-hiking? I noticed on my long distance hikes  
that I lost the ability to hold it. I would get a sudden urge to pee  
and could not hold it more than a few seconds. I didn't have to pee  
often, just always urgently. I thought it was just because I was  
devolving, being out there all alone, there was no reason to hold it.  
I had the same experience with number 2, too. Instantly upon  
returning home or even just being in town I was normal again.

My hands always swell which is one reason I really like hiking poles.  
Grabbing something seems to keep them from swelling.

On Jul 10, 2012, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> Subject: [pct-l] bathroom stops
>
> Hi.? I am wondering if other people have the same problem as I  
> have.? I
> can't seem to make it very far before I have to stop to, well,  
> 'pee'.? I am
> sick of it.? Is the hiking beating up my bladder or something??
>
> Also, my hands swell when I hike in the heat.? I sip water as I  
> hike (and,
> no, I am not drinking that much to account for stopping to go to the
> bathroom every flippin' half hour!!) and I know I am not  
> dehydrated. Thanks
> for any help.
> Chemo Savvy

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