Roughin' It

I went camping this past weekend. I LOVE camping: spending time outdoors, hiking, sitting around a bonfire, getting creative with cooked meals over a fire, and spending time with friends and loved ones. My favorite camping trip to this day is when myself and four of my closest girlfriends, took a road trip to the Smoky Mountains to go camping. We had the best time. Some of the guys doubted that we would make it that long without showers and whatnot, but we proved them wrong. Heck, I'm sure some of the girls may have even been a little nervous since it was the first time many of us had camped without a male, but I think that we were determined to show that we didn't need to rely on someone else.

I knew the best way to both light a fire and keep it going; it was all in how you build it from the start. And we all worked together to cook breakfast, hike, sight-see, and of course, have a good time. We soon discovered bits of the camping trip that each of us was good at, and that's one of the things that made it all worth it to me. Instead of relying on one person, we relied on each other, and each other's abilities to make the camping trip both fun and a learning experience. Even though we couldn't take showers, we still had a bathroom that we could use; it just took a bit of walking to get there.

This past weekend, I went camping for the first time since that Smoky Mountain trip. I knew all of the essentials to pack, right down to the toilet paper, Charmin flushable wet wipes, and hydro-cortisone spray (for cuts, bug bites, burns, etc). I felt totally prepared. What I wasn't prepared for?...my fiance telling me when we were halfway there that there wasn't a bathroom, outhouse, port-a-potty, etc. I'm not gonna lie, I was taken aback and a little worried. I think that everyone can agree that it is a lot easier for a male to go the restroom in the great outdoors, than it is for a female.

So ladies, as a first timer peeing in the great outdoors for 3 days, I've got some tips for you.

1.) Wear pants, shorts, etc that have some type of elastic/stretchy material in them. It is a lot easier for you to pull them out of the way as you're squatting. You can use one hand for holding yourself up if need be, and the other holding your clothing out of the way. This way, you can pee quickly, and not worry about getting any of it on your clothing.
2.) Bring flushable wet wipes. Notice how I said I packed Charmin wet wipes above? PACK SOMETHING SIMILAR! These work in a few ways. God forbid you have to go #2 out in the woods, but it could happen, and if it does, you will have wet wipes to leave you walking away feeling clean and refreshed. The other good thing about these is if there isn't a bathroom, there most likely isn't a shower either. You can use these to clean other parts of your body too.
3.) Set up camp close to your "facilities." Before setting up camp, do a once-over of the area; walk around trying to find a spot or two that would give you enough privacy and that you'd be comfortable using as your outdoor restroom. One of the things to keep in mind, is to set up camp close to your restroom facilities. You don't want to be walking long distances at night because you could get injured, get lost, or even get attacked by some of the local wildlife. Stay as close to the fire as you can.