Pee and Poop threads. Gotta love them.
So, this past weekend, I was on a trip up Mt. Rainier, and they had informed us ahead of time to pack toilet paper because there are obviously no toilets up there. You are also required to bring a plastic bag, and if you are so unfortunate as to have to produce the 'ol number 2....you will be forced to carry it back down the mountain with you.
So...you have a couple of chances at a toilet. One is in the morning before you start the hike, then the next is at the end of the day at Base Camp. You're supposed to continue eating the whole way for energy....so I figured...it's BOUND to happen at some point. I would have gone in the morning to assure myself a poop-free climbing day, and, I hadn't "gone" the day before that, so I figured the morning would just be a natural thing.
However, when the alarm hit, I found out I just didn't have to go. I tried, but the old "Here I sit" poem was in full effect. I was worried I was going to be that guy that has to go on the trail at some point, but there was nothing I could do. I started climbing and crossed my fingers that I wouldn't get the urge along the way.
I easily made it up to base camp, and used their latrine, but a few hours later when I was on my way up the mountain again from there, I realized I was going to have to go. Maybe it was that dehydrated beef stew.
Somehow, I managed to ignore the call of nature, and hold it until I came down from the top of the mountain, but a few people on our rope were not so lucky. They had to climb as far away from us as their 12 feet of slack would allow, and attempt to have as much privacy as they could while being tied at the hip to 5 or 6 other guys. Then they had to carry the bag full of goodness all the way back down to base camp with them. I couldn't help thinking that no matter where it is in your pack, it's probably next to something (Clothes, food, water, sunscreen, whatever) that you're going to use that day.
Yuck.