potty break?

[amgdjp]

Am I the only one who needs a pee break on any ride longer than 2 hours? I live in a semi-rural area, but there are often cars. What do you guys do?

[DarcyInOregon]

Ha, ha, ha. Suzie and Ellen should read this thread. They are two other TE members.

We did a 72-miler on Saturday and for some reason it was hard to find the porta potties on that ride. It seemed like we spent miles and miles swiveling our heads looking for the porta potties. We finally found one, and Ellen went in it and it tipped over. I don't think Ellen thought it was funny, but I did.

Have this thread become a resource on how to find the porta potties. Here are my hints:

1. The far side of farmers' fields, but you have to get off the bike and trudge across the field, and then it might tip over.
2. Behind rural and small town schools there are porta potties, but you have to bike in and go behind and look.

Otherwise, carry tissue with you, go down a side road, go behind a bush or tree, and make sure there is no poison oak.

And don't count on a porta potty remaining in the same spot. The farmers move them and the schools move them.

Darcy

[Starfish]

I use state park & camping area porta-potties. I use them at truck-weighing scales if it is after trucker's hours. I go in convenience stores, if there is one. I go behind trees when there isn't. I have slid down scree to go behind the one tree in the alpine environment.

I've learned to drop my shorts and go, FAST. I've used tissue, no tissue, and leaves, depending on what I'm doing.

It helps to develop a less-sensitive sense of modesty!

[crazycanuck]

I just find a nice tree...and keep my fingers crossed that noone zooms by...



C

[mimitabby]

yesterday at about mile 20 of a 30 mile ride, i had to go. We found a portapotty (VERY clean) and only one other person used it, out of 6 riders. They all had coffee and water and breakfast the same time i did.

[Veronica]

No, I hardly ever need to go once I'm on the bike. Driving to the start of a ride is another story. However, I will use the facilities whenever I stop - just in case.

And yes I do hydrate. I just think it all becomes sweat.

V.

[mimitabby]

so to answer your question; at the beginning of a ride, once an hour.
during the ride once every 2 hours.

[sundial]

Well, our version of a porta potty is to duck down into a slough or to go behind a farming implement left in the field.

[oxysback]

Ha, ha, ha. Suzie and Ellen should read this thread. They are two other TE members.

We did a 72-miler on Saturday and for some reason it was hard to find the porta potties on that ride. It seemed like we spent miles and miles swiveling our heads looking for the porta potties. We finally found one, and Ellen went in it and it tipped over. I don't think Ellen thought it was funny, but I did.
Darcy

Man...seemed like we passed 5 or 6 porta-potties (either WAAAAY out in the field or on private property) before we found the 'tipsy' one! Just for the record...it was on a little trailer, and the trailer tipped. So it's not like I dumped the thing!

What Darcy didn't say was that the next one we found (sparkling clean!) came with a Doberman who looked like he took his guard duty job seriously. So on we went until we got to this gas station/drive-thru coffee shop. Score!! And I walked around and it was LOCKED with a padlock! Then someone pointed me to one across the parking lot. SHEW!! I thought I was gonna pee my pants!

[Jiffer]

Sometimes I can get through a 2 hour ride without a potty break. Yet other times, like yesterday, it's non-stop. We rode about 2 1/2 hours. I peed twice during the ride and had to go SO bad during our last 45 minutes home!!! What's THAT all about?!

I'm lucky that most my routes have bathroom options available, whether porta potties or gas stations. Once I tried to go at a camp site, but the bathrooms were locked, so I squatted behind them instead.

You gotta do what you gotta do! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one around here peeing all the time!

[Scarlet]

I dont think the peeing is the problem, just go if you have to there is always somewhere, jump a hedge if you need,
I always seem to choose the time to go when a car, runner or walkers come by.
For me it would be a nightmare if there was no loo to be seen and i needed the "other"
I dont understand how anyone could use a porta pottie they are sooooooooo disgusting, would rather dig a hole. At least its just your own "stuff"

so ...
always have in your seatpack.......
tissues, hand wipes, trowel, large brown paper bag to cover your eyes so no one can see you as you squat (ostrich)

happy squatting
Scarlet

[cosc]

The few spots on my rides that I can see a long distance both directions becomes my pee break. This area is very rural, so you just have to keep your eye out for farmers and ranchers in their fields.

[ehirsch83]

RIDE HARDER!! Then you won't have to pee, it will all come out as sweat!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

RIDE HARDER!! Then you won't have to pee, it will all come out as sweat!

Hmmm....I think if I rode that hard I might be in danger of not enjoying my bike ride through the countryside as much as I do now. I'll stick with peeing.

[boy in a kilt]

It's not just women that have to pee lots on rides. I'm good for about 90 minutes before it's time to go.

A Physician's Assistant friend of mine said the two products of metabolizing carbohydrates are carbon dioxide and water. So if I have to pee lots, it means my water intake is enough or almost enough to keep up with the rate at which I lose water through sweat.

I'm wondering if there isn't another reason though. I came up from a hard ride the other night knowing I was dehydrated. Still had to pee after the ride.