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.

[salsabike]

Are you kidding? ALL THE TIME. It actually varies from a high of once an hour to sometimes every three-four hours, but it is always a major issue for me. Bladder the size of a pea. And once I start drinking...oh boy.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Porta-potties??? Where??? There aren't any around here, that's for sure! What a great concept! (but who would pay for them??)

But there are LOTS of trees and woods and bushes around here and it's not too hard to find a hidden spot in the fields and bushes right off the side of the road. I find if I lay my bike right down in the tall grass instead of leaning it against a tree, then motorists won't see it, slow down, or wonder who's (free?) bike it is.
I just pee fast and use some leaves or grass. I avoid the poison ivy though.
I can usually do up to a 3 hour ride without going.

[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!

[cyclingmom01]

I run & ride with the "peeingist" ( I made that one up!) group of women. They're amazed that I never have to pee. Anyhow, they'll go anywhere. If you've done any sort of long distance running, it's no big deal. Ya gotta go, ya gotta go.

[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.