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Post by hikerjer on Nov 27, 2015 18:13:52 GMT -8
Months is a long time to go without a good showering option. It's really not that hard to find showers when you travel. Just have to be a little creative. Campgrounds rent them ven if you don't stay there. Public swimming pools, hostels, universities, etc. |
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tigger
Trail Wise!
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Post by tigger on Nov 27, 2015 18:37:58 GMT -8
It's really not that hard to find showers when you travel. Just have to be a little creative. Campgrounds rent them ven if you don't stay there. Public swimming pools, hostels, universities, etc. Bluebear and I travelled 500 miles in a month and only ran into one restroom along the way. |
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johnnyray
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Argle-Bargle, Jiggery-Pokery, and Applesauce
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Post by johnnyray on Nov 27, 2015 18:51:12 GMT -8
BTW, why can't I vote in this poll? If you check a box it save your vote every time you come here, not working for you? Not afraid to take a quick bucket bath, I can get totally clean and it's pretty quick. |
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Post by 1camper on Nov 27, 2015 19:23:08 GMT -8
Months is a long time to go without a good showering option. It's really not that hard to find showers when you travel. Just have to be a little creative. Campgrounds rent them ven if you don't stay there. Public swimming pools, hostels, universities, etc. I'd did that one time around, if you're alone or with just one other it's doable...With 5, not so much.  I use this water heater. No moving parts save an easily replaceable bilge pump. Any water source and you're in business. We usually carry a 35 gal barrel for the dry spots. Just the shelter alone is cool too. Pops open, no poles and folds up flat. |
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Post by hikerjer on Nov 27, 2015 19:48:12 GMT -8
Bluebear and I travelled 500 miles in a month and only ran into one restroom along the way. Where was that? Im curious as to where you can't find a rest room in 500 miles. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2015 20:59:37 GMT -8
Bluebear and I travelled 500 miles in a month and only ran into one restroom along the way. Where was that? Im curious as to where you can't find a rest room in 500 miles. Probably on the Greenland ice sheet. But he did say they found "one," so where is Grizzly James when we need a little humor about Big Chief Baby Bladder?  j/k |
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daveg
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Michigan
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Post by daveg on Nov 27, 2015 22:05:38 GMT -8
I've done extended road trips with a sedan, full size van, pickup camper, large SUV, and SUV towing a 16' camper. For the type of trip you describe, I am inclined to say none of the above. Rather, I would seriously consider a minivan camper -- drives more like a car, good gas mileage, convenient and comfortable for a quick overnight, and a comfortable place to sit out bad weather.
A pickup with the smallest, lightest, lowest profile camper (like a pop-up) would be my next choice. When making frequent one-night stops, it's nice just to be able to park the vehicle and have your "room" ready for immediate use. And if it's cold and/or rainy, being able to pass the time in even a small camper is more comfortable than doing so in a SUV or tent.
If the weather is expected to be mostly temperate and dry, a SUV works well. Most of the time at "camp" can be spent outside but the vehicle is there as a dry and warm place to sit and sleep if needed. But it still takes time to haul out the stove, pitch the tent, and do other camp chores that would not be necessary with a pickup or minivan camper.
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Post by Lonewolf on Nov 27, 2015 23:42:34 GMT -8
I had a high clearance E350 Ford cargo van that I converted when I was contracting. Bed in back, lots of storage, sink backed up with 10 gallons of fresh water, port-a-potty. Crash out in a rest area or parking lot or even just a pulloff by the road when tired.
It didn't have 4WD but with mud tread tires I could still get into a lot of remote places for a backpacking jumpoff.
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Post by Lonewolf on Nov 27, 2015 23:44:49 GMT -8
Months is a long time to go without a good showering option. Truck stops have showers for a reasonable fee. I also had a fold up "shower stall" and a solar bag for heating water. Granted you don't have hot water when stopped for only a short time but set it out in the morning before a day hike and the water can get too hot to use. In the van mentioned, in winter I'd heat water on my BP stove and take sponge baths. Not all that satisfying but it worked. |
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Post by 1camper on Nov 28, 2015 6:54:20 GMT -8
Backpacking for long periods I use two 6 liter platypus bags and a white gas stove, works great and it's pretty fast.
On trips I've taken in years past, much time was spent in remote locations where it would take nearly an hour to get to a paved road. I don't choose to make that trip for something as simple as a shower and I prefer to get a shower at least every other day. That unit I posted will heat up a 7 gallon bucket in about 10 min..more water than you need for one. A game changer in my estimation, allowing everyone to get showers while dinner is being made and staying in the woods.
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tigger
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Post by tigger on Nov 28, 2015 8:00:56 GMT -8
Where was that? Im curious as to where you can't find a rest room in 500 miles. Travis wins the brownie button. They had flown in a wooden porta-potty out onto the ice sheets near the runway that is used by the crew that maintains the runway. We made a giant loop on the ice sheets to end up back at the runway. They let us borrow it one night when we came in after travelling for ten hours in a white out. Our "bathroom" had been broken in a wind storm the day before so we were relieved (pun intended) to get permission. Technically, there were bathrooms at the abandoned Dye-2 station nearby but they were non-functional. |
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johnnyray
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Post by johnnyray on Nov 28, 2015 9:30:44 GMT -8
Off Topic: While we are discussing hygiene I have wondered about swimming in lakes and rivers in the back country. What do you think about jumping in a lake when you have mosquito repellent or sun block on your skin? Do you think about it? I'm more the sponge bath type but do occasionally swim.
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Post by trinity on Nov 28, 2015 9:42:00 GMT -8
Interesting question. I don't use insect repellent, but I do often wear sunscreen. I often jump into streams and alpine lakes, and use the opportunity to get clean (sans soap, of course). I don't really worry too much about the environmental effects, but would be interested to learn any information on the subject.
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tigger
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Post by tigger on Nov 28, 2015 9:55:38 GMT -8
Off Topic: While we are discussing hygiene I have wondered about swimming in lakes and rivers in the back country. What do you think about jumping in a lake when you have mosquito repellent or sun block on your skin? Do you think about it? I'm more the sponge bath type but do occasionally swim. I have jumped in a lake or two. I have not thought much about it. Mind you, I put sunscreen on my face and put repellent on my wrist, neck, and ankles. That has always been plenty enough to keep the mosquitoes at bay for me. Not exactly enough to cause an environmental impact if you ask me. |
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rebeccad
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Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Nov 28, 2015 10:04:16 GMT -8
Like Tigger, I use limited amounts on small parts of my body (and almost never insect repellent). But I believe the LNT protocol is to wipe the stuff off before you go in the water.
BTW, I'm pretty content with a daily dip in a stream or a lake for as a week, but when the time comes to wash my hair, I do want a shower. The one drawback of long hair. I always sort of figured if we ever did a really extended pack trip I'd cut it short, but so far haven't come to that. Rinsing my hair in the lake once or twice on a 7-day trip goes a long way toward making it feel better. More than 3 times and I need some conditioner to allow me to comb it back out.
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Image Credit / Coolkat
