A Poo Question

Dazza,
A good idea, if it burns.

Richard

Cheers Maz but I'd hasten to add that the loo paper needs a bit of attention particularly if you are in arid areas.

Loo paper needs water to break down and when we dig a hole out bush, water is usually the scarcest of commodities. In desert environments, dunny paper will live well past its use by date and survive many years. This often means that it ends up blowing about many bush areas having been shallowly buried and disturbed by critters, or not buried at all.

We always try and burn our paper after use. This may mean collecting it and returning it to be burnt off the camp fire (preferably after the cooking is complete lol) or more often carrying a packet of matches or the gas stove lighter with you on your morning walk. Burn it off while it’s in the hole and then fill.

When on Fraser a few years back, many of the campsites were in a most unattractive condition because of the amount of crap paper left lying about and blowing into the bushes around the camp sites. We almost filled and burnt an entire garbage bag with paper left around the Desert Queen Baths campsite in Rudall last year. People really need to think about this stuff when they’re out there.

Cheers

Mick

Mazcan,
This is my current option, although with age and shape squatting over a hole full of me and the risk of falling in is much less desirable..

Richard

It depends where you are and what time of the year it is of cause, but I usually drop a match in the hole to burn the crap wrap rather than bringing it back to the camp fire? Dont reckon the baked spuds would taste quite the same after someone chucked a heap of bum wipe in the fire???

In reference to gelling pwoder i came across a product called Bio-Gel but cant find where to get it in Australia.

Richard

Hairy,
It would give a definite after taste, not to mention the points of dicsussion you could have comparing each others burn offs.

Richard

hi mick
yes i new someone would reply re the paper
it comes down to a basic common sense issue
if a decent depth hole is able to be dug then i always burn it
one only has to walk into the bush at a truck bay on the road to perth from bunbury which i now refrain from doing
as you will altermately step into some ones fresh body waste as no one bothers about digging a hole and the odour is unbearable too


and rich but doig the balancing act helps keep one fit and adds excitement to the challenge of the trip while getting it out of your system
simple solution eat less and poo less also cuts down on the overall expense lol
cheers

Mick,
I certainly could do with eating less but do enjoy the peAce of the morning bog, where no one is game enough to disturb you.

Squatting over a hole full of s#%% would not do it for me, despite the oppotunity of getting some more exercise :).

Richard

Ps hard to approach this topic without a sense of humour :)

Depending on where you are, grab a handful of leaves .lol

As to eating less resulting in reduced need to go, what about the AGB? Does this mean we should not drink either?

Rich,

I'm using the $20 plastic fold up seat from Ray's. Most camping places stock them. A bit small fior the likes of me and won't take a lot of weight but they get the job done. You just have to have the precision of a WW2 bomb aimer lol. I've been trying to score a good solid old whale bone dunny seat that I would then have a set of sturdy folding legs made to suit. That would add a much greater degree of comfort for the dawn constitutional.

Bombs away. Mick ;-)

K&K,
Thanks for the reply.

I guess why i was looking for a gelling agent is for when based some where for a few days, but not to many before dumping the bag.

Burying it or burning or both sounds a good idea.

Do you use any thing else to overcome the smell, unfortunately mine does stink :).

By the way do you know of a brand name for the gelling powder i can look up.

Also do you use the bags supplied by TB people or do you use other bags..

Thanks again,
Richard

Hi Richard,

You should be able to find water absorbent gel at any decent garden centre.

Have tried the burning method once or twice when burying was not an option - it is possible but takes a while and uses a bit of fuel as "the business" has to be dried out before it will burn.

We use a folding toilet seat (home made but you can buy them in camping stores) placed over a decent hole, or a bucket if a hole is not possible. Much more comfortable and easier on the knees.

Burning toilet paper is not as easy as you might think. Out in the desert a handful of dried grass will help to get it burning properly, but otherwise its easiest to pop it into a plastic bag and burn it in the campfire - as others have said, AFTER the cooking is finished!

I'm a bit dubious about these biodegradable bags - maybe I'm wrong but I thought that most biodegradable plastic needed exposure to UV light (as in sunlight) to break down? If that's the case then burying it isn't going to help it break down?

Cheers,

Val.

Thanks Val,
Not sure if my wife will like me chucking a bag on the gas stove after dinner. :).

We often use the gas cooker as always seem to be in a rush and a bit more convenient for us.

Any way the nightly roast would be entertaining at least.

Richard

If using the old fashioned method suggested here instead of the thunderbox, remember burning anything is not an option over half of the country for half of the year. Best to take a 'freezer bag' with you, seal the used paper in and dispose of it with your rubbish. Sealing ensures no odours and with most of the air removed it takes up very little room in your rubbish bin or bag.

Motherhen

We use the bags supplied by Jimmy's. From their web site - In-viro™ fully degradable toilet bags are designed for landfill, compost and soil deposit - They will ultimately biodegrade when buried with toilet waste, only carbon dioxide water and biomass will remain, leaving non-toxic by-products.

We have a bucket with what ever is about, sand or dirt or seaweed. After we complete our number 2 we just throw a hand full in and quickly close then lid!
Seen and smelt a lot worst things then our natural happenings.
And, had to sit through a lot worse noises and smells at toilets in caravan parks!

K&K,
So you dont use a gelling agent at all.
I understand what you mean about caravan parks. Some are good but some are just awful.

I have some of the bags from TB as well.

Seaweed sounds interesting.


Richard

Or, just do has this happy traveller did...

Now that guy takes his pooing seriously:)

Richard

No gell, tried it once. Used seaweed once when free camping at a beach in Tasmania and it worked a treat.


Fantastic spot, unfortunately we did not allow for high tide!

That is why you need a comfy dunny, to be able to sit back and take in the scenery.

The other reason is when you see the tide coming in :)

Happy Pooing,

Richard

Lovely camp Kris and Kev :). Lucky it was in Tasmania not Derby WA :O

Mh

yep, that flooded campsite was my 50th birthday, I wanted water views...got em! Camped at 9 mile beach, just north of Swansea, looking over to the Hazard mountains and Freycinet National Park. As Kev mentioned, we used seaweed, but that wasn't in the Jimmys Thunderbox, that was in the long drop toilet at that free camp, someone must have started the trend and it did seem to work. There were a few boozing up fishermen there, and seaweed seemed to neutralize the plentiful AGB!!! Wow, that was a great spot!! Kris

Ma.cca,
Good idea,
Cheap and can read the news at the same time.:)

The lime seems to be the a good idea.

The reason i am looking for gelling agent is because in some places you can not dig a hole near where you are camping.

Richard

From memory, camping etiquette tells you should dig a hole a minimum of 300mm. Then when finished, marked with a stick.

Tony

Sure makes you a bit more careful about kicking the old ashes.

Mind there has to be something said all sitting around the fire watching the sacraficial poo burning ritual.

Richard

Gramps/Richard,

My late Dad did a lot of bushwalking before WWII, and he and his mates, nicknamed "The Wals", used to do "Last Rites" before leaving a camp site. They would stand around and piddle on the ashes of their fire, thereby dousing any smouldering coals, and no doubt emptying the bladder, ready for the day's walk.

Never thought to ask if they used the same fire place, on return trips........!

Bob.

I must admit we normally just cook via the gas and have sat around the fireonly a few times.
but when i have i have thought we should do this more often.... Until now:).

I am sure the next time we do, i will be looking out for a baked browny or the sweet odor of pee.

Rich

I contacted the makers of the Thunderbox and they reckon a couple of products called
Plant Gel or Water-Store from a nursery would be ok.

Richard

That sure is a lot of. POO :)


Richard