Hi All, I hope that the subject line got your attention! We are going to be urinating and defecating in the woods, and believe it or not, there is a right and a wrong way to do this! We will be talking about this before we head out, but the first Leave No Trace principle is to be prepared. Hence, this email. Bring toilet paper, but remember that it has to be buried or carried out. There are times that digging a hole is just not possible - the ground is just too hard or rocky. That means carrying out the paper, and the simplest way to do this is to carry a small plastic bag w/ a little baking soda inside it. We are out for one night the first time we go out, so it's easy to carry the bag back to the lodge and put it in the trash or down the toilet. The second time we are out for 2 nights, but still pretty easy. You may want to put the ziploc inside of an opaque bag so that the contents are a little more hidden. We girls can cut down on the toilet paper by using leafs or just dripping dry, and girls, remember that a baggy leg to your shorts lets you just move the short out of the way, rather than having to drop them down - an advantage in my mind. Another topic that is important for the women of the group - if you are menstrating, presume that your period will come while you are out on the trail. It is way better to be prepared than to get caught without supplies. Used supplies have to be carried out, same deal as the toilet paper. Don and I will bring several shovels, so you don't need one. I think that's about it for now. I am leaving for another Sierra club backpack on Thursday, so keep the questions coming for the next couple of days. After that, I will get back to you as I can, or contact Don, (732) 560-0369, our other leader.
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