For many of us out here that do not have a full facility bathroom we must trudge inside to take care of business! You learn when out here to not drink anything late at night as you do not want the call of nature to wake you up at 2:00 in the morning.
I was thinking of the settlers on my way to find the building this morning and how I should really feel as if I am suffering here but for some reason I do not. I have become accustomed to the morning walk to the building and do not mind it. I am usually up before daylight, we always park near the back (good grass for Molly her needs come first) and sometimes if I am asleep when we park I have to do a little searching to find the building. I like to stay in the lanes of travel first thing in the morning as I am not comfortable walking between trailers at night as you just never know.
I, unlike the settlers at least have a nice warm or cool bathroom, running water, soap, light, and usually paper towels to dry my hands on. Sometimes the facilities are less then desirable but such is life. Sometimes the walk into the building is very interesting as it is pouring down rain or snowing or the lot is covered in ice. Ice is the worst as far as I am concerned. I have always loved the rain and the snow so for me the walk inside in this weather is OK as everyone knows you have to go inside the building. I love it when I can put my rubber boots on and walk through the puddles of rain, or to walk when there are HUGE flakes of snow falling it is just beautiful and peaceful.
Someday we might have a "super" sleeper and have our own facilities but for now I will continue to enjoy my walk. Someday I will blog on the how others handle or do not handle this situation.
Gregarious Birds Of The Desert Southwest
1 week ago
Linda, I do not think we have any idea how rough it must have been for the settlers. I often think of how easy and covenient we actually have it today. There is so much that we just take for granted. Check out my older blog at the slice of trucker life web site(1908 Indian Head Penny).There are many things that have changed in just a hundred years. I thought that I saved your phone number in my phone but I did'nt, so when you have a chance we'll talk again.
ReplyDeleteBe safe out there, Henry Albert
Henry I agree 100% that we have a life of ease and no way am I tough enough to be a settler. But you have to admit there are not too many households today where you have to go outside to use the restroom.
ReplyDeleteThis is one more item to think about though before you decide to jump into the glamorous job of a driver.
If you are going to have to make that walk several times a day you might as well enjoy it is how I feel.
Well at least you can use the excuse for the often endless search for the "building" on having been asleep upon arrival. I, however, have found myself wandering about wondering where the heck the building is when I was the one that drove myself in... in daylight... 20 minutes before! hahaha
ReplyDeleteLinda, I have an email alberttransport@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteHenry
two words....porta pottie.....wouldn't be caught in a truck without one!...years ago when i was a solo driver i got locked in a "secure" lot overnite that had nothing...no restrooms, portapotties, nothing....the lot was too well lit to use the "happy camper method"...and i had nothing, not even a trashcan in the truck that would facilitate....it was a miserable nite...needless to say my first stop after getting sprung from that lot was the bathroom...but my next stop was the camping aisle at walmart.....$69.95 was the best money i've ever spent.....when brad and i got together he was kinda surprised at first but now he is as spoiled by it as i am.....we empty it at rest areas, camping spots...anywhere that has rv facilities....it's especially great if you're a solo driver and have to park in the back row of the truckstop....no unnerving hikes up thru rows of parked trucks in the dark....and it's worth it's weight in gold in the rain and snow......every truck we've been in has had a floor cabinet that it just fits into perfectly along with your potty supplies.....
ReplyDeleteAs a 41 year old, I must have a 90 year old man's bladder, because I have to pee ALL THE TIME. And at night, there was NO WAY I was going to get dressed, go outside and walk to the building. Nothing to do with fear of walking at night, all to do with being lazy and not wanting to break my semi-sleep state. Besides that, Ed sleeps like a corpse and I could be abducted and three states away before he would even notice I was missing...
ReplyDeleteBecause of that, I had to have something in the truck to pee IN. I discovered these: http://www.traveljohn.com/1-1-1.php
Then, realizing they were just beads that absorbed water, I bought my own at a garden store and used a scoop of them in gallon storage bags (made by Glad). I would turn the liquid into a squishy sort of solid and I could just dispose of them when we got up....or stopped, since I also used them when the truck was moving and there was nary a rest-stop in sight.
Since we were in a 48" sleeper at the time, we didn't have room for a porta-potty - but if we did, I'd have it in a heartbeat!
Ed could hold his pee for a week if he had to and I couldn't get him to pee in a bottle if I had a gun to his head, so he would always get up and get out if he had to go. But as a guy, I think it's probably better for him to be walking through the lot at night anyway - I may not be a scaredy cat, but I'm not stupid. lol