[Biker_Scout_Sparky]

so i headed out for an early Sunday solo ride at ECDM forest preserve. The main parking lot was full so i parked down the road and pedaled up back up to the lot to use the port-a-potty before shoving off down the trails.
On my way up i see a guy just standing next to his car on the side of skyline taking a whizz and not caring who see's him doing it. I squelched my inner disgust and my desire to point out to him where to the propper place to do that was and rode on into the lot only to find the port-a-potty that has been a fixture in that lot for every trip I've ever take to skegg's was GONE.
not only was I in a jam, the nearest legitimate restroom facility was at Alice's restaurant at the 4 corners, but also, i now knew why the guy was taking a whizz on the side of the road. I had to go back to the car, put my bike back on the rack, take off all my gear and drive down to Alice's. what a way to start a ride.
Does anyone know why they took the port-a-potty away and if they are planning on returning it or building more permanent facilities?

It doesn't seem like someone had their thinking cap on here.
What are cyclists supposed to do when nature calls and the nearest bathroom is miles in any direction? Before you answer "dig a hole and grab a leaf" ask yourself how many would really do that and how long before that became a real problem?

 

[Zignzag]

Francois stole it.

You can contact MROSD to see if they're replacing it.

http://www.openspace.org/contact_us.asp

 

[singlespeed.org]

Well, the Skeggs Point parking lot is owned and maintained by CalTrans, though most of the users are there to go enjoy lands owned my MROSD. Makes for a conflict of sorts. So MROSD likely wouldn' be involved with replacing the porta-potty at Skeggs Point.

Added to this is that MROSD has a rule for ECdM making it a crime to go off trail. This rule was put in place to stop people from using unauthorized trails, but could also cause problems if you answer the call of nature in the bushes.

I am sure the porta-potties were removed due to all of the damage that was done to it over the years. Kids seem to think it is a neat prank to knock the portapotty over - I've seen it like that more than once.

MROSD does have long term plans to put in an official parking lot and facilities down at Gate 3. But that is likely years away, considering the troubles they are having with trails not meeting sedimentation guidelines.

Another option for porta-potty is at Purisma Creek to the north. If you come in off of 92, you will pass right by Purisma Creek parking area.

 

[CrankyMonkey]

I would say we should all poop in the same place to see how long it takes for them to notice. Two problems with that:

1. It would stink to high hell and would irritate us more then the people responsible for the parking area.

2. Put that trail at risk for closure due to the piles of poop accumulating.

My solution is poop before you leave for your morning ride. I've trained my body to poop at 5 a.m. every morning and 2 p.m. every afternoon. That way it won't interfere with my rides. I'm not sure how I did this maybe I got lucky. I think my body likes to adapt it's pooping schedule around mine so that I'm not stuck having to poop at the most inconvenient times.

I can't help myself... POOP... POOP... POOP... POOP... This may officially be the post with the most occurrences of poop in it.

 

[gregg]

Yup, been missing for a while...

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=164397

Like ss.org suggested, the porta potty at Purrisima is closer than Alice's and a little more permanent than the usual porta potties.

'course, you could always trail dump. Not in the middle of the trail, use a little discretion, heck, it's all biodegradeable. Not that I'm suggesting this, merely stating that it's an option. Besides, I don't think you'd get more than 3 people to dump in the same spot...cleaning your cleats is hard enough already.

 

[Biker_Scout_Sparky]

unless it's a "Robbin-Quivers-jogging-turned-nightmare" type emergency i'm not gonna crap on the side of a trail.
My mommy taught me to use the bathroom when possible and i'll back track to Purrisima as suggested, when neccessary.
my concern is more about the umpteen ignorant disrespectful mountain bikers who weren't as well educated as I who are gonna go the way that gregg suggested and leave Skegg's point smelling like a latrine by summer's end.

doesn't the smell of excrement attract predators?

 

[geoffss]

My friend had to drive all the way to Purissma to take a dump one day before a ride. It didnt take him long to get back to Skeggs. Now he dumps a load before we go out on every ride.

I just hold it in until I get home and not exert myself too much in the middle of a climb. :nono:

 

[gregg]

...leave Skegg's point smelling like a latrine by summer's end.

Just piss into the wind, should take care of this problem.

doesn't the smell of excrement attract predators?

only if by predators, you mean fecalphiliacs.

 

[El Caballo]

Humans somehow managed to survive for millions of years before we invented toilet paper and indoor plumbing. So will you.

I always keep toilet paper in my car for just such an emergency. Even if you've got an indoors alternative, you can't count on porta-johns or rest stops having a usable roll.

 

[Rumpfy]

Now that you know it's not there....you can:

1) Crap before you ride in the comfort of your own home (which is what I usually do.)

2) Hold it in. We've all had to do this even with the turtle poking.

3) Bring a little zip lock bag and a few extra squares of tp...take a dump into the bag and dispose of it like you would for your dog. Work on your aim.

4) Take a steamer in the middle of the parking lot, park bench, or the hood of car you're most jealous of.

 

[Biker_Scout_Sparky]

Now that you know it's not there....you can:

1) Crap before you ride in the comfort of your own home (which is what I usually do.)

2) Hold it in. We've all had to do this even with the turtle poking.

3) Bring a little zip lock bag and a few extra squares of tp...take a dump into the bag and dispose of it like you would for your dog. Work on your aim.

4) Take a steamer in the middle of the parking lot, park bench, or the hood of car you're most jealous of.

1) Where's the fun in that? As an american, i enjoy the adventure of going to new places, far away lands and crapping all over them.

2) see 3)

3) hmmm, this gives me an idea for an invention using one of those seats with the cutout in the middle and a plastic bag,,,hmmm

4) What kind of car did you drive , Rumpfy?

 

[HarryCallahan]

unless it's a "Robbin-Quivers-jogging-turned-nightmare" type emergency i'm not gonna crap on the side of a trail.
My mommy taught me to use the bathroom when possible and i'll back track to Purrisima as suggested, when neccessary.
my concern is more about the umpteen ignorant disrespectful mountain bikers who weren't as well educated as I who are gonna go the way that gregg suggested and leave Skegg's point smelling like a latrine by summer's end.

doesn't the smell of excrement attract predators?

Say man,

Not to give you a hard time, but haven't you ever been camping or hiking where there are no "port a potties"? Mebbe you ought to drop the "scout" from your handle.

I applaud your sense of responsibility and of the bigger picture. But in case nature calls and there are no facilities within reach, what you need to do is step off trail a discrete distance, say behind some redwoods; dig a small hole (known as a cat hole) in the duff, do your business, then cover said hole by using your shoe to push the dirt and duff you excavated back over the hole and tamp it down. Works like a charm. Helps if you have some tp rolled up in a ziplock in your pack...

 

[HarryCallahan]

Now that you know it's not there....you can:
...

Yuck!

 

[Biker_Scout_Sparky]

well, like i said, harry, i'm more worried about where everyone else is crapping.
This isn't Yosemite nat'l park, it's an open space watershed district on the SF Penninsula. and this isn't camping, it's a 2 hour bike ride. sure if last nite's burritto suddenly shifts and you have to pinch a loaf, please, dig a hole for the love of god! that way we all don't have to smell it.
My gripe is more about convenience of the john that once was at the vista point (and seems to have been gone for some time) and the need to have it at that hi-traffic location along Skyline, a tourist's corridor too.
I did shoot an email off to MROSD and CalTrans about it , maybe it will help.
Can we please stop talking sh!t now?

 

[geoffss]

4) Take a steamer in the middle of the parking lot, park bench, or the hood of car you're most jealous of.

Look for a big black Ford:thumbsup:

 

[gregg]

Look for a big black Ford:thumbsup:

Trust me, I've seen Rumpfy's bike transporter ride, and you won't be jealous of it....his OTHER car, though...

 

[geoffss]

white lightning!

Trust me, I've seen Rumpfy's bike transporter ride, and you won't be jealous of it....his OTHER car, though...

You mean the station wagon with the glass-pack? That car is faaaassst! :winker:

 

[Rumpfy]

You guys are more than welcome to sh!t all over my 89 olds cutlass station wagon.

I won't even question it if I catch you in the act.


My silver 06 WRX wagon with the 'my other bike is a bike' decal or my black quad cab Nissan pick up w/ mtbr decal are also fair game to duke on.