[pct-l] TP vs Vegetation

[Reinhold Metzger]

You all can use your flat rocks, pine cones, moth, grass, cactus flowers 
and poison ivy to wipe your rear ends...I tried that ones when I ran out 
of TP.
Me,....I stick with TP....it's faster, more sanitary and does a better job.
Flat rocks, pine cones, cactus flowers, grass, etc. does a half ass job.
You guys may not mind running around with a messy, smelly behind.
Me,.....I like a clean odor free rear end.
No wonder long distance hikers have a reputation of smelling bad.
Also, I would not be surprised if some of you waste precious drinking 
water to wash those smelly behinds or do it at the next lake or creek 
crossing.
That, of course, goes a long way to enhance our drinking water.
I don't like the idea of unknowingly coming in contact with via 
touching, sitting or walking on rocks and vegetation soiled with human 
feces, littering the trail.
At least, exposed TP I can see and avoid....that is not the case with 
feces covered rocks and vegetation, unless they are  buried which very 
often is not the case.
Exposed TP may be less pleasing to look at, but from a health point of 
view is less of a health problem than feces covered vegetation scattered 
along the trail.

It is  my opinion that the problem with exposed TP along the trail is 
primarily caused by hikers to lazy or unwilling to carry a potty trowel 
to dig a cat hole deep enough to prevent it from being properly covered 
or dug up by animals and far enough from the trail and camp sites so it 
would not be visible even if dug up.
I hear hikers telling me....ooohhhh I don't carry a potty trowel....I 
use a stick, rock or my boot to dig a cat hole

There's way more Tp-able natural material in So-Cal than in the forested 
areas!
The best is sage. White sage works well, rabbit sage is great, purple 
sage and yerba santa work well, coastal sage scrub is good, too.
Bonus is you smell nicer afterwards.
Dry grass works.
Get long, thin dry grass and just fold it over a few times.
Of low- elevation evergreens, chamise is ever-present.
I've used sticks and rocks and evergreen boughs as well.
All that stuff just gets any "residue" off.
The real cleaning takes place when you wash yourself........
I was also quite disturbed by all the TP on the trail in Oregon.