Hygiene when "roughing it" durig long trips

[HotPursuit]

For those of you that primarily camp when you travel, what do you do for showers when primitive/back country camping?  I typically camp at KOA's or similar campgrounds, but I expect there may be times where I me camping in primitive/back country areas with no amenities.

I've done the whole "baby wipe" bath for weeks at a time in the Army, but during those periods of time, I wasn't dealing with people who were bothered by my smell.  I have a preference towards showering every day when possible...

Skimming on Youtube, I've seen some people pack portable hanging showers, one person said he had a gym membership at a national chain.  I've seen showers at the truck stops, but I don't know how much those cost to use, and they always seem to have a line.  Any recommendations?

As far as laundry, again, some of the more "glamorous" campgrounds typically have laundry machines, but they also usually cost extra to use.  I plan on packing 3 daily sets of clothing (t-shirts, socks, underwear, long johns, gym shorts), and 2 pairs of riding jeans, planning on doing laundry every third day.  I'm just going to use a dry bag and hand wash detergent to wash the clothes in, and then either clothesline them to dry, or put them in a mesh laundry bag and bungee them down to my bike.  If it's cold/wet, then I'll pay for a dryer.  Hand washing works out pretty well, and I used to wash my clothes like that regularly when I lived in more austere conditions.

Those who have lived on the road, what did you do?

[Sport-Touring]

[skihor]

Baby wipes don't get the job done. Anti-bacterial wipes do. Backpacker stuff. I use several every night in the tent. For clothing, I am AGATT, (Klim Badlander Pro) I buy a pack of skivies, a pack of socks and a pack of T-shirts. I change out every night and just throw the used away. When I run out I buy more. I know... wasteful, but, I don't have to carry that stinky shit around or stop to wash it. Buy that on sale during the year and it costs around $30 a week. You can get "dry wash" for your hair, or, just wash it in a gas station sink. I carry some thin hi performance longies for the occasional chilly day and 1 pair of pants for the occasional social need. If you just have to bathe I will stop at a river or lake and use Dr. Brueners biodegradable soap. If there's a YMCA available it's cheap for a shower. Sometimes a Motel will let you shower after a guest has left, but, that doesn't work very often anymore. KOA's have showers and often will let you have one for free or cheap. Same thing at RV parks.

[rajflyboy]

This is good stuff

https://www.amazon.com/Sierra-Dawn-Campsuds-All-Purpose-16-Ounce/dp/B003EMGG8G/ref=asc_df_B003EMGG8G/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198057711065&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10460105960132948078&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009968&hvtargid=pla-318472460613&psc=1

[Biking Sailor]

Maybe not your plan or budget, but even when I was much more financially challenged back in my twenties (yeah, I was broke a lot) I would budget for an inexpensive hotel room a couple nights a week. And try to use them during stormy nights.  

[zer0netgain]

Having done the camping on a motorcycle bit and saying “duck this poop,” I’ll share what I’ve learned.

Baby wipes (as “natural” as you can find them) are good for bathing sensitive areas and wiping your bum if you have a bad BM that won’t settle down.  Antiseptic of antibacterial wipes are a good suggestion, but I’d reserve them for surfaces more than skin.  If going to no man’s land, I learned to keep travel sized TP, facial tissues and a small bottle of hand sanitizer in my tank bag.

Laundry is tricky.  Some guys buy cheap stuff at WalMart and toss them.  Not practical if you are packing expensive gear like UA or moisture wicking boot socks.  If you rent a hotel room on occasion, you can pack a small bottle of laundry detergent and hand wash such gear in the sink and let air dry...or find a place that includes or is close to a laundromat.

I have learned to pack a small wet bag and keep a change of socks where you can get to them.  On one adventure, I got caught in significant rain before putting all the gear on, and I thought I was good once it stopped and got hot.  My boots are waterproof, so what got it wasn’t going to exit by draining out.  I pulled a boot off at a gas stop to reposition my sock, and my foot looked like it was 10 minutes from having jungle rot.  Walked about barefoot for a few minutes on the hot pavement while fishing out a dry pair of socks.  Didn’t dare put the wet ones in with my gear, so I think I found a way to tie them to the bike so they wouldn’t stink up everything.

[Bounce]

Cheap motel every 3rd or 4th day or a KOA (or other) camping site that has showers. Be ready though. There are times when "cheap" can be too much of a bad thing. $25 a night at the Ett-Mar motel in Portsmouth, OH seemed like a deal until I later learned it has been a hub of criminal activity including a huge bust of a meth ring that was funneling product from Chicago-ish. Oh, and a couple of murders; including a woman who was found dismembered in the bathtub of the room I was given. A squad car slowed as I was unloading my Gold Wing; going past several times and even stopping in the middle of the street to "observe". If the bags had come off like on S-T models, I'd have parked the Wing in the room.

But for $25, I got this great story.

[Biking Sailor]

Cheap motel every 3rd or 4th day or a KOA (or other) camping site that has showers. Be ready though. There are times when "cheap" can be too much of a bad thing. $25 a night at the Ett-Mar motel in Portsmouth, OH seemed like a deal until I later learned it has been a hub of criminal activity including a huge bust of a meth ring that was funneling product from Chicago-ish. Oh, and a couple of murders; including a woman who was found dismembered in the bathtub of the room I was given. A squad car slowed as I was unloading my Gold Wing; going past several times and even stopping in the middle of the street to "observe". If the bags had come off like on S-T models, I'd have parked the Wing in the room.

But for $25, I got this great story.

Isn't Motel 6 the official corporate distribution outlets for meth dealers?  

Back in the day when I was traveling on my KZ550 and then V45 Sabre, I would often put the bike inside the room with me. Fortunately I haven't had to do that in a few years. I do have a loud alarm motorcycle chain I have taken with me, but that thing is very heavy and takes up a lot of room. I also have a disk lock with an alarm, but scared some A-hole will screw up a disk and just throw the bike over and run. The chain is very conspicuous.

[rajflyboy]

Here is the shizzle on hygiene:

1.  Go inside out with the undies at day 6 and go another week with them
2.  Wear the same clothes for 7 days straight
3.  Don’t bother showering unless you are about to get lucky
4.  Change socks daily.  Throw away.  Buy new when you run out.
5.  Find some really nasty underarm deodorant to use each day (old spice is spicey).  
6.  Stop at Blues place in New Mexico around the 14 day mark and have him wash clothes for you while you get your nasty ass in the shower  

Good luck on your trip

[slvrsprint]

I wouldn't buy underwear to consider disposable.   When I ride, I wear LD or other underwear that have no seams to create hot spots.  Those types are easy to wash out and dry quickly.  Even if tethered to the outside of my gear when riding to dry, they aren't as obvious as whities.

I post my travels and often get invited for a meal or overnight if near my route.  They are usually good for a shower,  When alone, I can go a day or 2 without a shower unless it's very hot.  In that case, I can usually find a place to swim to lose the worst of the stink.  As others have mentioned, I will stay at a motel when I need a good cleanup, laundry and bed for a night.

[HotPursuit]

Maybe not your plan or budget, but even when I was much more financially challenged back in my twenties (yeah, I was broke a lot) I would budget for an inexpensive hotel room a couple nights a week. And try to use them during stormy nights.   

I plan primarily on camping, partially due to budget, also partially because I plan to kind of just meander on this trip, with very minimal hard dates.  I have a KOA membership where I get points and discounts for stays, and I plan on going on the off season.  I have timeshare points too, but they usually require a little more advanced scheduling.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[rajflyboy]

I plan primarily on camping, partially due to budget, also partially because I plan to kind of just meander on this trip, with very minimal hard dates.  I have a KOA membership where I get points and discounts for stays, and I plan on going on the off season.  I have timeshare points too, but they usually require a little more advanced scheduling.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Just take the bar/find a girl option  

[Biking Sailor]

Just take the bar/find a girl option  

That is so 70's and 80's. Maybe works in this century too, but now you'll probably end up in a meth house.  

[rajflyboy]

That is so 70's and 80's. Maybe works in this century too, but now you'll probably end up in a meth house.  

Probably

But that goes back to bringing protection (also so 80’s)

[Bounce]

Here is the shizzle on hygiene:

1.  Go inside out with the undies at day 6 and go another week with them
2.  Wear the same clothes for 7 days straight
3.  Don’t bother showering unless you are about to get lucky
4.  Change socks daily.  Throw away.  Buy new when you run out.
5.  Find some really nasty underarm deodorant to use each day (old spice is spicey).  
6.  Stop at Blues place in New Mexico around the 14 day mark and have him wash clothes for you while you get your nasty ass in the shower  

I was almost done typing this yesterday and it didn't save. Here's a 2nd try.

1. Day 1: Outside out, forward. Day 2: Outside out, backward. Day 3: Inside out, forward. Day 4: inside out, backward. Day 5 toss and replace (see #3).
2. Wear riding gear (3/4 jacket, pants, boots, gloves, etc.). Underneath just the underwear in #1. Pack only 1 t-shirt and 1 extra pair of underwear and 1 pair of pants (jeans can be bulky to pack, so something like disco synthetics work better), and 2 (maybe 3) pairs of socks..
3. Every 5th day, when getting new undies and socks, find a criminally-cheep motel in a dangerous part of town. Do laundry, get a shower and some sleep in a bed (you may need to keep your riding gear on).
4. Yes! Socks are critical. See 1 and 2 about packing 1 extra pair. When tossing pair 1 and using pair 2, buy a new pair 1 along with a new underwear #1.
5. Do NOT add extra stuff to pack. You do NOT need this line item.
6. Redundant since it's addressed in #3.

[rajflyboy]

I was almost done typing this yesterday and it didn't save. Here's a 2nd try.

1. Day 1: Outside out, forward. Day 2: Outside out, backward. Day 3: Inside out, forward. Day 4: inside out, backward. Day 5 toss and replace (see #3).
2. Wear riding gear (3/4 jacket, pants, boots, gloves, etc.). Underneath just the underwear in #1. Pack only 1 t-shirt and 1 extra pair of underwear and 1 pair of pants (jeans can be bulky to pack, so something like disco synthetics work better).
3. Every 5th day, when getting new undies and socks, find a criminally-cheep motel in a dangerous part of town. Do laundry, get a shower and some sleep in a bed (you may need to keep your riding gear on).
4. Yes! Socks are critical. See 1 and 2 about packing 1 extra pair. When tossing pair 1 and using pair 2, buy a new pair 1 along with a new underwear #1.
5. Do NOT add extra stuff to pack. You do NOT need this line item.
6. Redundant since it's addressed in #3.

Great list..

Just add in a good stop at Blues place in New Mexico.  He is a good mechanic and can help you with a mid ride oil change as well.  Good meal, clothes washed, oil change and a warm shower.  

[Blue is Best]

Here is the shizzle on hygiene:

1.  Go inside out with the undies at day 6 and go another week with them
2.  Wear the same clothes for 7 days straight
3.  Don’t bother showering unless you are about to get lucky
4.  Change socks daily.  Throw away.  Buy new when you run out.
5.  Find some really nasty underarm deodorant to use each day (old spice is spicey).  
6.  Stop at Blues place in New Mexico around the 14 day mark and have him wash clothes for you while you get your nasty ass in the shower  

Good luck on your trip

  I been gone because of that security error and my not wanting to take a chance. My life had been easy until NOW!

[rajflyboy]

  I been gone because of that security error and my not wanting to take a chance. My life had been easy until NOW!

We still been talking about you in your absence  

[Blue is Best]

We still been talking about you in your absence  

I was wondering what that burning in the ears thing was.

[rajflyboy]

I was wondering what that burning in the ears thing was.

 

[zer0netgain]

I was wondering what that burning in the ears thing was.

There are worse places to get a burning sensation.