So you are new to camping - How to make a cheap port-a-potty...UPDATED

In my endeavor to make life a little easier to Chili Cook-off heads and Terlingua Chili Cook-off "Virgins", I will tackle the long-taboo subject of port-a-potties in the desert.

First of all, you must know that the TICC (Terlingua International Chili Cook-off) does not open up its port-o-potties until Wednesday prior to the Thursday grand opening ceremonies.  So how do regular attendee's deal with that problem?

Actually, there are several ways...one you can cut the ties that lock the port-a-potties or you can make your own.  Since I like to follow rules, I won't do that. In my 20 plus years of attending I have tried practically everything, from Double Doodie bags as per the picture indicates and in case you are wondering...NO... they do not work, they stink and are pricey.  Have also experimented with kitty litter and peat moss with more success as well as a small portable toilet but that has to be dumped.

First and foremost try to buy a shower tent.  It is here that you can use such tent as a port-a-potty and as a shower.  If you do not want to go this route, you can use a five-gallon bucket as a bathroom inside your tent. At night it might be a good idea to move it there as it gets pretty dark and there are snakes lurking around.

I wish I could remember what website I got this from but as you know I suffer from CRS!  All I remember is that it was a lady who was once a girl scout.

From Walter (the neighbor's horse)  and his grazing on mother's property, I know that horses pee a lot!  For those that have horses, you know that having horse pine pellets in their stables will soak up all the urine while not causing any additional odors and make cleaning up a snap.

So how does this help you at the Chili Cook-off?  Well, if you bring a 5-gallon bucket lined with two heavy duty trash bags, horse pine pellets, and sawdust shavings....it equals an odorless and earth-friendly bathroom...and as a plus you do not have to put up with smelly port-a-potties with long lines.

If you have space in your vehicle it would be great to bring a port-a-potty for #1 and one for #2 but if space is an issue...it is not a problem...you can accommodate both if you add pine shavings to the mix.

So to make this perfectly clear... you pee in your 5 gallon bucket lined with two heavy duty trash bags with horse pine pellets... if you do #2 you cover your deposit with pine shavings and you will never encounter any bad odors.  After a while, the pee will weigh down on your pellets so I recommend changing it daily in particular if more than one person are using it. I also recommend that you use  heavy duty trash bags, cheap flimsy bags will not work.

Now we address the toilet seat.  You can buy a plastic snap on lid at Walmart or Amazon but I found they are cheaper at Academy.  I bought mine at Academy for $4.99 which was a bargain at the time.

You can also use plastic noodles, the kind kids use when they swim.  You can pick them up for a dollar at The Dollar Store. The benefit of going this route is that it holds your trash bags in place and cushions your tush.  It is all a matter of preference.

Hope this works out for you.  Please leave any comments that might be helpful to other readers.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

CASI Chili Cook-off questions

I have received a couple of e-mails lately regarding the upcoming CASI (Chili Appreciation Society International) annual Chili Cook-off that takes place on the first weekend of November in Terlingua, Texas... which as you may know is an annual pilgrimage for me.

The main question I am asked is what "virgins" to the event should not forget to bring with them.

That is a little difficult to answer because I am one of a dying breed...I am a tent camper.  As a matter of fact up until last cook-off that my friends from Houston joined me after a ten years absence...the only tent camper in my group.

Tent camping requires a person bring a lot more items than those in RV's and campers.  Since all the questions were from readers with RV's ...I will address that group in this post.

First and foremost you are headed to the desert, so bring LOTS of water with you.  If you can freeze milk jugs, water and soda bottles these can serve as ice to keep your beer and food cold and once they thaw out...can be used to brush your teeth, wash your hair, rinse off some clothes or to just drink them.

I would advise you to bring as much beer, wine and spirits as you think you might need and then multiply it by two or three.  You are going to meet a lot of people and have many guests stopping by afterwards. This is a festive place and you will find yourself consuming more than you would back in the default world.  Beer and ice in Terlingua are not cheap and last year due to the unusual high temperatures...they ran out of ice early Saturday morning as well as in Lajitas and Study Butte.  I do not know about you, but I personally like my beer to be COLD.

You might consider bringing one or several bottles of Tequila or your liquor of choice whether you drink or not.  People gather around campfires at night and pass a bottle around as they tell stories and shoot the bull until the wee hours.

People are very generous and will invite you to breakfast, lunch and dinner...it might be nice to reciprocate. However, if you are a virgin don't worry about it as most old timers will bend over backwards to make sure your first experience is memorable.

This is the desert and in late October and early November it may be 100 degrees in the day but at night the temperatures drop sharply.  You might want to bring some firewood, blankets, warm clothing and a heavy jacket.

This is a BIG place and if you want to explore it...bring your four wheel vehicles, dirt bikes, mules, jeeps or tricked out trucks.  Don't forget to stop by my camp and take me for a ride :D

What is that you are saying...you do not know where my camp is at?  I am in the old spectator area along the ravine.  Look for my Kodiak Canvas tent or ask for Belinda from Houston...yes, I know I now live in Del Rio but I am known as Belinda from Houston, ok?

I usually arrive a week before the event but even at this early date people tend to party at night...it would not hurt to buy some ear plugs to drown out the sounds.  If you do not like to be kept up to the wee hours of the morning...perhaps this is not the event for you.  If you prefer a more quiet setting, may I suggest the other cook-off...known as the Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cook-off located behind the store.  This is known the other 51 weeks out of the year as BJ's RV Park.

Bring some gallon milk jugs, preferably full, but if not empty ones...so the people that would rather drive home with empty  fresh water tanks can donate their liquid gold to the locals.  They converge early Sunday morning to scavenge the area but many do not bring containers to bottle up this precious liquid so they can take it home.

I would also suggest you bring a wide brim hat, lots of sun block lotion, an extra camera as well as batteries, flashlights, sunglasses, binoculars, beads (for the ladies and men that flash you), fly swatters, wasp spray, extra pair of shoes, hiking boots, additional chairs (for company) and a shade structure.  Will post more tips on future blogs.

This link will also answer a lot of questions you might have http://www.krazyflats.com/  however, they are not good about updating information until two months before the event.

I have made a new post with tips for tent campers http://terlinguadreams.blogspot.com/2013/10/casi-chili-cook-off-questions-part-2.html

Good night.  May you have Terlingua Dreams.