When this woman heads up into the hills for a day of the great outdoors, there is one concern that dominates all others - am I going to have to pee in the woods? I was well into my thirties when my lack of experience in this area sent two of my closest friends into fits of hysteria deep into a canyon in Arizona. Here in the semi-arid climate of the Okanagan Valley, hydration is extremely important in order to avoid headaches and nosebleeds. I think the nosebleed thing is a little unique - my nose hasn't fully acclimatized, even after two years. Anyways, this concern was amplified as I was traveling with a male companion with whom I wouldn't normally discuss bodily functions. (Note - for me, that includes the entire gender...) So, off we went, up, up into the mountains in search of scenery and minerals. I packed a full compliment of water and threw the essential roll of TP into my bag with a groan that may have been audible at fifty feet.
Never in a million years would I have expected to have the relative luxury of using outhouses in the middle of nowhere throughout the day. I'm not joking - when I needed one, they'd just turn up! Not only that, they got nicer as the day went on. The first rest stop, I'm going to call "A Room With A View" - both in and out. How I wish I had taken a picture of me in the "window". Moments after I stepped out, a huge logging truck went screaming by on the road. I think I would have gone into cardiac arrest if it had been any earlier.
If you know me as a photographer, you know that I have a thing for hardware, so I made use of the subject material to grab a couple of artsy shots before sauntering along, pleased as punch for dodging the bullet.
A few hours later, we arrived at one of the most interesting places I've ever seen. I'm not even sure how to describe it, but someone has put a lot of effort into constructing a little getaway in the woods. One of the first things I noticed was this sign pointing to the "men's room", which I surmise was anywhere a safe distance from the "house". I never discovered if there was an actual facility, because my attention was dominated by this glorious structure in exactly the opposite direction.
No view here - this commode was completely enclosed and in immaculate condition! The day was taking on an unusual theme, but it was completely justified. We were killing ourselves laughing and we hadn't seen the best of it yet.
Whoever these people are, they have the best sense of humour. Don't bother to ask me where this place is. Even if I remembered how to get there, I wouldn't tell, just out of respect for their ingenuity and their creative use of Bart Simpson.
The things you see in the woods! Have a great week - hope this made you chuckle.
Laura
No comments:
Post a Comment