Rest Stop

Hoh Rain Forest Bathroom, Washington

When I was a kid, a family friend passed on some sage advice that I have never forgotten. This educated man, who was a civil court judge for thirty years, told me that the wisest thing he'd ever learned was: "Never pass up a chance to have a drink of water and to go to the bathroom."

I never realized how true this was until we took our big road trip several weeks ago and one very important element to the vacation emerged: The bathroom break.

The need to find bladder relief became almost an obsession for our family as the four of us never quite got into sync with each other. It didn't help that we were driving long distances through national parks and monuments where bathrooms were sometimes few and far between. And where a tree would be fine for me or my son, my wife and daughter required more comfortable facilities.

My 5-year-old daughter still believes that if she can't feel anything, then there's nothing that needs to come out. No amount of cajoling could get her to do her business when a bathroom was accessible. Twenty minutes and twenty miles into the rain forest, and all of a sudden alarm bells sound and she’s wiggling in the backseat.

My 8-year-old son was a little better. He would at least try to go when the opportunity arose. He'd usually say, "I'll try, but I don't think I have to go," followed by the sound of tinkling that would last a good ten seconds. I’d always remind him that his bladder was probably more than half full, and he’d always reply, "I think it was about a quarter full."

Even when we were close to a bathroom at our beachside cabin, we were usually down a long stairway, through piles of driftwood, and a half-mile down the beach. Any cries of "I gotta go!" and my wife and I would send them into the ocean, hoping no crabs or jellyfish were lurking in the surf.

Toward the end of the seven days, we became quite adept at scouting out rest stops - consulting maps, visitors centers, park rangers, and police in order to map out the best route. Bathroom breaks became more important than sightseeing or meals.

Once we got home, going potty suddenly returned to something we take for granted. With three toilets in our house, we just never have to worry about it. Both kids have, thankfully, moved beyond the need for help in the bathroom. They go when they need to. The hand-washing sometimes needs a reminder, but everything else is self-sufficient.

Still, I'm looking forward to the day when my children can plan ahead a little bit and be more independent when it comes to potty breaks while on the road. Then I can keep both eyes on the scenery instead of on signs for the next rest stop.