[longspurr]

Campground walk to the bathroom – at night.

My tender half wants to go camping, but is concerned about a midnight walk to the necessary room.
Note; this is tent camping – not RV parking.

I say” we can take the 12 gauge and you can carry it back and forth”
She “no way. I would scare anyone that saw me and then the cops would be called”
2nd note; at 70+ she doesn't do handguns well

Giving this some thought, the best idea I've come up with is a Cold steel trail hawk – that a roll of tissue can fit over the handle. The Hawk becomes a TP dispenser – but could be used as protection.

Question; does anyone know if TP will fit over a trail hawk – or other hatchet handle.

Any other idea's for this issue?

[vicdotcom]

Glad she talked you out of the shotgun. Personally, if I saw someone at a campground walking about with a 12 gauge, I would call the cops also. Especially at night. My first thought would be "someone is going to kill someone" rather than "ohh someone is just defending themselves against danger".

THe tomahawk idea would work. The TP roll would certainly fit over the handle. Even if it is a little tight, it would be ok. Heck someone might think your out cutting firewood or something lol
Another option is a handgun covered with a towel. (if legal in your area)

[hso]

Bear Spray and a stout stick with the TP on it.

[longspurr]

Walking stick, now why didn't I think of that before. I just bought a new one, a Trecker model on sale at Cabela's. The TP is a tight fit - but it works.

I thought about the Industrial bug spray (pepper) but didn't know if It could be deployed well in the dark.

I am thinking one of the high tek flashlight that have strobe function might be a good idea in addition to a stout stick. I just can't tell her how much they cost.

Well D----, there goes my rational for a new toy (hawk).

Thanks

[DeepSouth]

I have the solution.. (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0009548514869a&navCount=2&podId=0009548&parentId=cat20097&masterpathid=&navAction=jump&cmCat=MainCatcat20075-cat20097_TGP&catalogCode=IK&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20097&hasJS=true)

[Cannonball888]

Bear Spray and a stout stick with the TP on it.
Just make sure she doesn't get any spray on the TP :eek:

[longspurr]

DeepSouth
Actually we have looked at several models of semi portable potties. We are in the throes of making many neophyte decisions about camping. Limited space in the car for equipment, lots of things we "think" we need.
My SS 45 and various knifes are fine for me thinking safety. The wife is reluctant about the issue of defense "thats why I have you around" .

We will give the camping thing a try (and I will see if this justifies any new toys :D )

I looked again at my Cabela's hiking stick, and now think I need something stouter and made of wood. :D

[TimboKhan]

We are in the throes of making many neophyte decisions about camping. Limited space in the car for equipment, lots of things we "think" we need.

Speaking only for myself, I find the less crap you take, the more fun the trip. I hate car camping for the simple reason that you end up bringing everything but the kitchen sink. For me, with a couple of exceptions, if I can't fit it into my backpack, I don't want to take it. My exceptions are a guitar for at night around the campfire, a book or three, and an air mattress. If I make a base campsite by my car, I can think of no good reason as to why I need to be uncomfortable as I sleep.

I happen to agree with Hso. A walking stick to provide distance and some bear spray should be ample. You don't need a particularly heavy stick, unless you are just going to use it for defense, in which case get what you want. Bear spray lays down a thick fog of gas, and should be sufficient for most threats that she might get at night. Just be careful that if you need to come to her aid and she has fogged the area that you don't get a healthy dose too.

[p35]

Also a good noise making device. Campgrounds in my experience are full of family oriented people, in close proximity and in thin walled shelters. A bunch of noise with a woman yelling for help would quickly draw a crowd. 4 legged critters don't like noisy crowds and 2 legged ones would get a fast education in manners.

[sm]

I agree with the less you take, the more fun the trip
I also agree with having a walking stick /cane for you both to use all the time, and not just going to the necessary room.

I and mine always carried concealed.
My ex sister in law and her life partner were not into guns, but did due to camping.
They tried a slew of models when they asked me to assist and went with a 4 inch stainless K frame, using .357 loads and a Model 60 using standard pressure 158 gr LSWC.

Not concerned about bears, instead barry the strung out doper and friends, whom might not care ex sister in law and her life partner were not into boys, just raping a girl is raping a girl to boys, and strung out dopers are no exception.

Now they had preferred to camp pretty minimal, and out of a Jeep, with the hardtop on.
I suggested a "pop up" trailer, just the smallest and easiest to tow. So they rented one, like it, and it was simple to have a port-a-pottie in one.

This led to some other ladies they ran with , also getting into guns, sticks, and using pop up trailers.
Rent the trailer , and heck, some times they flew to a spot, rented vehicle and pop up trailer.

Ex SIL found a RV/Camper place that sold, and rented these, getting rid of older inventory as new inventory was arriving.
She and her partner, bought a Coleman, that looked like new.

Her dad, my FIL and shooting pardner, liked my idea. So he and his wife got to using these, and he ended up buying one as well.

He and his wife drove 280 Z's (if the kids want to go out to eat, they can damn sure drive themselves and meet up, since he is going to pick up the tab).
For camping, he borrowed one of his partners trucks or small SUVs.
He is a doctor and three others built a nice clinic.
We used this pop up at some shooting events. just parked over near the RV parking when we competed.

Later, he had a patient wanting to get rid of a small truck, so he bought the small truck that towed this pop up, his motorcycles if need, and did property duty,

We beefed up these pop up trailers with security measures, including hidden , lockable containers.

Nothing wrong with tents, just these pop ups have proven to be another tool in the tool box, in having fun, and having some security.

Not sure what the regs are on guns on some parks and places...
Still if you don't have to go out at night to potty, that alleviates some predator zones.

Kids, btw think these are neat, and feel safe if there is some heavy rain, lighting and have to potty and the thought of having to go outside to that place down there....is not something they really want to do.


Lockable boxes included more than one, and were big enough to contain a Bone stock , full stock shotgun with 30 in barrel, or Model 70 in '06 with scope, Sage, Winston flyfishing rods in tubes...
So naturally a Model 94 in 30-30 would fit, as would a Ithaca 37 Police, Ruger Mini 14, AR, ...and .44 magnum handguns.

[longspurr]

SM
Thanks for the long reply. When getting into something new, people usually make a lot of choices that in hindsite were not the best. Live and learn. We do have bears in northern Wis, and Michigan's UP so that is reason enough for a 45 Blackhawk to stay close at hand. I'm so used to being quiet in the woods that carrying a noise maker will be a rude annoyance - even if I know its for the best.

Now that we have the tent, etc. We will go give the idea a try. Until the recession turns into a recovery and jobs are stable, We will stay low key on buying expensive toys.

I do like the idea of a easy to tow pop up. Perhaps next year.

[hunter25]

Campers are nice but don't work when you are pulling a boat or other toys already. We camp in a tent always use lanterns for lots of light and always carry a sidearm.

[geologist]

A 4 C cell maglight can guide you to the facilities, shed some light on potential problems and if required help you to deal with them.

[wrs840]

If I saw a 70+ year old lady walking to the pooper with a shotgun, I think I'd give her a friendly word of kudos and then grin for the remainder of the night...

Les

[meef]

TimboKhan:Speaking only for myself, I find the less crap you take, the more fun the trip.Well, I guess that would make for fewer trips to the necessary room too.

If you get my drift.


:D

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

So the 70+ year old can't handle a handgun, but you expect her to be able to use an axe to any sort of effect?



+1 bear spray

[feedthehogs]

Unless its a pup tent, a small porta potty keeps the trips to the daylight hours.

Here's my truck bed tent complete with porta potty and Kimber.;)



http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk136/bluffs_2008/3.jpg

[xm21]

Longspurr why don't you and the Blackhawk just escort her?A 39 dollar Surefire G2 would come in handy on such a walk,it is a great little flashlight though the batteries are pretty high dollar.For 30 more bucks you can get the LED version which makes those expensive batteries last a lot longer.

[Carl Levitian]

A 70 year old woman is not going to be able to wield some of the weapons suggested here. Keep in mind, as we age, we loose a great deal of what we are. A senior citizen, especially a female senior citizen, is not up to slugging it out with an assailant for too long. At most, she just needs a delaying action till the cavelry comes over the hill. A can of good Fox labs or Sabre red pepper spray will do, accompanied by a good scream.

Don't under estimate a female scream.

Some years ago, Karen and I were tent camping down in the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. In the wee hours of the morning, a woman's scream woke up the campground, and you never heard so many tent zippers being run down at once. Before you could whistle the opening bars of "Dixie", a small crownd of menfolk, with a good number of thier womanfolk along, had come to the sourse of the scream with a wide assortment of makeshift weapons. Camp shovels, a BBQ forks, a machete, a couple of hatchets, and more than a few pieces of firewood, with a couple of Buck knives tossed in. Lots of flashlights shinning about.

The reason for the scream?

A woman going to the call of nature, was sitting on the john, and a mouse ran across the floor. She was at first very embarassed, but comforted by the instant turnout of nearly all the menfolk in ear shot of her panic.

Campers by nature are pretty decent people, and the call of a paniced woman sent most of the campground out in force.

I imagine the scream of a 70 year old woman in a campground even half full, will bring plenty of help. Till then, tell her to empty her pepper spray on what's bothering her.

That should do it!:D

[Grizfire]

what we do....pick a private spot at the edge of the campground, go behind a tree.

[p35]

Doubt you're going to get a 70 year old woman to pee behind a tree- women are a little more uptight about that than men in my experience.