I realize I said just last week there’d be no more posts about bodily functions, but the Great Out of Doors blog has such a swell, concise guide to outdoor defecation that I’m compelled to break that promise.

If someone in your party refuses to go, tell them about fecal compaction. This condition occurs when a hapless hiker thinks they can “hold it in” for too long. In short, they’ve waited so long that feces has become so packed that it’s impossible to go. Hilarity ensues when your partner learns that their good friend (that is you) will have to pull the plug out with their bare hands. Fecal compaction should not be taken lightly however. It quickly leads beyond intense pain to organ damage, loss of bladder control and death.

So that’s the why… read the whole post for the how.