So, here's the deal,
I was already planning on having a bathroom. That is an absolute must. My wife has a small blatter and has to pee often. Now, she's a trooper and doesn't complain, but I don't want her to sit there in discomfort for hours and worry about inconveniencing me with frequent stops. And my point to all this is not to be miserable and uncomfortable and/or have half our site seeing be about finding bathrooms. It wasn't horrible last time we were on a trip, but it was only 4 days and we flew out. It was worth the expense because the wife has never been out west or seen the GC. If she hated it out there and hated being in the vehicle for days and packing in hundreds of miles a day to see sights, I wouldn't have a van right now. But she loved it and now I have a van and a lot of traveling planned.
Problem is, we have a really long drive between us and all the stuff we want to see. No more flying out and getting a rental for a few days. That was an expensive, one-time test run.
It might take us 2-3 days to drive to the GC again. Now, if we are going to be in one area for a few days, we might get a room. But I don't want to stop and get a room on the way.
Also, I know she won't be comfortable using the bathroom out in the open even if it's just her and I.
And honestly, I don't think anyone else wants me to use it out in the open. So, no plumbing, just a simple toilet, but I was going to build a little stall with a door anyway. Then I got to thinking, there's already a permanent stall, why not add a shower too? Like mentioned, we may not use it often enough to reasonably say the expense and work is worth it.
But, what if we are traveling to see 3 different sites in a day and 2 of them we get out and do some mild hiking and get all dirty and sweaty? I know she would want to get cleaned up before bed and wouldn't it also be a waste to rent a room for $100-200 jus to be able to take a shower? And possibly drive out of our way to get there?
So, I'm back to not sure what to do.
It's one of those things that's a lot of expense and work and doesn't seem worth it on it's face, but one of those things that you really wish you had on those occasions when it would really make your life easier.
Maybe I shouldn't do any permanent fixtures yet. Maybe we should do a shorter trip and rough it, then come back with a list of wants and needs.