Been there, done that

Take work gloves with you. Why ? Cause when you have a flat and loosen the wheel nuts and put them aside with the tools (on the hot aspahlt no less), it only takes the few minutes you bring the spare tire and try to pick the wheel nuts or wrench again, OUCH !!! They are HOT . Trust me !!

I have offered aid and assistance, and received same, on occasions in what would be considered by most here to be "desert" conditions. There have been no unusual incidents or characters. I think you are more likely to run into a "pyscho" in the city that out in any rural environment. There is nothing special about desert landscapes that fosters antisocial behavior.

"Take work gloves with you. Why ? Cause when you have a flat and loosen the wheel nuts and put them aside with the tools (on the hot aspahlt no less), it only takes the few minutes you bring the spare tire and try to pick the wheel nuts or wrench again, OUCH !!! They are HOT . Trust me !!"

That's true.
The problem with the direct heat from the sun - is that there's absolutely no shade out there. Anything metal gets really hot - really fast. So does the asphalt. It would be worthwhile to have a small tarp or a piece of canvas that you could throw on the ground, just in case you need to kneel to do any work. Likewise, if you get stopped for some reason, you could throw it over your head for shade.

There are no trees in the desert. There are no buildings nearby the road, except at isolated towns. If you get stopped and you are on the open road in the middle of the day - you are directly in the suns rays. It's not a fun experience :-(

Pete2

[quote=Pe
There are no trees in the desert. There are no buildings nearby the road, except at isolated towns. [/quote]

Okay, it is time to get specific. There are deserts with extensive treeless areas, but in other there is plenty of shade. The Lower Sonoran Desert - Tucson and Phoenix and the area to the west - contains a fair number of trees which provides a significant amount of shade. There are also rocky gorges and other geological features which also provide shade and shelter. Some of these are amazingly pleasant. You may or may not be able to take advantage of them. Even endless sand dunes provide some shade early and late in the day. Desert are far more varied than their depictions in B movies.

I hope we haven't ruined drahthaar's vacation. Then again, if he wanted encouragement he should have posted on Equipped_To_Party.com instead...

There is nothing special about desert landscapes,that foster anti-social behaviour........Except Meth labs & the tweekers who foster them!The Op didn't say Arizona specifically did it? The southwest can be CA,NV,UT,NM,CO,TX,or AZ,& Unfortunately this day & age,the tweekers are prolific throughout,hence the suggestion of having a firearm will suffice as,a piece of good to have kit.All the other suggestions are Real Good "must haves & will do's" & If it were me,I wouldn't take any of this advice lightly!

After reading the responses I find there is a great variety of suggestions, all of which are great. However, it would have been easier to give more focused and specific answers if the actual destination was stated by the OP - no offense. Knowing which of the various types of desert environments the OP will be in is an example of a key bit of info. I spent four years in the Tucson area. I can tell you that desert area is far different than the Gila Bend and Phoenix area deserts.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

I will supplement my kit accordingly.