Nice idea with the stick. It could double as a shade pole with some cordage and tarp/cloth/plastic.

Lack of water, shelter, fuel, food, people, and almost devoid of life except that which can kill you. I'd say rule number 1 when going into the desert for ANY reason, including with a vehicle, is stick to well traveled/populated areas and make sure someone knows where you are going (to and from) and has a check-in times with current positions. Preferably measured in hours (the fewer the better).

In fact, I'd venture a guess that those in a car may not be as careful, making assumptions about their relative safety where a hiker would probably prepare decently, knowing that death can come swiftly in case of an accident.

I guess I know a little bit about your AO - used to visit WSMR fairly often and have had some good meals in Las Cruces. But I've spent very little time recreating in the desert. My major hot and dry time was interior Somalia and I found that climitization is worth every bit as much in hot and dry as it is at high elevation or in extreme cold climates. And it takes a lot of water if you're moving or working. Also, shade is awesome and lack of shade sucks.

I have never done this, but I have read that it may be worthwhile to excavate a shallow pit under your vehicle (at night if possible) and use that to lie up in during the heat of the day. Of course, if your vehicle leaks and drips, that might not be a great idea... .. and I saw plenty of places where trying to scratch below the surface took a D8 or D9 with a ripper... anyway, It's my opinion that if the car windows have been left open during the day, not too long after dark the inside of the vehicle will be a better place to spend the hours of darkness.

Wouldn't a 10' x 10' scrap of Tyvek housewrap be a handy thing to have along? (OK - I carry one all the time up here). Make a lean-to against the vehicle - even just pinching the top edge between doors and door frames and then using rocks, dirt, spare tires, or whatever was handy, stretching out the lower edge? It's white, it's light, and it's compact. And not too noisy after you run it thru a cold water cycle in an automatic washer. Has plenty of other uses, too.

It would be great if one of you folks who live out in the blasted lands did a weekend simulation of broken-down vehicle and reported back to us <hint>...

Regards,

Tom

Susan, great point!

I almost feel nekid without my beloved stave... WAY too handy to not have. The only time it stays back in the truck is when I'm skiing for locomotion. My advice is that it should be a little above head high for various reasons and sturdy enough to bear your body weight plus a hefty backpack load when you lean over sideways on it at about a 45 degree angle to the ground (90deg between you and the stick). Mine started as a well-seasoned white oak sapling, now debarked, smoothed, and varathaned, and it's sporting a really nifty 7075 aluminum business end that I machined up for it and then filed to match the natural contour and taper of the stave. It's amazingly light and strong and has an infinite number of uses, although I have never adorned it with any "features" or gagets. It's just a stick... er, "hiking staff", and the tip is there just to keep it from splitting and add a lot of miles to its useful life.

I've made then for others from all sorts of different wood - never splits or machined shapes, except for some that I made by quartering an Osage Orange log and shaping pretty much like I would a self-bow. That will be my next one - they are the most beautiful ones I have made.

It does take some time and miles and hard use to get really comfortable with always having a stave with you, but once you do... I prefer skinny end down because the natural grip point on most terrain is above center and it swings naturally with my stride that way. Some folks prefer fatter end down... I dunno why, but they do, so... I tried mine both ways on a few hikes before deciding which end to armor. Oh, shaving and rasping a hemispherical top is well worth doing. It makes it friendlier for most all uses, including using it as the center pole in a tarp - no sharp edges to start a tear.

Regards,

Tom

Don't pay too much mind sangre... you'll find trolls no matter where ya go <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Troy

Carry your 6 foot staff vertically in front as you travel at night - it keeps twigs and spiderwebs out of your face, and will detect objects before your shins do.
Tape a mini-chemlight to the bottom and you can see where to place your feet!
And carry tweezers or know how to make them, those cactus spiney hairs can be a real debillitator!

I forgot to mention my favorite source of portable shade: an umbrella. It's a little easier to walk along with than a tarp.

I have been broke down (stuck) in Utah's west desert. Fortunately it did not turn into a survival situation. When I was a kid our small motor home got high centered crossing a sandy wash. We had plenty of water, food, shovels, and a hydraulic jack. The temp during the day was about 95 degrees F with no A/C. My dad and I dug us out and it took about 14 hours. It was miserable work but at no time were we in danger because we had the gear to deal with it.

Regards, Vince

(I don't know if anyone's mentioned the following yet, -in that I havn't yet read the entire thread, -but...) -

In burying yourself, -you would still somehow have to allow for diaphragm movement, -to assure your ability to breathe. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]sangre--nm[/email]