Hearty agreement, and it applies not just for aerial searches. I have spent way too much time pounding on the ground looking for pastel tinted victims who blended into the landscape effortlessly. Bright colors rule, and personally, while shy and mild mannered (just ask Mrs. Hikekrmor), I always have something bright handy. The best ever was a reversible down jacket, loden green on one side and international orange on the other.

I remember the desert search experiments quite well, being on occasion one of the eagle-eyed participants in the helo. I had moved to Channel Islands National Park by the time of the mountain work.

When I recall those experiments, I inevitably think of John Bownds, principal author of the work, an extremely active and effective SARA member, who contracted Valley Fever, most likely from inhaling road dust while conducting these trials. The disease forced him to leave Tucson within a few years and took him from us before he attained 50 years of age -a truly fine and capable person.