Suanne
Well-known member
Some friends and I were just talking about our observations of newcomers to the RTR/desert. So, here are three ways for you to prepare for that new environment:
1) Drink lots of water. It's dry and very easy to become dehydrated. If it's windy, drink double. The wind saps the moisture from your body.
2) Carry a flashlight with a hook or carabineer for hands-free use. It'll be a new moon during the RTR and very dark, as in zero light to see by. Be aware that headlamps, if worn when other campers are around, will shine in their eyes and will temporarily blind them. If your flashlight has a red light, use it; you can see well enough to walk, yet won't blind others.
3) The ground is uneven, rocky. There's also both shallow and deep washes that are sandy and brush-strewn that you'll need to walk through. Wear shoes with support. Use a walking stick if unsteady. Avoid being someone who ends up on crutches.
Hope that helps someone who will be new to the RTR/desert. Breathe.
Suanne ... enjoying the morning desert sun, drinking water.
1) Drink lots of water. It's dry and very easy to become dehydrated. If it's windy, drink double. The wind saps the moisture from your body.
2) Carry a flashlight with a hook or carabineer for hands-free use. It'll be a new moon during the RTR and very dark, as in zero light to see by. Be aware that headlamps, if worn when other campers are around, will shine in their eyes and will temporarily blind them. If your flashlight has a red light, use it; you can see well enough to walk, yet won't blind others.
3) The ground is uneven, rocky. There's also both shallow and deep washes that are sandy and brush-strewn that you'll need to walk through. Wear shoes with support. Use a walking stick if unsteady. Avoid being someone who ends up on crutches.
Hope that helps someone who will be new to the RTR/desert. Breathe.
Suanne ... enjoying the morning desert sun, drinking water.