Registered: 02/26/02
Posts: 301
Loc: The Southwestern Deserts
Quote:
Ya know, BoyNhisDog, solar stills have another desert danger not yet mentioned in this thread. Worse than lions, tigers, or chupacabras. Digging a hole like that attracts "graboids". That gal could get sucked down into that hole and chomped up without warning, and drag you right along with her. Not pretty. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
My girlfriend can out dig your girlfriend! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
May we please see photographic evidence to that effect??? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
My girlfriend can out dig your girlfriend! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
We will see about that. Bring your own umbrella and we might go in on an ice chest of cold beverages as it is hard work watching them dig.
Something tells me if they saw this conversation, It wouldn't be the two of you sitting on the cooler drinking cold ones <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Registered: 12/23/07
Posts: 255
Loc: Expat from New Orleans, now in...
Quote:
I've done most of my backpacking in the Northwest and Rocky Mountains, but I'm planning to go south for my spring break this year, and do some hiking in Arizona. Besides the obvious desert differences, what advice do you have for me? How do you store food when there aren't trees to hang from, etc. Thanks for your help.
With all this foolishness going on, has anyone checked to see if Grinagog is ok? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> He could be somewhere digging a hole in the desert thanks to me!
Grinagog! , You ok out there? !! Brum <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
I'm a girl, and I'm just fine. I'm planning on going in March, which shouldn't be too crazy-hot, and the response to my questions was more than I expected, and very nice. Now I just have to find an inexpensive way to get from Montana to Arizona...yeah right.
I'm not picking on you Brum....it's just that I was born, raised and still work daily in this desert. When I was younger, we were all taught the concept of the 'solar still' and I, like most of my peers thought it was the answer to survival in the desert. I reflect back on those who taught us this concept and am certain that none of them had in fact ever made one themselves under 'real world' conditions. I have done it....drank several gallons of water in the process and than waited half a day for the 1/2 cup of liquid that it produced.
I completely concur. You will have to make that hole while sweating buckets and you will get about 1/2 cup of water after 5 hours on a perfect day with damp ground. One is not likely to find damp ground in the desert on most occasions. It simply is not worth it. I am baffled at all the "survival" books that tout this method. Clearly, they are puppeting the previous books to fill space and have not taken the trouble to try this method for themselves in the desert. We have taken full sized shovels, something one will never have while hiking, and have made solar stills in various locations to the letter of the book tutorials in the most perfect sunny weather on hot days. One will be much better served by a shade shelter, taking enough water in their pack, knowing how to navigate so as not to become lost and knowing where to look for water.
Here we are in one location during the construction stage. Now I have heard that one will sweat gallons while digging the hole. I was not hot at all so I don't really know what they are talking about. Girlfriend was huffing and puffing though. YMMV. Come on girl, dig. That hole has to be a lot deeper and it isn't going to dig itself! You see Earthing, I occasionally take my umbrella. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Out here on the perimeter, the uppland Sonoran desert, one must be aware the stark reality of a harsh landscape. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
What I see is a VERY smart man <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> I agree, the often 'hyped' desert solar still is a LAST resort that may kill you quicker than the lack of water itself out there <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> I always carry an umbrella when hiking in hot weather where I think I'll have no forest cover. If nothing else it can shade me while watching someone else dig for Fool's Gold <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
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PEPPER SPRAY AIN'T BRAINS IN A CAN!
Registered: 02/26/02
Posts: 301
Loc: The Southwestern Deserts
Quote:
What I see is a VERY smart man <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> I agree, the often 'hyped' desert solar still is a LAST resort that may kill you quicker than the lack of water itself out there <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> I always carry an umbrella when hiking in hot weather where I think I'll have no forest cover. If nothing else it can shade me while watching someone else dig for Fool's Gold <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
I don't know how smart it was. About 5 minutes after finished the hole, she laid that shovel up the side of my head. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
and lest anyone might think I was not doing my part, I went out and found the little rock you put in the middle of the plastic sheet to form the inverted cone for the moisture to run down to the receptacle. I carried it all the way back and put it in place all by myself.
Registered: 02/26/02
Posts: 301
Loc: The Southwestern Deserts
Quote:
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Like I said a Smart Man N his dog <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
"Ouch! that's gonna leave a mark", he said as he went lookin' fer the wee center stone <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
Acutually it's a pretty good hands on lesson to teach the 'book learners' IMO <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
She only hit me after I told her she would have to dig five more holes if we were to get enough water to make tea for two in five hours. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
and yes, books are good sources but thinking one can go from reading a technique to actually using it successfully with no prior practice is a stretch. Practice and exploring a technique in your own part of the world is essential. About once every year I like to make a friction fire with desert materials, yucca stalks are very good. If one does not practice but only reads of a technique, it may not work in the wild as well as one might build up their mind. There is the very useful and then there is the useless. I have yet to find a person out there who finds that the solar still is a viable option out of the very experienced desert rats I know from the Sonoran to the Mohave deserts. One fellow is 70 years old and he can do just about anything technique wise and still practices in the deserts. I have learned a lot from him over the years as well.
Registered: 12/23/07
Posts: 255
Loc: Expat from New Orleans, now in...
Quote:
I'm a girl, and I'm just fine. I'm planning on going in March, which shouldn't be too crazy-hot, and the response to my questions was more than I expected, and very nice. Now I just have to find an inexpensive way to get from Montana to Arizona...yeah right.
Thanks, again.
OOPS! Sorry, Allie! Glad to know you're ok, and not waist deep in a hole somewhere. Keep us posted on your plans. We sometimes get a little carried away here, but I can assure you we'll all pitch in and help if you need it. After all is said and done, water is your main concern in the desert. That and not getting lost.
By the way, please allow me to suggest that you not be too specific on here as to your dates and locations of travel, too many lurkers with ulterior motives on the net. Email some of the regulars and ask specifics about locations and dates. I wish you a good and safe trip. Bring back pictures for us to see. May God bless and keep you in all of your going out and coming in. Brum
And I thought the Peligres were bad enough. When I was doing military stuff between El Paso and White Sands, there were all these signs that read "Warning, Peligre". Those Peigres were pretty scary, but nothing like that graboid. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
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I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.
BoyNhisDog, I recognize you from where I used to work! I'll just say, this guy knows about the desert, trust me! (well so do I) I grew up here.
Yeah, maybe take some water, jolly ranchers, sunglasses, eye-drops, forms of shade, knife or multo tool so you can snack on local fruits, camera, sunblock/lip block, ziplock, tweasers, duck tape, flip flops..I can go on.
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