I shouldn't be alive on the Animal Planet

[arrow719]

Has anyone watched this show? I just watched an episode where a woman, her two little girls and her boyfriend got stranded in the Arizona desert in the summer. If you are going to venture into the desert be sure to watch this episode. Just do everything the exact opposite of these people and you will be just fine. I have been stranded in the desert and it really bites! But I will not die out there like some people who aren't prepared. A short list of their mistakes include:

1. Going into the desert when it's 115 degrees, that's just too hot!
2. Not having a four wheel drive.
3. Getting lost because they didn't have maps or a GPS.
4. Trying to drive across terrain that is way too rough for a vehicle without
4X4, you WILL get stuck eventually.
5. Having a cell phone with a dead battery and no charger.
6. Not having a jack, just getting a flat would of stranded them. A jack
would of helped them free their vehicle from the wash they were stuck in
also.
7. Not having extra water or food.
8. Trying to hike many miles out of the desert in the daytime when it's 115
degrees. Wait until night time if you have to hike out, it's a whole lot
cooler at night.
9. Not letting anyone know where you are or when you will be back.
10. Not having an alternate source of transportation like a four wheeler or
dirt bike.

They got lucky and were rescued just in the nick of time. They were very lucky they all lived especially the little girls. I'm done with my rant for the day, be careful out there.

[Trask]

These shows drive me nuts..( it's like an illustrated book on
Jungle Diseases..You start looking at something like that and you get sicker as you go..but you can't stop)I have to watch them and I just get more frustrated as I do.

And yes there is a cautionary tale that is always worth revisiting for anyone that ventures into the Back Country.

I am a fruit loop about being prepared as I ALWAYS assume the worse case scenario will happen when least expected. I also assume I will be completely on my own.

Beyond the Basics Some things I keep in my truck and truck box:

A shotgun with slugs and shotshells
A Flare Gun
A "Come Along" with extra rope and long towstraps.
A 25' roll of 12mil clear plastic ( shelter, solar still, ect)
10 gal. of extra fuel, 10 gal of water
min. 2 headlamps with tons of AAA batteries
10 Powerbars
A very good Medical kit including:
Clotstop, super glue, 3 Vicodin, 100mg Ritilan, SunBlock, Deet bug spray.
A sleeping bag and waterproof shell
Ax and Handsaw
roll of Survey Tape
Extra pair of boots and sox
Multiple fire starting provisions and 3 cans of Sterno

I don't travel light..but I like to have options when or if things get tight.

[joyce]

Good advice!
I watch that show all the time, but have not seen that episode yet.
Did see one where a Father takes his daughter to the desert and they get lost, but I think that was in Australia. Joyce

[Trask]

I happened to catch the episode last night...At one point he was found by some scum bags, who left him without helping, despite his being near death.

I think there is a special circle of hell for those people..probably next to the likes of hitler... where you get the special privilege of picking the Pineapple They will shove up your backside on a daily basis.

[arrow719]

Originally Posted by Trask

These shows drive me nuts..( it's like an illustrated book on
Jungle Diseases..You start looking at something like that and you get sicker as you go..but you can't stop)I have to watch them and I just get more frustrated as I do.

And yes there is a cautionary tale that is always worth revisiting for anyone that ventures into the Back Country.

I am a fruit loop about being prepared as I ALWAYS assume the worse case scenario will happen when least expected. I also assume I will be completely on my own.

Beyond the Basics Some things I keep in my truck and truck box:

A shotgun with slugs and shotshells
A Flare Gun
A "Come Along" with extra rope and long towstraps.
A 25' roll of 12mil clear plastic ( shelter, solar still, ect)
10 gal. of extra fuel, 10 gal of water
min. 2 headlamps with tons of AAA batteries
10 Powerbars
A very good Medical kit including:
Clotstop, super glue, 3 Vicodin, 100mg Ritilan, SunBlock, Deet bug spray.
A sleeping bag and waterproof shell
Ax and Handsaw
roll of Survey Tape
Extra pair of boots and sox
Multiple fire starting provisions and 3 cans of Sterno

I don't travel light..but I like to have options when or if things get tight.

Those are all good things to have just in case. A couple other things that can be helpful are an extra spare tire, a portable air compressor and a portable battery jumper. I learned that one the hard way. I forgot to turn my head lights off once so my battery was dead when I got back.

[DesertWalker]

Those are some good things to think about...what about good old duct tape, I heard that saved a backpackers life once. Trask, I go on outings with a friend like you and Arrow combined. He is so anal sometimes, it could drive ya crazy, but always glad to know he is prepared for the worst.

BTW...where do you pick of some that Vicodin and Ritlin?

[Trask]

Originally Posted by DesertWalker

Those are some good things to think about...what about good old duct tape, I heard that saved a backpackers life once. Trask, I go on outings with a friend like you and Arrow combined. He is so anal sometimes, it could drive ya crazy, but always glad to know he is prepared for the worst.

BTW...where do you pick of some that Vicodin and Ritlin?

Find a reasonable Doctor and be honest about your intention.

[karatekid069]

u guys seen the lost in the snow episode? It was based on a true story that happened about 30 miles from where I live. they made a movie about it to with neil patrick harris =)

[arrow719]

Originally Posted by karatekid069

u guys seen the lost in the snow episode? It was based on a true story that happened about 30 miles from where I live. they made a movie about it to with neil patrick harris =)

I haven't seen that one yet, or the movie. I'll be on the look out for it.

[paleo_joe]

I did pandemic preparedness planning for a big corporation and we'd have scenarios where 10% of the employees are dead, 10% are sick, and the rest are risking their lives when they go to work around people who might be infected. It would not take much to shut society down with a domino effect. I keep enough supplies in my home that my family and I could stay in it for 3 months, long enough for an outbreak of something to run its course, and not have to leave. Plan for power outages, for water outages. Food is a smaller problem. My wife thinks I am crazy.