Highlights and Tips from the Desert

The last in the series of posts about my adventures in the Alvord Desert. My tips for roughing it in the desert and a few of the highlights from my research trip, in no particular order. To read more about what I actually did in the desert see:

The Trials and Tribulations of a Herpetologist Part I
The Trials and Tribulations of a Herpetologist Part II
The Trials and Tribulations of a Herpetologist Part III

• Short tents and sturdy tent pegs are a good idea, this is not something to take lightly, it is very windy in the desert.

That was my professor's tent by the way...he should really have taken his own advice. 

He thought this was hilarious though.

• Don't expect to sleep in, it gets unbearably hot in your tent by 9:00 am

• Don't take things personally, "hangry" is a legitimate state of mind
•  hunger+angry= hangry; so hungry you're angry, also works with thirst (thangry)

• You will probably get mild heat rash...it's okay, don't freak out, it's nothing to worry about.

• Good boots are a blessing, I don't understand people who wear sandals in sand that is legitimately 150° F with thorny plants everywhere.

Take a good look...yeah those spikes are everywhere and all the plants look like that or worse.
I have scars from those plants. No sandals for me.

• Baby wipe bathes are the best cleaning your gonna get without running water. They're actually quite nice at the add of a long day. Gets rid of the "hardpan tan," which is when you are so dusty and dirty you actually look tan.

The ground around this plant...that is hardpan. 

• I realized one night when I was putting neosporin on the numerous cuts I got, from all those plants that are out to get you, that the range of temperatures recommended for it to be kept at were no where near the temperatures it was kept at in the desert. I kind of have to wonder what happens when it gets too hot...but since I'm not dead from a bacterial infection it can't be that bad. 

• Electrolytes are amazing. Drinking plain water will not cut it in the desert because as well as water your body's salt is also lost through sweat. The best way to get more salt into your body is by drinking something with electrolytes in it, such as Gatorade and Tang. Thing is...I'm not a fan of most flavored and/or fizzy drinks, and anything other than water, hot chocolate, and coffee make me gag and there is a very real possibly of me throwing up. Luckily we used powdered Gatorade, so to remedy this situation I had to swallow spoonfuls of dry flavored powder. It was not fun but it worked. So if you are ever in the desert or have been exercising and you feel kind of grouchy or just generally in a not-very-good mood, get electrolytes into your body in any way you can and I guarantee you will feel worlds better...it's like magic I swear.

Powdered Gatorade in bulk, we had like five of these and  it was all gone by the end of three and a half weeks.

• I don't care how masculine you think you are, but when I say skin lotion and chap-stick is a must, I mean it. Your life will be miserable if you're in a desert without these necessities. Skin gets cracked and chapped in the strangest of places, for me it was my nose and the tops of my ears. It's really weird to have to put chap-stick on your ears but it's to only way. As for skin lotion, I just covered myself in the stuff every night and it felt glorious. It's also good for keeping your feet from cracking and bleeding...for crazy sandal wearers that is.   

• Apparently bugs really like black light. I had the wonderful experience of holding the UV light when we were powder tracking at night...I really should have worn long sleeves. You can just feel them covering your arms but you still can't see them, which was probably a good thing. All in all it was a little disconcerting, to say the least. A classmate of mine said that when she had to hold the light the biggest bug she'd ever seen landed on her, it was the size of her hand and she completely freaked out...and this is the person who took an entomology class (the study of insects).

• Scorpions glow in black light. Who would have thought?  

Two scorpions fighting under a black light, don't know what kind they are though , sorry.

• Best milkshakes in the world! There was a tiny town (and by tiny I mean twelve people live there, one of them going by the name Voldemort) that was a few miles away from the research site and one couple that ran the general store/post office/liquor store/hotel/diner/propane refill station/gas station area. They also made milkshakes...the best and biggest milkshakes you've ever had. My personal favorite was the "Triple C's" flavor; chocolate, caramel, coffee.     

So that's all I can think of at the moment but I thought you might enjoy the write up my group made for next year's students. You probably won't be able to understand all of the references but you can get the gist of it. And, just to let you know it's not written by me but by the one male in my group, you'll be able to tell the difference.

• Coffee – Drink it.

• When you have time to eat, do it. Do not let yourself get hangry.

• Water and Gatorade. If you don’t want them, drink them anyways. Not just one of them, both of them.

• Emergence videos – Be out putting them up BY 6:30. Not awake by 6:30. Videos being set up by 6:30.

• Get Roger to teach you to express ASAP. Will save you a lot of time later and give you a lot more wiggle room.

• ALWAYS HAVE THE GPS.

• Don’t EVER lose the notebooks. EVER. Pockets bad. Field belts good. Lessons were learned.

• Always have a synchronized watch with you. Every member should have one.

• Set an alarm for weather so it ALWAYS gets done.

• Always have walkie-talkies so weather gets done correctly. Which also means have all of the weather equipment with every team you make.

• ALWAYS GET LOCATIONS.

• Label EVERYTHING. ALWAYS. WITH EVERYTHING. TRUST ME. Seems stupid. But it is a good idea.

• Keep electronics as safe as possible. Less trouble is had that way. Makes life easier.

• When back in lab, weigh poop pellets vials INDIVIDUALLY from oven. Otherwise you will have to do it again. Not fun.

• Number powder-track flags.

• Consolidate info whenever possible.

• Master lists good.

• We recommend two notebooks with you for tracking and one master back in camp that always stays in camp.

• ALWAYS empty videos from SD cards IMMEDIATELY. You will need to have blank SD cards ready to be used as often as possible.

• Also always charge the handycam batteries when you get back to camp.

• PENS ARE SOLID GOLD. KEEP THEM. They will disappear, and you will want them. Sharpies too.

• Speaking of sharpies, always have flagging tape. ALWAYS. FOREVER. 

• Ant flags good.

• When making videos, say EVERYTHING in the beginning. Especially WHAT and WHO you are recording, where, when (time and date), and as much weather junk as possible.

• Print a lot of ant sheets. A LOT. Like 100. More does not hurt. Print from his lab. Does not take print quota. Just a hint.

• BRING CASH. Most places card will not work, so bring a lot.

• If you can get a milkshake, DO IT. Suggestions:

-         3 C

-          Triple Berry

-          Caramel Heath

• The double burger is HUGE. If you get that you likely won’t finish it. I am a 6’ 225 lb male. And it is a large meal. Trust me.

• Bring at least 2 pairs sunglasses. Not just because it is bright, but because nap time should often be hidden.

• Make schedules. USE THEM. We made them. Then didn’t use them. We cried. Tears.

• Black-light attracts bugs. Turn on when necessary. Or your skin will literally crawl.

• Latrine should be used during the day. Do not wait. Go early. It takes longer to get there than you think.

• The plants are more dangerous than any animal you will encounter. Look out. They will find you. And your family. They are jerks and they are on a mission. They always succeed. Like James Bond.

• More importantly, pocket knives, HAVE THEM. FOR GOD’S SAKE HAVE THEM. ALWAYS.

• When skinning a rabbit, just do it. Cut quick and fast and move on with life. Look up how in advance.

• However long you are told something will take, add 2 hours. At least. AT LEAST."