Monday, February 14, 2005

Yucca in White Sands National Monument - New Mexico (July 2004)


Taken shortly after a harrowing experience in which I nearly died of heat stroke around 1:00pm on a hot summer day in the desert. I brilliantly attempted to haul 60+pounds of camping and photography gear over a half mile of rising and falling dunes with the sun pounding down on me to the tune of 110 degrees. About halfway to the campsite I was wishing there were some shade around. As I began going up the next dune, I collapsed from exhaustion, my heart racing, and not entirely sure I could make it back to my car if I tried. Somehow sensing that lying there in the sun was not helping my cause, I dumped all my gear on the ground and began drinking water as well as pouring it over my head to help in the cooling process (I had almost two gallons worth). I also began walking in circles to keep my circulation up. Within a few minutes I felt ready to move on, but chose to haul the gear the rest of the way to the campsite in three trips rather than one. I spent the rest of the afternoon recovering in the shade afforded me by my tent.

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