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I've Been to the Desert ...

It snowed, which was nice.

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To Hell in a Hand Basket ...

... whatever that means. I am starting to sell stuff. I never do that. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250364969103 -- the Selle Italia Trimatic road saddle, for sale now!.

Today's Ride

24.8 miles ... from San Mateo up Parrot, then over to Polhemous on Acension. Following the Ralston trail to Canada Road, then Woodside to Whiskey Hill, down Sandhill to Elcamino then a couple of miles south. Drive back to San Mateo.

Mike's Bikes in Palo Alto was totally Johnny on the Spot fixing a broken spoke at 10 on a Sunday morning.

I carried the camera the whole way but never stopped to take any pix.

In the Absence of Running Water ...

Polaroids, Contact Prints and Other Small Works.

Whatever that means. I am working on a show. 20 photos or so in black and white.

In my early life there were Polaroids, later, when I was grad school I met a woman from the desert, who had a thing for Polaroids. She took me to the desert and helped me to see it's richness, taught me to find life there, water there; I found myself there more often than not.

Later, I was in the Grand Canyon and Jack Dykinga was calling me "Roid Man," because I was taking all these Polaroids.

Years passed. A $15 dollar Polaroid camera and a passion for the desert grew. It turned into a fourbyfive and better Polaroids. Now, I am sorting through them looking for a show.

And testing out titles ...

First Aid Kit

I recently completed a ten day Wilderness First Responder (First Aid) course, during which I learned a variety of important things and received 2 different first aid certifications, bringing my total to 3. I have a workplace first aid (CPR, First Aid for Adults and AED), during the course I received an American Heart Association certificate in CPR and Basic Life Support for Health Care providers, and a Wilderness First Responder certification, which meets the standard set by the Wilderness Medicine Institute.

So I thought maybe I should look over some of the first aid kits around and try to make one that would be pretty comprehensive, just in case I need to (try to) save anyone.

I started with a National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) First Aid Kit from the American Red Cross:

5 packs of Antiseptic Wipes
5 packs of 1 fl oz Triple Antibiotic Ointment
2 packets of Hand Sanitizer (0.9 fl oz)
2 packets of Hydrocortisone Ointment (1 fl oz)
10 .375" x 1.5" Adhesive Bandages
25 .75" x 3" Adhesive Bandages
15 Adhesive Bandages-1" x 3"
5 Adhesive Bandages-1.5" x 1.5"
3 Adhesive Bandages-2" x 4.5"
3 Fingertip Adhesive Bandages
3 Knuckle Adhesive Bandages
2 Bandage Dressings-5" x 9"
1 Bandage Gauze Rolls-2"
1 Bandage Gauze Rolls-3"
2 Triangular Bandages 42" x 42" x 59"
5 Gauze Pads 3" x 3"
5 Gauze Pads 4" x 4"
1 Adhesive Tapes 1" x 10yds
1 CPR Breathing Barrier
1 Adult Emergency Blanket
1 Red Cross First Aid Guide
2 Pairs of Gloves, Non-powdered Latex-Free, size: large
1 Scissors, Pointed, metal
4 Thermometers, Disposable, Oral, Non Mercurial
1 Tweezers (Metal)
2 Aspirins, 81 mg each
1 Bio Hazard Waste Bag
1 Instant Ice Pack
1 No. 2 Pencil with eraser
1 Emergency Contact Card

In all fairness to the kit. It's pretty good, if you're in a playground in an urban area. If you're in the wild though, it might prove difficult with this kit. So I added:

2 Sam Splints
1 Trauma Pad
1 Ace Bandage with velcro closure
1 Trauma Shears
1 12 cc. Irrigation Syringe
1 Yellow Duck Tape
12 Ibuprofen
12 Aceteminophen
12 Naprosyn
12 Aspirin
1 Note Pad
2 Liquid Glucose (96 calories each)
1 Honey Stinger Gel (120 calores)
12 Dulcolax Laxative
1 Sanitary Napkin
1 Black Permanent Marker
3 Safety Pins
1 Package of Certo™ Liquid Pectin
1 Flashlight
1 Roll of Adhesive Tape
2 After Bite Towelettes
1 Qiuk-Clot Sport Clotting Sponge
1 Benzoin Tincture
2 Benedryl Tablets 25 mg.
10 Benedryl Strips 25 mg.
1 Fake Moleskin
9 Corn Cushions
1 Watch with a Sweep Second Hand
1 Gatorade Powder

Just for completeness, if I were employed by a company and/or had a medical advising physician, I might have epinephren and some antibiotics included in my kit, but a Wilderness First Responder can't administer any of these in most states without a well defined protocol and a prescribing advisor.

Needless to say, it no longer fits into the neat little bag. Additionally, it weighs 4 lbs. plus, so it's great for boating, or riding around in a truck, but is a bit heavy for backpacking. I'll be working on the weight of it, and working on a reduced list of items for backpacking.

This assumes a certain amount of other gear will be available for evacs (like a folding saw, or a section of rope, or some paddles, poles, or skis ...), and tasks like sterilizing water, and that someone (hopefully me) knows what to do with all of it.

Toenails, and Other Missing Stuff

I guess I never actually posted about my 12-15 mile hike in the Superstitions on 12/30 last year. The happy hiking guy and I and his wife walked around Weaver's Needle from the Peralta trailhead. In a day -- for like 12-14 miles total.

I had a black and blue toenail after that -- which fell off. Yesterday. I love it when that happens.

Enjoy.

Image of the Canyon

This is a 4" x 5" Polaroid taken during my 2003 Grand Canyon trip. It is untouched-up so you might detect a few minor flaws.

Portola Redwoods State Park -- Iverson Trail

I went for a hike in the redwoods today at Portola Redwoods State Park and walked the full length of the Iverson trail, including Tiptoe Falls. I saw a few mushrooms, and a banana slug.

Photos ... From Last Weeks Trip

As you may have figured out by now, I was in Mesa and Flagstaff Arizona for most of the early part of January. If you really must know, I was looking for a job. Mostly I was in oh so cold Flagstaff, rather than delightfully warm Mesa. Notice there are no pix of Flagstaff ... I was busy.

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Downtown Flagstaff

WFR Classroom

Cyclist Riding in Snowy Flagstaff

Brrrr!