Back from my first ever desert vacation
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 7:10 pm
Well, I'm back from my first-ever desert vacation. I spent a week in Vegas and the surrounding area, with day trips to Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, and the Grand Canyon.
I kept it simple and easy, since I had no desert experience and wanted to come home in a plane, not a rubber bag.
Before going, I bought some new gear, including:
* A pair of Merrel Moab Ventilators (about $90 from REI).
Fantastic shoes, very comfortable and sure-footed on rocky or sandy terrain, cool in hot weather, and tough enough for hard use. Important note, however: These shoes are lousy for long walks on concrete or paved surfaces; I wore them while walking the Las Vegas Strip and limped back to my hotel with sore feet and blisters. Also note: the insoles that come with these shoes are junk; ditch them immediately and get a pair of Dr Scholls Work Inserts.
* Trek Pod Go! camera monopod/tripod/hiking stick (about $180-$200 depending on where you buy it)
This innovative hiking stick actually has a bottom section that splits into 3 legs to give you the option of using it as a tripod or a monopod. The magnetic mounting system works great on even heavy camera/lens combinations, and has integrated stops to allow panoramic photos. It is also a very sturdy hiking stick, and saved my bacon a few times on rough terrain.
* Panama Jack mesh safari hat ($20 from Dick's Sporting Goods)
A simple, cheap hat with a wide brim that kept the desert sun off my face and neck, while venting excess heat through the mesh sides. Though I found lighter weight hats in various stores, most of them were $60-$80.
* Columbia Sportswear long-sleeve Tamiami shirt, khaki color (bought on clearance for $20 at Dick's Sporting Goods)
A Fantastically comfy long-sleeve shirt that kept the sun off my arms (after I'd already been burned through some heavy sunblock) yet kept me cool in 80+ degree temps. Before any future desert excursions, I am definitely buying more of these shirts!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The trip was all I expected (including the part where it simply wasn't long enough!) Nothing prepared me for the grandeur of the places I saw, and no words or photographs can capture the breadth and depth of those places. I was damn near moved to tears by the beauty of Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire, and the brief time I spent at the Grand Canyon was more like a mirage than an actual visit.
One day I will go back to those places. I don't know if it will be one year from now, or ten, but one day I will go back and spend enough time at each of them to truly appreciate everything that each has to offer.
In the meantime, the photos I took, inadequate though they may be, will help to keep the memories fresh in my mind. I hope that they will help to convey a little of my experience to you:
First roll of pics
I kept it simple and easy, since I had no desert experience and wanted to come home in a plane, not a rubber bag.
Before going, I bought some new gear, including:
* A pair of Merrel Moab Ventilators (about $90 from REI).
Fantastic shoes, very comfortable and sure-footed on rocky or sandy terrain, cool in hot weather, and tough enough for hard use. Important note, however: These shoes are lousy for long walks on concrete or paved surfaces; I wore them while walking the Las Vegas Strip and limped back to my hotel with sore feet and blisters. Also note: the insoles that come with these shoes are junk; ditch them immediately and get a pair of Dr Scholls Work Inserts.
* Trek Pod Go! camera monopod/tripod/hiking stick (about $180-$200 depending on where you buy it)
This innovative hiking stick actually has a bottom section that splits into 3 legs to give you the option of using it as a tripod or a monopod. The magnetic mounting system works great on even heavy camera/lens combinations, and has integrated stops to allow panoramic photos. It is also a very sturdy hiking stick, and saved my bacon a few times on rough terrain.
* Panama Jack mesh safari hat ($20 from Dick's Sporting Goods)
A simple, cheap hat with a wide brim that kept the desert sun off my face and neck, while venting excess heat through the mesh sides. Though I found lighter weight hats in various stores, most of them were $60-$80.
* Columbia Sportswear long-sleeve Tamiami shirt, khaki color (bought on clearance for $20 at Dick's Sporting Goods)
A Fantastically comfy long-sleeve shirt that kept the sun off my arms (after I'd already been burned through some heavy sunblock) yet kept me cool in 80+ degree temps. Before any future desert excursions, I am definitely buying more of these shirts!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The trip was all I expected (including the part where it simply wasn't long enough!) Nothing prepared me for the grandeur of the places I saw, and no words or photographs can capture the breadth and depth of those places. I was damn near moved to tears by the beauty of Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire, and the brief time I spent at the Grand Canyon was more like a mirage than an actual visit.
One day I will go back to those places. I don't know if it will be one year from now, or ten, but one day I will go back and spend enough time at each of them to truly appreciate everything that each has to offer.
In the meantime, the photos I took, inadequate though they may be, will help to keep the memories fresh in my mind. I hope that they will help to convey a little of my experience to you:
First roll of pics