So, I've decided this will be a chronicle of my photo journeys, events and others.
Saturday was to be a scouting trip with the field trip coordinator from a local Gem and Mineral Society, to look for good collecting site for future field trips. I was mostly the wheels, but an enthusiastic participant even so!
Bob had a list of collecting sites to visit, was well organized and prepared. But, best laid plans and all that.... and the weather had its own ideas.
Our first stop was to be Afton Canyon, out past Barstow off I-15 just short of Baker. I'd specified that my hiking abilities were no rocks and no hills since I was still in a boot after surgery 5 months before that included a bone graft. Well, there weren't too many rocks, and hills...well...more than I wanted. But I didn't want to be the killjoy or weak link, and we'd never been hiking before and this was the spot he was most excited about. So it was our first stop.
Once we made it down the rather bumpy road, we found ourselves in a large wash, which amazingly still had water! Drove through about 14" deep pond. And got to see a red tail hawk on the ground drinking....not fast enough with the camera though!
Then we drove along the railroad track, trying to determine which canyon was THE Afton Canyon. We finally parked near a tunnel under the tracks, and started up (yes, incline, full of rocks...) towards the canyon. There were lots of pretty marcasite rocks, a few nice pieces of Jasper and some agate, but we were in search of the GOOD stuff.
Oh did I mention it was hot? Or rather HOT? Lots of water in backpacks, fully covered skin (I didn't wear gloves, hate it when my hands get hot!) I had my hiking stick, which compensated for the lack of left foot (still wearing the boot after 5 1/2 months *sigh*), but I couldn't put my hands on anything to help because the rock was too hot to touch. Ok, gloves might have been a good idea.
So we made our way toward the canyon, and up a ways, but Bob started complaining of the feeling of a bubble in his chest....uh oh. My head fills with questions mostly about his heart. He seems hydrated, he went pee once (monce more than I did!) Hmmmm. He thinks its gas from the burrito (!) he ate. I was wiped out after about 45 minutes, and was ready to head back. I sat in the shade for 10 minutes while he scouted on ahead. When he came back he didn't look so good.
So now the LONNNGGG trek back. He was very quiet, I was just trying to make it out, I could feel the heat starting to get to me and the leg getting really tired. he stopped several time to put his hands on his knees to rest. I had lots of alarms going off in my head and checked to see that we had cell service, event tho the fastest someone could get to us would be 30 minutes to an hour....trudged on....wondered if I could get my car closer somehow....kept walking....made it to the tunnel without wrecking my knee or falling, and I hustled to get to the car and start it and turn on air. Bob stopped in the shade of the tunnel to rest with his hand on the wall.
I couldn't see him from the car, even tho he was 20 feet away due ot very tall weeds. "Bob, you ok?" "yeah." "Need help?" No. Three minutes pass. You alright? Yeah...repeated this maybe 3 times (I didn't know if he needed to go to the bathroom, puke or what.....and being very new acquaintances, didn't want to embarrass him. Finally I'm going back to drag him to the car and coolness....Bob, you ok? No, Ipassed out. Say what?
Face plant. Broken scratched glasses, bruise under eye, laceration on nose. We got back to the car, put ice on him, gave him sugar and salt, lots of water and waited to see how lucid he was. Not bad, not great. Found out he's borderline diabetic and on diuretics....no bueno.
I wanted to stop and feed him in Barstow, he just wanted to head home, so fed him turkey jerky, pretzels and gatorade.
We made it back, and he was feeling mostly ok. Found out the temp was about 117 degrees (probably higher since we were in a canyon surrounded by hot rocks, with no breeze, and more humidity than usual. I did learn later that the temperature had topped out at 127.
Lesson learned: get a health history when hiking with someone new, never let fear of embarrassment keep you from doing what your instincts say is best, and NEVER hike when its over 105!
