Proper Footwear for Hiking in the Desert

While I was sitting on a trail this weekend, holding a sleeping Desert Boy who increasingly got heavier every minute so that I lost all feeling in my legs, I found I was at eye level with people's shoes as they walked by. And what an interesting array of footwear! The park newspaper, park rangers, and park signs all stated that hiking boots were strongly recommended for this steep and rocky trail. And that the number one injury was due to improper footwear. So I want to show you what some of the people were wearing and see what you think.

Snazzy red sneakers set a fashion statement in the desert.
Probably the kind of boots the park rangers are talking about when they mean "proper footwear."
These big black boots certainly give a lot of ankle support. And the camo capris are quite the fashion statement.
Running shoes, a comfortable choice for many surfaces.
White tennies were certainly the most common footwear we saw. I like the black socks for contrast.
These checkered tennies also show some fashion awareness, but I'm not sure about the velcro.
These shoes look comfortable and the red is certainly eye catching.
A one and a half inch heel might be a little slippery, and the cutouts in the shoes might let in sand. But with two pairs of anklets bunching up around the ankles, she should be okay. I think.
These white shoes have velcro, I think, and not too much arch support. Perhaps no socks helps keep the feet cool? 
Sports sandals are all the rage, but I wouldn't want to stub a toe.
These shoes certainly provide plenty of ventilation in the desert.

So which do you like best?

Astrophotography

Night sky over Great Basin National Park, 

courtesy of the NPS Night Sky Team

Over the weekend I met an astrophotographer who is touring the Desert Southwest taking pictures of the beautiful night skies. With clean air, little atmosphere, and lack of light pollution, many desert locations are wonderful places to get clear views of the night sky. 

I had never heard the term astrophotography before, but as it was explained to me, I felt my interest in astronomy reawakening. If I can look at a photo and ask about what I'm seeing, it's so much easier than asking about "the little white star-like thing that's just to the left of the bigger star-like thing and a little below the hazy whatchamacallit. What, you can't see it?" 

To increase interest in astronomy and show off their night skies, many locations hold star parties, where people interested in the night sky gather to learn more about what else is in the universe. Some people bring telescopes and help explain what might be out there. Like ET. Hopefully like ET, and not the alien in the movie Alien. 

Back to the (main) subject, Wikipedia has a list of organized Star Parties, and maybe one's in your neighborhood. You can also search nearby national parks and see if they might be having any special programs. While researching this post I found that Great Basin National Park is having astrophotography tips and night sky viewing July 4 and 5 at 7 p.m. If you know of another event coming up, let me know! I'd also like to hear about any extraterrestrial sightings.

Back Home

Desert Boy and I just returned from a lovely adventure, which will be featured in next Monday's Desert Destination. But to give you a teaser, it involved all the elements needed for a successful trip:

Getting Dirty

Playing in Water

Hiking until Utterly Exhausted

Desert Destination: A Snow Patch High in the Mountains

Every Monday we visit a desert destination.
In the heat of the summer, with the desert sun baking the valleys, it's time to take to the mountains. We went hiking with the cousins and were lucky to find this patch of snow. 

We couldn't resist playing in it...

And before long it became a contest to see who could slide the furthest. Riding double was the winner.

Too bad we couldn't bring the snow patch back down with us. At least we can look at the photos and imagine how cool snow feels, especially when you go a little too fast down that snow slope and get snow down your shirt.

Stay cool!

Desert Boy and Henry Test Their Teeth

I'm living with two boys, two baby boys, two baby boys who are teething. One is a human boy, and one is a puppy boy, but they sure have a lot in common. Every day they both are chewing on a lot of things.

Fortunately, living in a rural desert area means we can leave things scattered around the yard and they won't get stolen or rusted from rain. So they both have lots of things to chew on as they wander around. And they do.

But sometimes having inanimate objects to chew on isn't good enough. The other day Henry took a little nip at Desert Boy. This happens often, and usually Desert Boy is able to deflect him. This particular day, Desert Boy got mad, turned to Henry, and nipped him back. He just grabbed the puppy, sank his teeth in, but Henry's skin is so loose he just got a little bitsy bite. I scolded them both and then tried my best to keep from laughing out loud. It was such an unanticipated movement, but clearly Desert Boy was going to show Henry who was boss.