I'm in the midst of planning a trip to Moab, UT. I'm hoping we can get out there during late summer or fall. I'm super duper duper excited about it. My husband… not so much. The plan is to get there without blowing too much money (we might actually go the Greyhound route), rent a vehicle, and go camping in the desert far far away from those ridiculous RV-and-small-child-infested campsites. Hopefully far enough away from the Mormon crazies. Yes, in the desert with the snakes and lizards and scorpions and tarantulas. Snakes and lizards I can handle, tarantulas I can sort of deal with if they're big and fuzzy enough (which is super weird given that I'm severely arachnophobic), but scorpions scare the bejeebers out of me. I'm coming up with all kinds of plans involving various rigs and trashbags to keep our clothes, shoes, bags, and sleeping bags vermin-free.I've been reading up on desert survival and camping tips. I came upon an article about rattlesnake bite season wherein I found this little gem:
There is ample supply of rattlesnake anti-venom, but it's expensive, about $1,200 a vial, Bernstein said. And a nasty bite could take 18 or so vials to clear.Ouch. And have you seen what rattlesnake venom does to you? The article says that the majority of bite victims in the USA are young, drunk males who get bit on the upper extremities. Oh men, you are a wacky gender. Death, disfigurement, and bunkruptcy are evidently not enough of a snake deterrent for the male bravado.
Not that I'm guy bashing, because I'm sure there are a few dumb women out there who utter those fateful words, "Hey, hold my beer and watch this!"
Even with the scary local fauna, I'm still really excited. I've had this intense need to go to the desert for over a year now. I can't explain it, I just know that I need to go. I'm absolutely intrigued by Arches National Park. I want to hike around and, I don't know, have a spiritual experience or something. I'm smiling just thinking about 6 A.M. yoga in the desert.
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