Who am I. An engineer in the past, a guide with a short time spent as a Tribal Ranger. Today I do eco-tours and adventure day trips in the Mojave and Sonora deserts. "A guide, huh; what can you do"? Drop me into the desert in summer. Allow me my pack and only the water in my car and I'll walk out sit down and wait for rescue. I'll also practice what I preach, that is what I wrote in the "Quick and Alive Tourist Guide to the Desert - Survival and you" out of print, new version soon.

What is this blog about. I dunno really. It's here at the request of a few friends and people who email wanting to know more about the desert and the "fascinating" a quote by others not me DeRanger" Steve.

To which I respond, "Okaaay!!!!"

So after thinking it over between the last paragraph and this one (about 2 weeks) I've decided to do at least the following:

• Write about the desert in general, history, geology, and some of my favorite true stories.
• Post old magazine articles starting with #1 as soon as I figure out how to do it.
• Pass on the lessons that have kept me alive when things went terribly wrong. Which they have more than once.
• Try to sell you "DeRanger" Steve certified stuff we'll get to that another time. That is the crap I use that works under extreme duress.
  
• And a healthy dose of opinion "occasionally even based in fact" as said by Bulldog.
  

So who knows what shall come of this, we'll find out over time.


OK, put your books away it's time for a quiz.

There are Ten Essential items to survival whether in the the desert or elsewhere. Kept in a day pack there are as many different mixes to this list as there are grains of sand. Only one provides the best protection from the desert. Of these Ten Essentials 4 are a must have wherever you go, from your desk at work to BFN; you do know where that is don't you?

Question 1. In order of importance what are those first four items?

Question 2. What are the remaining 6 items. specific list with no particular order

Question 3. Where are these items kept when not in use.

Bonus question. (T/F) This is stupid and I don't really need to pay attention to survival info.

No cheating, no using Google to search for an answer because *pointing* out there, there are no books** or search engines.



**Except one, The Desert Bandanna coming soon.

Je~ne {see ya}