>>1586841Luck, on the other hand, they had plenty of. They survived.
About a year ago, there was a couple from Virginia who got themselves killed on a hike in one of my favorite spots along Route 66, in the southern Mojave. A volcanic crater in the Mojave Trails National Monument.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.desertsun.com/amp/766319002Now I've done this hike several times. It's not terribly long, but there's no shade cover whatsoever, and the white sand along the trail reflects the sun back up at you, as does the volcanic rock as you approach the crater.
As the article points out, it was 117 degrees, and 165 degrees on the ground. I'm 24, not in terrible shape, and I've lived in California all my life, so I'm pretty well used to the heat. Despite that, I wouldn't do even this fairly easy hike in those conditions, even if you paid me to do it.
These people were at least twice my age, and were evidently unprepared for these conditions.
Moral of the story? Better a live pussy than a dead hero. Even if you've lived in these conditions all your life, you'll most likely make an ass of yourself and need to be rescued, or just plain old get yourself killed.
Respect the desert.
