LJ Idol Second Chance Week 2- Shade
Jan. 8th, 2019 03:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zaichikarky"We've been planning to go to Big Bend all month", Juana told her partner, Miguel. Miguel had been against the idea of going in June. Growing up and spending their entire lives in Del Rio Texas, the couple had been dating for the last several years. They had heard of Big Bend National Park their entire lives, but hadn't really thought of going there themselves. They had families, children, divorce spent a lot of their energy, and learning to coparent with their exes spent even more of it. Juana had been looking forward to it, even though Miguel encouraged her to pick another month.
"I think checking out the park will be an nice trip!" She had said to Miguel. "It'll give us something to do since the kids are away this weekend."
"Are you sure you still want to go?" Miguel asked as they packed their things. They were bringing water, hats, sun screen, insect repellent, and granola bars. "It's supposed to be over 100 there today..."
"Yeah, we'll just take an easy trail." Juana answered.
They arrived at the park gate around noon. "Please be careful today," the Park ranger said while taking their 25 dollar fee. "The heat conditions in the park are extreme today."
Nothing was going to stop Juana, though. They had pulled over to look at the park map and decided to hike the Dog Canyon Trail since it was one of the easiest at the park.
"Look," Miguel said, pointing to the temperature gage on the car. It read 110 degrees. "Are you really sure you want to do this?" He asked.
"We'll be fine. This trail is supposed to be easy, and we have water." She replied.
Miguel shrugged. "Alright."
They drove several miles into the park and stopped alongside the road where the trail began. The heat was immediately oppressive. The Big Bend, normally known for its dry conditions felt more like Houston or San Antonio closer to the Rio Grande.
The couple put on their hats and carried their wattle bottles with them on the trail. Juana was absolutely set on conquering the 2.3 Dog Canyon Trail, 110 degrees or not.
They started down the trail, and Miguel could not remember a situation which felt more physically uncomfortable in his life. One mile into the trail, he had almost soaked through his teeshirt in sweat and was starting to feel delirious. They were the only couple hiking the trail that day.
"Juanita," he started, I think we better slow down a bit...
Their pace had been slow, but he needed to go slower. They sat down under a large rock that provided shade.
"I think we need to turn around..." He said. "It is just too hot."
Juana didn't reply. She started ahead, swaying her head back and forth. "Yeaahh.." She finally said. "We should... turn." He words were slow and slurred.
"Juana?" He shook her shoulder. "Are you ok?" He moved to sit in front of her. Her eyes were glazed over as if she weren't looking at anything in particular.
She tried to focus her eyes on him, but couldn't.
"Drink the water," Juan said, starting to panic. He handed Juana the bottle of water. She could barely grasp it.
Juan chugged some of his own water. "I'm going to get help, stay here in this shade," he told her.
When she didn't reply, he got up and headed back. Miguel thought he was going to die as he hiked back to their car. He was going as fast as he could in the 110 degree heat and thought he'd collapse. He chugged his water as he continued on. It took him 20 minutes to reach his car. He quickly got in, drank the rest of his water, and blasted the AC as high as it would go. The temperature gauge read 115 degrees. Drenched in sweat and shaking, he quickly drove to the nearest ranger station he found on the map.
He ran into the station. "Please, my girlfriend..." He cried, "she's on the trail and having a heat stroke I think..."
"Which trail?" A ranger asked, on alert.
Juan had to struggle to remember which trail they were on "Dog Canyon", he finally answered.
Two rangers there had rushed to get a medical kit while another one questioned Juan further, calling the paramedics dispatch.
Upon getting detail information about the location, the rangers ushered Miguel to their cart and began driving out to the trail. The trail was wide and gradual enough for the cart to pass through with no problem. They had finally reached Juana. She was unconscious.
"No, Juanita!" Miguel cried, running up to her. He was held back by one of the rangers, while the other one initiated CPR.
"Why did I let you talk me into this?" He sobbed.
The ranger continued compressions and ventilation while the other ranger attempted to calm Miguel. He would have to explain to Juana's three children tonight why their mom did not return home with him.
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Fictionalized account of a death at Big Bend National Park last year. https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/texas/article/Woman-found-dead-at-Big-Bend-National-Park-11230960.php#photo-11230442 .
Please don't hike, even "easy" trails in 100 + degree weather. It can and does kill people every single year.
"I think checking out the park will be an nice trip!" She had said to Miguel. "It'll give us something to do since the kids are away this weekend."
"Are you sure you still want to go?" Miguel asked as they packed their things. They were bringing water, hats, sun screen, insect repellent, and granola bars. "It's supposed to be over 100 there today..."
"Yeah, we'll just take an easy trail." Juana answered.
They arrived at the park gate around noon. "Please be careful today," the Park ranger said while taking their 25 dollar fee. "The heat conditions in the park are extreme today."
Nothing was going to stop Juana, though. They had pulled over to look at the park map and decided to hike the Dog Canyon Trail since it was one of the easiest at the park.
"Look," Miguel said, pointing to the temperature gage on the car. It read 110 degrees. "Are you really sure you want to do this?" He asked.
"We'll be fine. This trail is supposed to be easy, and we have water." She replied.
Miguel shrugged. "Alright."
They drove several miles into the park and stopped alongside the road where the trail began. The heat was immediately oppressive. The Big Bend, normally known for its dry conditions felt more like Houston or San Antonio closer to the Rio Grande.
The couple put on their hats and carried their wattle bottles with them on the trail. Juana was absolutely set on conquering the 2.3 Dog Canyon Trail, 110 degrees or not.
They started down the trail, and Miguel could not remember a situation which felt more physically uncomfortable in his life. One mile into the trail, he had almost soaked through his teeshirt in sweat and was starting to feel delirious. They were the only couple hiking the trail that day.
"Juanita," he started, I think we better slow down a bit...
Their pace had been slow, but he needed to go slower. They sat down under a large rock that provided shade.
"I think we need to turn around..." He said. "It is just too hot."
Juana didn't reply. She started ahead, swaying her head back and forth. "Yeaahh.." She finally said. "We should... turn." He words were slow and slurred.
"Juana?" He shook her shoulder. "Are you ok?" He moved to sit in front of her. Her eyes were glazed over as if she weren't looking at anything in particular.
She tried to focus her eyes on him, but couldn't.
"Drink the water," Juan said, starting to panic. He handed Juana the bottle of water. She could barely grasp it.
Juan chugged some of his own water. "I'm going to get help, stay here in this shade," he told her.
When she didn't reply, he got up and headed back. Miguel thought he was going to die as he hiked back to their car. He was going as fast as he could in the 110 degree heat and thought he'd collapse. He chugged his water as he continued on. It took him 20 minutes to reach his car. He quickly got in, drank the rest of his water, and blasted the AC as high as it would go. The temperature gauge read 115 degrees. Drenched in sweat and shaking, he quickly drove to the nearest ranger station he found on the map.
He ran into the station. "Please, my girlfriend..." He cried, "she's on the trail and having a heat stroke I think..."
"Which trail?" A ranger asked, on alert.
Juan had to struggle to remember which trail they were on "Dog Canyon", he finally answered.
Two rangers there had rushed to get a medical kit while another one questioned Juan further, calling the paramedics dispatch.
Upon getting detail information about the location, the rangers ushered Miguel to their cart and began driving out to the trail. The trail was wide and gradual enough for the cart to pass through with no problem. They had finally reached Juana. She was unconscious.
"No, Juanita!" Miguel cried, running up to her. He was held back by one of the rangers, while the other one initiated CPR.
"Why did I let you talk me into this?" He sobbed.
The ranger continued compressions and ventilation while the other ranger attempted to calm Miguel. He would have to explain to Juana's three children tonight why their mom did not return home with him.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fictionalized account of a death at Big Bend National Park last year. https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/texas/article/Woman-found-dead-at-Big-Bend-National-Park-11230960.php#photo-11230442 .
Please don't hike, even "easy" trails in 100 + degree weather. It can and does kill people every single year.
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no subject
Date: 2019-01-09 07:56 pm (UTC)Wow! I can't even imagine 46C in the UK!!! with the humidity we have I really struggled this summer when it was 32c (89F)! I was in a heatwave in France about 10 years ago when it was 47c! but at least it was dry heat. I remember that it was so hot the air was burning my lungs as I breathed! I spent two days in a darkened church walking barefooted on the cold stone floor as it was the only place that I could find to keep cool!
no subject
Date: 2019-01-10 05:15 pm (UTC)This was very compelling to read. Thanks for sharing! 🎀😊🐭🐀✌
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Date: 2019-01-10 08:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-11 03:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-11 01:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-11 05:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-11 07:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-12 02:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-12 10:21 pm (UTC)Oh, what a foolish, foolish choice. Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are very, very serious. Often, you don't feel hot-- you just feel tired, and maybe confused. And that is how you fail to realize how much trouble you're in, sometimes after it's too late. :(
no subject
Date: 2019-01-13 01:16 am (UTC)