Hazards of the Desert

Wandering off trail in the desert is rewarding but it also has infinite and painful hazards. These are my two most common injures; falls and Teddy Bear Cholla better known as Jumping Cholla.

The Teddy Bear Cholla, is the nastiest cactus in the Sonoran Desert. It has barbed spines that are painful to remove. The spines are similar to porcupine quills, with shingled overlapping barbs. The barbs catch your muscle fiber, making it difficult to remove them. The purpose of these spines is reproduction. When a person or animal brushes against a cholla, the spines hook into their flesh so effectively it pulls off a chunk of cactus, which is then transported to a new location and can begin growing as new plant. The Teddy Bear Cholla reminds me of my OCD. When it grabs me it sure doesn't want to let go. I must always remain vigilant.

Falling has no purpose. It's only painful and messy. I was out looking for rattlesnakes at the Agua Fria National Monument when I slipped on loose rock and tumbled down into dry wash. Didn't find any snakes, and also got covered in nasty foxtail grass. Those have barbed spines too, and became embedded all over my clothing.

Falling from loose rocks.

Teddy Bear Cholla