Deserts, Mine Shafts, And Beautiful Danger

Another perfect example of the SUNS (“Save Us Nanny State”) is that yet another ATV rider has driven into a mine shaft, this time in Utah. This has happened a couple times here in Arizona and, every time, it always gets people fired up. They start demanding that “the government” go and “do something” about these mine shafts left over from the gold and silver mining days. As in, fill them in or fence them off. Okay, so, first things first. Who and how?

Who is responsible for the mine shafts? The feds? (Which bureau?) The state? The county? And then, how are you going to deal with literally thousands of vertical mine shafts? Many are not even on a topographic map. Then there are thousands of “prospect holes” that never made it to mine shaft status. This is the case all over the Mojave Desert of California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. Plus a couple other states have a few. In wandering about the Mojave Desert of Southern California, I ran across dozens of vertical mine shafts that were not on the topographic maps I had. Plus, dozens of prospect holes that were dug about 10 to 25 feet. But I was always on foot when off established roads. It teaches a lesson imprinted deeply: Pay attention—or else.

There’s an easy way to avoid driving your ATV into an open mine shaft. It’s called staying on the dadgum road. If you: A.) Don’t know what kind of terrain you are in (as in, former mining districts.) B.) Are driving off the established roads. C.) Drive off roads at speeds you cannot avoid danger. THEN! Don’t complain when you fall into a mine shaft. Don’t start thinking that the government should come out and eliminate every friggin’ hazard in the world so you can take zero responsibility for your own hazardous actions. We, the taxpayers, do not need to pay for your ATV use. Not to mention, it’s actually illegal to be off the established roads in most U.S. deserts to begin with! Hel-LO!

Okay, what else? Should the government put drinking fountains out there every twenty-five yards, too? Since it’s a desert and people routinely die of thirst out there? Excuse me, but I like these places left as they are: Beautifully dangerous, with no warning labels, and as little government out there as possible. I like wilderness areas that simply DO NOT CARE whether you live or die out there. Where the evidence of the last guys that tried to “civilize it” are weathering away and falling in. The desert is not a safe place, people. If you can’t accept that, stay home.

Share

3:25 pm on May 12, 2017