Book Review: Base Camp Las Vegas: 101 Hikes in the Southwest By Deborah Wall

Base Camp Las Vegas: 101 Hikes in the Southwest

By Deborah Wall

We are not hikers.  We have been to state and national parks. However, Base Camp Las Vegas: 101 Hikes in the Southwest by Deborah Wall has made us really want to go on some of the hikes she describes.

The photographs are amazing and the print quality is great.  These two things together are worth well more than the cover price of this book.

The author has given would-be hikers everything they need to know for taking on these trails.  She tells hikers what to bring, where to park, what facilities are in the park, and so much more.

She has hikes in here for all people. There is at least one that she tells can be hiked in a wheelchair since the trail is on a boardwalk.

There are many fascinating details included.  She tells of hikes that include old movie sets, abandoned towns (ghost towns?).  There is even one hike that includes a town that was underwater for seven decades.  How cool is that?

We give Base Camp Las Vegas all five stars.  It would rate that high if it were just a picture book.  The photographs are awesome.  

If you are a hiker, or even if you think you might want to try hiking, this book is for you.  

Base Camp Las Vegas has 101 different hikes all within the Las Vegas area.  This means that all are within an easy drive of Las Vegas.  

This would make a great gift for anyone on your list who likes the outdoors or likes to think they could be a hiker.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book.  We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Guest Post: With Summer in Full Swing, Keep These Tips in Mind If You Are Taking Your Pet with You on Vacation

With Summer in Full Swing, Keep These Tips in Mind If You Are Taking Your Pet with You on Vacation

Jessica E. Downing, DVM, Valley Cottage Animal Hospital, Rockland, NY

 

Rockland, NY, JULY 18, 2017 -- According to MarketResarch.com nearly one third of dog owners take their pets with them if they are going away for two or more nights. GoPetFriendly.com puts that number even higher at 51% and three quarters of those respondents will travel by car.

So how can you ensure the safest trip possible with your pet? Here are a few tips from Dr. Jessica Downing of Valley Cottage Animal Hospital.

Hitting the Road

First and foremost, pets, including dogs, cats or other animals, should never be allowed to roam freely in a moving vehicle. We wear our seatbelts and secure our children with seatbelts and our pets should be secured the same way. They can be placed inside a carrier which is then secured with a seatbelt to ensure it won’t get tossed around in an accident. Pets can also be restrained with a pet-friendly harness. It is important that the restraint be the proper size secured appropriately when your dog is in your car. Even if your dog falls asleep during the ride, stopping short can send your furry friend hurdling forward causing injury. Another tip is to keep your pet restrained in the backseat as airbag systems can be deadly to a dog during a crash if they are in the front seat.

Knowing that your dog or cat is safely secured in the vehicle will also reduce your desire to turn around and check on them, thus taking your eyes and attention off the road.

Air Travel

If you are travelling by air, consider a pet-friendly airline. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, each airline is able to decide their own policies and procedures and some do not allow pets to travel in the cabin. Call the airline ahead of time to ask for their specific policies and requirements. Keep in mind that service animals are not pets, they are working animals that assist people with disabilities and therefore they do not need any health certificates to travel and do not need to be confined in a container or crate.

Avoid placing your pet underneath the plane and instead find out if they can be in the cabin with you. Poor ventilation, extreme temperatures and loud engine noise can have devastating, sometimes deadly consequences for pets placed in the cargo area. Remember that pet containers must be small enough to fit underneath the seat without blocking anyone and must remain properly stowed the entire time the plane is moving. Keep in mind that each airline will have a list of types of pets that can be brought into the cabin as well as a limit on the number that can be on each flight, they may also have requirements that your pet be harmless, odorless and more. There may be an additional charge for the pet to fly with you even if they are safely stowed underneath your seat.

Ensuring Anxious Free Travel

If you know that your pet becomes anxious while travelling, consult your veterinarian

about anti-anxiety medication to make the experience less stressful for both you and your pet. Always bring your pet’s regular food with you to avoid digestive upset. It is also a good idea to carry an extra supply of your pet’s medication and a copy of your pet’s medical records. Lastly, for all interstate and international travel, whether by land or air, a health certificate, provided by your veterinarian, is required. This certificate serves as your pet’s vaccination record and states that your pet is free of all contagious diseases.

What If….

If your furry family member can’t go with you, consider leaving them at home with a pet sitter or in a local boarding facility. Young, active pets may benefit from staying at a kennel that offers playtime with other pets that are boarding. Anxious pets may be most content if left at home with a pet sitter, where their daily routine can be closely adhered to. Elderly pets or those with serious medical needs may be safest if they board at their veterinarian’s clinic/hospital. Ask your veterinarian for reliable pet sitters or kennels in your area.

Wherever you choose to board your pet, make sure that they are fully up-to-date on their vaccinations. Respiratory infections, such as infectious tracheobronchitis (a.k.a. kennel cough) and canine influenza, have been widespread among the canine population this season. Upper respiratory viruses, such as herpesvirus and calicivirus, have also been particularly virulent amongst felines over the past several months. In order to provide maximum protection against these respiratory diseases, have your pets vaccinated by your veterinarian 1-2 months prior to boarding. This will allow your pet’s immune system to mount an adequate protective response against these diseases. Vaccines administered immediately prior to your pet’s stay at a kennel provide little protection.

Lastly, always provide your pet sitter or kennel staff with a permission letter should they need to seek medical care for your pet while you are away. Alert your veterinarian of your wishes for your pet’s medical care should they need to provide medical assistance/advice in your absence.

Valley Cottage Animal Hospital was recently named one of the Top Four Animal Hospitals in North America by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). They are the first Animal Hospital in the New York Metro area to ever receive this prestigious recognition. The Hospital is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provides medical care to dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, pocket pets, snakes and more. As a full-service veterinary clinic, Valley Cottage Animal Hospital provides wellness exams, vaccinations, diagnostic care and surgical procedures as well as 24/7 emergency care and offers a mobile care van for home visits. For more information visit www.valleycottageanimalhospital.com or call (845) 268-9263.

Dr. Downing has been a general practitioner and emergency veterinarian at the Valley Cottage Animal Hospital since 2005. As a co-owner of the hospital, Dr. Downing oversees the emergency side of the practice. Dr. Downing grew up in upstate New York and completed her veterinary education at the New York State Veterinary College at Cornell University.

        

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Guest Post: 40% Of Travelers Contract Infectious Disease On Vacation Tips To Help You Return Unscathed

40% Of Travelers Contract Infectious Disease On Vacation

Tips To Help You Return Unscathed

Dr. Brent W. Laartz thought he was in for the ride of his lifetime when he set out on a horseback riding excursion in Costa Rica.

Admittedly younger and more naïve than he is today, Laartz – an infectious disease specialist and author of the book How to Avoid Contagious Diseases –  failed to take some of the precautions necessary to avoid becoming one of the 40 percent of travelers every year who bring back an unwanted souvenir of a major illness from their trip.

“While on vacation it becomes entirely necessary to be more observant of the conditions that are in place that could harm you,” Laartz says.

Laartz offers tips on how to protect yourself on your next trip and to make sure the ride of a lifetime doesn’t turn into the worst ride of your life:

• Avoid local water in all forms. When you shower, don’t ingest the water and don’t be afraid to ask for a drink without ice. In lesser developed countries there is less infrastructure for clean water, effective sewage and public health. If you can’t avoid unsanitary water, make sure you have iodine tablets and bring along a tea or coffee-making device that will boil water for you. 

Furthermore, you should buy a case or two of water when you arrive at a destination and check that all bottle caps are sealed to assure the bottled water isn’t just a refilled bottle of dirty, parasite-infested tap water.

• Protect your feet at all times. Use flip flops in the shower, and if you must be barefoot, put a towel down on the floor. Parasites can enter the skin of your feet and travel to different parts of the body. For the same reason that you should wear flip flops in the shower, you should never walk barefoot in any area of a foreign country, including your hotel room.

• Beware of fruits, vegetables and condiments. If a fruit such as apples or bananas – which can both be peeled – isn’t available, it’s best to avoid. Any fruit or vegetable served fresh may have been washed in the same water, or wiped with the same rag used to clean work surfaces in kitchens. The best advice is to bring your own peeler so that you know nothing unsanitary has been applied to the fruit. Food such as potato salad and coleslaw, which contain uncooked mayonnaise, should also be avoided. And beware of any condiment not served in a bottle.

• By-pass the roadside stands. The aroma coming from that roadside stand or little corner of an open-air market might smell great, but unless the food is piping hot when served, the best idea is to leave it alone. If you are concerned about the sanitation of a restaurant, order the food to go. Styrofoam boxes may be cleaner than the plate or fork on the table. 

“How you protect yourself will determine whether your trip goes off without a hiccup,” Laartz says, “or whether you become another vacation casualty.”

About Dr. Brent W. Laartz

Dr. Brent W. Laartz, author of How to Avoid Contagious Diseases, is a board certified infectious diseases specialist in Safety Harbor, Fla., with years of experience in infection control at hospitals, nursing facilities, rehab facilities and outpatient clinics. He graduated with his BA and MS degrees from Northwestern University and his MD degree from the University of Iowa. He finished his training in Tampa, Fla., where he completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in infectious diseases and tropical medicine at the University of South Florida.

 ***

     

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