Arizona Road Trip: Desert

I grew up in a small town near the southwest corner of the state. We went into the desert south of town all the time but things have changed. It is part of the Barry M Goldwater Bombing Range and requires a permit to enter. The application requires acknowledgment of 14 disclaimers. Among them are:

BMGR contains the danger of property damage and permanent, painful, disabling, and disfiguring injury or death due to high explosive detonations from falling objects such as aircraft, aerial targets, live ammunition, missiles, bombs, etc. There are also physical injury and health dangers from ground and aerial LASER and other electromagnetic emissions.

BMGR contains the danger of property damage and permanent, painful, disabling, and disfiguring injury or death due to the presence of expended, but still live, bombs, rockets, cannon rounds, flares, and other types of warheads. Unexploded munitions can still explode thought they may have lain in the desert for decades.

A portion of BMGR contains the danger of injury or death from the presence of old mine shafts and other opening or weaknesses in the earth, as well as other natural and /or man made conditions which are too numerous to recite herein.

BMGR occupies one of the most extreme environments in North America. I have been advised to guard against the dangers presented by rugged landscape, high temperatures, remoteness, and other threats such as venomous reptiles. BMGR contains no sources of safe drinking water.

If I get lost, if my vehicle breaks down, or in the case of any emergency, I AM ON MY OWN. There are no regular patrols of the BMGR. I certify that I have informed friends or family of my anticipated route and time of return from BMGR. I will bear the full cost of all search and rescue activities resulting from my actions on the BMGR.

I am aware there is the possibility of encountering undocumented aliens while on the range.

It felt much safer before the lawyers got involved!