Watch Your Microbes

People on raft trips in the Grand Canyon have been getting sick, maybe from spoiled meat.

This reminds me of what my hiking friend from high-school, D.B. (back in the day: mid-70's), experienced in the Grand Canyon. He was down on the Tonto level (if I remember correctly), in the summer heat with two companions, when he got the brilliant idea of mixing everyone's stash of honey with the drinking water - that way they'd get fluid and nutrition at the same time.

This proved to be a mistake. According to Chris N., honey resists spoilage because the sugar is too concentrated for bacteria to thrive. Mixed with water, though, honey becomes ideal for bacteria. They had to throw away their entire water supply, which was very dangerous anytime, but especially so in the summer. They tried to reach a spring by sunset, but were confronted with a cliff they couldn't negotiate in the dark. Parched, they collapsed at the top of the cliff, and had to wait till dawn, when they summoned the strength to descend the cliff to life-giving water.

Watch your microbes!