Fun and danger in the Arizona Desert

Living and hiking in the Arizona desert can be fun, but not without its' dangers.  Aside from the obvious snake and hyperthermia are the mine shafts.  They look fun, and I have ventured into some myself, even drove an ATV into one, but they can be dangerous.  I am certainly not advocating that what I did was right, in fact it was dangerous and stupid.  There are measures being taken across the state to restrict access, because, as noted, they are dangerous.  There are those mines that you can walk into, the problem is that you can't always see and although it looks safe there are alot of mines that have shafts burrowing down off the main one and you may not see it and fall a long way.  There are animals, like bats that inhabit the tunnels and disrupting their sleep/wake cycle can be dangerous for you and them.  These mines were dug some time ago, and you can not be certain of the integrity of the mine, so whether they are boarded up, have bars, or barbed wire there is a reason for it-they are not safe.  Walking into, and even driving into mines were stupid decisions and I was lucky I was not injured-you may not be, so please stay out.  Wear the appropriate attire & gear, drink lots of  water and enjoy the desert and all its' beauty.