Reality Check

When we left Alberta it was -32 C not including the wind chill.  Nasty.  We ended up staying in a pet friendly hotel in Helena, MT that first night so we didn’t freeze our asses off.  Within two days we were in decent temperatures above zero and now we are in Nevada – Las Vegas area with temperatures of 20 C and sun.   Rusty has been acclimatizing by blowing his coat and rolling in the dust and Tilly has been moaning and sleeping often at the same time.  Plans are for climbing and hiking and exploring.   Back in the land of the red rocks.

Reality check.   We have been struggling with the kids- particularly Leland about attitude and school and being self motivated.   Making it more their responsibility for learning than us hammering on them to learn- which never works.  We are now in Nevada where we have had two experiences that have reminded all of us, again, to be grateful for our lives and our circumstances.   We were camped at Lake Mead- near the east side of Henderson- near Vegas.   As we came back to our campsite from getting groceries, a rough looking guy asked Greg for a glass of water if it wasn’t bothering us.   We happily gave him two glasses but apparently he gets chased away by people.   Then Greg turns to me and says, “I’m going to give this guy a ride to his camp.”  Okay.  They heave his pack and sleeping bag with some stuff in the bottom into the back of the truck.  My only thought was that I hope Greg remembered which campground we were in.    Greg learns that his name is John and he left early that morning to walk (with his walker) to Henderson (about 10 miles) to get food.  He had abandoned his walker partway back and was trying to cut cross country.  He had also fallen and hurt his back more than it already was.  He had been a oil rig worker but lost his job after a couple of injuries.  A divorce and loss of his house are part of the saga too.  He was only 50 years old and looked about 75.  They find the camp- he is so grateful- Greg gives him some money and makes it back to us without getting lost.   It turns out that we can see the camp across the ravines from our campsite and with the binoculars spot his walker.  I know that Greg will obsess about this, and send him and Leland off to retrieve it and take it to John.  He waves, yells that he bought a tarp!  His last words to Leland were “Don’t be like me- go to school.”    John is having a beer with his buddy at a fire and we have a beer at ours, only a few unfortunate events apart. 

The next day an entire family of three generations moves into the site next to us.  Yelling, swearing, stomping, angry- in crisis family.  I can’t help but overhear their conversations over the next couple days and determine that they have bailed on their rental and their debts- all their possessions for seven people a dog and four cats are in a camper van and a Lincoln.  They have a ratty tent and too much stuff for their space.  It’s bad.  But there is a lighter side to their presence.   They are staring out at Lake Mead which is about half a mile away and the dad says, “When I was a kid you used to able to just walk off right here and swim.”  Daughter says, “What happened?”  Dad figures, “I think there is a leak in the dam and they are trying to fix it.”  Grandma yells, “That’s not what happened.  After they made the movie National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation here something happened to the water.  It’s all the fault of that movie and Chevy Chase.”   Daughter- “Oh, okay.”   HOLY Shit!   So watch out Chevy Chase- when the Hoover Dam has no more water they’ll be coming to get you.