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.
