The Road Willies

Death Valley’s behind me, and now it’s time to get some road behind there too. I gas up in Beatty, Nevada. Time to reapply the duct tape. You see, I had to have my windshield replaced a few months ago after it was cracked by a rock kicked up by a semi. Well, the bastards who did the repairs apparently didn’t do a very good job of sealing the damned thing, and as I was driving the rubber seal began to peel out. Being from northern Minnesota, the appropriate solution (lacking the ability to return it at the time) is to throw down a swath of duct tape. I’d done this at the Iowa/Nebraska border on the way out, and it was time to re-apply. The other thing I remember about this stop (in Beatty) was the cashier- I’ve never seen someone I’ve been so sure was a meth addict. She looked really, really rough. Maybe it wasn’t meth, but there was something really screwin’ her life up. Bit of a downer to start the drive.

The drive is more interesting that I’d expected- not that that’s saying much. As I’m driving by one of the test ranges I see the sign saying that there are military exercises in progress, and I watch the UAV that they’ve got up flying around.. I also get a kick out of one of the many areas with this "Prison area ahead- do not pick up hitch hikers" sign. What makes this one special is that at the road to turn to the prison there’s also a sign that informs me that there is a wildlife viewing area down there too. I drive through Vegas, don’t bother to stop ‘cause flying solo it holds no interest to me. And that’s all for Nevada.

It gets a little more interesting come Utah. First off, the cops are out in force. This is bad for me, since I’m usually one of, if not the, fastest drivers out there. At one point the car about three vehicles ahead of me gets pulled over. I’d have passed it in about two minutes. I turn off I-15 and onto I-70. I’d filled up in Beaver, Utah, so when I turn on to 70 and see the sign saying "next services 110 miles" I know that I’m okay. It’s still uncomfortable. That’s one of the longest "unserviced" stretches in the country. It is a pretty drive before the sun sets, going through canyons and passes, and at one point I even pass a whole herd of wild elk off to the shoulder.

Then things get weird for me. You see, it’s big country out there, and it made me feel like big things could go on out there. Now, I don’t mean military engagements or mining operations or stuff like that. I mean physically oversized things could be living out there and be right at home. I kept picturing these giant devil rabbits hopping around, and coming across monstrous footprints hiking. I also got something of the same vibe you get when you watch "Yellow Submarine" when they’re being chased by the boots and vacuum critter and all that stuff- the idea that there’s a bunch of big, weird critters out there in some weird food chain.

At this point I’ve creeped myself out. I kept on getting this feeling that there was something out there pulling at me, like it wanted to suck me into the desert and not let me leave. I began to really pay attention to my driving, ‘cause I sure as hell didn’t want to slide into the ditch. It was spooky, and felt like the earth was just so old here that the spirit of the land itself was leaching out into the "real" world. I dunno. It was like the earth was desperate for life, and didn’t want me to get away. Needless to say, I felt really out of place and really uncomfortable.

I finish my drive, pulling into Arches National Park just after eight o’ clock. I head up to the Devil’s Garden campground. I throw out my sleeping bag and do some reading. The heebie-jeebies have passed by now, so I’m good. I’d planned on sleeping under the stars, but when I finished reading I noticed that there weren’t any- there was a snow storm moving in. I pitch the tent and hit the hay. Tomorrow- snow, arches, hiking, more snow, and adrenaline being better than coffee.

Oh, and sorry about no pics on this one. Spent the whole day driving, and what pics I did take I threw on the last post. But rest assured that there's gonna be a bunch tomorrow, and they'll be some of my favorite pics of the whole trip. In all likelihood I'll need to split it into a couple posts again.