Jackpot NV

The sign says 300 miles to Salt Lake City. I'm not going there. I'm going as far as Elko and the head north toward Twin Falls shortly after. 

Sharon, my sister, and her husband passed through here for sure. They probably have made all way to Salt Lake City on their first day. They must have, to make it to New Jersey in 4 days as they have. I can imagine how their conversation went as they passed here. I can hear his husky yet loud voice going "whoa" about the vast expanse of desertscape and brown mountains. And it no doubt would have involved God's glory and his creation. Then they would've told themselves they were glad they were leaving the West and going back to the east coast. The power of positive thinking that newborn Christians are famous for, no matter what the reality is that compelled them to move, lock stock and barrel, back to east.

That was 3 years ago, and he is now gone. He was diagnosed with Lymphoma shortly after and then passed away the next year. Sharon will be gone too in due time and there will be no one left to tell their stories. Maybe they told their stories to their children, and they will remember for a while. But then they'll be gone too and nobody will know that they passed here on that summer day. Just like my parents' stories will be forever gone when I'm gone. None of their grandchildren knows their story. None of them bothered to show up at their funeral either. 

I drove through the night and got to Jackpot at 10 pm. The campsite by Salmon Falls Creek was not accessible by a car -- I needed a high clearance vehicle to go any further. So I drove onto grass field by the trail and slept there. The creek wasn't much of use at 10pm anyway and I was going to leave to Twin Falls as soon as I get up in morning.