Viva Las Vegas

Today we leave mammoth with no fuss. The air is changing, the smell of eucalyptus and pine disintegrating. Mammoth was pretty, but I won't miss its attitude too much. Snowboarders talking in coffee shops.

'No Trent Reznor is way knarlier than that.'
'My Mom has Johnny Cash on tape reading the bible.'
'He shouldn't have done that dude after the life he lived.'

I want to protest, but I am distracted by the news and a courtcase about a 9 year old girl who was abused and became pregnant. So much seems impossible I don't know what to think.

Mammoth is full of people who start fake coughing when they someone with a cigarette 100 feet away, surrounded by nothing but trees, and the whole thing irritates the hell out of me. I know alot people are offended by smoking. They are right; it is a horrible habit. But here it seems a little mean, when someone is standing near nobody with nothing but trees. Self important people, getting into gas guzzling hummers, not there to see me doing the universal symbol for wankermobile as they spew away.

The smell changes quite quickly, things heating up, cooling down as we head to death valley which smells like a melted wax crayon.

ELEVATION
4,000 ft

ELEVATION
2,000 ft

ELEVATION
5ft ABOVE SEA LEVEL

SEA LEVEL

Death Valley is as hot as they say, and somehow stunning in its emptiness. There is nothing around for miles, it is a long drive past desert, flat, Mud canyon, red dust and rocks, Joshua Tree and sand dunes. We stop at Stovepipe for more water, the man behind the counter is friendly as he looks at me.

'Where you from?'
'England'
'I had a girfriend from Carlisle once, she used to call me a useless article... Yeah, I felt like one too.'

With postcards in my hand I am gone. I remember I like Nevada, there is something down to earth about the people, no frills that I respond to, a down to earthness I guess that comes from having to wipe dust from your face everyday.
The air con is on, and the sat nav lady is quiet. She refused to come to Death valley with us. I sip my water with my feet on the seat, as the carrier bag rattles and I imagine all the snakes that could have stowed away when I left the car.

Moment to mention snakes, as an environment loving vegi I'm obligued to remind myself I love all living creatures. This is not strictly true, there are a few human beings we could all live without. There are also creatures, less so. Snakes are it. Now I know they don't feel cold or slimy,I remind myself of the time I held a boa constricter to overcome my fear, so i know what is true. I just don't like them though, I don't see the need for them. It is almost hatred, the way they have two sets of eyelids boils my blood, the way they move, everything. Anything that moves that way can only be evil. I sit in the car thinking of snakes and can almost feel them, again I miss the snakebite kit I didn't buy and moreso a rod with spike on the end.

Journey so far:
california, nevada, California, Nevada

We drive. Through Beatie a town that seems to be mostly trailer parks, and back into beyond. the desert is ganging up on us, mirages on the tarmac of silver pools to wash my feet, little lakes conjured and snatched away by the sun.

Viva Las Vegas. Elvis I'm trying, but the desert has somethingelse to say. The road keeps unspooling. I am on my way.