Circus, Circus!

As I'm sitting here in my Circus Circus hotel room on the strip of Las Vegas, I can't help but be awed by how life, how this world, is a circus. I don't just mean the busyness of life... yes, that definitely is a circus, but it often is a circus that we cause ourselves.  When I began this trip, I thought that the circus of life, the chaos that surrounded my world in Walla Walla (that both stressed me and fueled me) would suddenly be gone.  I thought that the circus, informally defined  as "Something suggestive of a circus, as in frenetic activity or noisy disorder:" would disappear and life would have order, relaxation, and simplicity.  

However, as I've reflected  on the past week (I announced to Suzanne that we had our 168th hour anniversary of the roadtrip at noon today), I'm beginning to see that this world is a circus.  We have gone from cloudy Walla Walla to the rainy, tree covered Strawberry Mountains, Oregon, to desolate (and awesome) Christmas Valley, Oregon, to the clay-based Sage Hills Reservoir of California to Reno to the snow of Lake Tahoe to the massive red rocks and wind of Red Rock Canyon state park to the sea breeze of San Diego to the dilapidated Salton Sea to the beautiful desert of Joshua Tree to the bustle of Vegas.  In 1600 miles, 2 fruit customs, and 2 random border patrol checks, we have seen a circus of sites.

If this can happen just in the Pacific Time Zone, I can't even begin to realize what a circus of sites our country must be... our world.  OH MAN!  I'm so excited for Guatemala!  Being near the border pulled so many social justice strings in me... the fence, the guards, the many, many border patrol cars.  It all just makes you think about problems, policies, the circus of life, and hope for a better solution someday.  I really hope that God uses me somewhere, somehow, to find solutions.

As a synopsis of our adventures since I posted Sunday night... we woke up Monday morning in Vegas. After saying goodbye to the illustrious hostess and great friend,Carrie, S and I set out on our own in SD looking for a beach.  We found one and mapped out the next few weeks. Having a map and schedule helps put some order in this circus... and that's good.  After planning, we headed to Old Town to buy tortillas (shocking, me eating tortillas?!?!?(PS i'm obsessed)) and hit the road.  We headed to the Salton Sea, something I was really excited to see. Salt?  Sea?  Water? It sounded amazing. And it was... it was gorgeous!  The strange thing was where it was placed. In the middle of no where, surrounded by almost a ghost town of double wide trailers placed on streets with nautical names.  There were no boats, no fish shops, and not many people.  It wasn't until we got closer that I realized why...  

 

The shores are lined with dead fish.  The water bobs with dead fish...Why?  I have no idea.  But it really makes me sad.  When it's not so late and I'm not in Vegas, I'll do some research, but until then, I guess I'll just keep asking questions.  After Salton Lake, we stopped in the town of West Morland for some food/gas/coldgoodness. We went into a market that sold the bare necessities of food and every type of alcohol and tobacco you can imagine.  As we talked to the owner, he told us that he's from out of town, but the people in this town were sick. His proof was that one of the men who frequently comes to the store sold his daughter for $5. oh my goodness... am I ready for the hard facts of poverty?  

Anyway, after Salton Sea,we continued along our jolly way to Joshua Tree.  Joshua Tree is also something I would like to research.  My very early reading has told me that it's where the Mojave and High Colorado Deserts converge and they create a unique ecosystem.  This ecosystem supported (very hardy) Native Americans and has unique trees called Joshua Trees.  The trees are called so because the (Mormons?) traveling across the states saw the trees and thought they looked like Joshua, reaching up toward the Lord.  They kind of do... they're quite impressive!  The rocks in this National Park are amazing. During our bike ride, we were so frustrated that we didn't have the camera with us. But, as we scrambled over various sedimentary rocks, the views and awe of rock formation was astounding.

And then...  we went to Vegas.  That's where we are now.  Vegas is a circus within a circus.  It's totally crazy, yet enchanting.  There are so many things that make me sad, yet I'm so awed by this "oasis" in the desert, by all the people, all the walks of life, and how in the world those machines work. The lights, the music, the security, the dueling pianos, the buildings... all amazing, yet all built by man.  It's crazy how different man built and God built structures are, yet both are awe inspiring. I'm sure we'll see more of these facts in the time to come.

As always, Suzanne has more and better pictures! (www.theenlightenment.shutterfly.com   And the password is 48 states.  (Note: Don’t give that to creepers.)

Take care!