Ok, lets just jump right in where I left off before Clare decides she's tired or hungry or has something else she'd rather do than work for me (perhaps I should pay her more).
After our delicious, yet salty lunch break, we headed a few more hours down the highway to a tiny little place called Spring Creek, Nevada where I was (eventually) introduced to KayRena's sister, ClairAnn, and her children, where we were to spend the night. Only then did I learn that KayRena, Clare and I had been volunteered (voluntold might be more accurate) to help at something called Girls' Camp the following morning, which I could only guess meant was a camp for girls (I know, I'm pretty intuitive that way). So, while the cousins all played and watched movies together, the adults of the group spent the evening preparing for some pretty strange sounding activities for this girls camp thing. It left me very curious.
The next morning I was dragged out of bed and out into the country where I watched a number of groups of teenage girls play the "Divine Games" that had been planned by my adult friends. I got to help Clare with something she called "Individual Worth BINGO" and "Human Knots". While the first wasn't very exciting, it was most interesting to watch each group of girls grab random hands and then try and untangle themselves without letting go. I was even more thrilled when a group that Clare referred to as 'fourth year girls' included me in their game of knots, and very proud to announce that they were the ONLY group that managed to completely untangle themselves within the time allotted (all thanks to me, I'm sure).
The best part of this Girls' Camp experience, in my opinion, was something called pinatas, which I've been told weren't "real pinatas" as they were just drawn dragons on paper shopping bags, but this sure didn't seem to diminish the enthusiasm of the girls. It was rather fascinating to watch these girls take the stick and beat the swinging bag until it broke and candy fell all over the ground. Very strange activity indeed, and yet clearly something all these girls had done before as they dove in to collect their share of the loot. While I loved watching this phenomenon, I have to admit my favourite part was when one of my new friends in the 'fourth year' group helped me have my own turn attacking the dragon. I could get to like this Girls' Camp thing...
I couldn't help but wonder if this is what the whole camping-deal was all about. I was getting more and more curious by the day.
After lunch with about 200 girls, it was definitely time for this little bear to move on. We returned to ClairAnn's house where they had to repack our van, as well as help pack ClairAnn and her kids into their own van. It was nearly 6pm before we were finally on the road again! Little did I know we still had over four hours to drive to our next destination... which was still NOT camp!
Let me pause here to tell you that the landscape through Nevada leaves a lot to be desired. Its pretty much brown, brown and more brown in various degrees of flatland and mountain-like lumps, with long stretches of completely nothingness. There were, however, a few points of interest along the way, the first one spotted from the highway at Battle Mountain. Now, I've seen my share of giant letters painted or otherwise placed on the sides of mountains throughout Utah, but I'm really not sure the letters "BM" are the best initials to place on a giant brown pile of dirt. Just sayin'
Just as it was getting dark, ClairAnn unexpectedly pulled off the highway to show me a place called Thunder Mountain. While the kids fondly spoke of some roller coaster at Disneyland by the same name, I was eager to explore this very strange native land where some guy had started building with anything and everything he could find... and I mean EVERYTHING! I don't even know how many pictures we took of the strange artifacts and creations all over the site. Very strange indeed, but definitely worth a look around.
It was after 11pm when we finally reached KayRena's parents' house in Reno, Nevada. The couple may have been very eager to see their grandchildren, but I think they were equally eager to be able to get the sudden onslaught of relatives settled in beds so they could do the same.
It had been a long day for everyone I guess.
And we were still NOT camping!
Whatever!
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