Today we left Las Vegas, which comes as a relief. I’ve found
that I cannot keep up with the lifestyle of Vegas, it’s too expensive,
elaborate, and rushed. I miss my steady pace of life, and the space to allow my
thoughts to flourish. It’s safe to say Las Vegas has left my mind boggled.
The open road here is unlike any other driving experience
I’ve had. The scenery extends into long, straight open roads, with only the odd
occasional small town approaching, then fading into view. It’s been
exhilarating to escape the city and be surrounded by fresh air and open spaces
again, just like home. At one point, Fran remarked how it had been seven miles
since he had last turned the steering wheel, something which seems to be the
norm whilst driving here. The drive allowed me to ponder many thoughts about
America, such as how without cars, travelling across the USA would be
incredibly difficult. This may be why for many, the car and the highway have
become a way of life, as for some, it’s the only connection they have to shops,
other people, and amenities.
(The view from the car as we drive from Las Vegas towards Kanab, showing empty land as far as the eye can see.)
On the drive we passed by a small Mormon community, Colorado
City. All the women were dressed similarly, with the same hair style, whilst
the mend were also plainly dressed. I noticed the houses were fairly large,
some with noticeable extensions. Perhaps this was accommodate larger families
with many children, and maybe even multiple wives. I got the sense that I
definitely didn’t belong here whilst we were driving through, I was in a
territory I definitely didn’t feel comfortable being in.
Our first taste of history comes from a visit to Pipe Spring
National Monument. This is an area of land on the reservation of the Kaibab
Pauite, where water has made it possible to survive in the dry desert. We are
told how Mormons moved into the area, building a fort, and how hospitable they
are, however I cannot shake the thought out of my head that they stole the
land. It’s all very well that they were hospitable, but the land wasn’t theirs
in the first place, and I’m surprised as to how relaxed the attitudes towards
this idea are. If this was me, I’d be pretty annoyed, even to this day, about
my land being inhabited by others against my will. There has been obvious
conflict over the land use and ownership between the Mormons and the Kaibab
Paiutes, but is this an issue still ongoing today? There doesn’t seem to be
much tension about this issue during our visit, perhaps suggesting that it is a
common feeling that this is how it is now, and that the only way to move past
it is to get over it.
(An old wagon at Pipe Spring, showing how the Mormons used to travel around the land.)
(Inside Windsor Castle at Pipe Spring, showing how modern the Mormon building was, it even had a telegraph wire installed.)
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