As yesterday came to a troublesome end, today start the very opposite. After brushing teeth and putting on contacts at 9:00 am, I started to hike the 3-4 miles into Goldfield, NV on a chilly day hoping there was gas station in the small town. Immediately, a trucker, Juan, stopped and offered a ride into town. I didn't even hitchhike; Juan said, "There wasn't anything for miles, " which was why he offered assistance. It was my first time in a rig.
Juan owns his own 10-gear truck and drives cross-country regularly from Florida to Oregon. He has a wife, one child, and one child on the way. He's been driving for 20 years and admitted back then, getting a license for driving a rig was simple- all one needed was a license to drive a car practically.
At the only gas station in Goldfield, I met Jack, a white hair, white whiskered man who owns the station which opened up recently. He offered to loan a fuel container with a deposit. When I told him I would be back in 1-2 hours because of the hike, he offered a ride in his big white Dodge truck. I purchased $5 of gas.
On the way back to the stalled Rodeo, another stalled car was being towed, which had me a little worried. But the Rodeo was still there sitting at an angle instead of parallel to the road.
The Rodeo, my faithful companion, started smoothly, gulping down the fuel like a thirsty man finding a spring in the desert. I headed back into Goldfield for a very welcomed fill-up. Before Jack opened the station, gas was only available in Tonopah or Beatty, NV.
Jack and his wife moved to this little town from Virginia. His wife has retired. He once worked in the construction field and learned the mechanics of cars on his own. Jack admits he knows little about modern vehicles with the complex gadgets and electronics. As I left the station, he was repairing the flat tire on a small Chevy he delayed to give me a ride.
As I drove north out of Goldfield there was another garage, but they no longer sell gasoline. I hope the same fate does not befall Jack's business.
Goldfield was built when gold was discovered in 1902, but today, the town looks very deteriorated. If there was any wealth here, they disguised it well.
It was about 9:15 am when I drove out of Goldfield. Just 15 minutes earlier I was stranded. Fortunes can change quickly.
While heading to Silver Peak, Nevada, I had to stop for a moment and reflect on the good and bad situations in the past 12 hours. Fortunes can change quickly- sometimes, we just have to give life a fighting chance. Life is an emotional rollercoaster of mountains and valleys: the valleys are scalding and dry, but once we climb the mountains, the lands are lush with running streams.
Earlier, I stopped along Lake Walker, on an Indian reservation, listening to an mp3-CD on the portable computer while reading the blackjack book trying to reassure myself I could eventually win. Bringing the laptop was a great idea even though the battery was only good for about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
