Night, Hope Valley Trailer Park

After a thoroughly hectic day of napping, reading and puttering about, I decided to walk Gilbert the dog around the trailer park. The first thing I noticed was the dark. The park had lights here and there coming from campfires and the interior of trailers. It was a bit like a hobbit community. Little people were running along the trails with glow bracelets and whispering excitedly to each other. One group went by with only the pedals of their bicycles lit by glow coils. Otherwise they were like invisible little people calling to each other, "I can't see you.....just follow the pedal light....I can't see you.....just follow the pedal lights." It was magical really. I noticed I was dragging Gilbert and realized he was having a constitutional beside the path. Though I had a plastic dog bag, I'd not brought a flash light and didn't plan to grope about in the dark for wet warmth. The trouble with a leash for a dog is that there's often this delay before his intention is conveyed and I stop. It bothers me thinking I've dragged my poor dog along thinking about the golden rule and how rude I'd feel if some bigger person interfered with me in that way.

Other campers were sitting about their campfires talking. One fellow actually was telling stories to some youngsters. It brought back fond memories of church camp, cubs, scouts and YMCA camps. When I'd gone as far as I could on the trail and turned back I actually found my own #20 spot. I'd bought wood last night so decided least I could do is start a fire.

I got the gasoline from the back of the truck and after years of trial and error with all too many errors I poured just the right amount of gasoline on the wood. I lit a piece of scrunched up toilet paper and threw it on the wood. Poof. Voila. Flame. Fire. Screw rubbing sticks!

Gilbert and I sat at the picnic table. Gilbert dug holes in the ground while I watched the fire and speculated on the distance to the stars overhead. They've just found a near star with planets about it that could sustain life. With the training in yachting and now motor homing I think I'm ready for a little space ship jaunt. Visit the neighbors in their ultra chic and funky star worlds.

Laura came out and joined us at the picnic table. I pointed out the star to her. The sounds of the night, the breeze, the smells, indiscernible conversations arising from other campsites interjected by laughter, wood smoke fragrance, darkness all about, a little girl with a flash light, walking by with her dad: it all seemed rather wonderful.




After a while we came in and now are going to bed. I've got to figure out how to use the sani station for the first time tomorrow. I can already imagine every vehicle lined up behind me while I've made a mistake and am standing helpless in a pool of waste.




Good night.



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