Travelers and Nomads

Last week it was the couple from Russia who appeared to qualify as 'having traveled the farthest' to visit Big Bend National Park. This Thanksgiving Day-Weekend it was the six guys from Hong Kong who agreed with me that there were very few deserts in Hong Kong.

Before I continue, let me remind you that Thanksgiving weekend is one of the three busiest of the year, competing with Christmas-New Year, and outdone only by 'Spring Break.' During the latter two weeks, all the schools in Texas are 'on break' at the same time and it is difficult to find a place to lay down a sleeping bag in the entire Park.

On a typical day, we have 16-30 visitors in the Visitor Center here on the far West side of the Park. We like to say that we are not the end of the world, but you can see it from here. Thanksgiving Day there were 75 visitors. Yesterday, Black Friday in the rest of North America, 121 people chose marveling in the wonder of a National Park to contributing to the tyranny of Capitalism and the Wal*Mart embarrassment. By the way, I don't think that the Waltons are monsters, but then Adolph Eichmann was not either. Think 'the banality of evil,' as in the description by Hannah Arendt.

But, back to visitors. The honors for recognition, since I am the Master of Ceremonies at this moment of awards, goes to Josh and Lindsey and their four children, ages 2, 4, 6, and 8. Daddy, Josh, is a teacher and Mommy, Lindsey, is one too but she dedicates her abilities to home-schooling.

They owned a house but were having trouble paying off the mortgage and the student debt, so they sold the house to concentrate on becoming free of the school loans. For nearly two years they have lived in a tent; 'as big as this room' said the eight-year old, telling me about their life and indicating our Visitor Center. Daddy goes to his teaching job from a nearby State Park where their tent is pitched. When they have stayed the limit allowed campers in one park, the pack all their belongings into the Dodge caravan and re-establish a new home.

While Mommy sat catching up on some self-time, reading alone in the richly upholstered chair in our Book Store, Daddy sat on the similarly cushy sofa there, piled upon by his kids, reading kids' book after kids' book from our bookshelves. The children learned that 'Josephina Javelina' isn't a pig but is a 'collared peccary' and doesn't like being referred to as a pig. They liked the 'Who Pooped in the Park' book too, a favorite of kids and quite informative about scat and tracks on the trails. "Lizards for Lunch' introduced them to the appearance and appetite of the Greater Roadrunner, who probably cannot outrun Wiley Coyote, but that makes for a good cartoon.

Having brought two little boys on a whirlwind camping fortnight to the Southwest in the early 1970s, Jane and I were somewhat awestruck by this semi-nomadic family. Their commitment to the well-being and education of their children was exemplary. Their dedication to being debt-free was both remarkable and enviable. May such tribes of nomads increase!