Happiness is Horse Poop and Ant-hills

Pondering Horse Poop and Ant Hills:

That Is How I spent my 45^th birthday.

Pondering Horse poop, and Watching Ants was not exactly how I had planned to spend my Birthday, But It turned out to be exactly what I needed to make this Birthday a wonderful day!

I had thought I had The Perfect Birthday all planned:

I was going to go explore a new lake I had found. I was gonna be naked most of the day, soak up the sun, swim, and relax. I was gonna watch trains, play on the tracks, and Be Naked while I did. I was gonna take lots of pictures, use a few silly props I brought along, and grin the entire day. I was gonna be in the ultimate escape from the madness of the city I live in. I live in Las Vegas. Any time I can find a nice little slice of nature tucked away amid the concrete and neon, it can seem like I am miles from the concrete jungle. 

Vegas is notorious for eliminating any remnants of nature. In just the two years I’ve been here, I’ve witnessed horrific destruction of anything resembling nature. Any living plant is removed. Any natural place is bulldozed and paved with concrete. The water-district actually paid everyone to remove their lawns. Even places that have been years in the making to establish trees, shrubs, and natural brush suddenly get bulldozed, and then replanted with very sparse new trees and shrubs. That is The Vegas way. Everything old must be made new. Nothing established remains for long. Every tree that looks full and healthy gets pruned to the bare limbs, with only a few sprigs of green remaining. Then within the next few months that tree dies, so they rip it out, and plant a new one… smaller, more sparse, very tidy, minimal green. Vegas likes to rip out real cactus, shrubs, and trees, and replace them with metal-sculptures that are supposed to look real. Vegas likes to take even a dirt-path, and scrape it clear of any actual rocks, or imperfections, and place a layer of fine-packed gravel for a smooth surface. After just being here a short while, it is evident Vegas is Not just looking for a concrete place, they also are more Anti-nature than any other place I’ve explored.

Even one of my favorite escapes which when I discovered it two years ago, was one of the most beautiful pieces of nature, with well-established trees and shrubs. It Was the Wetlands. I say Was, because in the past 9-months, they have gone and ripped it all up, and paved it with concrete. The water that flowed used to flow free, a meandering river, with trees, shrubs, and life. They bulldozed it all, and have made it a concrete channel… But to make it “Natural” they have piled rock on top of the concrete. Sometimes I think the people in charge of planning these “Nature” areas have never been in nature, and to them, a sterile, constructed “nature” is as realistic as it gets. It is sickening.

Last week, I was out in The City of Henderson exploring. I was exploring The Pittman Wash. A small section of wash that is still natural. It also has a train trestle I had heard about I wanted to explore. I found it (turns out I was only half a mile from it the last time I explored here, and I would have found it the next time I went out there, even if I had not heard about it otherwise.) I had a wonderful day, and when I got home, I looked-up on Google Maps where I had been, and to get a better idea of where that wash meandered for future explorations. Imagine my surprise when I saw on the map, just about another two-miles from where I was ANOTHER Purely natural Area. And It Had a Lake, too!

I studied the map, and birds-eye-view, so I could go back there again on my birthday. This is what I saw on Google:

It was perfect! I looked it up in other web-searches. It was called Railroad Lake.  It was an old quarry-pit that was used ages ago by the Railroad. It has since filled-in with water. That is why it is called Railroad Lake. According to the map, there is still an active rail line alongside the lake. (Not shown in the pictures above, but it runs across the north side of the lake) It looks perfect! It looks like a forgotten space in the mad-dash to pave everything. I searched many write-ups and all the info I could find. I found that the park on one small corner, called “Cornerstone Park” was actually in the process of adding a few features, but from what the maps showed, it was still only a small portion of the wild and natural Railroad Lake. Even the roads all around seemed to be minor roads, and not terribly crowded. It did appear that the development had stayed well-away from the lake. It made me wonder if the lake was toxic, or why it was still so untouched. So I planned to go there for my birthday. I figured that even if the water was not clean, or not safe to touch, I could still find plenty of beauty in the natural remnants of a time long-gone in this region.

I had the perfect day planned. (Actually it started the night before when a friend, Kara had me over for Tacos for dinner… don’t laugh. If ya knew, you’d understand the importance. It was a perfect Start to my Birthday!) As I began my morning, I was heading-out right around 8am. I was a bit sad, because I was earlier than I had hoped. Kara was working the day-shift and I had hoped to stop and say hi before heading out. But then, I realized that I still needed to get some photos of The Ducks for Easter. The photos I had in mind were needing to be done in the daylight, and I knew I’d get home after dark, so I took a few minutes to gather, and go shoot the ducks. 

Of course, a few minutes turned into an hour, but that is ok, too, because I enjoy getting lost in my creativity, and play. As I headed out, I was happy to see it was just about 9. That made me smile, because I’d get to stop and visit with Kara.

As I walked toward Fremont Street, I pondered Breakfast. I was thinking of just grabbing McDonald’s, and heading out. Nice n simple. I was even gonna ask Kara if she wanted anything… cuz she is always hungry, and often cannot escape from work to grab a bite. But then, I remembered “It’s My Birthday!” That triggered me to think about spoiling myself a wee-bit. I remembered that I’d wanted to go to The New Denny’s On Fremont. (Yes, Denny’s… It’s a new one, it’s On Fremont, AND it has an outdoor patio…. Yes, Denny’s always is consistent, and a safe place to find food ya want at fair prices… But This One is Different!) I decided I’d stop and see Kara, and see if she wanted anything from there. She was not at Her kiosk, but I noticed her tip-jar was empty. (It was just the beginning of the day) But a tip-jar does much better with a little seed-money, So I put some in. 

As I did, I noticed one of the bills had a red-heart on it. That made me smile. Then she returned. She was thrilled to have me bring something back… in fact she was craving The Biscuits n Gravy. That made me smile, too! 

I went to the new Denny’s on Fremont for Breakfast, and ate out on the patio. Then took Kara her Biscuits n Gravy. She was excited (and did not know I’d seeded the tip jar...yet) that she already was getting lotsa tips!

Then I headed out, map in hand, on the buses to find this lake. I knew roughly where I needed to go, and figured with an over 200-acre natural area, it would be easy to find. As I went I knew from the map, I was getting close to where the lake would be. But I was slightly dismayed to find that the roads were a wee-bit more crowded, and the area around The lake was a Lot more crammed with mega-apartments, mega-shopping centers, and More traffic than the aerial views on Google portrayed. I was beginning to think the Google view may have been many years outdated. As I neared where the lake should have been, I was quite amazed to see the ten-lane roads, and endless strip-malls, and mega-apartment complexes all over-filling this area. I saw that the area was bursting-at-it’s seams with meg-everything… everything except anything resembling nature. I began to suspect my “natural” lake would no longer be what the picture showed. I am not extremely familiar with The Henderson Area, but I am beginning to learn that it is just a Mega-Overflow of Vegas… without as much neon…. And the only ‘natural’ to be found is pristine landscaping, and manicured hedges. Ugh.

I got off the bus where I figured I was close to the lake. From here, I should have been able to see the hills, trees, and area where the lake was. But I could not. I was only half-a-mile from The Lake, but the amount of traffic cramming the roads was incredible! This was a Saturday morning. I could just imagine how horrible the traffic here was on a weekday! Even standing there, I knew that I could still find something beautiful. I always can. That is part of what makes my adventures so meaningful… I can find beauty in ANY Situation. But I gotta look for it… and it was painfully clear that today, I would have to search hard. The noise and pollution surrounding me at the moment was enough to almost make me get outta that region as fast as possible! But I was determined to go find this lake, and find something beautiful to enjoy amid this Chaos of Concrete and Noise…. 

The same chaos that so many who live here find to be what they want, and need… not knowing what a bit of nature can do for their soul. Yup, I know I live in a land where people do not understand peace, nor seek it… a land where anything natural is obliterated, anything created by God, or showing the way natural beauty is calming is forbidden.

I put my map away, because I knew from here where that hundreds of acres escape from the city was supposed to exist…

Often, I find my escapes in many ways. One of those I find to be extremely comforting is in what I listen to on my headphones. I still listen to old-fashioned broadcast radio. To be more specific, I listen to NPR… Yup Public Broadcasting. One of my all-time joys is the ability to actually listen on a weekend. The weekend shows are different than the weekday shows. With my work-schedule, I seldom get to listen on weekends anymore. But On my Birthday, it was a Saturday… and I was able to listen. This is one of those things that I can find peace, calm, and comfort in… especially in the chaos I suddenly was immersed-in on my quest to find this lake.

As I walked, listened to the radio, and tuned out as much as was possible the concrete jungle, I began to notice the area I was seeking. I was correct… It was no longer a natural area at all…

heart sank. I pondered it a moment, then decided to continue on, and at least explore what remained of the lake.  As I approached, I saw a sign stating “Progress Ahead”. It was a City-construction sign, intended to show what they call progress was under way, and those walking here may encounter construction. It made me hurt more. The reality of where I live sinks in hard sometimes. The incessant need to eliminate anything beautiful and natural, make it sterile, and then call it “natural” by the humans here is absolutely disgusting. I still cannot grasp why so many people here will not go where nature is, until they have re-created it in a sterile way. Yes, I am aware that these places cater to the masses, and in this world, the masses drive everywhere, park their vehicles, and then walk…with frappucino in hand from the Starbucks only a block away. Then they go for “A Walk in Nature”, wearing their perfectly-fitted yoga outfits, hair combed, and makeup-unsmudged by any existence of real-life. They walk on paved paths, in pre-determined routes with no appreciation of what nature really is. 

To the masses, here, This is nature.

I cringed. I almost cried. BUT, I decided that I needed to make the best of it, and find something to enjoy about my Birthday. That is what I do. I find Beauty… somehow. I went on down to the edge of The Lake. I could tell there was something not right about the water, but that would take me a while to grasp. I saw some birds, and ducks. I knew I could find a spot to just be still, and get lost in what was considered ‘nature’ by this standard. I found the entire region was sterile. Not sterile as in “germ-free” but sterile in the sense that nothing existed here, except what man had created. There was not a single insect on the ground. There was not a pebble out of place. Yes, there were ‘dirt’ paths… but those were even perfectly manicured, and so smooth, I could have roller skated across them. I found there were places to sit along the shore of the lake… 

But even these were almost-square rock chunks placed on concrete slabs. Very sterile, very tidy. Ugh. Oh well… I Decided to sit a bit.

I was wearing my jeans and t-shirt, planning to either strip completely naked once I found the lake, or to at least change into my shorts. Once I saw the way the people here looked at me down their noses, and disapproved of my comfy-torn-holey jeans, and tie-dye shirt, I decided to not change into anything more comfy. This was not a safe place for me, and the last thing I needed was to be “on display”. This was clearly not a world for me. (I could not help but miss Oregon, Washington, and Virginia... where a setting like this I could easily lay out naked, and nobody would even look twice... heck often people would come and join me...But this was not that kind of accepting environment.) But I was determined to find something of beauty here. I sat. I watched.

Once I allowed myself to fully forget about those who occupied this place, I was able to see many wonderful birds. 

That was good. But as I watched, I also noticed the birds were the only life-form here. My suspicions about the toxic-lake were correct, and I was seeing it… or NOT seeing it, as it may be. I noticed there was not a single insect on the ground, flying or even on, or in the water. I noticed my lungs felt as if I had suddenly inhaled some form of pesticide, or vapor of toxin, poison, or something that was brewing deep in the waters of this old pit. I admired the birds, but wondered how they suffered. Birds are always amazing in how they manage to exist… even in the worst places. But as I sat there, I noticed more and more how bad this area was. This is Insect season… The end of March is when the ground begins to crawl with insects. The waters begin to have tadpoles, insects, and fish eagerly consuming their snacks.

I DID Find much beauty in the birds, but I could tell this was a bad place. I got some great shots of the birds… But even as I did, I was painfully reminded of how this natural lake was no longer a place of nature.

I decided I had inhaled enough (more than enough!) toxins, and went for a walk around the lake to see if I could discover anything else. As I walked, I could see how deep the waters were. The water was clear, and not cloudy… which also was strange. That told me Nothing lived in it. On some of the bridges, I marveled at how sterile this water was. So Strange. Not one fish, frog, insect, or critter existed here. Only the birds, and ducks. There was not even a single tadpole, lizard, or other type of critter. It was sterile (and toxic) beyond the ability to sustain even the simplest of live-forms.

The water really did look inviting, and I wanted so badly to go for a swim. I even touched it to see… it was warm enough! But it had a feel to it that told me it was instant poison. 

On a bridge, peering into the water... No Life here.

I really had my heart set on playing here for my birthday. It was hard to not get down about it, but I realized I really was glad I came. I had come, and learned. I had gone where I had previously not known. If I had not come, I always would have wondered. But I came. For that, I was glad. This is what makes me who I am. I go, explore, learn, discover, and add a wee-bit more to my understanding of this world in which I live. It is not always easy, and not always positive, fun, and pleasant… but It Always has a purpose, and Always takes me to the next step in this journey of life. With that in mind, I headed on to The Next part of this Birthday Journey.

I decided I would spend the rest of the day in a place where I Knew I could at least get naked, get into the water, and lay comfortably in the sun. A Place where I could see fish, critters, insects, and nature. A place where others did not look down their noses at me. A place where even when others saw me naked, they did not care. A place where there was not a Starbucks within six miles. That place was The Wetlands.

I walked to where I could catch a bus, and found I would be waiting another 45-minutes. I pondered walking… but it was at least another five or six miles to where I needed to connect with the bus that would take me out near the wetlands, and figured if I walked that far, I would not also want to go out and walk to, or through the wetlands. I waited. … and again was stuck in the middle of the Urban Jungle. As I sat there, I laughed… Here, I live right in the Middle of Downtown Las Vegas, and where I live is so peaceful, and has more nature than a place miles from Vegas! The place I live has two-lane-roads, is quiet, and comfortable…. In the middle of Downtown Vegas! Yet, out here, it is far-more polluted, unbearably noisy, and has ten-lane roads. The Irony is incredible.

Once I got to the bus-line that would take me out near The Wetlands, I laughed. That bus does not run on Saturdays. Ugh. Oh well… more adventure, right?

I decided to catch a bus that would take me about five miles from The Wetlands. It was still early afternoon, so I figured I could still have plenty of time to go explore, play, and enjoy that region. After I took that bus, I began walking towards The Wetlands. I got a feeling that I was not supposed to go there this day. I know better than to go where I feel I am not supposed-to. Fair-enough, I thought. I clearly am meant to do something else today. It was now well-above 80-degrees, and I was wanting to change into shorts. But I decided not to. It just did not feel right, so I stayed in my jeans. The irony is, I know I gotta trust my instincts… Every time I began to ponder just changing right where I was, A Henderson police officer would cruise by. That woulda been just perfect… get arrested on My Birthday for taking my clothes off in a public place. Each time I pondered changing, within seconds, another officer would come by, slow down, and watch me. I just laughed... And decided I was meant to stay in jeans this day.

The Henderson Police Department

Ironically, as I walked, still not sure where I was headed, since I knew I was not going to The Wetlands, I pondered all the new sights I’d never before seen out here. I discovered the New Henderson Police Station. Ironically, It had more nature than any other place I’d been all day! 

And even Lizards! 

I smiled, and enjoyed the irony.

Then, as I walked some more, I remembered seeing pictures from someone I knew online about a trip they took to Henderson, and very recent pictures of The Henderson Bird-Viewing Sanctuary. I did look at the map of where they took those photos, because two-years before, I had tried to find the same place… And ironically, that was how I found a new section of The Wetlands. That sanctuary did not exist where it was shown on the maps, and even on a Google-earth map. At that time, I went where the maps showed, and the aerial photos showed… and it could not be found. The roads did not exist. (That is something I am learning about Vegas, Henderson, and this entire region… Because of the mentality that exists to obliterate everything, and constantly change what exists, No Road matches what is shown on the maps, or Aerial Views. I need to stop trusting that a map is accurate here. I tend to go on life-long lessons, and trust that maps are created to be accurate… as has been the case in every other region I’ve ever explored…. But not here.

But I felt I was near the Bird Sanctuary, and kept walking. Sure enough, I found this sign.

Oh, whoops... it seems it is a "Preserve" not a Sanctuary. Ha! :)

As I walked down the long road, I was surprised to find that at each place where it seemed to end, and where I hoped I would find The Sanctuary, there was yet another sign: 

This continued for well-over a mile, with many new turns, and many more signs. I was beginning to wonder if This Place Really Existed, or was it just like so many other things here… Long gone. 

Finally, I found This sign:  Yes! Finally!...

….Then I turned the corner…. 

All I could do was laugh! I asked out loud, “Couldn’t you have placed that sign a mile-back??” I had to pee, and since I did not for the past hour because every time I turned around a police officer was watching me, I decided This was the perfect spot! I knew no officers had come down that road, and I could pee right here. I Pee’d On their Fence! Right there, right then. I pondered peeing on the sign, but decided that would just be wrong.

I was hungry, and had plenty of food in my pack, but had not previously found a place I wanted to sit and eat… But I needed to, so I went to a concrete retaining wall, and ate. While I ate, I saw lots of insects, and could smell Horse-poop. To me, this was good. It was nature… well, sorta. But I watched the red ants, and wondered where the horse-poop smell was wafting from. Anyone who has ever been around horses knows that horse-people are often caring, outdoor-type people. They are not usually into eliminating nature, paving everything, and fighting with others. Horse-people tend to be kind, and want to be peaceful. So, the smell of Horse poop was a good thing.

I saw this insect, and got down on the pavement at its level to watch it move. Nature is a wonderful thing.

As I walked back, I was not sure where I’d head next. I found some of the strangest things… Here is a shooting range that no longer exists. 

This sign had no reason. there was nothing facing it.

I saw signs that made no sense… out in the middle of nothing. 

As I walked, I could smell more horse-poop. That made me smile. As the horse-poop smell got stronger, I noticed more red ants. I wondered of the red ants somehow thrived on horse poop. When I began seeing not just red ants, but massive ant-hills, and watching the ants, I realized why I had come where I did on My Birthday. I realized how tiny I am on This Huge Earth. I realized that while the earth goes on obliterating what is natural, and I am seeking to find something I could enjoy, perhaps I was looking at too big of a picture. I was seeking something different than the peaceful places I had already discovered. I already know all-too-well how it’s the littlest things that make life worthwhile. As I watched the ants, and noticed what they accomplished, I was happy, amazed, and a wee-bit humbled. 

Ironically, IF There had been any living form at The Lake, I likely would have appreciated it then, too… But since I traveled at least twenty miles on buses, and so far had walked well-over twelve miles this day, and it was only once I smelled the Horse poop, and saw the ants that I truly found happiness, it is an interesting feeling. I watched those ants haul pieces of gravel which were bigger than the ant, and marveled at their ability. 

The anthills were perfectly formed, with a perfect flow of ants in and out of the tiny openings. There was not a single conflict, and each ant knew what it was supposed to do. As each piece of gravel, wood, sand, or dirt was carried out, it was precisely placed to help build the grand-mound surrounding their hole. 

I walked further, and found where the Horse poop originated from. I noticed the ants seemed to thrive in the actual piles of horse poop. This, too made me smile, and appreciate nature. It only helped to prove what I say is wrong with our Earth today. I noticed how life thrived in the poop-pile, and also how the ants made their homes in what those who destroyed the lake and its surrounding would find appalling. The ants did not live in a sterile environment, but they seemed healthier and more adjusted than the humans I saw this day. 

A Mega-road with 6-lanes... right now it is empty...

The ants had lots of traffic in their little paths they made into and out of their homes, But they knew how to get along, and how to work with the others they shared this home with. The ants had only one lane, and hundreds shared that one lane for all directions. The humans build mega-roads, and still can't seem to move anywhere.The humans seemed to thrive on being angry, honking, and yelling at others who shared the crazy world they had created. The ants appreciated what they had, and used it to their advantage. The humans did not. The ants had a wonderful balance in how they went about life. They used what nature gave them, and made it work quite well. The Humans felt they needed to change their world to make it fit their lives… yet they are not happy. 

Later that night, after I had gone home, I decided to go get a pizza for my Birthday dinner. There are many pizza places near me. In fact in the past month no less than 5 new pizza places have opened. I could have gone to any one of those brand-new, shiny, glitzy, sparkling-clean, and not a speck-of-grease having yet accumulated on the fixtures places. All these new places have lines of people wishing to experience the newest, the brightest, the fanciest, the still-unblemished, and the fancy uniformed-workers without a spot of grease yet on their aprons. 

I chose to go to The Oldest Pizza-joint in Downtown. Uncle Joe’s Pizza is not bright, not sparkling, not fancy, and definitely not boasting about its fancy uniforms. Uncle Joe’s is one of the oldest, but most-wonderful pizza places I have discovered in Downtown Vegas. They do not have a door-person to evaluate if you fit their criteria, match their dress-codes, or are the look they want others to see in their pizzeria. There is not a line to get in, and no fancy sings, lighting, or even menu-boards. Their menu is on a piece of paper, taped to the window. The employees have t-shirts as their uniform with years of wear-and-tear, grease-stains that a gallon of bleach could not touch, and have no intention of trying to pretend to be anything they are not. The counter is worn with the use that comes from years of providing service to the community. The restaurant feels like it is comfortable, and welcoming, because it has welcomed thousands over the years. It has forged a spot in this community, working with the community, not against it.When you place your order, they do not give you a number. They remember each customer, and when your pizza is ready, they know who you are, and which order is yours. You could say that Uncle Joe’s is comparable to The Horse poop. 

For those who know and appreciate real life, Uncle Joe’s is thriving with life. Much like the ants do not find horse poop to be offensive, this is the same with the humans who call Uncle Joe’s comfortable, and will continue to eat there. We appreciate what is real, tried and true, and know that without a doubt, we will always find what we need in our lives among the poop. The people who go to those new pizza places look down their noses at a place like Uncle Joe’s. Those are the same people who won't visit a natural place, until it has been bulldozed, sterilized, paved, and planted with perfectly manicured plants. Those are the people who will not visit the outdoors if the is life to be found in it. It is sad, because they are so afraid to go where there might be life, they actually miss out on the most important things… the little things....LIFE.

It only made me smile and realize how wonderful my life is. I can appreciate some of the seemingly most-simple things on Earth. Those simple things that are fast-being obliterated by my fellow humans. All my life, I have tried to get others to come along with me, to see life from my perspective… the perspective of an ant in the horse-poop. I like my world to be a bit on the poopy-side. I like my world a bit less-sterile. … Natural. Life thrives in the poop. Nothing lives in a man-made setting. The visit to The Railroad Lake was exactly  what I needed for My 45^th Birthday. I can appreciate that I found someplace I had not been, learned from it, and because of this exploration, have yet a better understanding of The World in which I live. Now, I just wonder what it will take to get the rest of The Humans to understand that The Poop is where life really happens. 

Sometimes, ya gotta wear the jeans, when you’d rather be naked. Sometimes ya gotta find a lake, only to realize this was not the day you were supposed to go swimming. Sometimes, ya gotta walk for miles, just to discover an ant hill amid mounds of horse poop. Sometimes, it takes many buses, many hours of your day, and Many unpleasant sights to discover what is really important in life….

Vegas needs so much more than rain...

As I walked to get my pizza, I saw this quote on a plaza. Ironically this was next to one of the oldest buildings downtown… not near one of the new places. This sums up quite well what I saw and experienced on my 45^th Birthday. Vegas thrives on removing all life-forms. Rain is such an important ingredient to life... yet Vegas and Henderson have worked to remove what would benefit from the rain, So this quote hits it right on the head... Rain would do no good to an environment that does not appreciate life. The Irony is lost on those who plan these cities. We live in a desert. Rain creates and sustains life. Now All forms of vegetation have been removed, so no water can remain, the air cannot be cleaned, the water that exists is toxic, and we have droughts, and flash-floods. It's not hard to grasp... but for those who have been here too long, it seems the heat has warped their brain. Water is life. Nature heals itself. Concrete, and lack of living forms destroys itself. I live in Vegas. I still seek life.