This is Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle. Well. It was bound to happen. A year and a week on the Adventure Of A Lifetime. And. We ran out of gas…eight thousand feet up.

This Nevada place has not been easy for us. We started out last week in boiling temperatures. Tried to escape the heat by going to an area that had no animal rescues or shelters for us to visit in the dry desert. And so we decided to make our way back to an area that we felt needed us more. Las Vegas. And so. We made the trek back. A supposedly seven hour drive that was already overwhelming to us. And we had no idea what was about to happen.

When things start going bad, oh boy. Sometimes they just keep getting worse. Moving every week to a different state is a lot of work. The weeks seems to fly by, and just when we get settled, it is time to move on. The persons try their best to prepare for the animal rescue visits, our routes and making sure the Big Blue Treat Wagon and our car are working ok. But the last few weeks, they have began to get more tired. And so they were slacking in the preparation department when it came to our route back to Las Vegas. Well, they found a campsite, but when they tried to get directions, it was vague. You know, kinda of like when you ask me if I am the most handsome dog in the world, and I try to be modest and vague, but you know. It just doesn’t work. And well, this didn’t work either.

As we made it closer to the camp, it became apparent that it was a little further up there than we thought.

And so Boy Person became concerned that maybe the gas could run out on the RV. Now, if you know Boy Person at all, to say he is a bit overdramatic sometimes is an understatement. Girl Person thought to herself that they were probably ok, but at this point in the drive, I was tired and jumpy. Deputy Digby was hungry. Boy Person was worried. Girl Person was trying to calm us all down, and none of this made for a good combination. So when the persons saw a sign that had a tent on it, they assumed it was for a campground. Well. It was. But it wasn’t for the right campground.  If Nevada ever needed to be arrested, it is for their signs or lack there of. They should have a sign that tells you there are no signs. My sign for Nevada would say we are outta here after the last few days.

Well. As we trekked up to around 8500 feet, it became apparent that the road ended. And yes, that we had taken wrong turn. At this point, the Big Blue Treat Wagon was empty and you know when that happens, there is a chance that the brakes may not work. Well, that’s not so good when you are on a mountain. So now. Boy Person was upset, Girl Person was crying and at this point they saw one car on the road with someone outside of their car. Boy Person stopped, Girl Person jumped out barefoot as all southern girls should, and as the lady looked at her like she was cuckoo with no shoes, dog hair on her clothes and mascara running down her face, Girl Person asked sweetly where Fletcher View Campground was. The lady told her it was on the other side of the canyon. About 25 miles away. And that was that. Girl Person jumped back in and her and Boy Person decided that they had to find a place to pull over, unhook the Jeep, and Boy Person would go get gas for the RV. Then, he would come back, fill it up, and they would find the campground. Sounded easy. Sounded like a plan. Things never go according to plan some days.

As Boy Person found somewhere to pull over, Girl Person told me and the Deputy that everything was going to be ok. We would stick together as a family. And we had to, because it was getting cold. It was getting dark. Boy Person pulled away. He forgot his phone, but we had no service up there anyway. The RV was leaning so bad I fell off the couch. But Girl Person put on her smile, made our dinner and told us we would eat outside like we always did. So that’s what we did.

When we opened up the door, we saw it.  Another sign. Thanks, Nevada.

Now. For an hour we saw one car pass us by. And it was going very fast. So Girl Person decided the best place to walk to burn off some energy was down the mountain. She told us to walk very slow, but Deputy Digby didn’t listen, and as we rolled down the hill, Girl Person understood the meaning of faith. Of a positive attitude that we would be ok. And so we kept walking. Until we heard something growl. And that was that. Up the mountain we went, back in the leaning RV, and in the dark. It gets very dark in the mountains.

Girl Person looked at her dying phone and told herself she would start worrying at 7:30 if he wasn’t back. That time came, and she said she would start worrying at 8. Then 8:30. And just about when she decided it was time to get a bottle of wine and cry herself to sleep until daylight, he pulled up.

You would never think Boy Person with a big can of gas would look so good, but he did. Until that is the gas can decided it would add to our bad day. As the handle broke and leaked gas all over Boy Person he said he gave up. Right about that time, he realized he was standing in a big pile of horse poop with gas all over him. That was it. That was it. They were never going to move from that spot. And that was that. Girl Person told him to regroup, and they started pouring the gas into a small can and finally filled up the RV. They stunk. They were mad as fire. And afraid of a fire. And we still didn’t know where to go. Boy Person told her he had found the camp, but that it was blocked off and they couldn’t get in. And where was it? Half a mile from the wrong turn. Half a mile I tell you.

You would think I would be sick of writing at this point, but I am going to keep going. Because it’s not the end. They knew they couldn’t go to that camp. They didn’t have enough gas to get anywhere else because it had poured all over Boy Person and the horse poop. And so they needed. Gas. And Digby didn’t have enough. We started up again, and I tell you, after 10 hours of driving, I was done. I was howling. I was shaking. I was tired. And Girl Person knew we were all going to perish. She started crying, and it was over. Boy Person said we were gonna stop right where we were and found a spot to park at. Well, at this point, the refrigerator had began defrosting from all this, ice and water were pouring out, and I tell you what. That’s when it got worse. The RV wouldn’t level, the gas was running out again, and they decided just to try and make it to a gas station. In Vegas. In the middle of the night.

As we finally found a gas station, we were excited. Until we couldn’t make the turn in this stupid RV which is what I was calling it by now. There we went. Right past it. And we had to drive five more miles to turn around. Girl Person jumped out at the gas station and bought us bacon and told us that we were being good boys. And I ate the bacon, but I wasn’t happy about it. Problem is, we still didn’t know where to go. Boy Person decided that we were just going to find somewhere to pull over and call it a night. We drove back to the forest, and found a space. I am summarizing this. Believe me. But then. Girl Person realized she still didn’t have cell service. That was it. As she threw her phone across the RV, Boy Person lost it, I lost it, and Digby was just asleep. Girl Person said she was done with this trip, Boy Person stunk like diesel and horse poop and I was just mad.

You would think that about this time we would decide to quit this trip. And your thoughts may be correct. But as with all dramatic situations, like when I look at myself in the mirror in the day and almost faint, we decided to stop. Regroup. Stop again. We had no electricity again. We had no water again. We were in the middle of nowhere and didn’t no where. We stunk like high heaven as Granny Person used to say. And yet, we were safe. We were together. We didn’t fall off the mountain. The bears didn’t eat us. Are there bears out here? And our bellies were full. Well, me and Digby’s were. The persons only had cold beans to eat.

Again, when things start going wrong, sometimes, it doesn’t stop. And as we went to bed…fearing someone would kick us out of wherever we were, we were cold. So we all snuggled up together and were thankful for another day. But we still were thinking that this trip was not going to be finished.

We got up in the morning and the persons made their melted bean coffee and I looked out the window. A snow capped mountain greeted us with a trail right outside our door. Girl Person got us outside and as we were walking, it happened. Deputy Digby decided to keep the Las Vegas luck going and stuck his head on a rattlesnake. Right there. Right then. As Girl Person saw it, she screamed, we ran, and as she tried to open the RV door, it broke. She screamed for Boy Person who thought all heck had broke loose which it had, and we were just. All. Done. Boy Person said we couldn’t do it anymore. And we had to regroup. Again.

Am I being overdramatic? Probably. But I can’t make this stuff up. We had a choice. Call Vegas Shepherd Rescue and cancel, or try to find a campsite. We loaded up again and drove back to the campground and they had ONE space! As Girl Person cried happy tears, we parked, we ate more cold beans, cause that’s all we had and we got ready to go to the rescue. As Girl Person was getting in the car, she fell out. Now, I tell you something. At this point, you would think to yourself. Maybe too many signs are telling us to quit. And you would be right. A Girl Person who is hungry and landed on a rock is not a pretty sight. And yet, she said no. We were going.

The persons went to the rescue. They wondered how bad they looked with a million bags under their eyes and a rock in their butt. But they were here for Las Vegas, Nevada animals. This was the biggest fight yet of our trip to get here. And as soon as that door opened, they knew it was all worth it. At this point in our trip, guess who needed rescued?  Us. Guess who rescued who?

This was a long blog, and a long two days for us. But families stick together, through thick and thin. Whether you are thick like Digby or thin like me. Did I say that out loud? No gas. Altitude sickness. Hunger. Rattlesnakes. You tried to get us, Las Vegas. And I’m sure you know what’s coming. You. Are. Arrested.

Where are we headed today? We are back on the road. Utah? We are comin’! A little skinnier, a little tired. But we can do this. SIX. MORE. STATES. TO. GO!

-Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle

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