There’s nothing quite like driving 20 miles down a bumpy gravel road in Death Valley and then having the half-axle break on your buddy’s SUV to put a damper on the day. Earlier that day, we had driven out to the Racetrack Playa to see the famous racing rocks. After admiring the phenomena, we began the drive back. Now, his car had a wheel jutting out from the body like some obscure cartoon wreck and we were going nowhere fast.
Life is about problem solving. Sometimes I am privileged to have the opportunity to practice solving a problem before a solution is needed. Other times, life forces me to think on my feet. School, Scouts, and (my own) Shear Stupidity have taught me most of what I know about the world. I place a high value on independence and self-reliance because I have learned that, often, nobody cares. I do not think this statement reflects negatively on humanity, but I recognize that people are busy solving their own problems and improving the world around them. I thought that “nobody cared” was a hard and fast rule, but I am continuously surprised and moved by the generosity of other people.
We came prepared with more than 20L of water per person, plenty of food, a tire patch kit, jacks, spare tires, and recovery treads. One of us was an Eagle Scout and mechanical engineer. The other recently hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and outdoor adventure leader, so we understood the risks associated with backcountry adventures and tried to be prepared. I even brought a spare Death Valley park map which I wound up giving to a wayward minivan that got lost on the dirt back roads trying to find a shortcut back to the freeway to Los Angeles! What saved us was the decision to bring 2 cars and the help from fellow travelers out on the backroads.
Within 10 minutes of the wheels falling off our primary adventure wagon, a half-dozen dirt bikers showed up. One of them was a seasoned mechanic and he immediately took charge of the situation. The remaining 5 bikers rode back down the trail to look for missing bolts that may have fallen from the half-axel. Soon, two jeeps arrived and lent us a third jack that could be used in combination with ours to raise the car and push back in some stubborn components. Two pickup trucks showed up. The first carried an impact driver that helped remove a few rusted bolts. The second contained a family from Idaho that lent their children to help push the car once the field repairs were complete to a safer position for towing. The bikers were unable to find the missing bolts, so we removed the half-axle to turn the car into a rolling chassis. I am very grateful for their help and frankly amazed they showed up when they did as we had not seen another person all day!
With the help of some Good Samaritans, we were able to get my buddy’s car into a condition where it could be towed out of Death Valley by a pickup truck. My car limped out with a nail in the tire and cracked windshield (again), but my friend’s Dad drove up with a truck with sufficient towing capacity to avoid a $3,000 recovery tow truck. We were lucky, but there are good people everywhere you look. They may be busy, it may take time to build relationships with them, but they are there.
Saying that “nobody cares” is not true. There are good people out there that will help you when you get stuck. Find those people, stick with them, and be ready to help them out when they need it.