My Journey

[UHAULER]

He’s not criticizing the golfers, he’s juxtapositioning the difference a fence can make between the two countries.

I understand he was pointing out the stark contrast between the haves and the have nots. I also took it as those americans are enjoying a carefree life while a couple hundred feet away, people are camped out on the sidewalk. This is also true of different areas in the U.S. Instead of golfers, that pic could also be of an American sitting in a lawn chair, drinking a beer, sitting next to their big, expensive "Expedition Vehicle"
Giving what you can is a very kind thing, I guess the cynic in me always wonders at what point in life do people start giving. Those people would love to have a fraction of what we have and yet we are on a website talking about buying overpriced, expensive vehicles so we can leave the comforts of our nice
homes to "Rough It"
Too bad we can't trade some of those nice, deserving people for some of the lowlife worthless ones we have in our country, Now I would vote for that?

 

[Grenadiers]

Hey, I sit all summer with beer in hand looking at our rig! Snort!

 

[PKDreamers]

No not around from here, from Australia.
Good as Gold means great , very funny .
the saying is used in a beer add here too.
Yes keep up the great work mate.
I meant help from other as in UN ,Red Cross etc etc

 

[rustypayne]

I love your blog. I compare your recent posts to the hurricane reporter a few years back struggling in his canoe against the weather while a guy in a tshirt walks past behind him in the ankle deep water, you're that guy in the tshirt. It's been the same all through the pages, it's who your are, it's what you see, it's how it makes you feel. If anyone disagrees that's fine, you're sharing your own feelings and not telling anyone else how they should feel. That's what makes this unique, that's why so many read it, because it's real. Keep it real Jerry.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Grenadiers.....not really but it would be great to move on from that post.....thanks.....

PKDreamers....I've got to include it in my writings. Gotcha and thank you.....

Rusty.....I actually enjoy writing this stuff these days and appreciate those comments. I try.....I try.....I try. I actually think I remember that scence you refer to. Thank you.....



I guess the one thing that I would stress is that my goal in posting here while at the border was to be nothing more than a traveler that had stumbled onto a human crisis.....a traveling salesman I am not. Maybe if I was a more skilled writer I would have been better accomplished in my attempt to be neutral and not push any causes. I never mean to offend anyone, I am not special and I am the same as everyone here. A puppy saved is special, land free of litter is special, and children with shoes and full tummies are special.....the giver is not special. Like the 2 golfers I too worked hard and am able to live a bit of a privileged life (although I am homeless if that matters). And lastly, I did have a chance to speak with the golfers as they waited for the foursome ahead. I found a golfball on my side of the fence and handed it through the fence to them. Nice guys.....now, where was I.....


Oh yea, I forgot to tell the story of Carlos and his right hand man Carlitos (a name I affectionately gave to him after meeting Carlos). We had noticed that he was wearing a belt with a marijuana leaf buckle and Carlos explained to him that it might not be looked at so well at his families asylum hearing and the boy completely understood. In defense of the boy, it's not as if they're going to the mall to shop for the day. No doubt it was given to him from a passing car.....



Carlos offered to buy him a new belt and he gladly accepted, as did another boy standing nearby. Prior to returning home Carlos grabbed a couple of the belts for the boys which I delivered the following day.....



The next picture is that boy with his family. His father was a policeman in their town prior to coming to the wall. Carlitos told me that his father had responded to a 911 call one night. He said the next morning when they went outside there were signs on their house and trees that read "Dead Man". Carlitos said his dad said pack your bags and they never have gone back. The dad asked me to bring him a hamburger from McDonald's.....I brought him 20 hamburgers and 20 cheeseburgers.....which were shared in the neighborhood.....so much fun.....



Something that I was not prepared for was how big a part of the migrants lives I had become. Each day I turn the corner into their neighborhood, it's always the exact same thing that I see. They know exactly where I come from and there's just a line of faces staring my way.....children running and jumping.....no doubt all wondering what I carry.....



Sunday I had two things on my mind as I walked into the hood.....I wanted them to understand that these gifts were from Jack and Cece, and second to prepare them for my planned departure from San Luis. As you might imagine they all begged me to stay. I came into this with no exit strategy, no plans, totally naive as to what I had stepped into.....coming was easy.....leaving is difficult. Giving is easy.....to cease is painful.....



Some of the families that were affected by the kindness of Jack (jvsontheroad) and Cece.....they said God bless and thank you for your help.....









Dirty little rascal.....



I'm gone from the border now, just a few posts left on this matter, trying to regroup and get back on the road. Most of the families have my phone number and last night I got my first call. A family called excitedly to say that they had moved from number 9 on the list up to number 4. I've offered to help the families if they cross the border legally which is what all these families are doing. I'm curious what the future will bring.....and what I've gotten myself into.....

 

[s.e.charles]

good onya!

 

[Ace Brown]

I am glad we have moved on from the political side of the border mess. One concern on your photos is that most look down on these folks. Better if you took a knee and shot directly at them.

You have moved on but your kindness will linger for a long time. It was not easy to help you with all your gifting; but know this. If ever I run into you, and I have tried, I’m buying you a top level dinner.

Ace


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[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

s.e. charles.....thanks.....

Ace.....thanks.....



Monday would be my last day to hang out with the migrants along the border wall so I had in my mind to try and make this last day as special as I possibly could. In addition to food and supplies from Jack and Cece, I loaded myself down with additional purchases.....as much as I could possibly carry. A Walmart employee added an extra pair of shoes for a child as I was leaving the store....



My bum knee continued to slow me down but it certainly wasn't enough to stop me. Some of the adults had ill fitting shoes so I tried to help a few out with "special orders".....



I had expected this mornings visit to be a sad one but honestly it was nothing like that not one bit......of course no one wanted me to stop coming and repeatedly I was asked to return.....



An unusually long line at customs gave me plenty of time to think about all that had transpired over the days along the Mexican border.....



Later that day I returned to the border wall but on the U.S. side to walk with the dogs where they're free to run off leash. For some reason and I don't why, I walked over to this concrete basin and looked down and was horrified to see a dog floating on the surface of the water.....the dog looked much like my dog Yukon and I was sickened (and still am). My guess is that he jumped in for the cool water but there was no way to escape the vertical walls.....



Immediately afterwards I walked along the wall maybe three hundred feet and came across a group of people that had crossed the border illegally. I had never seen this before so I was curious and stopped to speak with the border guards that were detaining the group. As usual, the border guards were polite and respectful, not just to me, but also to the group of individuals that they had just detained, and more than willing to further educate me.....



I was really feeling unsettled that afternoon so what was I to do. I decided a second trip across the border might lift my spirits a bit so I was back at Walmart and the Dollar Tree Store with yet one last huge load. That poor old bum knee was now working double time.....but the payoff was exactly what I was needing. This had to end on a positive note.....

Often I enjoyed sitting on the curb watching Spanish cartoon videos on YouTube with the kids. At some point they had started to affectionally call me Papi.....grandfather in Spanish, and that was what I was called on my last visit. The sun was setting as I sat on the curb my last time with a gang of kids watching cartoon videos that taught English. I asked my right hand man to give me a head count and he said there were 20 kids piled on top of me yelling "blue, green, red.....one, two, three.....". This was magical.....



That night I took my right hand man and his family to dinner at KFC (their choice). As we left the restaurant with 2 fairly large bags of uneaten food we encountered a hungry family of 5 from the line wandering the streets, out looking for an evening meal. What I was to witness next was truly an extraordinary act of kindness as this family of 7 with nothing to their name handed over one of their bags of food to the hungry family of 5. That was a very special moment.....something I hope to remember for days and days to come.....



That night we joked about the white man out on the streets of Mexico after dark.....but I was in no danger. I was with all my newly found friends. This last trip was definitely my favorite trip across the border.....what a great decision I had made to return one last time. I finally had to say goodbye to my new friends.....



And then I returned to the line for one last time.....




EPILOGUE PART ONE

I recieved a call from my right hand man yesterday afternoon telling me that they were being processed at the Mexican Immigration Office. Last night at 10 p.m. I was speaking with the fathers former employer when he received a call from U.S.Customs asking him to confirm that he will be sponsoring the family. This man that I was speaking with will be purchasing 7 plane tickets once the family is released for their temporary residence into the United States. He told me that he has been preparing his house for the addition of seven new family members. He shared with me that his wife was just diagnosed with cancer last week.....they must be amazing people I was thinking.....

 

[Ace Brown]

s.e. charles.....thanks.....

Ace.....thanks.....



Monday would be my last day to hang out with the migrants along the border wall so I had in my mind to try and make this last day as special as I possibly could. In addition to food and supplies from Jack and Cece, I loaded myself down with additional purchases.....as much as I could possibly carry. A Walmart employee added an extra pair of shoes for a child as I was leaving the store....

View attachment 503834

My bum knee continued to slow me down but it certainly wasn't enough to stop me. Some of the adults had ill fitting shoes so I tried to help a few out with "special orders".....

View attachment 503835

I had expected this mornings visit to be a sad one but honestly it was nothing like that not one bit......of course no one wanted me to stop coming and repeatedly I was asked to return.....

View attachment 503836

An unusually long line at customs gave me plenty of time to think about all that had transpired over the days along the Mexican border.....

View attachment 503945

Later that day I returned to the border wall but on the U.S. side to walk with the dogs where they're free to run off leash. For some reason and I don't why, I walked over to this concrete basin and looked down and was horrified to see a dog floating on the surface of the water.....the dog looked much like my dog Yukon and I was sickened (and still am). My guess is that he jumped in for the cool water but there was no way to escape the vertical walls.....

View attachment 503948

Immediately afterwards I walked along the wall maybe three hundred feet and came across a group of people that had crossed the border illegally. I had never seen this before so I was curious and stopped to speak with the border guards that were detaining the group. As usual, the border guards were polite and respectful, not just to me, but also to the group of individuals that they had just detained, and more than willing to further educate me.....

View attachment 503838

I was really feeling unsettled that afternoon so what was I to do. I decided a second trip across the border might lift my spirits a bit so I was back at Walmart and the Dollar Tree Store with yet one last huge load. That poor old bum knee was now working double time.....but the payoff was exactly what I was needing. This had to end on a positive note.....

Often I enjoyed sitting on the curb watching Spanish cartoon videos on YouTube with the kids. At some point they had started to affectionally call me Papi.....grandfather in Spanish, and that was what I was called on my last visit. The sun was setting as I sat on the curb my last time with a gang of kids watching cartoon videos that taught English. I asked my right hand man to give me a head count and he said there were 20 kids piled on top of me yelling "blue, green, red.....one, two, three.....". This was magical.....

View attachment 503841

That night I took my right hand man and his family to dinner at KFC (their choice). As we left the restaurant with 2 fairly large bags of uneaten food we encountered a hungry family of 5 from the line wandering the streets, out looking for an evening meal. What I was to witness next was truly an extraordinary act of kindness as this family of 7 with nothing to their name handed over one of their bags of food to the hungry family of 5. That was a very special moment.....something I hope to remember for days and days to come.....

View attachment 503846

That night we joked about the white man out on the streets of Mexico after dark.....but I was in no danger. I was with all my newly found friends. This last trip was definitely my favorite trip across the border.....what a great decision I had made to return one last time. I finally had to say goodbye to my new friends.....

View attachment 503847

And then I returned to the line for one last time.....

View attachment 503848


EPILOGUE.....

I recieved a call from my right hand man yesterday afternoon telling me that they were being processed at the Mexican Immigration Office. Last night at 10 p.m. I was speaking with the father's boss when he received a call from U.S.Customs asking him to confirm that he will be sponsoring the family. This man that I was speaking with will be purchasing 7 plane tickets once the family is released for temporary residence in the United States. He told me that he has been preparing his house for the addition of seven new family members. He shared with me that his wife was just diagnosed with cancer.....they must be amazing people I was thinking.....

I must know how you can host a family. Pm sent.


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[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

EPILOGUE PART TWO


This will be my last post on the migrant families at the border wall in San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. Obviously I'm gone and life is beginning to get back to normal (if indeed there is any normal with this style of life)......


My right hand mans family was granted asylum by the United States after a 3 day stay at a detention center along the U.S. / Mexico border. I met with them after their release and we all hung out together for two days until their flight to their sponsors home left Yuma, Arizona. On the first day we hit the mall for clothes and other needed items and that night we walked to Famous Dave's for an awesome dinner filled with meat dishes (I stuck with French fries). It's amazing how much a family of seven can consume after all that they have been through.....



From there we headed over to Cold Stone for ice cream.....



The following day was more errands and then chips and salsa in the camper.....



A walk in the park along the Colorado River.....



Then it was off to the airport as this family was now on their way to rebuilding their lives.....



And a small difficulty attempting to leave the airport and to get on with my life.....





I saw this Latino family the other day walking near the river. The little girl with her dog riding in her Jeep was so beautiful that I asked for a picture....and this it what I got.....living the American dream.....

 

[Mccaf]

¡Eres mi heroe!

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Mccaf.....I too think it's a pretty cool story.....thank you.....



I have often used the word "wanderer" when describing myself here on XP, and to many others that I meet in my travels along the highways of North America. But lately I'd say I have been much less of a wanderer, and I'm certainly much more of a "stumbler", a word I was thinking that I was way over using as of late. But then you are what you are, and lately that is what I am.....

I stumbled onto a Mexican family recently, the parents being here illegally.....their four children would be best described by the word "dreamers", as they are all here legally. This particular family is also made up of hard working honest people, and lately I've been attempting to help them out as best that I know how. Having once owned a business myself, I'm trying to help the 20 year old set up his own business, in addition I'm working with him and my investment group to get him started into investing while he's still young.....just trying to teach him the ropes if you will. The family has very, very little.....they live in a small trailer....all the children sleep on the floor. But in just a few short weeks I've become quite intrigued and attached.....and have become content with this latest challenge.....

The border wall seems to have this majic attraction for me.....although I am not sure what that majic attraction actually is. Several years ago it started, with Mex, the abused Mexican puppy that I found and was able to save. Now it almost seems as though I have become completely absorbed with life at the wall. I'm not sure if this visit here has changed me.....I guess I'll need some time to figure that out.....but I can say that the experiences have been phenomenal. Sometimes lately I've been wondering.....should I have done something differently, could I have done something differently, and would I have done something differently. I'm not sure. And I've also thought a lot about my own life and how hard my life has been, yet now it seems not so.....

It's been good not to post maps of routes traveled or pictures of places visited as of late. To immerse myself into the lives of others and their culture has been forever rewarding. Travel is more about learning than anything else.....and ultimately I think that leads to self improvement.....and the desire to continue learning more and more.....

A Mexican party.....



A new friend.....



A walk along the Colorado River.....



A walk in the Colorado River.....



A Mormon battalion soldier along the river walk.....



A Latino club match.....





To paraphrase PKDreamers.....life is gold mate.....

 

[Ace Brown]

“A walk along the Colorado.” “A walk in the Colorado River. “ That stopped me for a second and had to back and reread the captions.


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[crb92592]

I just read through 121 pages of this without stopping, thanks for posting.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Ace.....I am actually surprised at the shallow depth of the Colorado River at this point. Tanner could easily walk in it and I watched kids walk across the river and the water at its deepest point was only waist high on the kids. I am also surprised at how toxic this water is and regret letting Tanner swim in it daily.....and kids seem to swim in it daily as well.....





crb92592.....once again I am amazed that someone was able to read thru the whole thing. I guess it happens every 3 months or so. I believe that ITTOG was the last. And yes, I'll keep on posting although maybe not so frequently. Thanks for following along and taking the time to read about my travels.....





I came across this very cool car while shopping at the Yuma, Arizona mall. The guy gets out, leans into the drivers side of the car and removes his steering wheel, and heads into Buffalo Wild Wings. Got to say I've never seen that before.....





To me.....that car says Latino (is it acceptable to say that ?).....



That must look like dog heaven right there.....



No doubt Tanner is ready to hit the road and get out of that damn camper.....



And finally we did hit the road.....we drove north to one of my past haunts. And we've brought a new friend along.....someone that knows nothing about this style of life.....his life is about to change and his world is beginning to open up broadly as he experiences places and things that he could never have imagined.....



I surely can't change the world.....but I can change one life.....