David C. McLavic - 25. Chapter 25

With a full tank of gas, Uncle Joe and I headed north into Canada. My plan was to drive east checking the area for possible relocation. The first place we saw, I couldn’t believe what I saw. The forest that was there, now consisted only of stumps. I had expected some stumps but I thought they would be selective. They weren’t. I looked at Uncle Joe, he had tears in his eyes.

“When the rain comes, all of this will be on the road.” I knew what he meant. The rain running down the side of the mountain will wash with it the soil as well as any small plants that don’t have a strong root base.

We stopped that night and slept in the open air. I was glad for the blankets Uncle Joe had brought. I had a sleeping bag, but it wasn’t enough.

In the morning, I cooked a hot breakfast and we were off. Driving East, we saw several potential places from afar. But as we got closer we could see what the lumber companies left behind. We continued to drive, looking for a place to spend the night. I was amazed at how stripped the forests were. It will take years for them to re-establish themselves.

On the fourth day we saw a sign for Crystal Lake. Uncle Joe suggested we go back home and perhaps change our plans. So I found a road that led south and then a road that went West. It brought us to the eastern edge of the US Army base at the desert near home.

The next morning I told Dad about what I saw. He said he wasn’t surprised. The greed of man has caused a lot of damage. He mentioned the destruction of civilizations that occurred in Mexico and Peru. I knew what he meant.

Sorry about dulicaio chapter 24, this has been changed