shoulders. The material crinkled and bent like aluminum foil. Emily brought her hands to her mouth and blew on them, trying to warm them up. Brooke wrapped another blanket around Emily.
“I'm going to start setting things up,” Brooke said.
She had made the wise decision years ago to invest in a quality tent. During one of her first trips into the solar field, the company truck had broken down and their radio cut out. Brooke and her partner didn't have any cell reception since they were in the middle of nowhere, so they had to spend the night. The company-provided “shelter” offered almost zero protection from the desert elements. She'd never been so miserable in her life.
After that, she had purchased the Trango 3. Its packed weight was only eleven pounds, it slept three, and it only had five poles, making it incredibly easy to set up. It contained a large dry-entry vestibule, which helped keep out the sand during storms. The 40D Nylon 238T Ripstop FRDWR fabric that the tent was made of was incredibly durable. This tent could take a beating in any season, which was good, because the deserts of the Southwest were undeniably harsh.
Ten minutes later the shelter was ready, and the three of them climbed inside. Even though the tent slept three, it was a bit snug. Luckily for both Brooke and John, Emily didn't take up much space.
Brooke zipped up the rain fly in case another sandstorm decided to head their way in the night. She curled up next to Emily and John and lay down by the door. It took all of sixty seconds before the three of them passed out.
***
The tent felt like an oven by the time they woke up. If it hadn’t been for the heat, Brooke could have slept the rest of the day. The frigid desert night had reversed to its normal sweltering heat.
Brooke stirred Emily and John awake. She unzipped the front door of the tent and watched as sand flew into the entrance vestibule. It felt well into the one hundreds already.
The water jugs in the back of the cruiser were hot to the touch. Brooke grabbed a handful of sand from under the cruiser. It was still cool. She dug a small hole underneath and rested the jug inside it. She wanted a chance for it to cool down before they drank it.
John and Emily still looked half asleep when she walked back into the tent, but at least they were sitting upright. Emily's hair resembled a rat's nest, and half of John's hair lay flat on the left side
of his face.
“Are we going to Phoenix today?” Emily asked, her voice echoing into her water bottle as she took a sip.
“That's the plan.”
Brooke had one spare gas can left, and the cruiser was running on fumes again, part of the reason Brooke had wanted to camp last night. Aside from being exhausted, she needed some time to think about their next move.
Phoenix was no doubt turned upside down. If it was anything like what she had seen in San Diego before they left, then it would be risky to venture into the city.
Most of the smaller towns that had sprung up during the solar energy boom dried up once the water restrictions were put into place. It was a long shot to find any fuel stations that were still operational, especially now, but she wanted to exhaust all options before heading into Phoenix.
Brooke went back outside and dumped the remaining fuel she had brought from the solar station into the cruiser. It was five gallons. They might be able to squeeze another ninety miles out of it. Once it was gone, they'd be traveling by foot.
She checked the water jug in the sand. It was still warm but not as hot as when she had pulled it from the cruiser. She filled three water bottles and made everyone finish them before they started out for the morning. After a breakfast of granola bars, Brooke disassembled the tent. Once their gear was stored securely in the back of the cruiser, they all climbed inside and buckled up.
“Grab the map for me, John,” Brooke
“I'm going to start setting things up,” Brooke said.
She had made the wise decision years ago to invest in a quality tent. During one of her first trips into the solar field, the company truck had broken down and their radio cut out. Brooke and her partner didn't have any cell reception since they were in the middle of nowhere, so they had to spend the night. The company-provided “shelter” offered almost zero protection from the desert elements. She'd never been so miserable in her life.
After that, she had purchased the Trango 3. Its packed weight was only eleven pounds, it slept three, and it only had five poles, making it incredibly easy to set up. It contained a large dry-entry vestibule, which helped keep out the sand during storms. The 40D Nylon 238T Ripstop FRDWR fabric that the tent was made of was incredibly durable. This tent could take a beating in any season, which was good, because the deserts of the Southwest were undeniably harsh.
Ten minutes later the shelter was ready, and the three of them climbed inside. Even though the tent slept three, it was a bit snug. Luckily for both Brooke and John, Emily didn't take up much space.
Brooke zipped up the rain fly in case another sandstorm decided to head their way in the night. She curled up next to Emily and John and lay down by the door. It took all of sixty seconds before the three of them passed out.
***
The tent felt like an oven by the time they woke up. If it hadn’t been for the heat, Brooke could have slept the rest of the day. The frigid desert night had reversed to its normal sweltering heat.
Brooke stirred Emily and John awake. She unzipped the front door of the tent and watched as sand flew into the entrance vestibule. It felt well into the one hundreds already.
The water jugs in the back of the cruiser were hot to the touch. Brooke grabbed a handful of sand from under the cruiser. It was still cool. She dug a small hole underneath and rested the jug inside it. She wanted a chance for it to cool down before they drank it.
John and Emily still looked half asleep when she walked back into the tent, but at least they were sitting upright. Emily's hair resembled a rat's nest, and half of John's hair lay flat on the left side
of his face.
“Are we going to Phoenix today?” Emily asked, her voice echoing into her water bottle as she took a sip.
“That's the plan.”
Brooke had one spare gas can left, and the cruiser was running on fumes again, part of the reason Brooke had wanted to camp last night. Aside from being exhausted, she needed some time to think about their next move.
Phoenix was no doubt turned upside down. If it was anything like what she had seen in San Diego before they left, then it would be risky to venture into the city.
Most of the smaller towns that had sprung up during the solar energy boom dried up once the water restrictions were put into place. It was a long shot to find any fuel stations that were still operational, especially now, but she wanted to exhaust all options before heading into Phoenix.
Brooke went back outside and dumped the remaining fuel she had brought from the solar station into the cruiser. It was five gallons. They might be able to squeeze another ninety miles out of it. Once it was gone, they'd be traveling by foot.
She checked the water jug in the sand. It was still warm but not as hot as when she had pulled it from the cruiser. She filled three water bottles and made everyone finish them before they started out for the morning. After a breakfast of granola bars, Brooke disassembled the tent. Once their gear was stored securely in the back of the cruiser, they all climbed inside and buckled up.
“Grab the map for me, John,” Brooke
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