Life on the high desert plains of Northwestern Nevada has been changing. These days, a 30-minute drive to the city west of us can take an hour or more, depending on the number and severity of crashes on the interstate. Once a modest, artsy alternative to California life, the area is rapidly transforming.
As I’ve been painting outside, the added noise is hard to ignore. With the Port of Nevada up and running, trains run day and night. The interstate is bumper-to-bumper many times a day. And then, there are the apartments. With construction surging and a steady stream of citizens fleeing Cali, daily life in our area is feeling the ripple effects of urban growth.
Just yesterday, HHH and I decided we needed a few things at Costco. We haven’t visited the store for months, as it’s easier to order online and have things delivered. Costco used to be one of my favorite shopping stops. Offering everything from Coach bags to dog food, there was something for everyone. It was also a place to visit with fellow farmers who were taking a break from the summer heat to shop.
Before we left, I kiddingly made a bet with HHH that Christmas items would be on sale. We both laughed, agreeing that mid-August and Christmas don’t go together. Of course, there wouldn’t be Christmas items yet. But, of course, there they were right next to Halloween goods.
Yesterday may have been the last time I will ever willingly go to a Costco again. The last time I visited that particular store, a person had been run over in the parking lot. Indeed, it could have been repeated yesterday. People on a mission to make their purchases and get out are unaware. One woman did hit me with her basket as we tried to navigate the aisles. It’s only August. No big weekend ahead. A Wednesday morning at 10:30. What will it be like week before Christmas?
The huge influx of transplants has come with consequences. Although housing markets in some states are a bit sluggish at the moment, homes are selling like hotcakes here amid the great migration. Each week in our town, another new family is putting down roots. Comical at times, their eccentric ways make them easily identifiable.
One such family down the road has just installed a six foot fence around their acre of desert sand. Looking like penitentiary grounds, we aren’t sure exactly who or what they are trying to keep in or out. After installing the very expensive wrought iron fencing, ($20,000?) they installed cheap mesh wire and at ground level along the entire fence. Why??? Protection from rattlesnakes? (Never seen one here.) Rabbit control??? (Their entire property is rock.)
As for locals, limited housing, services, and rising rent costs weigh heavily. The infrastructure is at a breaking point with crowded roads, stretched schools as the race to build even more apartments continues. These are multi-story, unsightly, and extremely expensive to rent. A tiny 2-bedroom apartment in our little town rents for $1700/month (and the usual first, last, and hefty deposit). That’s over $5,000 to enter a rental agreement for an apartment.
For the time being, it’s best we avoid traveling west. After all, there isn’t anything we really need that can’t be found at the local Walmart. There’s always the city to the east, which isn’t experiencing such extreme growth. YET.
Whatever you do, when shopping, keep your head on a swivel. Don’t get confused. It’s still August, even if Christmas music is playing as you shop..
More tomorrow.