The people of Basin are really caring, and they have a good sense of humor. One group kept joking that they were going to kidnap me for ransom. It was just a matter of deciding when. Eventually we agreed on a date to do a set-up photograph.
They bound my legs, arms, and mouth with duct tape. Then, with dirt on their faces and a show of some of their knives and guns, they posed around me to take the picture. The idea was to send it back to National Geographic with a note saying, "We're not letting the kid go until you send us some money."
It was a little scary because the duct tape was pretty tight. But they were excited about playing the joke, so I went along. And it was definitely funny.
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Going into a health mine is like walking into a cave. It's cold. Some people simply breathe in the air, and others drink water flowing over the rocks. And some even soak their feet in the water, especially if they have arthritis.
All week long people gave me grief because I hadn't put my feet in the water, so they made me do it. The water is so cold it makes you scream, and I had to put my feet in for ten minutes. Every time I asked how much longer, they made up a number. First they'd say, "Six more minutes." Then I'd ask again, and they'd say, "Seven more minutes." It was torturous.
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I had been pretty scared of horses before, but I felt I had overcome that fear while I was in Basin. I didn't get to ride any, but I was around them all the time. The people don't have their horses out on the range. They let them hang around while they're having dinner outside, and the horse sticks its nose in your plate.
One family has a horse called Toad. He has this habit of backing his butt into your face so it can be scratched. He was also around when we ate outside. He would come over and nudge you to try to get something off your plate. Toad was more of a dog than a horse because he needed constant attention. But he never went into the house; that's the one thing he wasn't allowed to do.
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