Even when conditions get very harsh, the Truckee River rages, and falling wet snow makes living outside very difficult, some of the less fortunate among us like Fox, who can't afford their own housing, say they prefer avoiding any type of group shelter situation.
Fox got his tattoo and his nickname from his BMX racing passion.
“There’s bad people at the shelter, and too many fights. I don’t want to go to prison over something stupid. I’ve also lost lots of stuff when I stay at the shelter. That’s why I don’t go in there anymore.”
Losing Belongings, But Not Friends
He started living in a tent by the river last year, but during the recent threat of flooding, he says he moved away to help friends, who were feeling stressed. Many lost some of their belongings as they moved around, but Fox preferred to look on the more positive side.
"Stuff is replaceable, my friends aren't," he said.
Fox said he'd been able to save his racing bike, axes, hatchets, saws and sleeping bags. "That's pretty much my whole life there," he said.
Thankful for Help
When we met him, he was staying overnight in a Sparks park, with activists helping keep an eye out for police, who had threatened to arrest the river displaced group. The volunteers also helped with moving their belongings, and figuring how to relocate some into temporary housing, such as motels.
“Thank God for those who help us. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have anything,” he said.