Ridin' Into Town

Like a bunch of bad boys....we were ridin' into this western town. Full of miners chasing their luck, red Heads along the curb, lookin' for business, some crappy shacks, dealers where ever you'd look - QUARTZSITE, Arizona. 

There were several of us - big rigs, small rigs, crappy rigs - all headin' the same direction, findin' a spot to put oneself for the night.

Yesss, we made it again into this metropole of half crazy outlandish looking, mostly of advanced age travelers and outright bums.

We set up camp, had our supper, walked the dog and were sittin' outside relishing the warm night. Aah, that's life!

But hey, I promised something yesterday: our continued visit to the moon! 

While meeting for the flight to the moon, I met this colleague who had just returned from an extraterrestrial trip.

After seeing the petrified forest, we went to see the famous Barringer Meteor crater. I have read things about the crater ranging from calling it a 'Tourist trap' (oh no!) to the 'most wonderful experience'. (Yess) The truth: You won't find a more moon-like thing anywhere.

The crater, which is 700ft deep, with a diameter of 0.7miles and circumference of 2.4 miles, is a result of a meteroite impact 50,000 years ago. The creation of the crater took about 10 seconds. And here is the thing: You read about it, you say WOW, but you don't really understand reality, until you stand above the rim, letting your gaze go around the whole thing, taking in the sheer size, the depth of the hole before you. And slowly your mind plays a game - - - you are on the moon and there will be many of those craters all over. The surface is pocknarbed and there is nobody else than you.

Looks like the Barringer Crater, but is on the moon

Have a moonish Halloween!

A Day On The Moon Or?

 I had announced it yesterday. Today was our "Discovery Day", and we moved to the moon - well almost. But you be the judge. But first I have to say that the "moon section" will have to be spread over two postings. Too many pictures were snapped (Bea alone had over 300) while my Cell showed just 32% charge and went empty after a few hours only. (Had forgotten the charger in the rig) So many of the pics here have come from Bea's NIKON. 

Pretty futil to write a caption under every picture. But all of today's images are from the Petrified Forest NAT'L PARK.

Common Ravens were soaring high but also low. A couple of them we could say HELLO to.

Named for its large deposits of petrified wood, the park covers about 346 square miles (900 square kilometers), encompassing semi-desert shrub steppe as well as highly eroded and colorful badlands. The park's headquarters is about 26 miles (42 km) east of Holbrook along Interstate 40 (I-40), which parallels the BNSF Railway's Southern Transcon, the Puerco River, and historic U.S. Route 66, all crossing the park roughly east–west. The site, the northern part of which extends into the Painted Desert, was declared a national monument in 1906 and a national park in 1962.



The Petrified Forest is known for its fossils, especially fallen trees that lived in the Late Triassic Epoch, about 225 million years ago. The sediments containing the fossil logs are part of the widespread and colorful Chinle Formation, from which the Painted Desert gets its name. Beginning about 60 million years ago, the Colorado Plateau, of which the park is part, was pushed upward by tectonic forces and exposed to increased erosion. All of the park's rock layers above the Chinle, except geologically recent ones found in parts of the park, have been removed by wind and water. In addition to petrified logs, fossils found in the park have included Late Triassic ferns, cycads, ginkgoes, and many other plants as well as fauna including giant reptiles called phytosaurs, large amphibians, and early dinosaurs. Paleontologists have been unearthing and studying the park's fossils since the early 20th century.

A Peaceful Rest And Off We Go Again

The night at the casino was peaceful as can be and we slept well. Maybe because the stress/anxiety of driving this new rig had fallen away. Just imagine what happened yesterday when we stopped at a gas station to top off the diesel tank and couldn't get the darn gas door to open. Yes, we had the right key, but it turned out the locks didn't cooperate. We called a locksmith, but because of a lengthy wait I got our WD40 out and sprayed the locks. (there is filling from both sides) Lo and behold after fumbling around with it "for ever", I finally got them open. So the call to the locksmith was canceled. $$$$=saved!!

So then today we made it down to Albuquerque, which was only a few miles away from the casino, but where we got into a slow-go morning traffic as an accident ahead of us had closed a lane or two. Took easily 30-40 minutes extra to pass through the city. But finally we got to the intersection with the I-40 and turned west.

Lots of traffic there as well, but which eventually thinned out as getting farther away from the centers of populations. Grant passed, then Gallup and shortly after we crossed the state line with Arizona. Funny enough, but it felt a little like "home-coming".

On the immediate agenda was an overnight spot at the west entrance to Petrified Forest. From Holbrook, we went down HWY 77 then highway 180. 

The Native Americans have established a museum and a store right outside the park's west entrance and they also offer RV parking. Park for free without power or pay $25/night with 30amps plug-in. We booked 2 nights, and have made plans for tomorrow. So get back here tomorrow to see what we have found.

He bought too heavy a piece

We Are Rolling Again

The plan today was to get to a truck facility to get an oil change before hitting the road, but such luck was not attainable for us today. And we didn't want to hang around another day in the State Park.

So we got ready. Our previous attempt to leave had left us with new knowledge and today we really took our sweet time to maneuver the Van onto the trailer and finding the best way to strap it down.

And then we hit the I-25 south. I was surprised to see how little traffic there actually was. Compared to the Interstates of the east this was nothing. So very relaxing to steer this 64ft - long rig down the open highway. Weather was great again and we did a couple of shorter stops along the way.

Destination for the day was Albuquerque, NM. Around 3pm we were getting close to the city. Now the question "Where to stay for the night" loomed.

The plan of running up the I-40 was abandoned for the day when Bea had checked the night temps around Gallup which showed -3C! Brrr.....Why stay there when we can have a warmer place just outside Albuquerque? 

The Misses with her phone

Right on time the "Black Mesa Casino" showed up and that's where we turned in on a huge open gravel area where Casino Campers can stay for 10 bucks/night doing dry camping. Dry camping is fine with us as we have our own little Genset. You might wonder why we are not using the built-in Cummins generator. Well, it runs, but no power to the interior. It will get fixed (possibly a transfer switch) but not right now, as there is no need for it.

Black Mesa Casino

Tomorrow we aim to climb the I-40 from Albuquerque to the city of Holbrook, AZ. From there we want to visit the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert Nat'l Park. Another attraction we plan to visit is the Meteor Crater. Really looking forward to that.

Departure 1.0 XXXFail

Yesterday, I was writing about various features one can find in this motorhome. So naturally, it takes some "getting used to", and some of it would be downright annoying, which is the reason that we chose to stay in the Trinidad Lake State Park for 2 days. But today, we were ready to leave. 

As we drove down the narrow road we were "entertained" by a constant beeping from the dash. I have driven commercial buses and I know that such noise usually indicates a failure with the airpressure system for the brakes. However, the gauge showed more than enough air pressure, but the beeping continued. The I-25 south is climbing over the Raton Pass into New Mexico and we just didn't feel safe with this. So we called for help. Having Sunday we didn't have much hope to find someone with time at his hands. But we have also always been lucky that way and so happened today. A young mechanic with his own mobile service truck came to our rescue. His name is RICO and his company E.R. Truck Repair is highly recommendable if you should ever need him around Trinidad. Not only was he very knowledgable but also very nice and friendly. RICO was a real gem!

Now, what did he find out? The annoying beeping had nothing to do with the airpressure, so no safety issue. Why it did beep he couldn't find out. Guessing a corrupt switch was the cause, he offered the option of simply removing the beeping device, which I agreed to. 

While we had this man around, he also performed a check on the fluids and corrected tire pressure which we had planned for anyway.

So if you think he charged a hefty bill, you are mistaken. The entire service call was $220!!

So tomorrow we will attempt Departure Version 2.0!!

What Is The Most Useless Thing To Have In An RV?

Up through the years we have owned several RVs. Looking just at the ones we had after we came to Canada, the first one was an old Class C. It was the most basic RV you would imagine and it was old - from 1989. The many engine problems we got from the 460 FORD engine made us trade it off for a new Open Road 37ft 5-wheel. The thing was so poorly made that we were not surprised when the company went belly-up during 2007-2008 recession. I mean it was just pure junk. The most useless thing in that RV was a fake fireplace, run by AC-power. The "flames" so poorly created that it was pathetic to watch. It didn't even heat much, and after every roadtrip the front metall frame would be on the floor. Geeez.....

After that, we got a 39ft. Damon Ultrasport Diesel Pusher. WOW!!!

I wouldn't say it had useless things mounted into it, but it sure wasn't a great quality RV either. Roof leaks came fast, even so it was only 4years old. After 2 years of use for our trips south, a slide motor and the toilet needed replacement. It had a 330 CAT engine and was always running good. Like today, we pulled an autotransport trailer which would carry our Jeep Patriot.

We then stepped back to a regular travel trailer, bought brand new from a dealership in IOWA. It was a Flagstaff 27RLWS, the same model we have today. 3 slide-outs and a great floor plan. Only 2 years old, it needed a furnace replacement which was done under warranty.

It was sold in 2014 and replaced with a cheaper Passport Trailer. That one was pure junk again. I used it throughout the winter when having work in Alberta, Poorly insulated, it delaminated on the rear wall. When a storm let a branch poke a hole through the rear, it was repaired and sold quickly to some people who had lost their house in a wildfire around Slave Lake, AB.

Some years passed without an RV, but in 2019 I spotted a Flagstaff 27RLWS for sale in Michigan. It was a 2015 and I bought it for USD13,600 and dragged it home. Unfortunately, COVID happened and nobody could travel. So instead we made it into an AirBnB, which it still is today. Same floorplan as the one bought new in 2012, it has been a great trailer. Like in the previous TTs I cannot think of anything useless in there. Some details lack good craftmanship, but afterall it is just a travel trailer. Most travel trailers are using 3500 pound axles which isn't enough to carry peoples travel stuff and maybe 40gal of fresh water. A few hundred dollars more, and they could have had heavy duty axles, but such are the ways of the American RV industry.

So now we come to our latest and current purchase. After getting the trailer down to California 3 times, I have been longing for more driving comfort. Last year's transmission failure on our van really made me think what to do. A Class A was topping the wish list and now we got ourselves in a 2004 Beaver Santiam. It is an RV that was considered being high on quality with features other Class A wouldn't have. It is also almost identical to a Monaco Diplomat, because Monaco actually had started making Beavers. After only a few days of ownership it is too early to give a complete picture of how this RV will work out.

However, a few things stand out. Nr.1: it is very heavy. Everything inside is massive wood. You park it, run around inside and there isn't the slightest vibration in the floor, which was a bad thing for Dixie in the trailer. Now, she loves the Beaver. 

Nr. 2: Windows are double pane which prevents condensation from building up. But when a company wants to outdo the competition they "invent" features which seem to be unnessecary, like f.e.x a remote control to operate a "Fantastic Fan". I ask "what is the purpose of that?" Who is so small that he or she can't reach up to the ceiling to start the fan. We have one in the TT and it has never been any problem for anyone to start the fan or open the cover manually. But the most unnessecary feature in this RV, and I know many Class A have it ---- is a washer/dryer. This thing which brings a lot of extra weight to the RV can only be operated while the RV is plugged into 50amps. Let's just say we are having that luxury of so much power. Would we actually use the washer and endure the noise of its operation or would we rather use the laundry room in that campground or a town laundromat? If we park this rig in the boonies, we won't have 50amps and thus could not use that washer anyway. Besides, it is a small version of the washer you have at home and its capacity is there-after.

So I conclude with that a washer/dryer in an RV must, by definition of limited possibilities for use, be the most useless feature an RV can have.

So now, I expect a barrage of comments disputing that statement because you have used the RV washer many times when being in an RV park. Good for you, I say, but consider what this feature has cost you, at least when you purchase a new RV. And you might have saved the collossal amount of $15 every time since you didn't have to use a commercial laundromat. 

So for us, it is time to say Good Bye to Colorado. Tomorrow we will be heading across Raton Pass into New Mexico. How far will we go? We will leave that to the moment when we make a decision to call it a day. We are not in a hurry and RVing is about freedom.

Not A Real Travel Day

The first night in our motorhome was the coldest I have ever spent in an RV. When the previous owner came by to give us "the tour" it was quite late in the afternoon. It was then that he told us that there was "very little, if any" propane left in the tank. I just exchanged looks with Bea and we both thought the same: No cooking, no heating would be possible.

We went to bed early and hid under the feathers. However, when morning rolled around we were both cold, no matter how deep under the covers we been hiding,

So we both got up, though it was still pitch dark. With our generator running, we were able to make some hot water with the coffee maker. 

After we got daylight, we drove to town to get supplies from Walmart, Back at the dealer, we prepared for departure. 

With Bea in the lead driving the van we drove towards Trinidad Lake State Park. Now, we needed propane badly and enroute to the park there was supposed to be a propane place. Unfortunately, because it is such a tiny little place, we overlooked it at first. We had to drive all the way to the park before finding a turn-around spot.

Arriving at the place, now from the other direction, I realized a new problem - access with the bus to his, rather short, filler hose. I had to unhitch the trailer, then get the bus through a narrow spot, halfway down a driveway. First there the propane hose could be attched to the built-in tank. We than hitched the trailer back to the van which, in this spot, was much easier than to the motorhome, and we drove back to the park.

The Trinidad Lake State Park is alongside the Purgatoire Valley, which was part of the famous Santa Fe Trail. It was an important route for trade and cultural exchange between New Mexico and Missouri. The Mountain Route crossed the mouth of the Purgatoire Valley, continuing across the Raton Pass in New Mexico.

So lots of history also here.

 

In the early evening Bea did a Covid Test on herself, and it turned out positive! That means I too have Covid, or at least had it before I got better again.

What a Bummer!

CO-LO-RA-DO

Yes, we made it, and we are sitting in our new-to-us motorhome.

Starting from Hutchinson, KS we quickly got back onto HWY 50 west. The landscape here in Kansas is special.

 First we still saw some trees and junipers which served as windbreakers along the road, but as we went farther east eventually there was nothing left of any trees. What used to be farmland had turned into ranchland with lots of black angus cows grazing. Mile after mile the landscape stayed like that. And as we went along we gained on elevation.

Eventually, we got onto HWY 160 which runs down into Trinidad. Suddenly we saw snow-capped mountains show up along the far horizon. The San Juan Mountains, part of the US Rocky Mountains. What an amazing site.

We then decended through a long valley where bright yellow cottonwood trees made for lovely vistas.

Topar Trailer Sales, where our motorhome is parked is right beside US HWY 350. We made our arrival known and we given access to the rig. There are a few things to be fixed, which can be expected when a rig is 20yrs. old, But the overall quality impressed me.

After parking our van next to the motorhome the tedious work of unloading and packing our motorhome started.

 

It was exhausting, especially because it was a hot afternoon. And Bea suddenly became nauseate and started showing symptoms for the same cold I just had a few days earlier. She laid down on the couch and tried to relax. She also ran some fever. She went to bed early and if it goes like it did with me, she should be a lot better already tomorrow.

Recovering

After a day of being down, I woke up with a feeling of recovery today. Ww had stayed in Columbus, MO and plotted a route for a little over 5 hrs only, which would get us to Hutchinson,KS. From there we are now facing another 6.5hrs to Trinidad,CO.

So feeling better, I took the first turn of driving. We had lots of time, didn't need to rush for our destination. From the I-70 we took the 470 then 435 onto I-35. At Emporia we switched out the Interstate with the US 50, a great 2-lane highway in much better condition than most Interstates.

At the town of Newton we followed the I-135 for a short distance until the US 50 turn-off which ultimately brought us to Hutchinson. This is gonna be the last night spent in a hotel!!! Tomorrow we will move into more comfortable quarters.

Dixie has been the most wonderful traveling dog you can imagine. When you take a dog into a hotel room you are afraid of that the dog starts barking. Dixie never said a beep. While driving, she patiently lies behind our front seat, mostly sleeping.

Buck Creek State Park - the place where we spent an involutary 4 days while broken down with our transmission. It was here we first met "The Angel Lady" who didn't mind running errands for us and driving me to Columbus to get our van back.

These scary football friends were placed at a street corner in Springfield Ohio. By the way, we didn't see a single Haitian immigrant. The town was rather quiet and I think most people there were trying to recover from the terrible statement T-Rump came up with, resulting in wild bomb threats.

The State of Indiana "welcomed oss" with the worst condition Interstate you can imagine. What is wrong with this State?

Gas prices are down all over the US. Since people liked to blame the president for high gas prices we should now start "blaming" Biden for the low prices. I still think that none of this is the making of any president. But hey, let's thank Biden for it.

5 lanes to choose from when going through Kansas City