Oh My

We left Hi Jolly at a respectable time and got into the rhythm of travel. After 188 miles, we were driving up to our next boondock spot, a casino in Henderson, NV. All went very smoothly (except, boy, was it windy) and we were approaching our next landmark when we started hearing some different sounds coming from the turbo. 

We filled up with fuel at the casino where we were going to boondock and talked about the sounds we were hearing. We agreed that we would feel better if we had it checked out

Linda began a search to find a place to diagnose possible problems. After making many calls, we found a dealership that could check it out early on the next day, but they would need to have the truck there overnight so they could get ti it as soon as possible the next morning. We headed to their service repair shop.

It was slow going in Vegas traffic, we were tired and emotionally on edge. This would mean a hotel room and a possible day or two delay. But we can't breakdown on the next travel stretch, there is nothing out there.

The dealership rep, Chris, met us and found a place to park the truck overnight. We plugged the camper in and gathered some overnight needs. Linda got online and found a hotel that had rooms for a very reasonable rate not far from the shop. Chris provided us with a ride to the hotel.

Chris had a tech scheduled to check the sounds out first thing in AM.

First night's view from the Station.

We spent a long sleepless night at a resort casino called Palace Station. Our nerves were shot and the future of the trip was still a huge question mark.

The next morning we called the dealership and Chris had a Uber pick us up. After an hour or so, Chris called us in and told us what his diesel tech had found.

First they checked out the turbo and found that there was some play in the spindle. They called the manufacturer and found that it was normal. In the process the tech found that a gasket on the exhaust side of the turbo had a leak. That was the noise we had heard. That was ok news because it did not affect the turbo but it would make more noise. We could deal with that. Chris assured us it would be safe to travel.We were very happy that we could get back on the road.

Stretching after all the stress.

Time passed and with all the waiting, wondering, and checking by the tech, we missed our window to leave Vegas and make it to Ely by nightfall. Linda reserved a second night's stay at the Station and we drove our camper down to the lot and locked it up. We really had no desire to do any casino activities so we stayed in the room and unwound.

We Move On

All the gear has found a spot in the truck or camper and we are ready to hit the road. 

We said our good byes to Jodi and Steve, gave Winnie a scratch behind the ears and we were off. 

We followed Hwy 95 north and drove 75 miles to a flat dirt spot just outside of Quartzsite. It was a short day. We wanted to make sure all was travel worthy and packed tight. 

The dirt spot is a BLM camp area called Hi Jolly. It has no amenities, just a place to stop and watch the dust blow. You can't argue with free, though. We start the longer days tomorrow.

Leaving Yuma

Over the past few weeks, Linda and I have made travel lists and focused on our travels north to Post Falls.  Linda has mapped out our route home and reserved campsites for our overnight stays. She has made reservations where needed and contacted parking lot security at the casinos where we will be boondocking. 

All the camper projects are complete, and it is in the best shape it's been in a long time. I have my schedule for loading up on our calendar, and there is not much left to do to get on the road. The countdown starts, and we are ready to launch.

The last couple of days the temperature has been in the high 90's. It is a good thing  we have air conditioning in the casita. 

I will post when I can, and hope we can have a smooth trip home.

Things We Have Been Doing

We drove out to Martinez Lake and hiked a short trail. This trail was part of the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge. The day was beautiful! We were able to do the hike, only meeting two other hikers.

Tortoise living at the park headquarters.

Linda had a welder artist create a roadrunner for our backyard. It was fascinating to watch as he cut it out, then polished and finished it. Linda helped in the process by operating the water hose. As he sprayed the metal with something that caused a reaction and changed the color, Linda would spray it with water when she liked the color. That would stop the reaction. 

Here are some photos we gathered as we went on hikes and such.

The bridge to nowhere.

The cacti in our yard are flowering.