Shake Down Run Completed

We completed our shake down run and actually everything went quite well. There were no major mishaps, all systems performed as desired and we arrived home safely on schedule. The truck did a great job pulling our 12,000 pound house over 1000 miles and averaged around 12 mpg. We traveled from sea level to over 6000 feet in elevation (several time it seemed as we went up and then down again). I am very happy that I was convinced to get the diesel instead of a gas engine (thanks Rob).

Sedona – One of our side trips from the Grand Canyon Railway Park was to Sedona. I have always heard great things about Sedona and to be sure it is very beautiful. But I must be honest, I was not all that impressed. It feels too much like Beverly Hills gone camping. Beautiful canyon wall vistas with strip malls in the foreground. The stores are a combination of art galleries with stratospheric prices and cheap souvenir shops. Traffic was mostly bumper to bumper but that just added to the thrill of the “hunt” for some place to park.

Las Vegas & Hoover Dam – Our second stop was at the Oasis RV Park in beautiful Las Vegas Nevada. I’ve always enjoyed my visits to Las Vegas in the past but this time I just don’t know why but it seemed a bit artificial…(note tongue in cheek). We don’t gamble and find about the most interesting diversion to be the buffet line. I guess everyone has to have one type of vise or another. My idea of taking in one of the shows kinda soured when we found that even at the ½ price ticket store the cost was going to be $118.50 for two tickets. I thought geeze that could buy a tank of fuel for the truck! So instead for $20 we bought a DVD, Dream Girls, and went home to our trailer to watch our show. I don’t care call me cheap but it was a good movie and so nice to just kick back in the luxury of our own living room.

Hoover Dam was an interesting site to see. No, I’m not going to stoop for the usual dam jokes. We took the dam tour but didn’t buy any dam souvenirs in the dam souvenir shop. Ok enough. Remember the scene with Chevy Chase in Las Vegas Vacation where he slides down the side of the dam? Well, I didn’t try it but could just imagine him doing it. He’s one of my heroes.

Road Revelations #2: When driving down the highway, pay attention to unusual beeps. We were half way to Las Vegas when we crossed a rather bumpy bridge. It was then that I heard the shrill beeping sound for around 5 seconds. We looked at each other both wondering what in the heck was that sound. We quickly discounted it and continued on with our conversation. 4 or 5 minutes later I looked down at where the truck displays the mileage and here it was flashing “TRAILER DISCONNECTED”. “Oh Lord, restart my heart” I prayed. A quick look in the rear view mirror confirmed that the trailer was in fact still there. Seems that the electrical plug between the truck and the trailer had disconnected. I swear I could hear the truck laughing and saying “ha ha made you look!”

Chicken Little Was Wrong

There’s no doubt in my mind that the sky is definitely not falling, but there is one heck of a crack in the ground! (more on this observation in a moment).

As you may have guessed we pulled out the wheel blocks and hit the road, 7 AM this past Thursday the 17th of May to be exact. But before we get too excited, this is only a test run. Some call it a shake down run but whatever you call it we are having a blast. We plan to be back to home base (San Diego) by next Thursday. We will then assess the “test”, make necessary adjustments, take on fresh supplies, attend to some last minutes boring house details and head out on the “great escape” for real.


Friday 18th of May – We are camped at the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park in Williams Arizona. I highly recommend this place to anyone who wants to visit the Grand Canyon. (see: www.thetrain.com ) The park has everything you might need (including a four star hotel for those that don’t haul their own room around), it’s almost brand new and very convenient. 8:30 am we headed over to the train depot to pick up our tickets and browse the shops. Near the depot is an old west town and wouldn’t you know it some of the locals got into it and ended up shooting one of the ugly ones. After the dust settled we boarded the train, destination the south rim of the Grand Canyon. The train is a completely authentic restoration of a 1907 steam engine and Pullman cars. The trip to the rim took around one and a half hours but the time went quickly as the staff provided jokes and performed with various musical instruments.

Now back to that crack in the ground. No picture can do this place justice. You just can’t capture the essence of the canyon without seeing it in person. Walking up to one of the lookouts and leaning on the sturdy railing provided just look down, a mile to the bottom. Human nature being as it is, there’s a natural reflex to pucker up the ole behind. I always wondered why that was until this experience when the pucker intensity seemed strong enough to pull a Buick off of the parking lot behind. Oh I see, it’s a survival reflex.

Road revelations: (these will be lessons we have learned along the way). 1. guys, don’t wear shorts that are too short! It just ain’t pretty. Never mind the blinding white legs or knobby knees, it’s the view afforded when you sit down and, as guys do, forget to keep there legs together. I’m not going to describe this horrible picture any more, let your imagination do the rest.

Here today, gone tomorrow...

Well, I wish. Of the few plans we have made for our epic journy the one that seemed most likely and necessary, was the day we would hit the road. That is/ was/ could still be the 14th of May. God give me patience! I want to begin now but there is still business to attend to here at home. The sale on our house was to close on the 10th. That is looking not likely since the buyer has had loan problems. So we are pursuing our backup buyer. It's always something!

Daughter number one threw us a curve a couple of weeks ago that affected our plans as well. She announced that she was going to get married. How wonderful we thought, but when? "Oh, next wednesday at 10:30, can you make it?" well yeah but Wednesday? "We thought it best so that the baby can be covered under his insurance". Oh well of course... what a baby? Oh geeze (or something like that was said). The baby is due first week of November so we will have to cut our time in Florida and Texas short I think.

Just point me to the highway, pull out the wheel blocks and let me loose!!!