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October 31, 2007 - location: Alabama Hills, CA (N 36°,36.471'; W 118°,08.041')
Happy Halloween to all you tricksters and treaters. It's sad to leave this beautiful spot and I know I'll be back someday. Now it's on to town and then out to Death Valley!
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October 30, 2007 - location: Alabama Hills, CA (N 36°,36.471'; W 118°,08.041')
I sit by the fire and dream. Days gone by haunt me and my thoughts drift back to the trail I took today. The rocks and squeezes weave through my mind like the tales once told for the Westerns filmed in these very walls. Our fire is perched beneath an overhang and we are warm nestled to the rock above. I wonder how many travellers have sought comfort here, under this rock. What tales did they tell? Where were they from and where did they go?
Today we hiked around the huge bolders and shapes of eroded granite. There are narrow passageways, hidden caves, and arches
to explore. The grand views of the mountains, including Mt Whitney
, are a stark contrast to these rounded shapes of stone. The dogs loved exploring and Bernie is quite the rock climber. His long legs get him up some really tough spots that Honey can't go. Gerry climbed up inside one of the arches for a nap. We had fun exploring both yesterday and today. This spot reminds me of the old Western movies...probably because many of them had scenes filmed here. As I wandered down washes, I looked up at the large bolders and wondered where the bad guys were hiding. Are there hidden treasures in the sands hidden by a thief on the run? Probably not. Hollywood chose this area because of the dramatic scenes to be filmed. The lack of water and arduous trails kept most travellers out. This is a place for leisure exploring and dreaming. See if you can find our camp in this photo.
Tomorrow we head down to town and internet service. We heard from the guy in charge of Panamint Valley Days for the California 4x4 Association. Gerry had left a message to see if they need help setting up, since we will be there early. They would like more help, and we'll meet up with him Sunday night to see what we can do.
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October 29, 2007 - location: The Pit, near Bishop, CA (N 37°,24.004'; W 118°,30.616')
We camped at a "closed" BLM campground and had a great fire with views of the eastern Sierra. Gerry cooked delicious beef boneless ribs and baked potatoes, all over the fire. It is so much fun to cook over the fire. This time there weren't even any pots to wash, as he cooked dinner in aluminum foil. Maybe we should open a gourmet camping cookery. We're headed to the BLM office this morning to get maps and information before heading down towards Death Valley.
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October 28, 2007 - location: Walker Lake, NV (N 38°,44.809'; W 118°,45.978')
Yesterday was an easy drive of 60 miles to a primitive campsite on the shores of Walker Lake. We enjoyed peace, solitude, and beautiful views of the lake and surrounding desert mountains. Since we arrived early, I was able to take my time cooking the beef chili. I took a 3 pound chuck roast and cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes, diced a large onion, opened a 32 oz can of pureed tomatoes, and mixed 1/2 cup of spices (chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin) while I waited for the campfire to burn down a bit. When the fire was hot, I put the grate over it and added my largest pot (with soap all over the outside to make clean-up easy). I heated 1/4 cup oil in the pot and then browned the beef cubes while I put a second soaped pot on with 8 cups water. A pound of dried red beans were added to the hot water and allowed to simmer for an hour, covered with aluminum foil. In the large pot, half the spices were added to the sizzling hot browned beef and stirred well to coat the meat. The diced onions were added to the seasoned beef and stirred until the onions started turning opaque. Then the sauce was added, stirred, and covered to simmer. The fire was kept low with small pieces of wood to keep a cooking fire to simmer everthing. When the beans were swollen, they were added to the large pot with a can of chipolte peppers and one large diced jalepeno. This mixture simmered, covered, for another hour and then the tasting began. It was good, but not quite done, so we waited another 30 minutes, adding some guinness. The chili was rich and spicy and tasted great with the garlic bread we cooked in foil over the fire. It was enough to serve 4-6 people, so we have plenty chili left over to enjoy later. If you try this, don't forget to top you bowl with cheese.
Today we are driving to the forest to look for firewood on our way to Death Valley. Our drive should only be 100 miles or so today. We just drove by the Hawthorne Ordinance Museum and Gerry spouted off all sorts of information on the bombs outside. He is an endless supply of info on weapons. He didn't want to stop, though.
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October 27, 2007 - location: Fallon AFB, NV (N 39°,25.606'; W 118°,43.272')
We're off again. We packed up this morning and put the camper back on the truck and are headed to Panamint Valley! The trip could be made in a day, but we'll take a few. Along the way we hope to get firewood to last a week or two in the desert. The gas cans will get filled up, too. We bought two more 5 gallon cans to increase our capacity. Gerry got all the parts he needed in town yesterday and took the jeep for a short test drive afterwards. He is very excited because the jeep is in better shape than ever. We will get there a week ahead of the event to get better knowledge of the area and trails. Here we go!
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October 26, 2007 - location: Fallon AFB, NV (N 39°,25.606'; W 118°,43.272')
We had a great workout at the gym this morning. It's quite cool this am outside, but the gym was warm and comfortable. My triceps were still sore from Wednesday yet they were strong during my workout. Now Gerry is off changing the oil in the jeep. There it's just a couple shocks and gas fill-up and we're off to Panamint Valley to go jeeping. We leave tomorrow andmay go through Reno to get the shocks before heading South. We have a week to get down there, so there is no rush. Well, off to grocery shopping to stock up on food for the trip.
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October 25, 2007 - location: Fallon AFB, NV (N 39°,25.606'; W 118°,43.272')
Yesterday was a great weather day. After getting our chores done, we went to the petroglyph area and enjoyed a couple short hikes with the dogs. I learned the difference between a petrograph and a pictograph, although I have a feeling I've learned this before. A pictograph is painted on the rock, where a petrograph is pecked or etched in the rock. There were some old petrographs
there that were much deeper in the rock than I have seen before. I estimate a 2 inch diameter on each hole and these are thought to be over 5,000 years old. Amazing! The younger petrographs are done in a " Great Basin
" pecking style with smaller dimples ( I estimate 1/4 inch diameter pecks). We got to see a couple of caves on the second hike and learned people used this area 7,000 years ago when the dry desert before us was filled with vast lakes and the lake shore was near the petroglyphs and caves. The caves used to be underwater as evidenced by the remnants of freshwater reefs, seen as tufa
, the remnants of algae secretions.
Today was spent around camp doing chores and painting the jeep. At 5pm it was the 2nd
World Series game and the second win for Boston. At least Colorado only lost by 1 run, instead of the 12-run deficit last night.
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October 24, 2007 - location: Fallon AFB, NV (N 39°,25.606'; W 118°,43.272')
Today is another beautiful day here in the desert. The high is set for 78°F with endless sun and clarity. Sounds like a good day to go for a hike. We worked out at the gym this morning and are doing computers before heading over to a park with petroglyphs and hiking trails. The dogs are excited to be going somewhere and Honey knows the word "hike", so she's really up-beat.
We are excited about the game tonight. We may even go out to watch it. There are casinos in town with large tvs, but we don't want a smokey environment, so we'll try the officer's club on base. Well, off to the petroglyphs.
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October 23, 2007 - location: Fallon AFB, NV (N 39°,25.606'; W 118°,43.272')
The enchiladas last night were absolutely mouth-watering. I made the rolled style and cooked them in a coleman stove-top oven we bought this year. We've used the oven on the fire, but this is the first time on the stove. It is pretty easy to get to 350°F, which was just fine for the enchiladas. I cooked the corn and mexican rice in the oven, since the oven took up the whole stove.
Today is going to be a nice warm day. We ran over to the shop working on the jeep to take a look at this plan and budget. Seems good. He should be done today or tomorrow. It's laundry time now, with plenty of time to take the dogs for walks in between the loads. I'm doing all the blankets and sheets, which will take a while. Before we leave I'll catch up on the laundry and wash the dogs beds and blankets again. From here we are going into rustic camping in the desert and it may be a few weeks before we do laundry again.
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October 22, 2007 - location: Fallon AFB, NV (N 39°,25.606'; W 118°,43.272')
The Red Sox won and play Colorado in the World Series starting Wednesday. We are excited about being around a tv to watch the game. I haven't really been into baseball since the big strike years ago, but Gerry's enthusiasm is contagious. We brought the jeep down to a welding shop to have some cracks in the frame welded up. The guy doing the work has an old landcruiser that he drives and a few others in his lot. He loves 4x4ing and seems like the right guy to work on the jeep. Now we're heading to Reno to get some parts Gerry needs. It's only 60 miles away, so we should be back in time for homemade enchilada dinner. We worked out this morning and although it's not as good as the last base, the gym will do just fine. No spinning bikes, just the standard aerobics and weight equipment.
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October 21, 2007 - location: Fallon NAS, NV (N 39°,25.606'; W 118°,43.272')
The drive down to the base was an easy one and we got a smape in the concrete campground. It's okay considering there is full hook-up for $11 per night and showers/laundry for the guests. We are staying here a week while Gerry works on getting the jeep ready. He got the axle replaced yesterday while I took care of grocery shopping. Then we spent the evening having delicious burgers and listening to the Red Sox win game #6 of the now 7-game series. Tonight is the final game. Winner goes to the world series.
We ran errands this morning and got some of the parts for the jeep, including a new set of hubs to replace the broken pieces. We should have some spare parts when all is said and done in case there are further problems. The rest of today we spent working outside - Gerry on the jeep and me on cleaning the truck and relaxing. Tonight we watch game #7 in the American League Championship Series. We really hope the Red Sox win!
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October 20, 2007 - location: Calico Mountains, NV (N 40°,57.643'; W 119°,10.762')
We had the last of our Alaskan Salmon from the freezer for dinner. Gerry cooked it on a small fire while I prepared the broccoli and rice inside. The wind raged as we ate in our camper by candlelight. Life is great. I slept like a baby and woke to beautiful vistas across the valley. This is the first morning the clouds lifted enough to see the mountains. Just in time for our departure. We are on the road now heading down to Fallon Naval Air Station (NAS) to prepare for jeeping in Panamint Valley in November.
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October 19, 2007 - location: Calico Mountains, NV (N 40°,57.643'; W 119°,10.762')
We camped another night at this beautiful spot. As we were sitting by the fire, I looked up to see a big horn sheep
looking down at us from atop one of the nearby peaks. He was standing on a large rock with his body silhouetted by the darkening sky. It was quite exciting to see, especially because I didn't know there were sheep around here.
We woke to more winds, but thinner fog than yesterday. We decided to spend the day exploring in the jeep. The fellow at the mine yesterday said there are two roads up over the Calico Mountains. We found one and headed up and over the rocky path, past wild horses
and more sheep. We stopped at the Little High Rock Hilton for our lunch break. The dogs chomped away on a couple of chicken treats while Gerry and I had our leftover pesto pasta salad. After our lunch, we headed on up the road to High Rock Canyon. This is a scenic canyon that is still open to travel, as it was to the emigrants headed West over 150 years ago. There are inscriptions carved in the walls from these travelers in the 1850's. The road
is rough and narrow, needing high clearance and maybe 4WD for the mud bogs. The drive made me think about the ordeals and adventure the emigrants faced on their trek to Oregon. When I was a child, I read every book in my library on the wild west and from my perch in one of the large trees in my yard, I was taken back in time, living the life I read of. One day I was fighting indians with a band of outlaws, one day a showdown at high noon in a wild town, and for many days I travelled the routes of the wagons in search of a better life and freedom on the plains of the West. In my daydreams I never died of thirst, lost my horse, ran out of food or ammunition, and never did I have to hold up in a small smokey cave while a storm washed the road away.
As I walked down the emigrant trail, looking at the inscriptions in the walls, the life of those 150+ years ago came to life in a way my book-inspired tree-top fantasies never did and I was glad to be ushered away from the unrelenting, sand-pelting wind in the comfort of the jeep and back to the luxury of my heated home on wheels, a far cry from the accommodations of the past.
We returned to the Hot Springs for a long soak. I closed my eyes and retraced the emigrant trail from the Hot Springs through High Rock Canyon. The travellers had come so far and had a long way to go. From the Canyon they would head through Surprise Valley, climb a mountain pass, head NW to Goose Lake, and then S to Sacramento if they were 49ers looking for riches of gold in CA. Perhaps they would head north and settle on a farm in Oregon. I wonder how many loses there had been along this particular stretch of the trail in 1850, both in life and goods. I wonder how many wagons got stuck in the mud and how the horses and oxen toiled to usher prized goods on toward the dream of striking it rich in California or homesteading a farm in CA or OR. My life is so easy compared to what it would have been back then. I give thanks to all those through history who have toiled to improve their lives and mine. As I opened my eyes and took in the reality of my life, I know in my heart that:
Life doesn't get any better than this.
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October 18, 2007 - location: Calico Mountains, NV (N 40°,57.643'; W 119°,10.762')
The weather was overcast and chilly when we took off in the jeep this morning. Our first stop was the Rainbow Fire Opal Mine. We stopped at the caretaker's place and chatted for a while about the area and the mine. He gets $20 per head a day to dig the opals out of the basalt. This is tough work and we elected not to this time here. He told us about the roads he knew around the valley and when I asked about the hot springs on the map, he suggested we try the tub someone put in just below Double Hot Springs, which is fenced off. The tub
was great and I took a quick dip when we finally wove our way around to the other side of the valley. Emigrants passed by in their travels west 150 years ago and I bet this area looked much like this (except for the fence and tub). The water in the now fenced off pools is too hot to swim in and there are signs warning that death may come to those who use them. The water for the tub drains from the pools in a small stream which is diverted through PVC pipes to a galvanied tub. From the Hot Springs, we raced home across the playa flats, engulfed in a cloud of dust.
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October 17, 2007 - location: BLM lands Surprise Valley, NV (N 41°,01.805'; W 119°,50.113')
We camped at an area where petrified wood, jasper, and agate can be found. The wind roared when we arrived and through most of the night, so we skipped a campfire and stayed inside listening to the Red Sox lose another championship baseball game. One more loss and Cleveland will play Colorado in the World Series. The Red Sox have been here before in 2004 and ended up winning the championship. We can only hope.
This morning we collected petrified wood and jasper before breaking camp to move on to the next collecting spot. We plan to stay in this region a couple more nights. We'll find a good base for camping and take day trips in the jeep. Ken at the BLM office was very helpful in explaining rockhounding locations.
We headed up Lost Creek Road and over the mountains to route 34. There was snow along the road, but we had no problems traversing the dirt road, thanks to the graders that were working on the road. The weather was really turning colder and darker as the morning progressed. By the time we got to the Lund Petrified Forest the wind was howling and snow flakes blowing in our faces. We saw the caged remains of the ancient redwood forest, frozen in time as pillars of stone in a land far gone from lushness.
As we dropped in elevation, the weather warmed and we became optimistic about camping. We picked a spot east of the Calico Mountains and camped in the serenity of the desert. It is still windy here, but warmer.
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October 16, 2007 - location: Goose Lake State Recreation Area, OR (N 41°,59.643'; W 120°,19.127')
This morning is gray and rainy with a temperature of 40°F as we hit the road after a good breakfast, showers, baths for the dogs, and emptying our holding tanks. We camped right on the border of Oregon and California and are only 200 miles from Reno. We are headed to Fallon Naval Air Station, Southeast of Reno. Gerry needs to press the U-joint caps into the new axle flange so he can mount it in the jeep. We may camp before then, depending on what rockhounding information we can obtain from the BLM office in Alturas. The fellow rockhound at the midnight lace location told me there is a good rainbow obsidian location in Northern California near route 395, which we're on. All I have is the name "Telegraph Creek" and hopefully someone at BLM can help tell me exactly where it is. Snow line is supposed to be down to 5000 feet and we plan to stay out of the mountains to avoid the snow.
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October 15, 2007 - location: Glass Butte (N 43°,33.596'; W 120°,00.351')
Yesterday was spent searching for opal. We sifted through tailings piles at the mines and dug right in the cliffs, but found no opals. There was lots of chalcedony, though, and I had fun digging. We let the dogs run free and Honey had fun sniffing out all the bunny holes. Bernie was more interested in learning to rockhound. He climbed right up the loose slopes with me and watched every move I made. Then he went over and dig a little, picking a couple of rocks in his mouth. He was so cute.
I sorted through our rocks when we got to camp and decided to only take half of what we collected. We had the last of the leftover spaghetti along with linconshire sausage for dinner. Gerry made a pesto pasta salad and set it to chill in the fridge for dinner tonight. We left our campsite after three great peaceful nights and fun-filled days. The fires were warm and the stars plentiful. Last night we heard coyotes and we woke to birds chirping. I wish all camps were like this.
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October 14, 2007 - location: Glass Butte (N 43°,33.596'; W 120°,00.351')
We got lots more obsidian yesterday. Some had a fiery sheen, some was banded, and some was a variety called "midnight lace". I had never heard of this variety, but set to work at the location extracting a large rock from one of the dig pits. Gerry helped and we took turns digging out the rock. A fellow rockhounder showed up and headed into another pit. I went over to see what he knew about this midnight lace obsidian. He gets it to cut into slabs and then pressure flake into shapes. He said the black is translucent when thin, but the red is not, making pretty patterns. Gerry and I can hardly wait to cut our big one open.
We finished off the day with a dinner of clam chowder after an apetizer of smoked salmon and sharp cheddar cheese. The dogs licked up the scraps with great fervor.
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October 13, 2007 - location: Glass Butte (N 43°,33.596'; W 120°,00.351')
This place is great! Very quiet, sunny, and loaded with obsidian (volcanic glass). We picked a camping spot that we could easily get the trailer to, a coupld miles up a dirt road called "Obsidian Road". Then we quickly set up camp so we could head out jeeping and rockhounding. There were small pieces of obsidian all over the place. As Gerry started climbing a hill, we started seeing larger chunks scattered about, so we stopped and picked up a few whoppers that were brown and black. The top of the hill was loaded with pieces; a thick carpet of brown and black glass. The weathered brown looked almost pink and the fractured faces reflected the sun like mirrors. With my sunglasses on, I picked through the piles and selected a couple more to take. When we got back to camp and unloaded the rocks, they made a nice pile and I felt elated at the sight of my prizes.
Today we're off to search Obsidian Butte for more colors and variety.
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October 12, 2007 - location: Newberry Caldera Nat'l Monument (N 43°,43.062'; W 121°,12.821')
Today we are heading to Glass Butte. We are first going back north through bend to pick up a jeep part (right front outer axle) that we ordered a couple days ago. From here we head east to the Butte where we plan to camp for a couple nights and do some rock hounding. I just saw an accident sitting here typing. It's not bad, just a 4-car slow-speed rear-end pile-up with no one visbly hurt or any damage. The driver of the car causing it is a punk-rocker-looking dude with spiked red hair, so I'm sure he is getting special prejudice. Maybe I'll walk over and see if the cop wants a witness.
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October 11, 2007 - location: La Pine State Park, OR (N 43°,46.087'; W 121°,32.414')
Today was a great day with little driving. We camped at a state park with electricity and hot showers. I like having electric hook-up so we can run our little space heater. Not only does it save propane, it also is much drier so we don't get any condensation. We had steaks, broccoli, and mashed potatoes for dinner. We cooked and ate by a small fire and went inside after it got dark. We watched a movie on my laptop for the first time on this trip. We saw an Australian film, "The Proposition", and it was a good flick, just a little slow. We walked to Oregon's largest Ponderosa Pine, which stands at 191' tall and is 326 inches around. From there we headed over to Newberry National Volcanic Monumnet, which was practically desserted this time of year. We hiked up the "Big obsidian flow". Obsidian is volcanic glass and is composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2) with magnetite causing the black color. This eruption occurred about 1300 years ago and consists of obsidian and pumice. Pumice is also silican dioxide, but is a frothy form of glass, which cools with lots of air bubbles. We typicaly see pumice as grinding materials, including soaps and beauty bars. Obisidian has been used by man for cutting instruments (highly prized by native peoples for tools) and according to a sign at the Monument, it can be made much sharper than steel because it can be made as little as one molecule thich along the blade edge. There was a story about a surgery made with both steel and obsidian cutting instruments where the obsidian healed much quicker due to the exactness of the cut.
We got a great campsite along the edge of East Lake, a volcanic caldera in the Monument. Gerry worked on the jeep, changing the front axle and cleaning things up while I made a fire and read a book. Honey enjoyed chasing chipmunks and she almost got one. Bernie thought 36° was really cold, and enjoyed chewing sticks and chasing Honey despite the chill. I stayed toasty warm by the fire yet was happy to go inside for a dinner of leftover spaghetti. It was so nice inside with the heat on, that I finished my book in the camper.
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October 10, 2007 - location: John Day River in Oregon (N 44°,44.558'; W 120°,21.666')
We are back on the road again after another peaceful night by the river. This spot is one to bookmark for future treks through this region of Central Oregon. Within 30 miles, the landscape changed dramatically from the painted hills desert with lava buttes to majestic pine forests. We are heading to the lava beds national monument. Hopefully i'll get internet access somewhere along the way.
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October 9, 2007 - location: John Day River in Oregon (N 44°,44.558'; W 120°,21.666')
Today was a great day of exploring the hills and BLM land around the John Day River. The scenery is typical of an old Western film and I expect to see a band of indians along the top of one of the basaltic lava buttes. There are a couple of cattle ranches back here with very well marked and patrolled borders. Kinda spooky. We stopped to chat with one of the guys patrolling a ranch with a 61/2 mile stretch of the road passing through the private property. He was in a white truck with the name of the ranch and the word "PATROL" plastered to the side. He was friendly and asked us where we were from in Wyoming. He explained he'd been a truck driver for 30 years and had driven through WY many times, starting back before the interstate went throuh. He explained folks around there were isolated and had recently been terrorized by a fellow from India and his army that moved in and "nearly took over the county". He wouldn't explain how the folks were terrorized, but I can't help but think this was the reason for all the posted property and patrols. He said the Indian fellow was finally locked away after there were enough charges stacked up to prosecute.
We were very careful to respect private property and found plenty of BLM land roads to travel. We saw beautiful painted hills of red, white, brown, and gold. Along a hike we took, we startled a rattlesnake. I was walking along with the dogs and all of a sudden Gerry made an exclamation. I turned back to see him moving quickly towards me. He took a few steps and then said "it's a rattlesnake, right there". I looked where he pointed and saw the source of the rattling noise. He was curled up with his head bobbing out, looking for the source of disturbance to strike at. We left him behind as we continued on much more alert for snakes. It's a good thing the rattlers warn us where they are so we can give them a wide berth.
The jeep broke again while we were climbing a steep hill. There was a clunk and we lost the front end. On the way down we realized there was only one wheel turning. There were a coupld of tough spots, but we made it out and back to camp, thanks to the ARB locker in the rear. The problem turned out to originate with the right rear hub, which Gerry had attempted to repair himself in WA. It had seized in an unlocked position, causing all the force of the wheels to go to the front axle. The short axle on the right side broke under the strain and we are also going to replace the tooth plate and outer turn screw of the right rear WARN hub.
I made delicious spaghetti for dinner. The sauce was real rich with tomatoes (sundried and pureed), turkey sausage, and spices. We have enough left for another meal and it was all cooked on the campfire.
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October 8, 2007 - location: Deschutes River State Park (N 45°,37.921'; W 120°,54.030')
The workout was good and we particularly enjoyed the soak in the hot tub and hot showers. There was an older gentleman in the hot tub whom we met at the campground. He's in his 80's and lives full time alone in a trailer. What a talker this guy is! I wish my words would flow as easily as his. The first time we met him he was worried about where he would go when the campground closes near the end of October and whether he would still have his drivers license next year to bring his trailer back out because "they don't give drivers licenses to people who can't walk". This time we met him he was more relaxed, perhaps by the warmth of the tub, and he rambled on about life and how things were a lot different when he was younger. I asked him where he grew up and he talked about the farmland in Kansas where everyone was so dirt poor they couldn't even afford to feed the cows and they all died. The people ate the locusts that were 3-5 inches long, as he showed by holding up two spread fingers. He didn't have a pair of new shoes until he joined the army and they gave him two pairs. Before that, he had shoes, but they were always from someone else and he had to put cardboard in the bottom to keep the dirt off his feet. As I left he said he would be heading west, maybe to Widbey Island to camp for the winter. He would be a great person to hear from in another 20 years when he's 100.
Our drive southwest through Washington was easy through undulating grass-covered hills and fields. We took the backroad side of the Columbia River and crossed from Maryville just in time for gas. We only had a few more miles left in the tank. I don't think I'll cut it so close next time. It makes me real nervous when the truck's low fuel warning is flashing and there isn't a gas station in sight. We went another few miles to a state park where we stayed in a no-services site for $5. It would have been only $12 for a site with electricity and water, but we wanted the privacy of the more remote sites along the river. We cooked on the fire and had a pretty good night's sleep despite the noisy trains., I vowed to find a quiet spot tonight.
There were a couple of hiking trails and we hiked for an hour and a half along a ridge above the river and then back along a trail by the river's edge. I saw a baby rattlesnake curled up on a rock, but only his eyes moved as we passed by. It was a little cold for him. We hurried on by and didn't see any more snakes. I picked some watercress for salads from on of the creeks. The dogs loved the hike and Bernie even led the way for a bit.
We're driving off the beaten path now through farms, lava flows, and windmill-laden ridges. It is quite delightful and we'll be in the town of Fossil shortly. Then we're on to the John Day Fossil Beds and perhaps an early end to the driving day.
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October 7, 2007 - location: Fairchild AFB, near Spokane WA (N 47°,37.649'; W 117°,39.244')
We're on the road again! Well, we're all packed up and ready to head out after we make one more trip to the gym for a good workout and hot tub soak. This afternoon we are heading to southern Washington to camp on BLM land and do some rockhounding for petrified wood. As with last time, I don't have good information, just a general description of petrified wood found in washes along a particular stretch of road. Hopefully we'll find a place to camp along there so I have time to poke around.
Gerry got the rear end of the jeep installed yesterday and it raced around the base like a champ. There is a slight knock to the engine, which is our only concern for now. Gerry is thinking of having his spare engine sent from Vermont to California so he can replace it this winter while we are there. First we'll be heading down to Panamint Valley Days, which is on the west side of Death Valley the second weekend in November. Our first destination is Crater Lake National Park in Southern Oregon. Then we are going to head down route 395 along the eastern part of California. I am excited to be back on the road and am ready for a new set of adventures.
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October 6, 2007 - location: Fairchild AFB, near Spokane WA (N 47°,37.649'; W 117°,39.244')
The drive home went well last night and we averaged 23 miles per gallon in the truck. It was as high as 25 mpg, but with a few hills to climb, the average dropped a bit. Gerry was able to obtain all the parts he needed to put things back together and dropped me off at camp before heading over to put the differential back together. I had a relaxing evening with the dogs. They loved my dinner of cheese and smoked salmon and even the butternut squash soup I started for tomorrow night.
Today is bright and sunny with a sharp chill to the air and a slight breeze. We washed the trailer at the car wash next to the auto skills center while we waited for them to open. Gerry has the jeep in there now on the lift putting the rear end back in. I finally got my credit card yesterday. Actually, I received two. I activated one and cut the other one up along with my old one. We hope to leave town tomorrow. We haven't decided whether to go to Boise or not. The only reason we would go there is so Gerry could speak with a Vortex engine expert face-to-face. I think we're a couple of years away from a new engine, so we may decide to wait to go there. It would save us some time and gas to head directly south.
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October 5, 2007 - location: Fairchild AFB, near Spokane WA (N 47°,37.649'; W 117°,39.244')
Gerry took the ARB locker apart last night and found all four spider gears to be chewed up, i.e. had missing teeth. The plastic piston ring was destroyed and the whole unit non-functional. ARB is an Australian company with their base of US operations in Seattle. We decided to drive the box of bad parts the 280 miles to Seattle to see if we could get replacement parts along with technical advice as to why this occurred. We arrived this morning at ARB around 11:30am and had the technician look at our parts. After Gerry explained the application, length of usage, and failure mode, the guy was baffled and said he would do a warranty replacement despite the 6-year age. So, we left with a new locker, hats and stickers, and a real belief that ARB stands behind their product. ARB first patented their pneumatic air-actuated differential gear lockers in the mid 1980's. Gerry swears by his ARB lockers and has an air compressor mounted in the rear to suppply the air to actuate his. We use them on difficult terrain to keep one tire from spinning. Since the jeep has front and rear ARB lockers with WARN manual locking hubs, we can keep all four tires locked in action to pull us up steep hills or through sand, mud, or gravel.
Gerry hopes to get it mounted in the differential tonight so he can re-mount the rear axle in the jeep tomorrow and take a test drive. Since we were gone from camp all day, I don't know if my package arrived with our mail and credit card. I should find out tonight.
The drive to Seattle was pleasant and with fair weather. We took I-90 which is prettiest as it climbs the pass east of Seattle, giving views of the snow-capped cascade mountains. It was strange to be in such a large city with traffic. What a far cry from the remoteness of Alaska and NW Canada. I look forward to getting back out into the wilderness and desert.
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October 4, 2007 - location: Fairchild AFB, near Spokane WA (N 47°,37.649'; W 117°,39.244')
Good news on the jeep front - the jeep is running good. The dyno
test yesterday went great and the guys at Shelley
Automotive in Spokane did a great job on tuning the engine. They were able to get a max horsepower of 81.85 and a max torque of 127.20. More important than those numbers are the smoothness of the engine throughout the 2000 to 3500 rpm range, where Gerry does most of his driving. Right now Gerry is working on the rear end, as there is still a problem that he thinks is one of the ARB air lockers. He is taking it apart to see if the spring is bad or the locker slipped position. There is a shop in town that can get him any ARB parts overnight, so he is anxious to find the problem in order to fix it tomorrow. The saga continues on my attempts to receive a new credit card.
Apparently a second card was sent out, but instead of to the new address I gave them, they sent it to the exact same address as before and again the card was returned to them. I thought I cleared up the address issue once and for all after speaking with three different people to verify the address. Last night I called for the tracking number, but it was not available to the customer service representative. The agent was able to confirm that I had a package scheduled to ship to me overnight to the address in Washington that I had given earlier in the day. This morning I called again and was able to obtain the tracking number. The agent couldn't look up the status of the tracking number, so I contacted UPS directly. UPS confirmed the tracking number was indeed a package for me, but it was to be received at my Wyoming address, not Spokane. This is becoming quite humurous and only mildly frustrating anymore. Fotunately, the folks who control our mail in Wyoming said they would send the UPS package (if received) along with our other mail overnight to us here in Wyoming. We'll call later this afternoon to make sure everything was received by them and sent to us. Hopefully all will be well by tomorrow.
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October 3, 2007 - location: Fairchild AFB, near Spokane WA (N 47°,37.649'; W 117°,39.244')
Last night we decided to have tempura fish and veggies for dinner. Gerry fried it up and did a great job. The fish was red snapper that we got "freshly-frozen" in Hyder, Alaska. It melted in my mouth. Very good.
The carburetor came yesterday, but not without event. UPS had the package here in Spokane yesterday, but did not reckognize the address on the package and "post-carded" it. That means they put the box in a pile at the depot and send a postcard to the address on the box to see if it is a legitimate address. After the postcard is received, the recipient is supposed to call UPS to arrange delivery or pick-up. Fortunately, we didn't sit around waiting for the postcard to arrive. Gerry got the tracking number from Holley around 2pm and finally got through to someone at UPS that helped out with the package. After some confusion as to whether the package was on the truck or at the depot, it was determined to be at the depot and we picked it up before they closed. At the same time we checked on a package that I was waiting for overnight from my credit card company. That package was supposed to arrive Monday, but was never loaded onto a truck at the Spokane UPS. It was marked by return-to-sender by someone at the depot and the manager had no explanation, only an apology. By the time I called the credit card company, they had the package back in their hands, but couldn't send it out until today. So, we are to wait here until it gets here. UPS said that once I have the tracking number, to call them and they will make sure the package gets delivered to me. That is the best they could offer after this unfortunate mixup.
Back to the carburetor. Gerry installed it onto the jeep late in the day, in the blowing wind and cold weather. The jeep started right up and ran great. Timing was good and he was able to easily adjust the idle just before it started to rain. He does want to take it to the performance shop in Spokane today to have them optimize the carb adjustments. There is also still a problem in the rear end of the jeep. Gerry thinks it is one of the ARB lockers that is not releasing properly. He's going to work on that today. The rain has stopped for now, but it is still cold and windy.
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October 2, 2007 - location: Fairchild AFB, near Spokane WA (N 47°,37.649'; W 117°,39.244')
We worked out again this morning, but this time just 20 minutes of aerobics and then stretching before hitting the hot tub again. The weather here is windy, cool, and drizzly. The sun may poke out on Wednesday, but it is supposed to be like this until then. Last night we had burritos for dinner that were very good. I ground up some dried chili peppers, cooked up beans with the spices and sundried tomatoes, and added steak after that cooked down. With cheese, salsa, and black olives, the burritos were delicious. I love mexican food.
Today the carburetor should arrive and Gerry will get it put back on. I can hardly wait to see how the jeep runs. He replaced the fuel regulator as well with a new one from Holley. Hopefully we'll know by mid-afternoon. Today is laundry day for me, since we hope to leave the base tomorrow. Laundry is real cheap here, $1.50 to wash and dry, so I want to do the bedding along with all our regular laundry. Tonight we're having tri-tip for dinner with kale and rice. Should be good.
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October 1, 2007 - location: Fairchild AFB, near Spokane WA (N 47°,37.649'; W 117°,39.244')
We got home a little after 7pm last night after a great drive around central/eastern Washington. We saw the Grand Coulee dam, which had 12 million cubic yards of concrete and three power plants, one of which has enough capacity to supply Spokane and Seattle with power. The day was drizzly with low clouds, so we didn't do much rockhounding. We tried to find a couple of places for petrified wood, but couldn't locate them with the minimal directions I had. Oh well, we'll just have to come back another time. We did see some great lava flows and columnar basalt! We drove through apple country and acres and acres of wheat fields. We took some back roads, one of which went right through a farm. We felt like we were in the people's yard. I guess that road isn't well traveled. It was really neat to see the terrain, farms, and old farm equipment and trucks in people's yards. We stopped at the Gingko Petrified State Park and saw some huge petrified trees. There was supposed to be a collecting area outside the park boundaries, but I'm going to need to do more research before we can locate it.
This morning we had a great workout at the gym and then soaked in their hot tub for a while after stretching. I feel very relaxed, despite the weight lifting this morning. The dogs are back in the camper, as it was cold and rainy this morning. It looks like we may have a short break in the weather, so I'll take the dogs for a good walk after lunch. Tonight it's mexican food for dinner. Yum, yum.
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