Springerville AZ. is not a bad town, they have all the facilities necessary to sustain life. The important things civilized people require, like a grocery store, gas stations, laundries, numerous bars and the 2 most important to me, an auto parts store and a Dairy Queen.
After a good nights sleep the plan for the day was to return to the auto parts store to find something that might work better than the epoxy that helped us get down the mountain but just barely before it gave out.
After awaking the first thing I did was throw back the curtains to see if the rain was gone. It was a beautiful day full of promise until may eyes focused. We were parked in the middle of a junkyard. Well not actually a junk yard, the park was full of looooonnnnng term tenants, they had apparently been there a long time had not washed there trailers and motor homes in a long time and it was obvious that there had not been a trash pick up in, I would guess about 10 years based on the accumulation of trash bags, car parts, assorted pieces of broken furniture and other items piled around each one. When I stepped out I realized why there was one space available for rent when we arrived. Apparently this space was used by the tenants as a dumping ground for their dogs. No they didn't dump their dogs there, the dogs are the ones that did the dumping. It was like running through a minefield just to reach the back of the motor home.
If you've ever towed a car you know that to unhook you have chains, cables and wires to disconnect. Try doing that tippy toeing through a doggy minefield. That was not going to bother me, I was on a mission. Off to the auto parts store. Surprise, Springerville is the only town in America that the auto parts store is closed on Sunday. Ok, no problem, back to the motor home fire up the computer, get online and find the closest RV repair shop or open auto parts store. Closest RV repair is in Flagstaff AZ about 4 hours away, the closest auto parts is 48 miles in the town of Show Low. I Opted for Show Low.
Show Low is and interesting town at least the name is interesting. Seems that back in 1880 two men both of which were large land owners in the area wanted to form a town but thought it was only big enough for one of them. Being gentlemen, rather than a gun fight at high noon on main street they decided on a friendly game of cards with the loser leaving town. One hand of low ball poker, Mr. Cooley's low card was a 5, he said to Mr Clark it's yours if you "Show Low". Mr Clark turned over the Deuce of Clubs, the lowest card in the deck and Mr. Cooley left town. That's how the name came about, the main street in Show Low is even named Deuce of Clubs Dr. and in the middle of town is a bronze statue of the 2 men playing card.
Ok enough of the history lesson, found an auto parts store, again discussed my need with the sales clerk he in turn spoke with the "old timer that knew everything". The old timer was a cross between wise budda and Don Knotts just shook his head and said "ain't nothing gonna stick to that crap they make them there tanks outa". I can feel my ship sinking fast until the old timer said try that Home Depot down the road a piece they're used to handling that plastic crap.
Home Depot here I come! At the store I am confronted by a wall of adhesive. I formulated a plan of attack, I'll ask for help, not just any help, this time I'm looking for a youngster that maybe can at least spell polyethylene and will not call my damaged tank plastic carp. I spotted my subject, I figured with the Jesus tattoos and the hula hoop earrings he had at least attended the Show Low Community College. After explaining my problem and need he said and I quote " ain't nothing gonna stick to that crap" I just smiled and said I know that's what your Grandfather told me. He didn't think it was funny seems his grandfather had been dead for 10 years. After my mumbled apology he did offer a suggestion, JB Weld according to the package, JB weld will stick to anything and harden into a steel like patch. Finally success is on the horizon.
Upon arriving back at the motor home, tip toeing through the doggy mine field I sat down to lunch and read the instructions on the use of JB Weld. Will adhere to all types of metal, glass, plastic, wood, PVC piping, I'm feeling good, then the last sentence in small print my bubble burst, Will not adhere to polyethylene.
Like hell it won't- I'm putting it on and wrapping it in Duct tape
Continued in Pt.4 Flagstaff here we come..
Friday, December 10, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
California or Bust Pt.2
New Mexico
Finally out of Texas. I have never explored New Mexico, like most travelers I have passed through many times on I-10 or I-40 with the only stops being for gas. Never gave the state much thought and what I did was limited to how barren it was with a few small dusty desert towns which never seemed very welcoming.
When traveling in a car through New Mexico typically I would drive 70-80 MPH, windows rolled up and the air conditioning blasting away. Nothing to see and no reason to stop, New Mexico takes about 3-4 hours to pass through by car and if you fill up before entering there is no reason to stop, not even for gas. When in a motor home the rules all change. It's about an 8 hour trip and stopping for gas is required.
About half way across the state I found it necessary to stop for gas in the town of Deming. Deming is basically a wide spot in the road with the over priced gas, and a few fast food restaurants along with a few residents surviving in weather beaten small house or mobile homes all of which had seen better days which were so far behind them few people even remember those days.
Now it's late afternoon and if we continue driving the closest town of any size is Tucson AZ. which is about another 6 hours away. Total surprise to find a campground about 8 miles north of I-10 in Deming and it was also one of the Passport America discount campgrounds. After consulting the DW which I always do, I like be able to share the blame just in case it is a real dump. Sorry for letting out a trade secret men but I think the wives allready know that little trick.
The campground was named Hidden Valley, sounds real enticing maybe even romantic tucked away in a beautiful valley watching the sun set behind the surrounding mountains. Let me assure you Hidden Valley does indeed live up to all we envisioned. Getting there is the problem. It is 8 miles north, 3 miles of nice smooth paved road then 5 miles of dusty, dirty, bumpy dirt road with maximum speed of 15 mph. After what seemed like hours of eating dust and no sign of life you come to a little rise in the road and there before you is Hidden Valley, a beautiful oasis in the middle of nowhere. The RV park was beautiful and well maintained, and the view would take your breath away. If your ever in the area do not over look this park it is well worth the adventure it takes to get there. The only drawback is that the back of the motor home and the car were covered in a thick layer of dust and due to limited water in the desert washing the RV is not permitted.
That evening while planning the next days trip I decided that since we were in no real hurry now would be a good time to see more of New Mexico. I discovered that Highway 180 would take us north the length of the state and pick up I-40 at Winslow AZ, Of course you know of Winslow through that great Eagles song, Take it Easy. This route would take us over the mountains in central New Mexico and on to Williams AZ where would would camp for a couple of days and explore the Grand Canyon. Sounds great, right, but hold on one little detail was overlooked. I totally forgot to consult the God of Fate.
The next morning the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky the temperature in the mid 70's, a perfect day. 1-80 was a smooth and wide, the mountains calling us to come and enjoy natures beauty. O what evils lurk in them mountains. The first few hours were filled with jaw dropping beauty. Then we started to climb, twist and turn, the road got narrow and the speed dropped to a crawl. DW decided that the thinner air of the elevation, the exhausting beauty of the scenery and the rocking motion of the motor home made for a perfect time to nap, so off to the bed she goes. Though the drive had turned tough I am enjoying the views, the aspen trees which had started change color and the tall ponderosa pines.
Here comes fate. In the middle of the Gila National Forrest topping the mountain at 7,000 ft a warning light came on. Being that replacing an engine in the motor home is $15-20,000. I don't take chances and pull over as soon as the light shows up. Luckily 1 mile from the time the light came on was a scenic overlook with room to stop. As I exited to inspect the engine I couldn't help but to pause long enough to take in the view. We were at the crest of the mountain overlook, a beautiful endless valley. Wish I had thought to take a picture to share but at that moment I was just a little distracted. When I reach the rear of the motor home which being a diesel pusher has the engine in the back, I was assaulted by a spray of hot water. After having my hand scalded by the water while opening up the engine compartment I discovered a steady stream coming from a hole in the plastic overflow tank for the radiator. For those that are not familiar with the overflow tank, every vehicle has one it acts a reservoir for radiator. As the water heats up it expands and the tank provides a place for the water to be held until it is cooled and then returned to the radiator. That's a simplified version but you get the picture.
We are now 40 miles from the nearest town and unable to drive the motor home in this condition. After consulting the DW it was decided that I would disconnect the car and drive to town and pick up something to patch the hole while she guarded the motor home. A 40 mile trip through the mountain, even in a car, is at least an hour each way but it sure is a beautiful drive and at this time I'm not to worried, we have plenty of time and once fixed we will just have to spend the night in Winslow and lose a day but we're still in no hurry so no problem. Springerville, AZ is a very small town but luck was with me and there was one auto parts store. Then the luck ran out. After consulting with the clerk who informed me that overflow tanks are made of polyethylene which can not be repaired. Seems all adhesiveves are made of a chemical which will not stick to polyethylene and if applied will dissolve the tank. Not having the DW available to consult with (share the blame) I made an executive decision and purchased an epoxy just to try in case the clerk was wrong. Also purchased a couple of highly overpriced gallons of antifreeze to replace what boiled out.
On the way back the wind picked up the clouds rolled in, the tempture dropped and the rain started, the weather can change very quickly in the mountains. By the time I got back the motor home the wind was blowing about 40mph the rain was blowing sideways and the motor home was rocking like it was ready to sail off the cliff. The beautiful valley view had turned ugly. Having lived in Florida where it's always warm there I was is a cold wind driven rain with no jacket trying to make repairs that couldn't be done with a product not suited for the job. When using epoxy it is necessary to mix together the resin and the hardner, after mixing you have very limited time to apply it before it hardens into a concrete like blob. With teeth chattering and hands shaking due to the cold and rain I manage to apply a over sized glob which appeared to be sticking. Epoxy takes at least 24 hours to totally adhere but we are not going to stay on this mountain for 25 hours.
Duct tape!!! Being somewhat of a shade tree mechanic I always keep a roll of duct tape handy after all it may not fix the problem but is helpful as a temporay fix and will get you to someone that knows what their doing. I'm not waiting, I get out my roll of duct tape and proceed to wrap the entire tank with it, right over top of my epoxy patch. Back in the warmth of the motor home feeling rather proud of my patch job and thinking with the epoxy and the duct tape as backup support I'll give it an hour before heading down the mountain to Springerville. We decided that I'd drive the motor home and the DW would follow just in case the patch didn't hold. DW was supposed to stick close to the bumper and watch for water squirting out the back. Away We go!
We made it! At last on level ground in Sprinerville I pull in to a small shopping center just as the warning light came on, guess the patch didn't hold but just long enough. At least here we have phone and Internet available so looks like I'm doing a good job of kicking fate's butt. On line we search for a nearby RV park where we can setup get comftortable while I explore our option for a permanent fix. After an extensive online search the only RV park available was located less the 1 mile away. It's dark, raining, cold and I'm tired so any port in a storm. At this time it does not matter what the park looks like as long as they have hook up. It's late so after I'm exhausted so it's just dinner and to bed, we'll worry about repairs in the morning. Stay tuned more to come in Part3
Finally out of Texas. I have never explored New Mexico, like most travelers I have passed through many times on I-10 or I-40 with the only stops being for gas. Never gave the state much thought and what I did was limited to how barren it was with a few small dusty desert towns which never seemed very welcoming.
When traveling in a car through New Mexico typically I would drive 70-80 MPH, windows rolled up and the air conditioning blasting away. Nothing to see and no reason to stop, New Mexico takes about 3-4 hours to pass through by car and if you fill up before entering there is no reason to stop, not even for gas. When in a motor home the rules all change. It's about an 8 hour trip and stopping for gas is required.
About half way across the state I found it necessary to stop for gas in the town of Deming. Deming is basically a wide spot in the road with the over priced gas, and a few fast food restaurants along with a few residents surviving in weather beaten small house or mobile homes all of which had seen better days which were so far behind them few people even remember those days.
Now it's late afternoon and if we continue driving the closest town of any size is Tucson AZ. which is about another 6 hours away. Total surprise to find a campground about 8 miles north of I-10 in Deming and it was also one of the Passport America discount campgrounds. After consulting the DW which I always do, I like be able to share the blame just in case it is a real dump. Sorry for letting out a trade secret men but I think the wives allready know that little trick.
The campground was named Hidden Valley, sounds real enticing maybe even romantic tucked away in a beautiful valley watching the sun set behind the surrounding mountains. Let me assure you Hidden Valley does indeed live up to all we envisioned. Getting there is the problem. It is 8 miles north, 3 miles of nice smooth paved road then 5 miles of dusty, dirty, bumpy dirt road with maximum speed of 15 mph. After what seemed like hours of eating dust and no sign of life you come to a little rise in the road and there before you is Hidden Valley, a beautiful oasis in the middle of nowhere. The RV park was beautiful and well maintained, and the view would take your breath away. If your ever in the area do not over look this park it is well worth the adventure it takes to get there. The only drawback is that the back of the motor home and the car were covered in a thick layer of dust and due to limited water in the desert washing the RV is not permitted.
That evening while planning the next days trip I decided that since we were in no real hurry now would be a good time to see more of New Mexico. I discovered that Highway 180 would take us north the length of the state and pick up I-40 at Winslow AZ, Of course you know of Winslow through that great Eagles song, Take it Easy. This route would take us over the mountains in central New Mexico and on to Williams AZ where would would camp for a couple of days and explore the Grand Canyon. Sounds great, right, but hold on one little detail was overlooked. I totally forgot to consult the God of Fate.
The next morning the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky the temperature in the mid 70's, a perfect day. 1-80 was a smooth and wide, the mountains calling us to come and enjoy natures beauty. O what evils lurk in them mountains. The first few hours were filled with jaw dropping beauty. Then we started to climb, twist and turn, the road got narrow and the speed dropped to a crawl. DW decided that the thinner air of the elevation, the exhausting beauty of the scenery and the rocking motion of the motor home made for a perfect time to nap, so off to the bed she goes. Though the drive had turned tough I am enjoying the views, the aspen trees which had started change color and the tall ponderosa pines.
Here comes fate. In the middle of the Gila National Forrest topping the mountain at 7,000 ft a warning light came on. Being that replacing an engine in the motor home is $15-20,000. I don't take chances and pull over as soon as the light shows up. Luckily 1 mile from the time the light came on was a scenic overlook with room to stop. As I exited to inspect the engine I couldn't help but to pause long enough to take in the view. We were at the crest of the mountain overlook, a beautiful endless valley. Wish I had thought to take a picture to share but at that moment I was just a little distracted. When I reach the rear of the motor home which being a diesel pusher has the engine in the back, I was assaulted by a spray of hot water. After having my hand scalded by the water while opening up the engine compartment I discovered a steady stream coming from a hole in the plastic overflow tank for the radiator. For those that are not familiar with the overflow tank, every vehicle has one it acts a reservoir for radiator. As the water heats up it expands and the tank provides a place for the water to be held until it is cooled and then returned to the radiator. That's a simplified version but you get the picture.
We are now 40 miles from the nearest town and unable to drive the motor home in this condition. After consulting the DW it was decided that I would disconnect the car and drive to town and pick up something to patch the hole while she guarded the motor home. A 40 mile trip through the mountain, even in a car, is at least an hour each way but it sure is a beautiful drive and at this time I'm not to worried, we have plenty of time and once fixed we will just have to spend the night in Winslow and lose a day but we're still in no hurry so no problem. Springerville, AZ is a very small town but luck was with me and there was one auto parts store. Then the luck ran out. After consulting with the clerk who informed me that overflow tanks are made of polyethylene which can not be repaired. Seems all adhesiveves are made of a chemical which will not stick to polyethylene and if applied will dissolve the tank. Not having the DW available to consult with (share the blame) I made an executive decision and purchased an epoxy just to try in case the clerk was wrong. Also purchased a couple of highly overpriced gallons of antifreeze to replace what boiled out.
On the way back the wind picked up the clouds rolled in, the tempture dropped and the rain started, the weather can change very quickly in the mountains. By the time I got back the motor home the wind was blowing about 40mph the rain was blowing sideways and the motor home was rocking like it was ready to sail off the cliff. The beautiful valley view had turned ugly. Having lived in Florida where it's always warm there I was is a cold wind driven rain with no jacket trying to make repairs that couldn't be done with a product not suited for the job. When using epoxy it is necessary to mix together the resin and the hardner, after mixing you have very limited time to apply it before it hardens into a concrete like blob. With teeth chattering and hands shaking due to the cold and rain I manage to apply a over sized glob which appeared to be sticking. Epoxy takes at least 24 hours to totally adhere but we are not going to stay on this mountain for 25 hours.
Duct tape!!! Being somewhat of a shade tree mechanic I always keep a roll of duct tape handy after all it may not fix the problem but is helpful as a temporay fix and will get you to someone that knows what their doing. I'm not waiting, I get out my roll of duct tape and proceed to wrap the entire tank with it, right over top of my epoxy patch. Back in the warmth of the motor home feeling rather proud of my patch job and thinking with the epoxy and the duct tape as backup support I'll give it an hour before heading down the mountain to Springerville. We decided that I'd drive the motor home and the DW would follow just in case the patch didn't hold. DW was supposed to stick close to the bumper and watch for water squirting out the back. Away We go!
We made it! At last on level ground in Sprinerville I pull in to a small shopping center just as the warning light came on, guess the patch didn't hold but just long enough. At least here we have phone and Internet available so looks like I'm doing a good job of kicking fate's butt. On line we search for a nearby RV park where we can setup get comftortable while I explore our option for a permanent fix. After an extensive online search the only RV park available was located less the 1 mile away. It's dark, raining, cold and I'm tired so any port in a storm. At this time it does not matter what the park looks like as long as they have hook up. It's late so after I'm exhausted so it's just dinner and to bed, we'll worry about repairs in the morning. Stay tuned more to come in Part3
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