Williams, Gooseneck, Arches

 

Arches National Monument

06282026 - 07012026 After spending 12 days recovering from the Colorado Crud, missing a visit to San Diego and an Old Time music camp, it was time for me to hit the road again. During the 12 days, I took care of some van maintenance items; New Tires, repaired a broken gray tank valve and raised the 12V refrigerator. I decided to start with an overnight closer to home in Williams AZ, just in case I had lingering symptoms  and to shake down the changes I made.

Williams, AZ

I found a nice spot at Garland Prairie Road Dispersed Camping near the south rim of the Grand Canyon. When I left Sun City about noon it was well over 100°F. 2 1/2 hours later I was setting up camp in 75° and sunshine.  There was still plenty of time left to go get some caches and enjoy a nice hike through the 6852' park. I found 3 caches that included a nice ammo box traditional that was in honor of a grave stone. 

Completely satisfied with my refrigerator reinstallation, I set off early in the morning west to Flagstaff then north through the Navajo reservation. 

When I first planned this trip, I automatically scheduled to stay at Sunset View campground at the Navajo National Monument, but it is barely 3 hours away and I wanted to get a little more miles in, so I continued north into Southern Utah 

Gooseneck - San Juan River

Just across the state line I stopped and logged a virtual cache called Harry and Mike's Place near the Goulding Lodge. I drove through Monument Valley on the highway that is in the movie Forest Gump, the scene where he stops running. 

I was not sure what to expect when I arrived at the Gooseneck State Park campground  hoping that there was an open campsite. There were probably 8 designated sites and I was only the second camper there. There was a steady stream of visitors throughout the day because the view of the Gooseneck canyon was breathtaking and I was camped right on the edge of the canyon. The San Juan River twists and turns through sinuous 'goosenecks' as it flows toward Lake Powell traveling over 6 miles while it advances to the west only 1 mile.  Well worth going off the beaten path to see the 1,000 feet between the overlook and the river, 300 million years of geology is revealed in the layers exposed by erosion. (GC5H9T9)

I got set up and took a long walk to get the two regular caches near the canyon. There was also a EarthCache and a Virtual cache at the visitor's overlook. So 4 smileys and a $10 campsite, throw in a beautiful sunset and a more exciting moon rise. Life is good. 

I stayed up late watching the sky, using some of the things I learned at RMSS, and tried to capture a photo of the red moon rising.  In the morning, I wanted to get an early start, but it was hard to stop staring at the views. I was able to get everything ready before 10am, but the van would not start!  I mean it was like the battery was dead. Fortunately, I have a VIKING 1000 Peak Amp Multifunction Jump Starter and Power Pack with 150 PSI Air Compressor.  I had to google how to jump start the van, because the battery is under the driver floorboard. After several minutes of purposely keeping calm, I was able to jump start. I got my multimeter out and verified it was charging and let it run for about 30 minutes. It started right up after that. I must have left something on that drained the power overnight, I don't know. I'll keep an eye on it. I set my GPS to Arches National Monument, 2 1/2 hours away and headed out of the Gooseneck. 

South Window - Arches National Monument

After a quick stop at the visitors center, I decided on the Windows arch hike. I spent about 3 1/2 hours at the park and barely scratched the surface of all there is to see. The hike was pleasant but the air quality was bad due to fires to the west.  Still there was plenty of activity on the trails and viewing areas.  The parking lots were crowded but not full which made for a very fun and quick visit. Centrally located in Utah, I'm sure I will have the opportunity to return during my future trips.  I pulled into Green River State Campground just before 1700, where I can dump my gray tank and get in a shower. I monitored my startup battery all day and it started fine the next morning. I thought about getting it tested, but it seems to be working normally.  Next stop Spirit Lake for the 4th of July weekend. 

Here is my Photo Stream thanks for visiting. 

Rocky Mountain Star Stare (RMSS) 2026

 

Messier 13 (M13) Globular Cluster

060926 - 061426 Rocky Mountain Star Stare (RMSS) is an annual star party sponsored by the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society that is held every summer for 30 years. So how di I hear about it, you ask? Well, on the Built-to-Go podcast of course! Hosted by Jeff Wagg of the College of Curiosity. Jeff’s weekly podcast features everything and anything about van life including events and places to visit. Jeff is a member of the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society and told everyone about the RMSS during one of his episodes. So I signed up months in advance and it is finally here. I really didn’t know what to expect other than I knew there would be camping in a big open area and I would meet Jeff Wagg. 

Jeff Wagg

After leaving Yucca State Campground I stopped at Loves to fill my propane tank, then headed up to the coordinates provided by RMSS. I recognized Jeff as I was pulling into the registration building and he directed me to where the Van Life followers were parking. Figured out later that it was the members area. I was honored to set up right behind Jeff's truck camper. 

There was nothing on the agenda the first day. I met all of Jeff's friends and the other Van Lifers that follow the Built-to-go podcast. We had hotdogs & drinks over with Yogi’s then later, around sunset one of the CSAS members, Bruce Bookout, conducted a opening presentation and someone set up a big telescope and showed us the moons of Jupiter! I was amazed and soaked in the presentation. We learned about the anti-solar on the east horizon; Earth's shadow / the "dark segment" and the "Belt of Venus".   Scientists explain this as the Earth's actual shadow projected onto our atmosphere. Over the years there have been folk lore and symbolism such as, the soft, glowing pink arc separating the dark night from the bright sky was likened by astronomers to this legendary ribbon of grace wrapped elegantly across the horizon and The Magic Cestus: The name directly alludes to the Cestus (a beautifully embroidered girdle, sash, or breast-band) worn by Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty.  

As the sun set, the Astrometers worked on setting up their equipment in designated areas in the middle of all the campers. A strict "Red Lights Only" policy went into effect at Sunset. No other lights allowed to preserve the night sky viewing. 

I volunteered at the greeting table and directed campers arriving on Friday and Saturday. I find that volunteering is a good way to meet other people and for newbies like me to ask a lot of questions.  Friday night I spent 3 hours with 2 members that I was on watch with. They showed me their smart telescopes and we set them up with a tablet and zoomed in on some star clusters far away. The first image on this blog is one we took that night. 

Our group would usually meet in the evening at the observing area after dark and discuss the stars, sky and anything else there was to discuss.  There were presentations by people from NASA about Catching Astronauts, Recovery of the Crew of Artemis II and their Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) Mission. There was other presentations including Mystery and Majesty in the Northern Skies. There was always something going on at the main building, which was the only building. 

The weather was fabulous until Saturday, we had some clouds, heavy winds and some light rain. Sunday morning Jeff was gone early but left a nice note on the discord. I was packed up and out by 1000. I stopped to dump my gray tank at the state campground then headed west through southern Colorado. 

Chimney Rock

I stayed at Ute Campground near Chimney Rock National Monument that I visited in the morning before heading out of Colorado. 

Just before entering Arizona I stopped at the Yucca House National Monument a  unexcavated archaeological site, based around an ancestral Puebloan settlement. The site was on a farm over by an old barn with a circle driveway. There was a walkway and trail that takes you right up to the ruins, an old brick-like wall that was first written about in 1878 then was made a National Monument in 1919. Read more about Pueblo settlements here. 

I stayed the night at the Sunset View Campground at the Navajo National Monument. Feeling kind of crummy, like I had a cold, I just stayed in the van and headed home the next morning, ending my 46 day trip. Total Miles 6856.7 average speed 47 mph, 17.8 mpg, Travel Time 145 hours

RMSS Photos

Ute CG Colorado photos

Toadstool Geologic Park

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060626 Toadstool Geologic Park is noted for its unusual geological formations, some in the shape of toadstools, and scientifically valuable fossil deposits. Located northwest corner of Nebraska.  I heard about it as a place to visit on the Built to go podcast, so I put it on my list for on my way west. The campground consists of 12 sites with picnic tables, fire rings, upright grills and two accessible vault toilets. There is no water. There were three tent campers already there when I arrived. I parked and took the campground loop trail that featured information from a very informative Earthcache GC2CHP2. The weather was cooler in the afternoon, I was ready for a nice peaceful evening sitting at the picnic table with my salad and grilled ham & cheese with tasty Hungarian peppers. 

That's when a gust of wind blew my cap off. I looked up from my meal to see a dark sky beyond the foot hills, thunderstorm to the southwest.  I looked at the weather app which showed the rain starting a 2100.

After the sun went down, I sat outside to watch the lightning and take some pictures.  It was quite the show as the storm looked like it would pass to the west. At about 2015, I went inside and cleanup my dinner mess and put on an audiobook. 

The rain started right at 2100 and the wind was rocking the van. I was just thinking about hitting the sack when I received a weather alert on my phone. There was a link to a Nebraska Special Weather Statement that warned wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny sized hail. I stepped outside to determine the wind direction in case I need to move the van, thinking I would be ok with 50 mph head on but not broadside. The wind was coming right at my port side and the other campers were gone! I packed up and got out of the area. I ended up in Crawford NE, about 20 miles southeast. I found a place to camp at the city park. Crawford City Park Campground. 

I probably would have been fine if I stayed at Toadstool. I guess I will never know. Crawford was peaceful and there was no wind to speak of. I may have over reacted but I live to camp another day. 

👀👀👀👀Here a link to the rest of the photos.  👀👀👀👀👀

Thanks for visiting. 

Vanning the gulf coast.

 

Perfect Spot

Fairview-Riverside State Park Campground - Madisonville, LA

Tchefuncte River 

051326 I left Humble with my eye on a dispersed camping area along the interstate in Louisiana, not sure what I was getting into my plan b was a State park above Lake Pontchartrain and New Orleans. I stopped for a break and a geocache at the Sabine River Rest Center just across the border of Texas. There was convenient parking and a nice park with a boardwalk that went over the river. While I was hunting the cache I saw my first alligator just swimming around near the bank. Back on the road, had already decided to try the state park so  passed the turn off to the dispersed camping area. I pulled into the park at 1815, the office was closed so I picked a small tent site and set up for an overnight. The park had a nice swamp trail, boardwalk, so I took a nice walk in the morning before pulling out. 

Meaher State Park Campground - Spanish Fort, AL

Great Egret & Alligator

051426  It was less than 3 hours from my next campground in Alabama, so I stopped and took a break at the Jackson County rest area. This place had designated spaces just for overnighters and one was right near Nana’s Perch geocache. I was not overnighting, but I did go find the cache and made lunch. I made it to the campground in Alabama before 1600 and found my space. I was in the new part of the campground, no trees, just asphalt pads. Brand new shower house built off the ground. The humidity was probably 75% but there was a nice ocean breeze off Ducker Bay. After getting parked I was ready for a walk and some geocaching. I strolled the boardwalks, saw Great Egret, Alligators, and found all the hides in the park. I felt much better about the place after my walk. In the morning I had a really nice shower and went to Waffle House for breakfast. Today I will travel the pan handle of Florida to a campground in Georgia. 

Eastbank Campground - Bainbridge GA

Space #50 Eastbank CG

051526 - 051726  I did not book a space online because they require a minimum of 2 days, so I thought I would just change it and have a drive through before I pick a space. But when I arrived I was informed that even in person, there is a 2 day minimum. The attendant let me drive through and pick my space and I got it for 2 days. Turns out it was a really nice spot so I ended up staying for both days and I was able to move the dates for my next reservation. I got the nearest geocache at the entrance to the park, the only other one was an Earthcache. I had a nice ride on my bike down by the dam. 

Jim Woodruff Dam

Lake Seminole was produced by the construction of the Jim Woodruff dam and is the result of the water flow coming in from the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers. The Florida and Georgia state line runs north to south along the middle of the Chattahoochee River, then turns east just before the dam. North of the Dam is the Central Time Zone, south of the Dam is the Eastern Time Zone. So the water of Lake Seminole takes an hour to flow through the dam 😁. 

I ended up having a very nice stay before I moved to another campground on the other side of the lake.

Three Rivers State Campground - Snead FL

Gators

051726 - 051926 It was a short drive over to the campground in Florida. I stopped at Piggly Wiggly for groceries on the way. This space was not like my last, it was an accessible site right in the middle of the park. This is why I like picking my site after arriving. I got set up and went for a walk along the lake. No geocaches allowed on Florida State Parks but they did have nice walking and riding trails. I walked about 4 mikes on the first day and rode about 7 miles on the 2nd day. I did not see any Gators here. The three rivers referenced in the name are Chattahoochee River, Flint River and Apalachicola River below the dam. I updated the stickers on my water bottle to include Alabama, Florida and Georgia. I will be nice to stay at Camp Carla for the rest of the week. My Photos of Vanning the gulf coast

Gulf Coast of Texas

 

Magnolia Beach, TX

I had an uneventful overnight at the rest area, got an early start towards the Gulf Coast. When I was looking for a place to camp, I found dispersed camping at  Magnolia Beach  so I made sure I went to check it out. The beach faces northeast on Magnolia Bay. There were quite a few places to park and camp. It looked like all the others parked on the beach were fishing. I didn't trust what I read online, so I booked a county campground up the coast, but this place would have worked fine. I parked on the beach and made lunch and then took a quick walk down to a virtual cache at the end. 

Quintana Beach

Quintana Beach County Park is right on the coast and right next to Freeport LNG Propane where they process deliver and transfer to ships. There were very large ships coming and going the whole time I was there.  After dark, their deck lights lite up the whole campground. 

I enjoyed the weekend walking on the beach and riding the Jangurandi and finding the geocaches in the area. The was a geocache right in the park, only about 400' from my space. I went out to the Quintana jetty and talked to locals fishing. They were catching "Speckled Trout" about 16 to 20 inches.  This really put me in a Jimmy Buffett mood, "get jalost in the reggae mon and walk along the beach."  

👀Here is a link to my Photos. 👀

Quintana Beach

Jagurandi

 

San Antonio Mission vs Midland Rockhounds

Nelson Wolff Stadium.

050826 Well, when I left the campground, I wanted to make sure I had a full tank after the game so I pulled into a place called Buc-ees, a well-known huge gas station in the south. I mean they got hundreds of gas pumps and they make all there treats right there in the store. There was a virtual cash there where you had to take a picture of the beaver known as Buc-ee. I got all gassed up provisioned and hit the road, Like I said, I took my time in the morning so by the time I got on the road it was well the past 1400. I had only an hour and 20 minute drive to the stadium. 

Fanny pack giveaway

I pulled into the stadium, there was already half a parking lot full of people and they had their chairs out at the gate.  What’s going on I thought maybe they are the staff or something I parked but I stayed in a van. There was still more than 3 hours before first pitch. I kept watching or more people got in line with lawn chairs and drinks as if they’re gonna be there for a while. When I pulled in, there was a sign that said $12 for parking, but there was nobody there to take the money so after about an hour I looked up and there was a guy there with a remote scanner, taking money for parking so I got out of the van and I walked up to him and explained that I came in early and there was nobody here to take the money so I offered to pay the $12, but he just waved me off and said you're good. I asked him why is everybody waiting at the gate? He said there is a giving away to the first 4000 people and I’m thinking wow 4000 could be a crowded game so I looked up online to find out that the gates open at six an hour before the game so 6 o’clock, I got out of my van I’ve gotten in line. I really didn’t care if I got something free, but I got in line and I got through the gate and I got a free fanny pack that says San Antonio Mission on it. There was a big crowd, probably a sell out. Attendance 5,562. 

The first thing I wanted to do was get a hat and a sticker, but that was a really long line for the Team store and it was a

Ballapeño

pretty small Team store so I figured I’ll come back later in the game, so I went and got hotdog and a beer found my seat. The time went quick waiting for the game to start, I watched Ethan Salas, the Padres #1 prospect, warming up outside of the dugout where they had a pitching machine and he was standing probably about 30 feet  taking really fast pitches.  Had a nice high school choir sing the national anthem and we were ready for baseball. 

The Mission got out to an early lead off on a 2 RBI double in the 2nd and a pair of RBI singles in the 3rd. The Rockhounds score 1 in the 4th and 3 in the 5th to get within 1 run,  but the home team answered with 2 more in the bottom of the 5th and add on with 1 more in the 7th and keeping the Midland off the board through the 9th. Final score 8 to 4. Weather 78 degrees, Cloudy, game time 2:28. It was a good home win in front of a large crowd. I did go to the team store in the 6th inning. 

I made it out of the ballpark in good shape and hit the road south towards the Gulf of Mexico. I pulled into Live Oak Rest Area Southbound for an overnight.   Here is a link to my shared photos. Thanks for visiting 😀

Missions Win!

Palmetto State Park Campground

 

Beef committee watching geocaching activities

050726 My first idea was to stay here two days I didn't realize how far away the campground is from the San Antonio baseball park. So instead of driving back here after the game, I will stay on the road.  The space I reserved was seriously slanted, I would have to raise the port side of he van more than 10" and that would require jacking up the van. Luckily the office was manned and I was able to move to another site that was more level. One thing good about Texas State Parks, they allow geocaching!  It was raining a little, about an hour before sunset, when I set out on my geocaching walk.  I was able to locate all of them except one because my phone's battery ran out. 

not really knowing where I was at, I finished the San Marcos River trail and made my way back to the campground via the Mossycup Spur. 

The campground was filling up for the weekend and by bedtime all the spaces were taken, except for the real slanted one. 

In the morning I took my time because I have all day to kill before the San Antonio Mission baseball game starts. The gates open a 1800 and it looks like I can park at the stadium. 

Here is a link to the photos I took. Thanks for visiting 

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Caverns of Sonora - Sonora Texas

 

050626 I have never heard of Sonora before, let alone the caves. I discovered this place while looking for an overnight spot between El Paso and San Antonio. Turns out that this place is a working ranch and has a living cave on the property. Officially discovered in 1955, the cave was developed and protected, then opened for tours in 1960. When I pulled in, there was only one other RV. I was greeted by Peacock calls and Turkeys on the green making their way across the campground.

I was assigned a space with 30 amp hookup and water for only $20 dollars and was informed they had a tour scheduled in an hour. So I backed into my spot, got set up and went to meet the tour.

Our tour guide Elija covered the safety details of the tour that would take us almost 2 miles, 360 stair steps down 155’ into a living cave. Off we went, a young couple from Houston and myself down onto the cave. Elija was very knowledgeable. Soon we were learning about all the different speleothem forms; Stalactite, Stalagmite, Columns, Drapery, Helictites and flowstone. Half way
down the low ceiling path opened up into a vast underground room. We were cautioned not to touch the cave walls or any speleothem, even though we were only inches away, because the oils on our fingers would destroy the formations. I never thought of a cavern being live, but it is a slow moving natural act of growing and changing.

After the big room, we continued our descent  at a slow pace. There were lights installed in sections, Elija turned them on and off as we went. We entered an area with underground pools of blue water and in one section Elija used a black light to show how some of the speleothem glowed in the dark, it was beautiful and photographs just do not show how amazing it is.

When we reached the last room, we agreed to turn off the lights and take our rest in complete absolute darkness. It was amazing how dark it was. I could not see my hand in front of my face. It was quiet too, just small cave noises.

After we were all rested we started our ascent to the surface, I assumed we would just retrace our steps, but we took a totally different way up, saw more of the cave and it seemed to me there were not as many steps going up.

We emerged about 200 yards from where we went in, right next to the gift shop. Imagine that! I bought a shot glass, post cards and of course stickers. Oh and some home made fudge.

I got all the questions for the Earth Cache from Elija and posted my find. After I ate dinner, I stepped out to take a walk and saw the wild turkeys again showing off their feathers and I could hear the peacock over by the gift shop squawking “fuuuuudge, more fuuuudge.”

I left at 1000 on the dot and used the dump station at the rest stop off I-10 in Sonora, then headed east towards San Antonio.

Here is a link to my Photo Album. 

Washoe Lake and Gemfield Road Nevada.

 

Washoe Lake 

042326 - 042426 The drive from Oregon,  through Shasta to Carson City took a little over 6 hours. I arrived at Washoe Lake State Park Campground with plenty of time to get settled  and take a walk before the sun went down. You could tell it had been raining and there were still some angry looking clouds over Mt. Rose to the west. Made for a  beautiful background for camping.  The air was crisp but the forecast said sunny 🌞, so after a nice walk and two geocaches, I decided that I would stay an extra night. 

 

Feral Horses in the camp

In the morning while I was making my breakfast a herd of horses visited the campground. They grazed their way right through my site. I was thinking that someone left the gate open, but no, turns out this is an open range and they are a wild Mustangs. A local I talked to on the beach said "they are more farel than wild." They don't mind being around you but they do not like to be approached,  

According to Gemini Ai, The Virginia Range: This 40-mile mountainous area stretches between Carson City and Reno. You can frequently spot them along the trails on the east side of Carson City, near Industrial Way, or occasionally wandering into historic spots like Virginia City.  Here is an interesting article about the BLM roundup program and local advocacy efforts to protect and preserve the wild herds.  

Gemfield Road Dispersed Camping

It was really nice to skip a day of driving and relax. Saturday I took off late morning and found a Krogers in Carson City then I headed south. Roughly 5 hours later I arrived at Gemfield Road Dispersed camping just north of Goldfield NV.  I drove in about 2 mile and found a empty site great view of the valley and surrounded by Joshua Trees. I even saw more wild mustangs.  Gemfield road continues on to Gemfield Nevada Chalcedony, renowned for harboring what is believed to be the largest deposit of gemstone-quality chalcedony in the continental US.  At almost 6000' elevation, this was a really nice boondocking spot, off the beaten path enough for privacy and not far from civilization.  Other than the wind rocking the van on occasion, I had a really nice stay and a good one to end my trip to Victoria and back.  The next day, I drove the whole 7 1/2 hours to my desert habitat.  Links to Washoe Lake and Gemfield Road shares albums.  Thanks for visiting

Raining - Fort Stevens Campground - Astoria and Oak Slope Campground - Emigrant Lake, Ashland Oregon.

 42126 - 42236  As I continued down the coast into Oregon the rain continued. I pulled into my reserved space at Fort Stevens the only break from the rain was being under the trees. No cell service.  I was really hoping to explore the area but I was not motivated to go hiking or biking in the rain.

FSSP

So instead of setting up I drove to the day used lot and connected startlink and looked at the forecast. I stayed there and made dinner and listened to the Padres game. After the game I went back to my space and hit the rack. I was out of there early and instead of continuing down the rainy coast I headed towards Salem and the I-5.

Oak Slope

Pulled into Oak Slope Campground about 1600 in the rain, but it was letting up. It got down to 38° at 2300 and the rain had stopped. Again, I headed out early because I wanted to make Carson City before sunset.

I need to stop for a couple days, but I just don't want to do it in the rain. Looking forward to Nevada and doing some geocaching.

Bear Creek Campground - Port Angeles WA

 

4142026  The ferry ride back to the USA went smooth. It was a beautiful day to sail across the Straits of Juan de Fuca.Great views of the Olympics and warm temperatures. I spent most of my time out in the sunshine walking the main deck.Upon arrival, the line through U.S. Customs took about 15 minutes, but they had me pull over because they wanted to inspect my apples and oranges. So I waited in the drivers seat and didn't make any sudden moves. A long time later, the guard came up and said they only want me to put my fruit on the table, I thought they were going to search my van. So I just gave hime 2 oranges and 2 apples. Then I was free to go.

After a stop at Safeway to stock up groceries, I headed west towards Forks and found a nice quiet

campground, Bear Creek Campground just before the 101 goes south. 16 campsites located along the Sol Duc River.  The sites are free as long as you have a Washington Discover Pass.  The rain returned shortly after I arrived, but it let up enough to go out and explore down by the river. This campground was the logging site during WWI that provided the wood for the railroad. I noticed a lot of moss on the tree limbs.

On my way out the next day I stopped at the Forks visitor area, famous for have the most rain. I continued down the 101 passed Kalaloch Lodge and South Beach, which was closed. Stopped along the way for some geocaching but It rained pretty much all the way to Oregon where I pulled into Fort Stevens campground.   Here is a link to the photos I took. 

Boulder Beach Campground - Lake Mead Recreation Area - Hoover Dam

04032026 - 04052026  Popular campground for Boaters and Family Weekends. I arrived just after lunch and got all set up in space 13. The campground was pretty full which is expected for a holiday. This is a nice area for the e-bike, so I unpacked Jagurandi and took off down to the beach area. I spoke with a Park Ranger that golf-carted by and received a great introduction to the Historic Railroad Trail. You can ride all the way to the Hoover Dam and the other way, all the way into Boulder City. The Ranger gave me maps and directions. 

Ready for some supper, I returned to camp and started to make a salad. That is when I noticed the refrigerator was not staying cold. It was getting power, but the compressor was not running. After finishing my supper, I decided to give it until the morning, thinking that it will work itself out and start running. In the morning I used Ai to help me troubleshoot and through this troubleshooting process I determined the problem was a component that cannot practically be replaced. For example: start relay, overload protector, control board or a locked compressor. So I ordered a new refrigerator. To be delivered on the 7th. So I will be heading home to receive and install. But before I do that, I can last another night without the refrigerator and I still need to ride to the Hoover Dam.

At about 1400 I took off on the e-bike, a 6+ mile ride to the Dam on the Historic Railroad trail that goes through a series of tunnels where the railway delivered materials and parts for the Dam. When the building was over, the railway just rotted away until they made it into a hiking/biking trail. The ride was easy on a e-bike but it was epic nonetheless. The views were outstanding and the tour of the Hoover Dam was nice. There was a Virtual cache at the Dam site about a Dog that worked with the builders. Tragically, one day the dog was killed when a truck ran over him. There is a plaque memorial at the spot it happened. 

With the ride complete, I went and bought a bag of ice to keep cool until I return home tomorrow. In the morning, ready to pull out, I discovered all the 110V outlets were not working! Now what? To be continued………….

Here are the photos I took