Dory transits cross country

[Native]

Originally Posted by joeblack5

So we overstayed in Sierra Vista. To late to get out thru the mountain roads. It is snowing today so we decided to stay put in a.......motel...catching up on western movies.
The day before yesterday we hung out in tombstone..went to the gun fight... And took a shot off the Earp's and doc Holiday.
The next day we putzed around in Bisbee. Did the mine tour...picked up some parts for Dory and power transistors for an inverter I blew up when I was trying to crank up the power.
Anyhow today a motel day...showers...laundry.. schoolwork..
Tomorrow I hope we can move more west. Yuma.

Ah, brings back memories. I lived in Tuscon some 30 years ago and visited Sierra Vista many times. It sure can get COLD there, to be sure. That mine tour was the first time I came face-to-face with those ultra-huge rock haulers ... the tires are taller than I am (I am 6'1"). They boggle the mind.

[joeblack5]

Sorry Plfking, the 1897 challenger was a little above my head. Had to look it up and google did find a couple of references. not sure what the significance of the 1897 was though.
Hi Native, sorry here also, only had a picture of the open mine but we went into mine shaft museum... . I have a nice pic of me3 sitting on the poop wagon at a couple of hundred feet underground... but it is on the wrong camera, maybe i will upload it later.
Finally got to plan our travel route. Going back west and then north as to stay longer in the warm weather.

This morning we decided to check out Fort Huachuca. I thought that that was also the name of fort in two mules for sister sarah. have to see it again. It has two museums. we were more interested in the intelligence side. Was fun playing with the second world war enigma machine.
To my surprise they had a military mercedes G wagon. Fun for me since I have a soft top from the Danish Army.

[plfking]

Originally Posted by joeblack5

Sorry Plfking, the 1897 challenger was a little above my head. Had to look it up and google did find a couple of references. not sure what the significance of the 1897 was though.

I typed '1879', which would have been a couple of years before the OK Corral shootout. Just my weak attempt at humor.

But I'm still enjoying all the pics of your journey across America. Keep 'em coming!

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by plfking

Is that a 1879 Challenger in the background? I bet that's worth some coin.....

Originally Posted by plfking

I typed '1879', which would have been a couple of years before the OK Corral shootout. Just my weak attempt at humor.

But I'm still enjoying all the pics of your journey across America. Keep 'em coming!

I think it still went over his head. I got it immediately.

[Native]

Originally Posted by joeblack5

This morning we decided to check out Fort Huachuca. I thought that that was also the name of fort in two mules for sister sarah. have to see it again. It has two museums. we were more interested in the intelligence side. Was fun playing with the second world war enigma machine.
To my surprise they had a military mercedes G wagon. Fun for me since I have a soft top from the Danish Army.

That also bring back memories. My friends' father worked in Fort Huachuca when I was in Tucson and later in life, my wife's department at work dealt with the intel side of Fort Huachuca.



I would love to see the intel museum ... especially that enigma machine!

[joeblack5]

Thanks for the vote of confidence marc... Well today was a bit of a challenge..pun intended. After the intel museum we drove to the intersection I10 and I8 and slept at the petrol gas station. In the morning we decided to have breakfast at their restaurant...after all we had stayed there. There was a bit of a wet spot under dory... Coolant.. .

Turned out to be the electric booster pump had a damaged seal. Lost about a gallon. Filled with water and separated the circuit with the shutoff valves.

On I8 we came again along the solana solar thermal electric plant. No visitor center but made some pics from our 2 mug hot water heater.

This was also the road to petroglyphs state park. We checked it out but did not hang to long.

Moved on to Yuma where I started to take the coolant stuff apart.

Native that enigma and the stories around it are fascinating.

[joeblack5]

Next morning in the wally parking lot we dug into Dory. Rerouted some coolant hoses to create more engine access for future problems.
Then we moved on our way to Cali sand dunes. Filled up with " cheap" diesel and stocked up at a health food store. Then a short drive on the interstate to the sand dunes. We stopped right at the exit to let the kids and dog horse around and the drove the back roads to glamis. From there we crossed the dunes . in the middle of the dunes there is an outlook point where, as we found out they were filming for a movie. We had to unhook the jeep to turn around. The film crew for louis ,universal studios I believe, did not want to advertise them filming. they refused to put a sign at the intersection as a warning because they did not want to draw attention. Pretty frustrating and rude behaviour from there point. We camped in the dunes at the camping pads south of the ranger station. Lot of ohv people with amazing and expensive equipment.

[Ronnie]

Bet the kids clothes are full of sand.... looks like fun.

[Native]

Tight squeeze in that engine comartment! I get a chuckle every time I climb to our engine compartment and stand up in it ... it is an FE.


Ah, the Great Sand Dunes National Monument ... I have had such a blast there in the past

[joeblack5]

Yes i am sure we tracked some sand along.
Note that I am not wearing black gloves there.

[Native]

Originally Posted by joeblack5

Note that I am not wearing black gloves there.

Wow!!! I thought you were!

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Native

Wow!!! I thought you were!

Kind of thought so too, but was not sure.

[JDOnTheGo]

Originally Posted by joeblack5

Yes i am sure we tracked some sand along.
Note that I am not wearing black gloves there.

How did you keep your face and hair so clean?!?!

Glad to see your having fun! Remember that, at some point, all the little issues will be resolved and you'll be driving around bored because everything just works and you have nothing to do!!

[joeblack5]

at least I did my beauty yoga. At wally was a couple with a 87 e350 rv from Iowa. They got stuck there with no spark. I was dirty so did some trouble shooting for them. The insulation of the wires from the distributor to the ign module had des-integrated probably because brake fluid leaking on top. Anyhow I guess they had been there for awhile and tried a lot because they were very surprised that it started first try after the shorted wires were untangled.
Here is my cleaned up booster pump area. JD..It is good that I did not ship that other pump to you. Would have been frustrating for you if it would have as it did so soon after. Already exercised for the day that I get bored..the coffin... My wife's idea but as you can see I am a good sport....

Back to the road... From white sands we drove to the Salton sea. Curious about the thermal mud holes. Had to ignore the tress passing sign to get close.

After that we went on to abandoned Salton city and boondocked on the beach.

[joeblack5]

At the Salton sea they were finishing up a para-sail / delta wing event. We camped in between the last 6 flyers. That flying seems to be a lot of fun.
We stayed two days and Thursday we moved to the Mecca public library.... some food supply... In the evening we ended up at a Love's at I10 . showered there in the morning and then left for Joshua Tree.
Got a national monument year pass and enlisted ourselves in their junior ranger class. Then boondocked just outside on the south side at blm land. The girls spotted a turtle. The dog was very curious about it. The next morning there was part of a rainbow looking west over I10.

[cadillackid]

cool stuff!!! you guys are hitting some really kickass places!!! love it!! some of them ive been. but many not... !!! aswesome!!
-Christopher

[joeblack5]

Hi Chris. Yes thanks. It is crazy how times fly when you are on the road.
Yesterday we ventured out in Joshua tree. Quit a long drive to get to the core of the monument. Would have been better to stay on the north side. It so to bad that these parks are so pet unfriendly. .. We managed to find a trail to the queen mine that had no mention of pets not allowed. So that was the one. Still on that trail we ran in a young couple that told us that dogs were not allowed.
Then a retired couple complimented us on our nice puppy. It was Saturday so a lot of people . A bit of a put off for us who replaced clock and calendar for a thermometer and amp hour meter aka sunshine indicator.





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[joeblack5]

The last two days we have been hanging around. Used some time to hook up the led light strips in the range hood and clean up some other wiring. We really like cooking on camp fires. That in itself is almost a family event. The girls can collect twigs and start the fire.
Our oldest and myself went for a bike ride in the direction of a 4wd canyon to see if that was feasible. Kids met some playmates.

Yesterday we re evaluated our supplies again and decided kind of staying another day and relaxing some more.
In the afternoon we took the jeep out to the thermal canyon road and Pinkham canyon road. We started at 3pm when it was cooling down and indeed needed 4wd and low most of the time. This 1986 2.1 turbo diesel jeep has only 81HP when it was new. Now with 240k miles . It was doing fine but loose sand bogs it down. The dog did not like the twisting turning and rocks. The kids were in between nervous giggles. 45 minutes in the canyon it got late and I expected it to get worse. We had a 200F engine because the electric fan was not hooked up. After I McCivered that up all was good. But we anyhow decided to turn back before we would get stuck in the dark with no backup, spares and camping equipment.

Later j

[Native]

Wow, the desert sure is pretty this time of year! I do not think I remember that many flowers along the side of the road when I lived in New Mexico and Arizona. Perhaps I never went down the right roads!

[joeblack5]

Hi Native, yes the Bloom pic was taken at the southern slope leading up to Joshua tree park.
I guess just the right moisture temperature and time. Pretty lucky for us.

Ah well and then .....we broke camp in the morning and planned to drive thru the park, go to barker dam , leave and re supply in yucca valley. On the long grade up in the park we suddenly lost power. Dory kept running but not faster then 20 mph. Stopped and checked the engine compartment expecting a broken fuel pump but no that seemed alright. Pulled a code out of the scan gauge but then I heard the vacuum cleaner blowing sound....turbo...
Checked and lucky for us the hose clamp directly on the turbo had failed in two pieced and then the rubber coupler blew off.
Engine was hot but I had a spare clamp in the storage room inside my much debated rimless spare tire. Wife could not resist making a more butty picture of my behind but I will spare you those.
Piece of cardboard on the engine to protect me from the heat and 15 min later we were back on the road.

Barker dam was beautiful and surreal and busy.
Left Joshua tree around 4 pm and appreciated a wallymart.