Sunday, August 30, 2015

Every journey starts with the first mile



My journey to Burning Man starts now from Las Vegas, 500 miles to go
This is Sunday 5 pm, a long nights drive ahead.

Wish me luck.
I will post when I can.

Randers


Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Very busy here in Las Vegas

Lots of preparation for the Burning Man trip, leaving Saturday night after dark.

I've lived in Las Vegas for 6 years so I'm not "blogging" about Vegas, but if you've never been it looks like this:
Not my images





Tuesday, August 25, 2015

It's been a very long day..

Yesterday, (Monday) I traveled from Ensenada Mexico to Las Vegas, 435 miles towing my RV.

I started at 3:30 am, got through the Tijuana border at a little after 7 am, after a search of the RV by two border guards.
Got in line at the border

Almost there! 

On the trip from Ensenada to Tj I realized that my brake lights were not always coming on when I hit the brakes. I crossed the border and went to a Walmart parking lot in San Ysidro to try to figure it out.
Two hours later, I ended up replacing the Brake light switch under the dash, on top of the steering column, a bitch to get to. Trip to Autozone, couple screwdrivers and new switch.
It's that white piece way up there

Fuck you General Motors for you idiotic metal clips that I couldn't get to release!!

Brake lights fixed! I picked up medical prescriptions I had ordered at this Walmart, then had walmart air up all tires, some were low from sitting, temp changes, etc.
Finally left San Ysidro at around 10 am.

Stopped somewhere to catch a nap, 30 minutes then it was just to hot. Had a healthy lunch..
It's hot in there

None of these in Mexico.

I drove to San Bernardino, exited off and went to the Camping World store looking at generators, after a lot of discussion I didn't like their return policy so I skipped it. I don't think the guy I talked to knew what he was saying, but I needed to keep moving. I'll deal with generators in Vegas.

I powered through Cajon Pass, a long uphill section of 15 highway, 25-30 mph, felt like I was pulling a million pounds. :(

Yeah! It's 100 degrees and this happens.
Between Cajon Pass and Victorville a tire shredded. No idea why, I may have hit something on the road.

After putting on the spare I got a cold drink out of the fridge, sat on my RV stairs on the shaded side and contemplated life.  Turns out it's pretty good, even with a flat and 100 degrees.

After putting on the spare I tested for slop in the wheel bearings and sure enough it was a bit loose. I took the spare off, tighten the hub but then put it all back together and hit the road again. It's a little after 5 pm by now, 13 and a half hours so far.

I stopped at a single little gas station in the desert before you get to Primm Nevada, 4.79 a gallon!
Luckily I wasn't stopping for gas, just a break and to check tires.

I do love the desert! 

There was one more hurtle, there is a VERY long (many miles) uphill crawl to get to Primm. It was very hard on the truck, I started smelling the transmission running hot, probably slipping, I couldn't feel it, and it was shifting the same, but a hour of driving at 30-35 mph in third gear was rough. I stopped three times, let it cool down, then went on.

Got to Vegas, dropped the RV at my friends Russ and Isabel's house, then drove to sleep at my friends the Herman and Vondran family. 
I can't thank you enough for all the hospitality, I greatly appreciate it.
It's now 10:40 pm
It's been a very long day..

Sunday, August 23, 2015

On the road again, heading back to Las Vegas today

Burning Man starts in 7 days.
I'm heading to Las Vegas on the way to Burning Man.

My last Mexican sunset.  :(

Packed up, trailer hooked up, leaving early Monday morning.



Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Exploring on the way to San Quintin

I helped my RV neighbors move to the house they rented on the other side of Ensenada then took a drive further down the coast on Highway 1. I thought about going to San Quintin, but only got about 30 kilometers of the 100 kilometers before I decided to go home. I'll take this drive again later.

Anyway,
I started in 
Rodolfo Sánchez Taboada, B.C., Mexico
http://goo.gl/maps/gsW2c
This is just past Ensenada on highway 1.

This little town is mostly shops on highway 1, one block off the highway it turns to dirt roads.

One block away

Get your tire fixed, and have a hot dogos, how convenient.  :)

Always a meat store, lots of meat

Internet for everyone!


Lots of yellow here.


I then went on down highway 1 and ran into El Puerto, I drove off highway 1 to check out this village.

That's a lot of pants



El Puerto streets

On the road to Santo Tomas where I turned around. 
Very hilly 

A rest stop


Lots of vineyards in this area





A very nice drive, after awhile it all starts looking the same, but still a nice drive.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Fear & Loathing in Black Rock City ( Burning Man 2010 )





My first year at Burning Man, this video is my absolute favorite, shows some of the energy and crazy that is Burning Man. Thanks Blair3k for posting this video, I always watch it a few times and many more videos to get fired up for Burning Man.

Less than a month and I'll be back there for Burning Man 2015

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Exploring La Bufadora

My neighbors Gunther and Elisabeth invited me to go see the house they are about to move into near La Bufadora.
The beach at their new house, it's 6 miles long. 

The road to La Bufadora, some awesome views from up here.
Lots of fishing nets down there

La Bufadora, this is on a small peninsula about 20 miles from Ensenada.

This place has been here for a long time, they have an annual chili and salsa contest that's coming up, sounds delicious.
It's all about getting the tourists money here.
Lots of tee shirt shops
This place looks fun
Lots of leather shops


An unusual amount of rules for Mexico 
I love the native plants here, this was next to the rules sign

Nothing's free, not even pee
The "blow hole"
There she blows!