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..

2 comments:

  1. I am so glad you can still say it was a good day, even with all of the awful things you had to put up with. That is a wonderful way to live. I hope the rest of the trip goes well.

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  2. It's easy when you've just finished two a and a half months near a beach and not working. :)

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