A Doozy of a Vacation & Road Trip
While the vacation itself it was great, but getting there and back was the road trip from hell. AGAIN. Seems like everytime we take a vacation it turns into this kind of adventure. Never a dull moment. Well, maybe while sitting on I40.
Okay everyone runs across road construction during a road trip, but let me tell you, on Interstate 40, they take that construction to a new level. We spent one and one half hours sitting on the highway between more semi-trucks than I’ve seen in years. Yep, I-40 across New Mexico and Arizona is the trucker’s highway.
On the vacation and road trip out to Arizona the heat was a stifling 95 degrees or more, who would have expected that in September? Not us. But the night was cool when we stopped in a great campground in Gallup, New Mexico on our way to Williams, Arizona. Our friends had purchased a cabin in the area and we wanted to check it out. A good place to rest and recharge, or so we thought. The plan had been in place before COVID19 hit. We deemed the vacation trip safe, since we travel with our truck and thirty-seven foot fifth wheel, practice social distancing, and wear our masks.
KOA campground in Williams was our vacation home for six days. We traveled from there to the cabin where we played Disk (Frisbee) golf and visited. There is more to the game than throwing a Frisbee. In our younger years, hubby and I tossed a mean Frisbee. Yet the modern disks and the course was challenging to say the least. No campfire s’mores due to fire ban restrictions. But lots of fun, hot dogs, burgers, great food and good times.
Now the return trip to Colorado. We hopped back on I40 (should have known better) but it’s the fastest way through Arizona and New Mexico. Historic Route 66 is fine and we did follow that a bit while we were in Arizona. But with a Dodge diesel 3500, crew cab, long bed, towing a 38 foot trailer, it’s a bit challenging. Anyway, back to I-40 we almost made it to Albuquerque, New Mexico when all of a sudden the interstate comes to a complete halt. Again big, long semi’s surrounded us, couldn’t see a thing. After three hours, sitting still, I googled traffic on I40 and discovered a sheriff had been shot during a routine traffic stop on Interstate 40 and the interstate was subsequently shut down. After a police chase, the perpetrator was arrested. Now you don’t run into that very often, at least we never 
had. Finally, I40 reopened and we continued on to the KOA in Albuquerque where we spent the night. It was a nice campground.
Next morning, we continued our travels toward home hoping the last leg of the trip would be uneventful. No such luck. I had a niggling feeling that fate had other ideas. As it turned out, I was right! Somewhere between Santa Fe and Raton New Mexico, the check engine warning light blinked on informing us that the **DEF system in our 2015 diesel truck had a problem needing dealer attention and the engine would shut down in one-hundred and fifty miles. It was over two hundred miles to Colorado Springs. Yep, not going to make it. Now what????
Thank goodness for AAA. But I only had regular membership not for towing a large fifth wheel trailer and one ton truck. But the customer service could upgrade our membership over the phone, but same day expedited service was another matter. Yep, saw money rushing out of our bank account. We got all that done, with the help of my credit card. The next obstacle came in the form of finding a tow company with a heavy haul capability. AAA dispatch got right on it, but it was a few hours before they found a tow company willing and able to come out on a Sunday night with the proper equipment. Thank you Hook Towing. The tow truck driver was wonderful. When he finally arrived, we explained exactly what had happened. He was quite familiar with the DEF problem in the diesel trucks. He had an engine computer reset fix he hoped would enable us to limp truck and trailer home. Lo and behold it worked and by nearly midnight we were finally on our way again. We made it home with truck and trailer, dog, parrot and turtle. Life took off again at 5:30 A.M., Monday morning at break-neck speed. No rest for the wicked, I guess. Not that I consider us wicked, just say’n I’m damn tired of this rat race, especially when the rats are winning.
Hope you enjoyed my account of our recent road trip. Tell me about your adventures in 2020. Do you cringe at the beginning of each month wondering what new catastrophe will befall us. Or keep a smile on your face and hope for the best? Me, I’m trying to stay positive. I positively want 2020 gone. I recently saw a cartoon with the stay-puff marshmallow man (from Ghostbusters) stomping through cities. I had to laugh. Is that what’s next for us? LOL
** DEF is sprayed into the exhaust stream of diesel vehicles to break down dangerous NOx emissions into harmless nitrogen and water. This system is called Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and can be found on 2010 and later model year trucks and many diesel pickups and SUVs. This system can be problematic. Always us high quality DEF products, since all are not the same.
If you are looking for an exciting read full of adventure, time travel, magic and witches. Check out my new release HIDDEN GYPSY MAGIC, available for pre-order. Reserve your e-book from Amazon at a special price only $3.99, limited time! #fantasy https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Gypsy-Magic-Witchs-Journey-ebook/dp/B08FXBNLW5
The Salem Wildlife Sanctuary is Gwen Taylor’s life work. Her Irish Gypsy heritage provides a hidden talent she uses to help the creatures under her care. But even her magical skills can’t help new rescues in dire need of veterinary care.
The opportunity of signing on as the vet for Gwen’s sanctuary dropped into Brock Scutter’s lap after he expanded his practice to include wildlife. The personal attraction he and Gwen experience is undeniable the more their professional and personal lives collide.
Touring the only “non-haunted” house in Salem they both feel a spark of magic. A trip to his family’s cabin uncovers a heritage he didn’t know existed. If they want a future together, it means facing the consequences of awakening hidden Gypsy magic and a race against the clock to correct past wrongs.
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Posted in My Say What Blog and tagged Arizona, camping, DEF Fluid, Frisbee golf, KOA, New Mexico, Road Trip from Hell, RVIng, USA Campground, vacation by Tena Stetler with 16 comments.
Lake Vallecito – A Slice of Paradise
View as we left the campground
I have been MIA for ten glorious days, along with my husband and friends from Las Vegas. Unplugged at the 5 Branches Camper Park, best kept secret on the shores of Lake Vallecito in Bayfield, Colorado. It’s near Durango in the San Juan mountains. A great camping destination I highly recommend. They serve a great breakfast on Saturday mornings. There are RV sites as well as wonderful tent sites, if you prefer roughing it. Which I don’t. Video taken from beside our campsite.
During the day, we hiked, kayaked, mountain biked and sat around along with our chow, Mystic, and parrot, Taco watching the humming birds devour our homemade
nectar at the feeder (raw sugar is the secret) Evenings we spent around a crackling campfire staring at the stars (we saw several shooting stars, yep made wishes) and eating s’mors or a slice of dump cake. No internet or very little connection, so the outside world was held at bay, for the most part.
Trail through the campground
I had to resort to writing my work in progress with a pen and notebook. How archaic. But it resulted in several pages I’m very pleased with. Yea! Now back at my computer, I type in the new sections and the creativity continues to flow. That’s a good thing!
Returning to civilization was a shock to the system, I wouldn’t have predicted. On our way back home, in heavy traffic, I might add, we stopped at The Malt Shop in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The crowd inside seemed stifling, but it could have been the heat. I have to say, the food was delicious and the chocolate shake was out of this world. We got our meal to go and ate lunch in the cool, quiet of our truck.
After temps in the 80’s and a cool breeze off the lake, ninety-five degrees was stupid hot, to coin a phrase a good friend from Las Vegas, Nevada uses when the temperatures rise above 100. Heat rose from the pavement in waves, vehicles and voices seemed louder, all adding to my discomfort. Isn’t it funny how ten days of peace and quiet can make your return to civilization and the hectic life we lead seem almost unbearable. Okay, I am exaggerating, I’m a fiction writer what do you expect, but not embellishing by much.
Taco in her carrier, enjoying breakfast outside
Back home sitting at my computer, I sift through the e-mails numbering in the hundreds (I did address them a couple times while we were in Durango, picking up supplies.); my twitter account blew up, the tweets overwhelming, edits due on my holiday book, and the deadline on my work in progress looms large. Was the ten days off worth it? You betcha! Our dog and parrot loved the vacation too.
Now back to the dump cake. Have you ever had one? They are fantastic and so easy. I’ll have a recipe for a chocolate cherry dump cake in next week’s blog part of The Wild Rose Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop. Did I mention there will be prizes? Don’t miss it. Until then, you can find me chained to my computer in an attempt to catch up. Have a great week!
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Posted in Camping, My Say What Blog, Uncategorized and tagged boating, campimg, kayaking, Lake Vallecito, relax, vacation by Tena Stetler with 3 comments.
