Today promised another adventure to keep this blog interesting. We altered our itinerary slightly to spend 5 hours at the Ford dealer in Las Cruces, NM. It was a worthwhile stop, probably somewhat unforgettable too, as the kids learned how to play Spoons – their new favorite card game – and we had a delicious Mexican lunch from Dick's Cafe. Oh, of course, there’s a little more to the story than that! Let me start the story back at Greg’s pre-trip “toy” purchases. He bought a scan gauge which constantly gives him engine feedback. Today it was the battery voltage that particularly concerned him – as it wasn’t registering a full charge. So he heads to the closest Ford dealer service shop, and just as he pulls up to the service bay, the engine dies. We left, finally, with a new alternator. So without Greg’s fancy new gadget, “We would have been stuck on the side of the road, I guarantee it,” stated Greg.
Surprisingly we were still able to get to our destination – Carlsbad Caverns. We made it jus
t in time to watch their famed “bat flight” where thousands of bats leave the cavern for their nightly meal. We’re really glad to have seen it, but it was not as impressive as we were expecting. The constant stream of bats looked like flickering dots against the mouth of the cave, and could be seen better against the evening sky. (Photography is prohibited - see attached postcard.)
We’re staying the night at Carlsbad RV and Campground. It’s hard to have much of an opinion of it in the dark, though from what I can see of it, I’m glad it’s a short visit.
Food for thought:
- Who besides Greg knows the current reading of their car battery?
- Why did we receive erroneous directions to the airport instead of the Ford dealer … was it fate telling us to call it quits?
- Has Jeremy’s desire to not be on this trip really put a curse on us?
- How many “one more things” will Greg allow before he turns around and heads home?
- What is in store for us next?
Surprisingly we were still able to get to our destination – Carlsbad Caverns. We made it jus
t in time to watch their famed “bat flight” where thousands of bats leave the cavern for their nightly meal. We’re really glad to have seen it, but it was not as impressive as we were expecting. The constant stream of bats looked like flickering dots against the mouth of the cave, and could be seen better against the evening sky. (Photography is prohibited - see attached postcard.)We’re staying the night at Carlsbad RV and Campground. It’s hard to have much of an opinion of it in the dark, though from what I can see of it, I’m glad it’s a short visit.
Food for thought:
- Who besides Greg knows the current reading of their car battery?
- Why did we receive erroneous directions to the airport instead of the Ford dealer … was it fate telling us to call it quits?
- Has Jeremy’s desire to not be on this trip really put a curse on us?
- How many “one more things” will Greg allow before he turns around and heads home?
- What is in store for us next?
Don't give up. We went on several long road trips where things didn't go right with the car (or truck) in spite of clogged fuel filters and a manifold that kept coming apart all across Western Canada we still had great trips. These were new vehicles, too.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the good with the bad..all are memories you will all cherish together. Do you scrapbook? These journals are invaluable--keep it up! We are doing a similiar journey in 3 weeks, have been planning for 6 months and cannot wait...our final destination is California. Enjoy every minute. I am really enjoying reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you the battery level in the motorhome for both the coach and engine. Does that count? Greg you should remember sitting on the roadside in Montana (I think) then being towed by a big desiel pusher up a real steep grade because of vapor lock.
ReplyDeleteHope Day 7 is a lucky one!