Day 12

A long day it was.

We decided to try and make Ranger led hike at 0930.  It started at the visitor center near our campsite and was led by a youngish Ranger named Steve from Wisconsin.  We mostly discussed changes in the forest and various types of tree stands. We did get to see a large beaver swimming right past us as we discussed beaver lodges. I ended up carrying Harris for most of it.

We then got back in our cars and made the 1.5 hour drive over the pass to the East side of the park.  The hike we decided on was called Grinnell lake. It is about 3.5 miles each way and mostly flat, terminating in a wonderful lake with great views.  This is heavily traveled area for grizzly bears.  The children did ok.  I suspect the first hike tired them.  They did enjoy the suspension bridge that they got to cross over a rapidly flowing river.  We spent about 30 minutes at the lake.  They enjoyed drinking the lake water from this filtration straw that I bought.  We noticed that there was a group of people that had made their way to the lake from a tour boat.  I could see the kids were tired, so I decided to ask if we could have a one way ticket. This was no problem.  The problem was, I had parked the car at the trailhead, not the boat dock.  This meant I had to do the return hike by myself.  Not the best idea in grizzly country.  No worries,  I booked it back to the trail head, singing along the way, hoping to give warning to any bears that might be lurking along a blind switchback.  I only encountered one moose, who wasn't pleased with my presence, so I continued on my way.

I ended up beating the others back to the boat dock.  We piled into the car and made the drive back over the pass, stopping of rice cream along the way.  We made a stop at Logan pass again as the kids wanted to play in the snow.  We hiked halfway up and absorbed the view, while the children ran and rolled down the steep snowy hill.  To our delight the parking lot area was filled with Bighorn sheep as we got back down.  The kids were thrilled to see so many of them up close.  By the time we got back to the trailer it was 1030 PM, still daylight.

Tomorrow we steer the Endeavor back South

Day 11

I realized I might have screwed up in booking a campsite.  It occurred to me that the next 6 days of the trip have no electrical hookups.  This is really no big deal comfort wise other than the issue with running down the batteries.  Indeed the Endeavor has a battery bank that runs some essentials such as the water pump, and actuators for the fridge and water heater.  Once this run down, we will lose water, refrigeration and lighting.  This could be a real problem with 4 children.  I noticed that our campsite in Gallatin Montana does have some sites with electrical hookups.  The problem is that we booked a non electric and most of the electrical hookups are for walk up only.  The solution is to buy a small generator to charge the battery banks, so she does not encounter such a scenario.  I am not sure which I will do yet.  I must think on it.

We let the children sleep late in attempt to rejuvenate them for a new hike.  We decided on Avalanche Lake.  A hike of around 6 miles round trip.  It is a popular trail, so our late start gave rise to some parking difficulty as we were late to the party. The first part of the hike led us past a roaring snow melt river, the milky blue water washing the rocks clean and round.  The trail was quite muddy from the recent rain.  We continued to climb as it was mostly uphill.  The children only complained a little.  It was soon worth it.  The trail gave way to a meadow, which gave way to a very large snow melt lake, with the mountains towering behind it like a curtain only God could make.  It was majestic and raw and peaceful all at the same time.  The shore area was quite shallow and the children wasted no time in losing their shoes and socks and wading around. The water was ice cold, but they cared not.  They quickly made friends with a Swiss family and began playing with their children.  Amy and I took some time to take in the sights and relax, smiling at the sound of children's true laughter.  We decided to head back down the trail.  We called the children and listened to them making plans to meet up with the Swiss children.  It is always amazing to me how innocent children are, and the ease in which they interact with other children with no hate or pre-judgment.  We arrived back at the campsite fairly early, and decided to take a drive on that same dirt back road.  The improved weather improved our luck.  We witnessed a Golden Eagle in its nest feeding its young, a beaver swimming around its dam, and a mother bear with two cubs.  The children were especially thrilled with the baby bears as we watched them climb trees and play.

Tomorrow we hike in a bear infested area.

Day 10

We spent most of the day in Canada

It rained all night and was still quite cold and wet once we awoke.  We decided to change our previous plans to hike in the snow at Logan Pass, which is the highest point in the park.  The road to the pass, called "Going to the Sun Road" is known as one of the most scenic drives in North America.  It is narrow and winding with steep drop offs.  It can actually have snowstorms in conditions such as this.  We figured it would not be a pleasurable experience.

We drove around the park, which took a couple hours.  The border crossing into Canada was easy.  We proceeded into Alberta Canada and visited the Canadian side of the park.  It presented a different view of the Mountains that are equally as stunning.  We stopped at the visitor center and got some hiking suggestions.  We decided on a hike that was about 5 miles round trip and terminated in a nice mountain waterfall.  It was mostly uphill but the children, did fine.  There is something about the sound of running water that cleanses the soul.

On the way back to Montana, we took a different route.  This road traveled through an area with wild buffalo and stands of trees.  We noticed some movement on the side of the road and stopped to watch a fox trotting along, freshly killed ground squirrel hanging from his mouth.  We noticed some construction signs.  One in particular caught my eye.  It was a warning for frost heaves.  You see, up North the road can get so cold from the permafrost underneath it will actually buckle, making a course washboard in the asphalt.  They can be especially treacherous when hit at highway speeds.  The road to Alaska was littered with them, did may a damage to the Endeavor. I smiled at the memory. For a fleeting moment, I felt the pull North, the memory, sights and experiences of the day carried the memories into my consciousness.  I had the sinking feeling for a moment, that I was missing something, that wild Frontier there at my fingertips calling.  What if we just kept driving?  I wished I had the carefree spirit and enough Wanderlust to do such a thing.  Begrudgingly, we made the Right turn and steered the Endeavor back toward the border crossing.

The weather had cleared by this time and we decided to take the pass.  When we arrived on top, it was 42 degrees and windy.  Ah, but the kids had seen the snow.  Amy and I bundled up, fighting the stinging of our ears and let the kids have a couple snowball fights.  It must have been a snowy winter as the trail and boardwalk has yet to show itself.  We made our way down to the campsite where we had supper and attended a ranger program to finish out the evening.

Day 9

We woke up to cold rain.

Since it was a long day yesterday, we decided to let the kids sleep in.  Amy had gotten up early and decorated the trailer for Grants birthday.  He turns 10 today.  It is hard to believe we have been parents for a decade.  It's all a blur and I hope we are doing a good job.  Amy also made Grants requested breakfast of waffles wth strawberries and breakfast sandwiches.  Grant woke up with a big smile on his face and we ate.

We finally got on the road.  It was a nasty drive through some beautiful country.  The cold misty rain made for slick conditions and slow going.  We stopped in the town of Kalispell for lunch and some coffee.  A delicious latte was obtained from a local hipster staffed coffee establishment.  The fog obscured some magnificent views.  There has been some serious development since the last time we were through.  Perhaps Montana has been "discovered".

We arrived at our campsite on the West side of Glacier NP.  It reminded me of Seward Alaska with the fog and pines.  Grant requested to eat supper at a restaurant for his birthday.  We went to a place right outside the gates.  The food was OK but the kids enjoyed the experience. We headed back to the campsite and ha Pecan Pie an ice cream for birthday desert.  Grant opened his presents, which were a pocket knife and Pokemon cards.  He was thrilled with them.  We ate our fill and then took a drive on a back road through the park looking for bears.  We found no bear, but the road was treacherous.  We realized it was almost 10pm and headed home. It has gotten cold and we are going to bundle up and get to sleep.

I hope the weather clears tomorrow.

Day 8

Day 8

The cool mountain air led everyone to bundle up and sleep well as a result. We got up early and ate breakfast outdoors, listening to the sounds of various waterfowl as we ate.  We decided to make our way down to the lake and go for a morning hike before we left.

We turned away from the lake onto a trail that led back into the woods. It was noted to be a Nordic trail designed for winter time cross country skiing.  The hike was fantastic.  It was full of mountain flowers and had patched of meadows and trees, that coursed next to a mountain stream. The kids were thrilled with the multiple bridges and places to investigate the stream and the wildlife and plants it nourished.  We reached a turn around point and let the kids play.  I decided to go a bit further and the trail opened up to a lush meadow.  I found a tree stump and just sat and watched for a while.  The sound of nature filled my senses free of the noise pollution of civilization.  I watched a chipmunk work for a while, his hurried but purposeful movements amusing to watch.  Paying attention to my breathing, I felt many worries and stresses melt away.  I enjoyed this space for a while, then rejoined the crew to proceed back to the campsite and set course for Montana.

The drive out of the Bighorn Mountains ends up in a desert like valley that is fairly hot and desolate.  We made the turn North into Montana and found the desert giving way to lush pastures with a mountain backdrop.  It was a long drive, but relaxing as the scenery has a way of sending you deep into thought.

We arrived in Missoula late, but as we venture further North the daylight gets longer.  We noticed we had plenty of daylight left at 9:45PM.  I got the kids to bed as Amy made a grocery run. Tomorrow is Grants birthday and he has requested pecan pie instead of cake.  I will do some laundry shortly as after we leave here, we will be camping primitively in Glacier National park for several days.  The Endeavor seems to be holding up.

Day 7

I woke up and sipped by coffee at sunrise.  I again investigated the engine, and secretly hoped the problem was not terribly sinister.  I had done a little research in bed, and noticed a local car care and lube shop that had pretty good reviews.  There was not a lot to choose from in Cheyenne.  I made my way to the shop around 6 miles away and waited for it to open.  I left Amy and the kids at the campground to get the morning sorted out.

At opening an old man opened the door and greeted me, I assume he was the owner.  We made the usual small talk and explained the problem.  He said he was pretty sure that they could handle it and that the mechanic would be in shortly.  I sat in a chair and read the morning news.  Enter the mechanic.  I heard the rumble of a Harley and a youngish large man on a Harley breezed by.  He had a long pony tail in rubber bands and a bikers cut on.  I figured he would know what he was doing.  I went into the garage and introduced myself and told the story of the Endeavors powerplant.  He gave an understanding nod and went to work.  In 1 hour he returned and exclaimed he had found the problem.   We walked to the shop and he showed the me the issue.  There is a wire that feeds and auxiliary cooling fan in front of the radiator.  Over time this wire had rubbed against some metal and worn a hole in the insulation, thereby shorting the wire and blowing a fuse.  When the boiler happened it also ruined the radiator cap.  He had repaired the wire and fuse, and a new radiator cap was on the way.  The price for the diagnosis and repair was 100 dollars.   Well worth the price for the work.  The mechanic was worth his salt.  This Achilles heel type problem would have been a tough problem to find for most mechanics.

I paid the fee and headed back to the campground.  I noticed a Wal Mart with a fuel station.  I stopped to refuel but my credit card was rejected.  I went inside to find out what the deal was and all 3 credit cards and debit card were declined.  The lady gave me a look.  I went to another gas station and only one card worked.  I then began to worry someone had stolen my card info and caused a problem.  I called the credit card company and it turns out Wal Marts system was submitting the wrong security codes for each card and caused them to be frozen as it is suspicious activity.  I explained the situation and the cards were unfrozen.  I hate Wal Mart.

We then got on the road and headed up a desolate I 25 through Wyoming.  The engine ran  without problems.  We then began to climb a mountain pass into the Bighorn Mountains.  Our campsite was at a place called Siblley Lake.  We arrived to find a cheery camp host who directed us to our site.  The campsite was fantastic.  Quiet large spaces overlooked a beautiful Alpine lake.  There was a trail that led around the lake as well.  We got set up and went for an evening hike.  The children enjoyed wading in the water and climbing the log bridges across the streams that fed the lake.  We cooked corned beef and mashed potatoes for dinner and told campfire stories.

The day ended well.

Day 6

Day 6

The powerplant on the Endeavor failed today.

The day started easily enough.  We got a nice early start and headed down into Durango to dump the RV tanks and get some breakfast. The ride to Cheyenne courses over the Rockies and the Continental Divide.  This involved some spectacular scenery but also involves some harsh conditions for towing a heavy trailer.  There are long uphill grades and down hill driving that involves down shifting. The altitude also starves the motor for oxygen and really presses the limits of the vehicle.

The first part of the day went well.  We made it across the highest peak and stopped to make lunch at a park that had a scenic overlook.  It was very calm and cool.   "We are making really good time", I said out loud.  The last part of the crossing was some uphill driving and then a long downhill grade into Denver that required some engine braking.  We descended into Denver and to my horror I stared at a parking lot.  We were smack dab in the middle of rush hour traffic.  It was stop and go for many miles.  We also noticed that the Endeavors instruments showed the outside temperature to be 106 degrees.

After much grumbling and frustration, the traffic thinned.  I noticed that the temperature gauge was climbing.  I thought to myself, "It's probably just the stop and go traffic". Things did not improve.  As we coursed North, the engine began to sound louder and get hotter.  I did everything I could to keep her cool.  We coasted in neutral and gingerly limped in to a truck stop.  I opened the hood and noticed that there was coolant everywhere.  It appeared to be coming from the overflow hose.  This could represent a simple overheating episode, or a serious mechanical problem.  The other problem was that the Toyota motor requires a special coolant to be used.  This is not commonly available at a truck stop.  A quick Google search revealed an auto parts store that carried such a coolant.

We decided to risk it and attempt to limp to the store.  We set out and headed back across the highway and joined the road that would take us through Longmont Colorado and the store.  As I turned on to the road, I looked in horror as there was a line of traffic a mile long.  As the powerplant heated up steadily toward the red zone, I noticed a Wal Mart.  We quickly turned in the parking lot and parked.  I made a quick check at Wal Mart and noted no such special fluid.  Amy then came up with a great idea.  "What about Uber?"  she said.  Sure enough, a check of Uber revealed a driver 7 minutes away.  I dialed it in and sure enough a ice lady showed up and took me to the store.  The coolant was procured and I returned to open the radiator and find it almost empty.  I refilled it and off we went.

We made it to Cheyenne all seemingly OK.  We got to the campground and set up.  Amy fed the children while I got the trailer situated. The couple in the campsite next to us was on the way back from watching their son play in the College World Series.  I checked the coolant level in the motor and it was down just a bit.  I am still concerned about a leak or something more sinister.  I need to to do laundry as Cheyenne is our stop to take care of such things.  I plan on waking up early tomorrow and taking the ship in for a local mechanic to check and pressure test the cooling system.

Day 5

Day 5

In hindsight the hike was a mistake.  We decided to try something new and attempt a hike that we haven't done before.  It was called the Lower Hermosa Trail and was suggested on some websites as a good hike for families.  It started out well enough I suppose.  Two problems.  It was a mixed use trail, and it turned out to be a very hot day.  Mixed use means that you share the trail with dirt bikes , mountain bikes and horses.  This could prove sketchy with multiple children with low situational awareness.  The trail coursed along a gully, with not many views and it was dusty and muddy and smelled of cattle. We finally decided to turn around about three miles in and it got very hot.  The kids were troopers and made it back, but by the time we got back to the vehicle the temperature was 97 degrees.

Exhausted, we headed back to the trailer and had lunch and showered up.  It felt fantastic to wash the hot sweaty grime from our bodies.

A good friend from residency lives in Durango.  It is always fun to meet up with he and his family.  They invited us over for dinner and it was a great time.  They have a 5 year old son.  The kids made fast friends and they had a great time playing outside and just being kids.  We had dinner and drinks and enjoyed good company.  We ate on the back patio, which was lovely as soon as the sun started to fall and the breeze picked up.  It was great to laugh, and just share stories of living and life.  At one point Amy remarked on the quiet peacefulness of the neighborhood.  It then occurred to us what was missing.  There was no constant background hum from dozens of ac units.  The kids began to tire and we said our goodbyes and headed back to the campsite.

It was a good night.

Day 4

Today was our first real hiking day.  Everyone slept well and once the kid got up, I kicked them out of the trailer so they could go outside and have some adventure.  As kids will do, they made up some sort of tag type game and had a blast running around the woods.

The hike we chose was called spud lake trail.  We did it last year, but it is a great hike for kids and not terribly strenuous as we are still having some trouble with the altitude.  It is a wonderful trail that leads up a rocky trail to an alpine lake that is incredibly serene.  As it was Father's Day, the trail was fairly steady with other hikers.  We would pass each other and wish each other a Happy Father's Day.  We reached the top with only minimal complaints from the children.  The lake was flat and mirror-like and the sky blue

This was a perfect lake for thinking an meditating as it is fairly easy to find a spot away from people.  I took the opportunity as Amy captained the children as they took off their shoes and socks and frolicked in the lake that was not too cold.  I found a flat spot under some trees and cleared my head.

Many thoughts enveloped me. Where I'm going, where I've been, people that are important to me.  My thoughts then focused on purpose.  Have I made a difference in this world?  The way I'm put together I have to have a purpose to drive me.  It is difficult sometimes to find that purpose once the growing up part of life is over and the monotony of middle life sets in.  Thoughts of my work crept in.  I had some very tough cases over the past couple years.  Cases that haunt me from time to time.  I suppose I am very hard on myself about such things.  I do not however want to get to the point where I am not.  I think then it would be time to walk away.  I think at the end of the day it is the humanity in medicine that I am drawn to above all else.  You have just a few minutes to make that connection with people.  They are all people.  Once you learn that, the medicine comes after.  Maybe, it can't be learned.  I think the secret is that you must be present in that moment for your patients.  It's really very simple.  I think people can sense it.  I ran through my mind some positive cases over the past year.  One stuck out.  I took care of a woman who was stricken with cancer.  I had seen her several times over a year or so as issues can arise after hours in cancer patients that take them to the ER.  Over this time I had watched her decline as that evil that is cancer took its toll.  It also took its toll on family as that is a tough thing for even the strongest of family units to deal with.  I remember the last day that I took care of her.  The cancer had spread all over her body and she was declining rapidly.  I knew at this time, the fight part was over.  I could see it.  I reviewed her records and I could see that no one ever truly talked to this woman about what to expect.  She had been treated as her problem and not her person.  I went back and asked the woman "Has anyone talked to you about what is happening and what is going on with your body" ?  No one had.  I had a long talk about what was happening.  It was past time for treatment of a problem and the misery that goes along with it.  It was time for dignity and celebration of life.  I discussed hospice with her and what all that meant and what to expect, told her she didn't have to live in this way for what was left.  The patient and family all agreed, and we called a hospice company to the ER to get the process started.  It was as if a weight was lifted from her shoulders.  I crave the humanity and this was the most human thing I could do for this woman in that moment.  I have not seen her again.  I don't know if she is still alive, but I hope I was able to provide her with some aspect of dignity.  We all die.  This much is certain.  We can do so with dignity.

We hiked back down and drove into town for some sandwiches and groceries.  The kids played at a playground for a while and we then headed back to the campground.  For Father's Day, I requested red beans and rice and some fishing.  This went much better today and although we caught nothing we had a great time.  Nate has developed a fear of bears.  He believes a bear lives in the woods outside our campsite and repeatedly asks with a concerned look on his face whether the bear was going to come get him.

It was a good Father's Day.

Day 3

We decided to take an easy day today.  We figured it would provide some down time for the children after two long days of driving, and it would give us a bit of time to acclimatize to the altitude.  We decided to make the drive down into Durango to visit the farmers market.  We found a spot, parked and walked into the main downtown drag.  To our surprise, the streets were lined with custom and classic cars. It turns out they were having some sort of car show and it was fantastic.  They had all sorts of things from classic hot rods to doomsday vehicles made from old army 2 1/2 ton trucks.   The kids had a great time viewing the vehicles and walking about.  At the farmers market, they had a clown making balloon animals and of course the children had to get one.  There is a trail that travels along the Animus river here in Durango.  We took this about a mile away to the local fish hatchery where they also have a small wildlife museum.  We have visited here before, but the kids really enjoy it as they are allowed to touch many of the animal pelts and get close to the exhibits.  After lunch, we headed North toward Purgatory ski resort.  During the summer they open it for various activities like zip lining and the alpine slide.  The slide is essentially a mile long slide down one of the ski slopes that you ride down some sort of toboggan  with wheels in.  The kids had been begging to go for years and we decided to check it out.  The two younger kids had to ride with Amy and I, but it sure was fun.  It felt almost like a tiny bobsled.  The older two then went zip lining, which they claimed not to enjoy much. As children are apt to do, they began to try and negotiate how many rides they could go have on future visits.

We decided to spend the afternoon fishing at the lake at the campground.  We stopped at a store and bought licenses and the classic live worms and off we went.  It was actually still fairly hot but the kids were excited.  Grant reeled in a fish soon after starting.  A nice trout.  Things however quickly degenerated as the long nap free day caught up with the children and they began to bicker.  Dinner of campfire stew followed and then a campfire no marshmallows followed.  I have been fighting an upper respiratory infection that has me feeling wiped so we decided to get everyone inside and turn in early.  Hopefully tomorrow we will feel more refreshed.

Day 1 and 2

Day 1 an 2


Here I sit in the mountains of Colorado reopening the trip blog again.  Many things have changed over the past year.  Those familiar with my trip blogs know of my musings of life and direction.  These trips are often a time for myself and the family to regrouped ourselves in life and it's truths.  I often remark about the stress of my work and how easy it is to lose oneself and ones humanity in such work.  It is one of my biggest fears.  Luckily I was smart enough to realize it.  The company I have been with for ten years went through a merger and restructure.  The demands and stress became great.  In my competitive nature, I was determined to stick it out and somehow "change" things.  Such change was not possible, would never be possible.  In the process I began to do what I feared.  I began to lose myself in the work.  This happens slowly, one does not realize what is happening until those you trust around you draw attention to it.  It was as if I was thrown of the company ship with an anvil around my legs.  As the weight of that anvil drew me into the depths of the ocean, I struggled mightily to swim back up the the surface.  The anvil was too heavy.  Finally I realized the simple steps to take toward my mental freedom, drew my knife and cut myself free of this piece of iron that aimed to destroy who I was.  I resigned my position in May.  This in some ways felt like I was giving up, but that is the rub,  there is nothing left there for me.  Not really.

There is, of course, a new job.  There will always be new jobs.  This change however gave us the opportunity for true time off.  I could leave with the family for a longer period and make our way as far as Montana.  There is always that draw for me, the frontier, or what is left of it.  There is something about the raw open of the American West that draws me in like a beacon when I lose my way.  The mountains have a way of clearing the head and realigning thoughts.  You see the mountains are old and tell the truth.  Always.

The setup that started it all with the original Alaskan adventure still lives.  On this trip we will be meeting up with Amy's brother and his family in Yellowstone.  They too share similar ideas about adventure and living.  We decided to borrow an idea from them and name the rig. After all, most vessels that carry those in pursuit of adventure and exploration have a name.   After some thought we decided on the name The Endeavor.  This name was drawn from the flagship HMS Endeavor of the British Explorer Captain James Cook.  It seemed a fitting name for the beast that has carried us to the ends of North America.  As an aged ship she required some refitting.  Loose seams, insect nests, rusted bolts and many other problems had to be addressed.  Final preparations made her as road worthy as she would ever be.

The packing has become easier as we become more experienced travelers.  We loaded up and set out.  Our first day would take us to Amarillo.  Unfortunately a stifling heat wave had taken residence in Central Texas and it made for a hot drive.  We made our way to Sweetwater Texas and stopped at a park to allow to children to eat and play.  This did not last long as they quickly tired from the heat.  We then pressed on to our campsite in Palo Duro Canyon.  It was again hot, however a problem emerged.  Most heavy trailers are equipped with electric brakes to assist the tow vehicle in stopping such a heavy load.  The trailer probably weighs 7000 pounds loaded.  As we pulled into the Canyon the brake controller began to flash error messages that it was overloaded and detected a short circuit.  As we descended into the canyon, the trailer brakes failed completely and the Sequoia had to stop that tremendous weight coming down a 10% grade.  Fortunately the vehicle allows manual shifting of the transmission and thus I was able to slow the Endeavor down some with engine power.  With white knuckles I finally reached the bottom of the canyon and we could smell the unmistakeable burning smell of overheated brakes.  This would be a serious problem as our route involves many mountain.  I began to worry about potential serious repairs.  Smart phones are both a blessing and a curse.  Folks, get addicted to them but they sure come in handy in these situations.  I was able to search RV forums and find a troubleshooting list.  It was likely a frayed wire, bad ground, or a bad connection at the wire harness. I tried to forget about the problem and we went on a short family hike and did some rock shambling.  The kids were happy to do it as they had been cooped up all day.

After a very hot night sleeping in the trailer, we woke up and performed inspections.  I could not find any frayed wires.  I took Grant under the trailer and explained how the 12 volt battery system works and we removed and cleaned the ground wire.   We decided to set out and see if this fixed the problem.  The brakes worked for about 10 minutes and then stopped again.  It had to be the connection.  I diverted the Endeavor to an auto parts store where I obtained form electrical contact cleaner, dielectric grease, and sandpaper.  There was a nearby Wal mart and I dropped Amy to get some provisions while I set to work.  I removed the harness and looked closely, the once shiny electrical connections looked sad and worn, dark with oxidation.  I sprayed the cleaner and then set to work with the sandpaper, tearing it into little cleaning strips.  I peered into the connection and the shiny brass color of a healthy electrical connection was showing though.  I reconnected the harness and we set out again.  Success!  Everything worked.

A long and desolate drive through Northern New Mexico took us to Albuquerqe.  We found a nice park in the suburbs that had a swimming pool.  We went for a swim and made sanwhiches for the road.  The road Northwest of town took us to the Colorado border.  Almost immediately after crossing it as if there is a whole new land.  Rocks gave way to green lush fields with snow capped peaks in the background.  We made our way to the National Forest North of town where we had a wonderful spot near a lake.  As the children wind down for bed I sit and I absorb the peace and serenity here.  Another adventure begins.