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.