Man Plans-God Laughs

When last we checked in with our intrepid travelers, they were awaiting a Saturday afternoon visit from the famed Lloyd-the-mechanic who they hoped would work his magic on Chuck and his coolant.     

Lloyd did appear and poked and peered and poured and just for good measure, spit on a rag and proclaimed that it just might be a bad radiator cap.  If not, call him Monday.  So we trotted off to Napa Autoparts, where we had purchased coolant the day before.  This time when we walked it, the nice young man behind the counter said, “back again?”.  It’s a  bad thing when you’re recognized at the auto parts store.  He did set us up with a new radiator cap which we easily installed on Chuck.  We had decided to stay in Moab until Monday, figuring rig trouble on the road on a Sunday could be bad, so we celebrated the radiator cap with another dinner at Desert Bistro.  This time we had an amazing scallop appetizer followed by two different steak dishes.  Unusual for us to order two beef dishes, but they both were delicious.

Scallops at Desert Bistro

Sunday was a free day and we had been debating two different routes for leaving Moab so we decided to take a drive in Toad to check out the more scenic of the routes.  We quickly decided it was a bad route for Monday’s departure in Chuck, but was perfect for a Sunday drive.  The sheer red cliffs rose on one side of the road and the Colorado River tumbled along the other side.  The sun was shining, the road was winding and it couldn’t have been much nicer, or so we thought until came around a curve and what was before us?   A winery!  Yes, in the middle of Utah on a Sunday afternoon was a winery with an open tasting room.   We stopped, we tasted and we bought.  OK, only two bottles because we still have 1.5 cases to get us home, but it was a very fun stop.  From there it was home to Chuck for dinner and early to bed.

Monday dawned clear and cold and and we peeked anxiously at Chuck’s rear end and the surge tank.  All the coolant was there, the new cap was tightly placed so we hooked up and headed out of Moab.  We  drove gingerly for 45 minutes, pulled over and looked.  Good news, no sign that the coolant was low.  We barreled on another 45 minutes to Grand Junction, CO where the service place was, and decided since we made it there without issue, we’d go on to Carbondale, CO.  We were downright giddy.   

On to Carbondale which is about 12 miles south of Glenwood Springs, nestled in the Roaring Fork River valley.  We were here to eat dinner at Russets restaurant, a place that was dear to my heart since I had spent several days there nine years ago helping open the restaurant.  The owners are related to a friend and we had flown out to CO to provide some free labor and enjoy the process.  It was great to see the restaurant thriving and the wine racks we had assembled still standing.  The food, service and atmosphere were all outstanding. 

Well constructed wine rack after 9 years

So today, Tuesday, we head around Denver to eastern Colorado continuing to work our way home.  Keep your eye on the highways for us.  Sooner or later this trip has to end and we’ll be home to plan the next trip.

 Continued the next day (Wednesday morning)….

The drive to Denver went really well.  It was over the Rockies peaking at about 11,000 ft above sea level.  Near the top we stopped to check Chuck and all looked good at his rear end so on we went.  We planned it so we’d be through Denver before rush hour and we were on schedule passing the eastern edge of the city at 3pm with a campground lined up for the night 70 miles further. We were feeling pretty good when…

…the dreaded yellow light and warning came back on.  Oh sh*t.  We pulled off at an exit, found a quiet industrial park road surrounded by prairie dog burrows and surveyed the situation.  To make a long story as short as possible – the tank was low, this time coolant was dripping and we could not get the d*mned new radiator cap off using muscle, rags, mallets every strategy in our imaginations.  Finally we called CoachNet (the AAA of RVing) who offered us either help with the cap or a tow and the address to the local RV repair shop.  Meanwhile a rent-a-cop hovered anxiously asking how soon we were leaving.  He seemed sure we were planning a raid on his empty parking lot and busy prairie dog burrows.  We opted for the help and soon a service truck with a tall, strong service man showed up and removed the radiator the cap and said, “you have to push down”.  Uh duh, like we hadn’t been pushing down for the last hour.  We may be short and weak but we’re not stupid.  Oh well, it was done.  Coolant refilled, cap replaced, security guard mollified we drove 11 miles back into Denver, now through rush hour traffic to the RV service place.  We unhooked Toad, removed the cats and enough supplies for night from Chuck and decamped to the local La Quinta hotel which is pet friendly.  

Blogging with Xena

Today, hopefully, we hear some good and definitive news about Chuck.  I’m finding bright spots where I can.  Given our route yesterday, we could have broken down in much more dangerous place.  We’re in a big city with good service including, hopefully, good RV service, and the La Quinta was happy to welcome us and the cats for the night.  Stay tuned, with any luck we’ll be on our way to Kansas today.  Flat countryside never looked so good.