adventures

The Final Push To Our New Home

After a night on the Las Vegas strip, morning seemed to come earlier than normal. As we made our way out of town our minds wondered about what lay in wait for us during the 6hr journey north. Fortunately, our minds didn’t have to wonder too long. About the time we were coming down into the Amargosa Valley we noticed that the van radio turned off and the indicators in the dash started turning on and off on their own. Then all of a sudden it happened. The engine shut off and the dash lit up like a Christmas tree. The van had died.

Coasting down the road, we were lucky enough to be able to roll into the parking lot of the Area 51 Alien Center and Fuel station. There I spent the better part of the next hour unloading the van, exposing the battery systems and testing the electrical, trying to locate the culprit. We were able to jump start the van but it would only run for a few minutes and then it would die again. The radio would come on and off, the door locks would lock and unlock the warning buzzer would chime and then stop. Mind you it was still doing this all on its own. I swore the van was possessed at this point. We disconnected the battery under the hood and the house batteries under the bench, removing all power from the vehicle. There we sat for the better part of 20 minutes. Full of anxiousness in the middle of nowhere hoping for a miracle. After a while we reconnected the batteries and were surprised to see that the dome lights came on bright and the door chime was dinging away. Even more so, it was like the Red Sea had parted when we turned the key and the van rumbled to life all on its own and kept on running. Was this Devine intervention or did it have something to do with the Aliens at Area 51? We let the van run for a bit and went inside the Alien center to check out this strange place. Might as well since we were there. Unfortunately I didn’t remember to take photos of the inside but let’s just say it’s an interesting place to say the least.

Making our way back to the van we were relieved to see that it was still running. We cycled the key a couple times and it started like a champ every time. Not ones to look a gift horse in the mouth, we hauled butt north and tested our fate. After all, we either break down in the middle of nowhere or we stay in the middle of nowhere (where we were) and wait for it to break down. I chose forward progress, since the outcome was basically going to be the same if it did happen. Wouldn’t you know it, fate was on our side and we made it all the way to Fernley, NV without so much as a hiccup.

Waking up the next morning I couldn’t help but wonder about the van and our trip the prior day. So, I grabbed the keys, turned the ignition and nothing happened but a click. So I grabbed our trusty jump pack and once again the van rumbled to life. A quick check with my multimeter and I figured out that the charging system wasn’t doing anything. Pulling the air box and serpentine belt off it was pretty clear as to why. The shaft on the alternator had an 1/8” of play and it made an unmistakable growl when you spun it around. The alternator my friends had gone the way of the dodo. A few runs to the parts store and 20 min of wrench time at the campground and we were back in business.

We spent the next couple of days at the campground searching for a rental home and taking care of life maintenance things. By the end of the week we were moving into a house and getting settled in. Good thing too because that weekend we were hit by a blizzard. I guess we made it just in time, talk about perfect timing…

A Quick Stop In Tucson

After a few days of traveling, it was nice to have a change of pace. Arriving at our friends home in Tucson we quickly transitioned from run, run, run to let’s take care of some life maintenance and take a little time to relax. After starting some laundry, we pulled everything out of the van to clean and do a reset. If you’ve traveled long enough you know that not everything ends up back where it belongs and sometimes it just feels good to clean and reset everything.

It was a welcomed change of pace. Once the life maintenance things were mostly completed, we enjoyed our time with our friends hanging out in their beautiful oasis that they had created in their backyard. After a little relaxation we escaped the afternoon heat at one of their favorite restaurants and enjoyed some exquisite mexican cuisine and grandiose margaritas. The food and drinks were excellent as was the company. After making a loop around Tucson to take in the urban sights we retired to the backyard oasis and enjoyed one anothers company before calling it a night.

The next morning we arose to the sounds of birds chirping and a beautiful Arizona sunrise. The early morning air was cool as we made our way to the Catalina Foot Hills and Finger Rock Trailhead. Here we were treated to a beautiful hike amongst the saguaro cacti and the rugged landscape. The views were breathtaking and it was our first up close experience with the massive yet beautiful saguaros. We were surprised to learn about how old each of them were. Did you know that a saguaro cactus can reach 40ft in height? Did you also know that they grow rather slowly, taking up to ten years to grow an inch, and 70 years to reach 6.5 ft tall? At that height, they supposedly can start to flower for the first time in their lives. Upon reaching the age of 95-100 years old, a saguaro cactus’ height may measure up to 15-16 ft. We were floored learning this information, especially given the fact that we were standing in a valley surrounded by giant saguaro cacti!

Departing the trail, before the heat of the day really set in, we made our way to a quaint little farmers market in town before retiring back to the backyard oasis. Here we spent the rest of the day enjoying each other’s company with a little bit of tinkering on an old Landy Hi-Cap pick-up truck thrown in for good measure.

The next morning we set off to explore the Mission of San Xavier del Bac. The missing was founded by Padre Kino in 1692 and is Arizona’s oldest European structure as well as a masterpiece of Spanish Colonial architecture. The Mission was gorgeous as were the views outside. Truly a place to experience if you ever have the chance. Side note, it’s also the first place that we experienced a Roadrunner in the wild. Trivial for some I’m sure but for us, being from the east coast this was an exciting thing to see. After the mission we indulged in a local favorite known as BK Carne Asada and Hot Dogs. I know, I know… Those two things don’t seem like they go together but you’re totally wrong and so was I. It reminded me of a Chicago style hotdog with a Mexican twist and it was delicious!

On our last night of visiting our friends, we loaded the vehicles in preparation for our early morning departure and settled in to an amazing dinner that they had prepared. Food, laughter, great company and sometimes a drink truly do wonders for the soul.

Just North Of The Border

Leaving camp the next morning, we made our way to El Paso, TX where we had our first ever glimpse of the southern border and Mexico. We have never been anywhere even close to either and found it quite intriguing. It was definitely not what we were expecting and the mountains off in the distance around Ciudad Juárez seemed to call out to us with their beauty. Stopping at a shopping center to resupply and fuel up, we were enthralled by the atmosphere and the culture.

With our quick resupply finished, Jennifer and I scoured the map trying to determine our next route. The interstate appeared to be backed with construction just outside of town and sitting in traffic just didn’t seem that exciting of a prospect to us. After a few minutes, we discovered state road NM-9 that ran along the border and it looked like it would be a little more of an interesting ride. Interesting was right. The views from this road were absolutely breathtaking. Open country for as far as the eye can see and absolutely no cell service, except for the two spots that our phones thought we were in Mexico. We truly felt alone and in the middle of nowhere and it was great!

We continued along NM-9 until we came to the quaint little town of Columbus, NM. Revisiting the map and recognizing that it was getting late in the day and we had only covered 75 miles since leaving El Paso, TX, we decided to turn north on NM-11. This would bring us back to I-10 and allow us to make up some much needed time. That was, until we happened upon a border patrol station that was doing routine vehicle/passenger checks. After waiting in line for 10 minutes and not really knowing what to expect, it was our turn. The Border Patrol Agents approached and asked “Are you U.S. Citizens?” and “This thing is sweet, is it a 4x4 Van?” Which then led to a 15 minute conversation between the Border Patrol Agents, Hadley and I about the van and traveling. Pulling away, I felt sorry for the people waiting behind us but mostly Jennifer and Bailey because I knew they’d been wondering what was going wrong and were we going to have to stay here for a while.

With the border patrol station behind us we continued north to I-10 and then west to the town of Lordsburg, NM where we stopped for fuel. While fueling up, Jennifer discovered that there was a public park south of town where free camping was allowed. With the sun completely set and the tanks topped off, we made our way to Veterans Park and chose our spot near some other travelers and turned in for the night.

The next morning, we were quick to get back on the road and pick up where we had left off. We made our way to the town of Wilcox, AZ for a special stop. Our friends had recommended a stop at Dos Cabezas, a cute little coffee shop located in the heart of town. Keen to take their advice, as they’d never steered us wrong before, we popped in for a bit and were once again pleasantly surprised. The coffee and food were delicious and the atmosphere was down right delightful. We highly recommend a stop in if you’re ever in the area and in the mood.

After coffee and breakfast, we were back on the road for our final push to Tucson, AZ. It was still early in the day and we were able to make it there just in time to get the van set up and join our friend for lunch.

The next few days were spent catching up with old friends and exploring some of the things that the Tucson area had to offer. More on that next time…..

Liberty To SoHo NYC

Braving the masses, we took in the sights at Liberty Island and then made our way over to Castle Garden in the Financial district of NYC. Making our way through Wall Street, we stopped and explored the history at Trinity Church. This is by far one of my favorite destinations in NYC. The history of these hallowed grounds is unbelievable. Taking a stroll through the grounds, you’ll quickly understand why. Leaving Trinity, we made our way to Chinatown in search of Hello Kitty memorabilia for Bailey. Dinner was had in a tiny little alleyway next to a row of small restaurants and it was absolutely amazing! After dinner we made our way toward Hook & Ladder #8 and stumbled upon The Bean, which Bailey was ecstatic about as she still hasn’t stopped talking about the Bean we visited in Chicago on a previous trip. With the sun setting, we finally made it to Hook & Ladder #8 to see the home of, you guessed it, The Ghostbusters. While we were there we did get to meet some of the awesome people of FDNY too. With the sun fully set we made one final stop for the evening at the 9/11 Memorial Pools. I have visited these both in the day and at night and it hits in a completely different way at night. It truly is a spectacle to behold and a fitting memorial to all of those who lost their lives that day and in the years to come….

Tangier

Chesapeake Breeze out of Reedville, VA

On our latest adventure we made our way to the town of Reedville, Va where we boarded a ship, aptly named the Chesapeake Breeze, and traveled across the Chesapeake Bay to the little island of Tangier. Tangier is a special place that is chocked full of history, culture and a lot of character. Just talk to one of the residents and you’ll understand instantly what we mean. Pay particular attention to their accent or dialect, as you won’t hear anything like it anywhere else.

The island was originally discovered and named in 1608 by Captain John Smith and has had a very interesting history to say the least. It’s first inhabitants were thought to be the Pocomoke Indians long before the first English settlers arrived in the 1770’s. It’s said that after a good series of gale force winds, stone arrow heads can still be readily found on the beaches of Tangier. Later during the war of 1812, the island was used as a staging area for the British Fleet and was the base of operations for their attacks against our fledgling nation. Most notably, the sieges against Washington and Baltimore were launched from here. Another interesting little fact is that the British siege against Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor was the very battle that inspired Francis Scott Key to write a little jingle called “The Star-Spangled Banner”, which was later adopted as our National Anthem in 1931.

The community today is that of a sleepy little fishing village that springs to life every time a passenger ferry or tour boat enters port. The residents are quick to show up on their multi seater golf carts and offer guided tours of their unique community and share the rich history of this special island. Tourism is a vital part of the island’s economy, second only to the Waterman livelihood. So make sure you stop and visit the shops or one of the three restaurants on the island. Oh, and we highly recommend the crab cakes if you decide you want to taste the freshest seafood on the Chesapeake Bay!

By the way, did I mention that the only way to and from the island is by boat or private aircraft? That’s right, because of how far the island is from the mainland, it’s considered to be isolated. So isolated in fact, that the mail and supplies to this small Virginia island actually come from Crisfield, Maryland, since it’s the closest locality to the island. Don’t let its remoteness deter you from visiting though, the natural beauty and history of this little island, not to mention the amazingly fresh seafood make this place worth a visit. If you’re considering a visit to Tangier, we recommend that you do it sooner than later as the island is at risk of disappearing due to the sea levels rising. I know, we’ve all heard about sea level rising, but has anyone actually noticed it? Well, lets put it this way. Since 1850 the landmass on Tangier has been reduced by 67%. The island is predicted to be completely underwater or at least uninhabitable by no later than 2051, if the sea level continues to rise at its current rate. Pretty crazy, isn’t it.

Overland Expo East 2021

Just a couple of photos that we took at @overlandexpo East 2021. Admittedly we didn’t seize the opportunity to take a lot of photos this year. We were consumed by amazing conversations and being able to meet everyone in person. We’ll never complain about that because all of you are amazing! So many great stories and travel tips. Believe me, our list of places to visit and things to do grew exponentially this year and we’re as excited as ever to get out there and see it all. As usual, the event seemed to fly by and we weren’t able to sit in on any of the classes or round tables that we would’ve liked to. I guess there’s always next year. (We’ve been saying that for four years now.) Seriously though, you all rock and we much prefer the one on one conversations around the campfires/meals with you all anyway!