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…

Viva Las Vegas

Leaving Tucson early in the morning, we had every intention of making the push to our final destination of Reno, Nv that day. However, sometimes in life you need to roll with the changes. We could’ve driven the entire 13hrs it was gonna take due to the weather system moving through the area, or we could use this as a sign that maybe it was an omen of some sort to seek out another option. Who knew that option would be Sin City…

Halfway between Tucson and Las Vegas, Jennifer and I had made the decision that because of the winter weather moving in along our route and the fact that we’d never been to Vegas, now would be a good time to stop and break this last leg of the trip up a little bit more. The girls were already excited because they knew we had to drive through or slightly around Vegas on our way north and they were hoping to catch a glimpse of the strip with all of its lights. Quietly, Jennifer and I discussed the surprise and located a suitable hotel not far from the strip. This was going to be a fun little surprise for the girls.

Finally crossing the boarder into Nevada, we pulled off at an observation lot to checkout the massive Hoover Dam. My parents had been here years and years before and I remember seeing their photos and wishing that I could’ve gone too. Finally, even though we didn’t have time to do a tour, I was there. Taking in the moment with Jennifer and the girls I had that sense of “oh crap, this is for real. We really just drove across the United States and everything is changing” moment. Funny that this was where it finally hit me, but that’s where it chose to pop up. Looking at Jennifer and the girls pointing out a the dam and checking out the new suroundings, I knew everything was going to be ok. After all, it’s just another one of life’s adventures right?

Leaving Hoover Dam we made our way into Sin City and settled in at our hotel. Well, we tossed our bags in and settled the dog in at the hotel. The kids were chomping at the bit to head down to the strip and take in the sights. First on their list was the welcome sign to Las Vegas. Thankfully we had both vehicles with and we were able to find a parking garage close to the strip to park Jennifer’s car in. We made our way down one side of the strip and back up the other, stopping in stores and checking out some of the more famous casinos along the way. Later that evening we had a splendid Italian dinner right on the strip at Giordano’s before making our way back to the hotel for some rest before our final push in the morning.

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.

A Change In Direction

There’s been a lot going on in our personal lives lately, and that unfortunately has led to a lapse in sharing what we’ve been up to. As some of you may already know, we made a huge decision in late 2023 to move across the country, quite literally leaving everything we knew and loved behind. It wasn’t an easy decision, but then again, when are they ever? The way we looked at it was that the opportunities that awaited us far outnumbered the risks involved. This move would ultimately allow us to grow in both the personal and professional aspects of our lives. So, in January 2024, we packed up our things, said our goodbyes, and headed west to the “Battle Born” State of Nevada. Of course we made an adventure out of it, and check off a couple of states we hadn’t been to yet along the way. So be on the look out for those in upcoming blog posts.

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….

New York City

After a quick reset at home, we were back on the road to our next destination. New York City! The girls have been excited about this trip for a long time and we were finally able to put some time aside to make it happen. In our normal fashion, we had to do things differently and we chose to camp at the Liberty Harbor Marina & Rv Park across the Hudson River in Jersey City. We were surrounded by the typical motorhomes that you’d expect in a campground, but there were also a Jeep and a beautiful Landy 110 rocking some rooftop tents. The word “Campground” should be used lightly here as it’s a paved parking lot with water and electrical hookups. There is 24/7 security, bathrooms with showers and a laundry facility on site as well. The best part about this “Campground” is the location. You’re blocks away from the Path train to go over to NYC and you can see Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty right from the campground. Our first day in NYC consisted of hitting the big items on the girl’s list, just to help calm them down a bit.😂 Times Square, Grand Central Station and all 10 floors of Macy’s. Not to mention experiencing the NYC subway system. Once the “big must see” items were checked off the list, we were able to move onto the more experience oriented locations. Be on the lookout for our next post where we delve a little deeper into those……