Updates

Apparently my groupie fans have been wondering what I have been up to.

When I left Grand Canyon, I was getting tired of the cold.  Three snow storms in 2 weeks and being forced to stay in the camper at night instead of siting out under the stars because it was 35 degrees out.  I think I started my trip a month too early.
Then I had an electrical short in the truck.  I had to jump start twice, including the day I was leaving Grand Canyon.  That sealed my decision to head home.  I drove 22 hours over two days.  Grand Canyon to Ogden north of Salt Lake City then on to home through Idaho, Pendleton Oregon, Yakima and home.
No regrets.  I was still having fun on my trip when I headed home and the next phase of the trip would have taken me 40 miles from the nearest paved road, let alone a town.  The thought of needing a jumper with no cell phone service and no one nearby was part of the decision.
I surprised Nancy by calling her at work from home.  She asked, "Where are you?"  I replied, "Home.  What do you want for dinner."  I think she was happy I came home.  When she asked why I came home, I explained as described above.  My friend Ken said I flunked that test.  I should have said, "Because I missed you!"  May be in another 35+ years of marriage, I will pass the test.
It took some adjusting to remember where things were in the kitchen and to rebuild my vocabulary that was not necessary while traveling alone in the camper.  Why do you need words when talking to your self?  You know what you mean!
Another friend Jay came over with a proper volt meter (he implied that our 1970 Sears volt meter was cute but not up to the job at hand).  He immediately clued into the possible fault in the truck electrical system, then confirmed it with the volt meter. The battery management system that controls electrical charging to the Alaskan had shorted out.  I probably damaged it on that 15 mile round trip washboard road to Fossil Springs.  (Side note:  Fossil Springs was worth the effort.  See photo.)  After a few days I replaced the damage part and the short has been eliminated.
After a couple of days at home, I realized that I was glad to be home and did not regret coming home early.  But the trip is not fully over.  More in the next blog.