After leaving Richfield for the second time in two days we
headed south into Arizona and then back up into Kanab, Utah arriving late
afternoon.Walked around town, spent a
few bucks.Visited the Little Hollywood
Museum which details the filming of motion pictures and television shows in the
area.The museum includes a small
outdoor area of some sets salvaged from various productions, westerns of
course.
Kanab as Hollywood...No autographs!
Saw a number of interesting neon
signs in town that I wanted to get pictures of at dusk.I had decided to spend the night in town but
didn’t want to go to the trouble or expense of going to an RV park.I approached a couple of the merchants about where I could park my rig in town for the night without going to an RV park. In spite of having made purchases from at their shops their responses reminded me of this:
Unlike the other ..ab in Utah (Moab) where they’re just as
happy that you’re in town spending money, Kanab has a more retentive
sensibility.Had dinner at Denny’s
Wigwam that had a dog friendly patio.Their staff was very friendly to me and my canine companions.I had made my mind up to get my pictures at
dusk and head to Page, Arizona just south of the state line to overnight at Walmart.On the way on highway 89 we had two bird
strikes within five minutes of one another.Both very large birds, probably owls.They both hit hard and LOUD.No
damage to the rig, doubt the birds were as lucky.Made it into Page in little over an hour.Got a ready to bake pizza at the Walmart for
a before bedtime snack.
I picked up Gremlin Gus last week at the Warhawk Air
Museum.Little did I know that he was
going to become the mascot of this part of the expedition.With some 1600 mile logged on the trip so far
the Cortez started to exhibit some very temperamental issues even for a 38 year
old classic motorhome. First was a loose electrical connection in Carey, then a
stuck solenoid in Promontory and an almost constant vapor locking every time we
stopped to fill up.The altitude, heat
and ethanol laden fuel weren’t helping the situation.Lost power a couple of times in Salt Lake
City including going over a UTA Trax light rail crossing(that word would have
made it to Seattle).Just after leaving
Richfield Wednesday morning over some steep backroads the Cortez lost power
several times and stalled.I got it
restarted.Discretion being the better
(and smarter) part of valor I decided to turn back to Richfield before getting
stranded in nowhere.At this point I was
suspecting the mechanical fuel pump.Just to be sure I stopped at a shop in Richfield and the mechanic there
concurred that it sounded like the pump was getting weak and close to
failure.Fortunately there’s a NAPA
store in Richfield.They ordered a new
pump for $34 and told me it would be in when they opened the next morning.We checked into the local Motel 6 for the
night.
It’s great not being on a set schedule, trouble like this
seem much more insignificant.Took out
the old pump, worked on my blog and did some rethinking on the best routing to
Monument Valley.After a nice dinner at
a local steakhouse I took in a movie…”Vacation”, how appropriate.
The new pump was waiting at NAPA Thursday morning, I put it
in and we were off to Kanab.
Headed south from Brigham City on Tuesday.Drove around Ogden for a bit.I was very impressed with how vibrant the old
section of the city known as 25th Street appeared.Continued south on I-15 through Salt Lake
City proper to Hill Air Force Base Museum that I had no idea how extensive a
collection of aircraft they had.The museum
has an example of just about every fighter, bomber, transport and helicopter
that has ever been utilized by the USAF.The museum doesn’t charge admission but requests a $1 donation per
person, the bargain of the century.
Cortez and a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker at Hill AFB
After spending several hours walking through their extensive collection
that is housed both indoors and out we headed south making a stop at the
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper.The admission was a little pricey (I guess anything would be after the
Hill Air Force Base Museum bargain), but they had some interesting exhibits of
seahorse, jellyfish and penguins.Made
our way south to overnight at another Walmart, this one in Richfield, Utah.
First stop
Monday was the display of rockets from 1950’s to the present, including a solid
rocket booster from the space shuttle, on display in front of the Orbital ATK Thiokol
manufacturing complex. Of course this
side trip concluded with another glass of Tang.
Orbital ATK Rocket Park
Then on to the
Golden Spike National Historic Site in at Promontory Summit where on May 10,
1869 the Union and Central Pacific Railroads joined their rails of the first Transcontinental
Railroad and forged the destiny of a nation. The steam
locomotives here are modern day recreations but interesting none the less.
East meets West
Replica of the original Golden Spike
Been a getting a
little road weary so went back to the same Walmart to overnight until Tuesday.
After arriving late in the afternoon on Saturday at Craters
of the Moon National Monument, I set up camp and rearranged things in the
motorhome that had to be moved to get to the engine compartment earlier.Barbequed up a steak and settled down for the
night.It’s truly amazing how quiet and
dark it is at night in the middle of nowhere.I just watched the sky from my bunk in the Cortez, I had forgotten just
how many stars that there are.
Critters on the Moon
Craters of the Moon formed during between 15,000 and 2000 years ago with
the lava field covering 618 square miles with the most recent eruptive period about
2000 years ago.The rugged landscape of
the monument itself remains remote and undeveloped, with only one paved road
across the northern end.
Sunday morning
the pooches and I walked around the primitive 52 site campground and then over
to the visitor center.I hiked the North
Crater Flow Trail, North Crater Trail and up to the top of the Inferno Cone. Of
course after finishing my hikes on the moon I drank a big glass of Tang, just
like the astronauts drink.
North Crater Trail
After leaving the
moon we stopped in the town of Arco, the first city in the world to be lit by
atomic power from a reactor, located farther down the road at the 900
square mile Idaho National Laboratory which we passed later.The reactor later suffered a
partial meltdown -- another World's First. We passed through Atomic City, a
place that doesn’t live up to its name.
Arco, Idaho
Then we drove through Blackfoot and stopped in Old Town Pocatello for a
few hours admiring the architecture and unique neon signs.
The Chief Theater neon sign
The animated Greyhound Depot neon sign
Then south into Utah where we overnighted at another Walmart near Brigham City.
Left the Walmart in Jerome, Idaho
mid-morning Saturday after picking up a few items.I’ve made a point of buying a couple of
needed items at each Walmart stay as a thank you for the courtesy of allowing
me to overnight there.Not all Walmart’s
allow overnighting, those located in larger incorporated areas don’t allow it
due to local ordinances.I have an app,
“Walmart OverNight Parking” that tells me which ones are OK.
Headed east towards the Craters of
the Moon National Monument.About halfway
there as I entered a little town named Carey I spotted another Cortez sitting
in a field.With only 3,211 manufactured
from 1964 until 1979 spotting a Cortez is unusual.This was not just any Cortez however.This was one of the very few built as an
ambulance.Needless to say I made an
abrupt U-turn and pulled into the driveway of the house next to the field.
The rare and elusive Cortez ambulance
I’m sure my arrival was the last
thing they ever expected.A gentlemen by
the name of Dennis Patterson answered the door and after a brief introduction
and pointing to my Cortez that was now in his driveway he called for his son
Dusty who was the owner.I was taken
back and shown the Cortez ambulance that had originally been purchased in 1973
by the Elk Grove, California Fire Department.Later it made its way to Idaho serving as a mobile command post for Sun
Valley and Ketchum.It eventually became
a derelict and was given to Dusty free for the taking.I gave them some info regarding the online
following and support that was available.After exchanging some stories with Dusty and his dad I gave them a tour
of my Cortez.Mine was the only other
Cortez that they had ever seen.After a
few farewells I was on my way, or so I thought.
I started my rig up moved it a
foot and it died.Tried to start it
again and it died.Well I thought it
might just be a little too warm or something.So I decided to let it cool down but to no avail.Dusty took off to do some errands and the
senior Patterson asked if I needed any help.I decided to try some things on my own and apologized profusely for the
trouble.Of course I had to take down
the dinette and move everything stored under it so I could move the passenger
seat back and get to the motor. After dinking around making sure the fuel pump
was working, the fuel filter not clogged and checking the heat sink on the
ignition module I gave up.Dennis was
kind enough to run me into town but by mid-afternoon on a Saturday both shops
were closed until Monday.Dennis
suggested we enlist the help of Dusty’s friend Scott who was very amiable to
help.We determined that for some reason
there was no spark from the distributer.We both started checking wires for lack of a better plan.I found a loose terminal to a vacuum module,
tightened it up and it fired right up.
I asked if there was any way that
I could repay their generosity but they declined.I thank them again and was on my way.Again, it’s amazing what you will find when
you’re not looking and the people you may meet.
Landed on the Craters of the Moon
late Saturday afternoon.
After returning from the Mt. Baker Vintage Trailer Rally on
Sunday, I spent a few days getting some errands done before the big trip.Ended up leaving Wednesday night to head
south to avoid the dreaded gridlock from Shoreline south through JBLM.Drove almost straight except for a refueling
stop in Vancouver all the way to Hermiston, Oregon where we spent the remainder
of the night parked at the local Walmart.
Thursday made our way east again on I-84 making a point to visit the
towns of Pendleton, La Grande and Baker City with no particular plans except to
get off of the interstate and explore.It’s amazing what you will find when you’re not looking. Crossed into
the Mountain Time zone and made our way to Nampa, Idaho and spent the night at
another Walmart.
Got the proprietor of this Chinese restaurant in Pendleton to turn the neon sign on for pictures. Ordered what turned out to be the worst pork fried rice ever!!
This time capsule of a gas station is in La Grande, still selling gas including the ethanol free variety.
The Eltrym Theater in Baker City, classic neon signage!
Friday morning visited
the Warhawk Air Museum and then east to Boise to visit the Old Idaho
Penitentiary that was built in 1872.Then made our way to downtown Boise for some sightseeing.Downtown Boise is very vibrant and still
growing.It’s interesting to remark that
in the several hours I walked around downtown I never witnessed any illegal
activity nor was I ever panhandled-TAKE NOTE SEATTLE!
F 104 Starfighter at the Warhawk Air Museum.
Old Idaho Penitentiary.
The Sally port at the pen.
Headed east to Jerome and
tying up at another Walmart for the night.
First
stop on our tour is the 15th annual Mt. Baker Vintage Trailer Rally
being held at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds in Lynden, Washington.We have made this event trip almost annually
since I bought the Cortez in 2006.The
earlier events were held at the Deming Logging Show grounds until the event
outgrew the site.
Lynden is the second largest city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. Named and established in 1874 as a pioneer settlement on the site of the Nooksack Indian village Squahalish. Lynden
is approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) south of the U.S.-Canadian border. It is
also located about 15 miles (24 km) north of Bellingham,
and about 95 miles (153 km) north of Seattle. The population was 11,951 as of the 2010 United States Census. Residents of Lynden are known as "Lyndenites".
This year just over two hundred
vintage trailers and motorhomes attended.Met up with several old friend from previous rallies including Don and
Barb Jussero. And we made some new friends too.“Piper” and “Quincy” made the acquaintance of a cousin from Canada,
“Jack Russell” the Jack Russell Terrier owned by Peter and Wendy Russell (yes
that’s their real last name).
"Jack Russell" the Canadian Jack Russell Terrier with his American Cousins "Piper" and "Quincy"
Also met up with fellow Cortez owners
and Cascade Cortez Club members Thomas and Patti Mitchell who recently
travelled to Los Angeles to purchase their 1978 Cortez motorhome.My Cortez was the only other Cortez motorhome
that they had ever seen other than their own.Mark and Sandy Kuoppale happened by to look at both rigs.Turns out that they own a 1967 Cortez that
they want to rebuild.Many interesting
ideas and pieces of good advice were exchanged.
"New" Cortez motorhome owners Thomas and Patti Mitchell
Lots of vintage trailers of all makes
and models on hand at the rally.Of
special interest was a small new fiberglass trailer called a “Relic” being
produced from molds made in the 1960’s but never went into production then.
"Relic" Trailer
Fins and rocket style tail lights
Having a great time just sitting
around doing nothing.
