… but now we are.
Pahrump, Nevada is an hour outside of Las Vegas and we weren’t going to go there. We just left Tecopa Hot Springs (that post was supposed to be next but it will have to wait now) and we took a short cut to Vegas rather than going through Pahrump. So, when the “check engine” light came on again, and we lost power, we found ourselves in the middle of the Mojave Desert, 80 miles and a mountain pass away from Vegas, with no cell signal.
We’re handling it well so far. We pulled off the road and I checked to see if I could get an internet connection. Yep!! I’m thinking… I’ll email everyone I know and have the first person to respond (we were laying odds on it being Kim) call a tow truck for us. We’ve got water, food, internet … everything we need. If we have to spend the weekend out out here, we’ll be fine. While I’m thinking this, a nice man and (I’m guessing) his son, stop to check on us. They’re from Vegas and they know something about diesel trucks. They suspect a vacuum leak from the turbo charger and they suggest we limp our way to Pahrump.
We didn’t have to limp as, when we started up again, the engine had normal power. Now we are in Pahrump and, as I type, the Chevy dealer is running diagnostics. Will they be able to fix it? Will we spend the weekend in Pahrump? Tune in next time for the answer to this, and other, scintillating questions!
Yipes! All you need is someone resembling the bad guys from “The Hills Have Eyes” and you are sunk!
Sorry, I would have been on the case but I didn’t get an e-mail. I just happened to stop in your blog to see where you were.
There are worse places that Pahrump. I am keepig my fingers crossed that everything will be fine.
Send me an e-mail and see if we have our demons back again.
You do get the prize, Kim, though I didn’t send the email out since the actual need for a tow truck didn’t materialize. Still, you were the first responder and Steve’s impressed! He hadn’t even read my post yet. We’re still at the dealership and they are changing the fuel filter in hopes that will fix the problem. It might. And then again, it might not. But since it is almost due to be changed anyway, and it’s the most ambitious service they could accomplish on a Saturday afternoon, we’re getting it done. We’ll probably head to Vegas when they finish, and if the symptom recurs as we climb the grade, we’ll turn around and they’ll carry on with a diagnosis on Monday when their diesel mechanic is in. So far, the customer service has been great, and Rich, the Service Manager, is taking good care of us. The truck, still hitched to the trailer, is pulled into the middle of their giant service area. Dogs and cat are in their travel places, and all is well.
p.s. we’re finally out of California! Somewhere between the “check engine” light coming on and turning onto Highway 160 to Pahrump, we crossed the state line. No “welcome” signs posted. The desert looks just the same on either side but we know we’re in Nevada inside the dealership waiting room. People are smoking indoors!
p.s.s. Steve is looking at a Pahrump real estate guide. Prices are looking good!
My first thought was “Oh I hope they are okay.”.
My second thought (as a former GM Roadside phone advisor) was “Laura and Steve are a roadside person’s worst nightmare; no home to tow them to, it is a weekend, 3 dogs and a cat and towing a 5th wheel, UGH! And all for a “check engine” light!
Glad to know the service is good and that you are safe. I guess this is the type of adventure that will make your journey interesting and have fun stories. It is the type that isn’t great as you are experiencing it but then there are hidden benefits that might show up later! Maybe meeting new friends, discovering a possible cool town, etc…
Keep us updated!
Vegas? Say Hi to Celine for me!
If you get really stuck, call me. I have some friends out toward Red Rock who would be happy to help.
Or if you need reinforcement as to why you are doing this, take a walk down the strip. One trip through the crowd outside the Bellagio Fountains, buskers shoving “free massage” cards in your hand as you walk by and perpetually burning eyes from the smoke-filled casinos should be enough.
We are at least spending the night in Pahrump. (I just love the name of this town!) The truck is fixed, at least we hope it is. Rich, the wonderful service manager and transplanted New Yorker, thinks the likelihood is about 96 percent that we are. If not, we know where to go in Vegas, and we have Rich’s cell phone number if we have trouble. Now that is service!!!
After doing laundry at “Dirty Laundry”, a laundromat owned by Heidi Fleiss, “former madam to the stars”, we decided to use the KOA gift certificates that Nicole generously gave us for our birthdays and stay here overnight. The Pahrump Desert KOA is brand new and luxurious. It’s really weird being here after the places we have been. We’re off to dinner at the restaurant (again, thank you, Nicole) and I am looking forward to going swimming in the pool. More on this later…
Did you check out the bathroom at the laundromat? Puts Trader Joe’s in Santa Rosa to shame.
See! Good came from this little side adventure!
I missed all the adventure, if dad saw it he didn’t say! I assume you are in Vegas or beyond
by now. Steve finished his marathon in just under
four hours and that was his goal. We had great
birthday dinner with Michele and Shaun on Sat.
It is spring! I planted pansies in my pots and
also some bulbs that are sprouting as I did not
plant them in fall. It looks great to see plants
in the hanging pots. Weather was beautiful yesterday and is going there again today. I also
bought a bowl- pot of johnny jump-ups which loo
beautiful on the table on the deck. They always make me think of Grandma. I also talked
to Beanie and Jim. Beanie has her surgery on her knee on Wed for sure and Macy is finally
getting better with a change of meds. Today is
Marilyn’s birthday so we will call when dad gets home. love you both
LOTS good came from this little side adventure.
We stayed a second night at the Seibt Desert Retreat recently-turned KOA. While swimming in the pool, which we had largely to ourselves, we decided to take a vacation from our vacation and celebrate the anniversary that we were too stressed to enjoy last month. It is beautiful here (albeit in a somewhat contrived and artificial way) and mostly empty. The notion here is that people buy RV lots and use this as their home base to get Nevada residency. It’s a secure, gated community (can you believe it?) with a lot of amenities. It seems lots aren’t selling so they signed up with KOA and they’re renting to overnighting riff-raff like us.
We’ve gotten chummy with the staff. Mary Jo and Ken manage the place. Transplanted Coloradoans, KOA brought them in from Vegas where they had been running the KOA for the last couple of years. They’ve only been here a month. Mark is the “Kitchen Manager”, which means he is chef, bartender, waiter and chief cook and bottle-washer. Papa to five, he is a transplant from Kentucky, via Milwaukee and Vegas. “Doc” and Oscar are the security guys. We know Doc well enough now to have seen pictures of his dogs, both living and dead, and to know his career in law enforcement includes a 4 year stint as a corrections officer on gang detail at Treasure Island.
Everybody worked late yesterday. Mark worked late on his day off (for extra pay? I doubt it.) The bigwigs were here. Hans, the owner, and some investors, spent the afternoon drinking in the shade of a palapa, tended closely by Mark and Ken. The Crown Royal was flowly freely and the laughter got louder as the night progressed. It was an amusing mini-drama that we enjoyed watching from the side lines, though I felt for the staff.
After dinner, we unwrapped a bottle that had been gifted to us by Chris, owner of Cruzio, before we left Santa Cruz. Westi delivered it to us with a congratulatory note and, thinking “how sweet”, we put it away in a cupboard. In honor of our anniversary, yesterday, out it came. Reportedly, Chris is quite the connoisseur, and I’ve always known him to be over-the-top generous, so maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised to find that, underneath the wrapping paper, we had an honest-to-goodness bottle of Dom Pérignon! Mark, finding the idea of us drinking such a beverage out of mason jars or lexan margarita glasses unnacceptable, loaned us real champgagne glasses from the bar.
We had ourselves a right-nice anniversary!
Oh, and we’re not going to Vegas anymore. Just through it and back out to wild Nevada terrain. Good to know about your friends in Red Rock, Kim!
Mom, what is wrong with Macy?
Yep, that Chris for you. He’s “forced” me to imbibe Dom before. Rough life eh?
Macy has had sinus and bad cough. First meds didn’t do it but second one seems to have gotten
her better. Jim called today and he said she
will go back to school tomorrow. She has been
home for at least 10 days. Beanie’s surgery went
fine the doctor said. She should be home and off
work until next Monday. Where are you guys?
love ya