Arizona to Utah, 2019!

ClydesdaleKevin · April 08, 2019, 11:40 AM

So now we begin a whole new boondocking adventure!

We are starting this chapter at a rest stop in Wickenburg, AZ, headed to Ogden, Utah, at the northern tip of the state...about a 700 mile drive.

Today's drive is only going to be about 120 miles to a Flying J in Kingman, AZ. We are exhausted! It is supposed to be in the 90s here and there today, and we only have enough propane in the tank to run the fridge until we get to the Flying J, where we can top off the propane and run the generator to run the AC.

After our morning coffee, I'll perform all of our road checks, and then we'll hit the road before it gets too hot. It is currently 8:40am here in Wickenburg, AZ.

Kev

Rickf1985 · April 08, 2019, 07:01 PM

How well does the engine A/C work? Does it keep the coach cool at all?

ClydesdaleKevin · April 08, 2019, 07:40 PM

Quote from: Rickf1985 on April 08, 2019, 07:01 PM
How well does the engine A/C work? Does it keep the coach cool at all?

It works, but needs a charge I think. It blows cool air, not cold.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · April 08, 2019, 07:51 PM

Safe touchdown in Kingman, AZ! We filled the propane tank, added the biocide and DieselKleen to the fuel tank and topped it off with diesel...had to call Chase because they flagged our debit card...and then pulled off to the side of the Flying J parking lot and we both took a nap (after starting the generator and turning on the AC).

The rig is driving great! We hit some climbing out of the valley, and we were passing semi trucks no problem.

Some angry Canadian lady gave me a hard time for "taking so long" getting diesel and propane. I told her she shouldn't be an RVer if she was in such a hurry...lol! I thought her head was going to explode when I guessed she was a Canadian... :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao

I also checked my solar panels, and they are rock solid on the roof.

We are going to stay the night here, and hit the road very early tomorrow morning to beat the heat. We'll see how far north we get before we decide to pull over again.

Kev

joanfenn · April 08, 2019, 08:14 PM

Canadian Eh? You might have to explain that one to me. Why don't you come this far north and we can chat.

Have a safe trip and I will try to forgive you.

ClydesdaleKevin · April 08, 2019, 08:26 PM

Quote from: joanfenn on April 08, 2019, 08:14 PM
Canadian Eh? You might have to explain that one to me. Why don't you come this far north and we can chat. Have a safe trip and I will try to forgive you.

LOL Joan! She was just nasty and irate and extremely impatient. It takes a while to fill an 80 gallon diesel tank and a 30 gallon propane tank...and we even moved the RV before going in and paying for the propane, and taking the pups out. The only time I ever experienced that kind of rudeness from fellow RVers were from Canadians in Florida (many times)...although granted those were all French Canadians with Quebec plates.

Kev

joanfenn · April 08, 2019, 08:39 PM

I understand. I was down in Quebec for a course in '88 and found that in ST Foy, just out of Quebec City once they find out that you are not french they don't even want to talk to you. It might have changed since then but it is too bad because Quebec city is beautiful with a hell of a lot of history but who wants to stick around when you are not welcome.

LJ-TJ · April 08, 2019, 08:57 PM

Hey Kev, don't judge all Canadians by Qubecer's. That would be like Canadian judging all Americans to be like Trump. D:oH! :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao

ClydesdaleKevin · April 08, 2019, 09:13 PM

Quote from: LJ-TJ on April 08, 2019, 08:57 PM
Hey Kev, don't judge all Canadians by Qubecer's. That would be like Canadian judging all Americans to be like Trump. D:oH! :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao

LOL! Or Trudeau.

Kev

TerryH · April 09, 2019, 01:10 AM

Well, Kevin, seem to recall you posting somewhat recently that this site/forum had nothing to do with politics, nationality, religion, etc., but was for the enjoyment and assistance to all members.
Your remarks above are extremely derogatory as well as disrespectful to all members here who are "unfortunate" enough to not share living where you do.
I am very proud to be Canadian and quite glad to be a member of this RV community.
Until I read remarks such as yours above.
I am also proud that I would never personally post such disparaging comments regarding any nationality.
Suggestion - take a look at the 'flag band' on the home page. Consider what it represents.

ClydesdaleKevin · April 09, 2019, 09:49 AM

Quote from: TerryH on April 09, 2019, 01:10 AM
Well, Kevin, seem to recall you posting somewhat recently that this site/forum had nothing to do with politics, nationality, religion, etc., but was for the enjoyment and assistance to all members.
Your remarks above are extremely derogatory as well as disrespectful to all members here who are "unfortunate" enough to not share living where you do.
I am very proud to be Canadian and quite glad to be a member of this RV community.
Until I read remarks such as yours above.
I am also proud that I would never personally post such disparaging comments regarding any nationality.
Suggestion - take a look at the 'flag band' on the home page. Consider what it represents.

Yikes! I simply made a joke about a very rude lady that happened to be Canadian, and then some friendly banter with Joan and TJ. I didn't bring up politics, as I only discuss politics on Gab.

My apologies for any offense. None was intended.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · April 09, 2019, 09:53 AM

It is a beautiful and blessedly cool morning here in Kingman, AZ, and we are having our morning coffee...about to hit the road after my usual road checks.

We should easily make it to Vegas today to pick up I-15 North, and our target stop for the day is the Flying J in Beaver, UT. Which is about a 300 mile trip.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · April 09, 2019, 10:25 PM

Well...karma is a charmer! See what happens when I make a joke about Canada? We made it to the Flying J in Beaver, Utah...just in time to be stuck in a winter storm advisory. It is insanely windy and snowing! We will be stuck here at least through tomorrow, and maybe until Saturday. Karma gave me a nice Canadian style winter snow storm to keep me humble...lol!

The trip here was uneventful, as the storm didn't come up until we were already fueled up and parked.

On the way here though, there was a HUGE tractor trailer accident on Route 93 that blocked all the traffic at the Nevada border, and all the traffic except tractor trailers was detoured on side roads...and ACROSS THE HOOVER DAM! That's right! We drove the RV across the Hoover Dam! It was so cool! What a marvel of engineering...and it was built in the 30s! Unfortunately the park was closed to visitors because of the accident on the highway...but next year we are going to take the tour. So neat!!!

Fuel economy for us was amazing on this leg of the journey. We drove 325.9 miles today, and it took 24.13 gallons of diesel to top us off when we got here. That comes out to 13.5 MPG! SWEET!!! And that was with a lot of climbing! Kingman, AZ has an elevation of around 3000 feet, and where we are right now in Beaver, UT the elevation is around 6000 feet. Not bad! Not bad at all!

Kev

LJ-TJ · April 10, 2019, 07:12 AM

Guys,guys it was a joke. Remember what that is a joke. Funny. No offence intended. Brother teasing sister. Canadian teasing American. WOW! Man I guess it just doesn't translate as well in print. D:oH!

joanfenn · April 10, 2019, 07:55 AM

:)rotflmao :)rotflmao Poor Kevin :)rotflmao :)rotflmao

ClydesdaleKevin · April 10, 2019, 01:30 PM

LOL! It is all good. Although I do have to unhook the Jeep and drive to Walmart to get another Buddy Heater. Ours died completely, and it will cost us a fortune to run the propane generator just to run a ceramic heater (furnace doesn't work...not getting 12 volts, and there is no way I'm going to try to troubleshoot and fix it in THIS weather. Its windy, snowing wet snow, and its COLD! Feels like 20 degrees with the wind chill! But at least we are safe at the Flying J in Beaver, UT.

All the state parks and national forests around here are closed until MAY! So there goes our boondocking plans. The only affordable campground in Ogden, UT doesn't allow German Shepherds (dang breedists!!!), and all the rest are 40 bucks a night and up! The owners of the Faire are looking into finding us someplace to park, but in the meantime we are stuck in Beaver, cold and wet. (There is a joke somewhere in there, but this is a family website...lol).

Kev

Rickf1985 · April 10, 2019, 04:35 PM

Make sure you keep plenty of ventilation with that heater. Not so much to do about the CO as it has to do with propane creating a LOT of moisture. You will have cabinets swelling and all kinds of nasty moisture related things going on after a few days of couped up with two people and the dogs and that heater. You will have water pouring off of the windows.

ClydesdaleKevin · April 10, 2019, 04:51 PM

Quote from: Rickf1985 on April 10, 2019, 04:35 PM
Make sure you keep plenty of ventilation with that heater. Not so much to do about the CO as it has to do with propane creating a LOT of moisture. You will have cabinets swelling and all kinds of nasty moisture related things going on after a few days of couped up with two people and the dogs and that heater. You will have water pouring off of the windows.

Yep. We experienced that with our last RV and the Olympian Wave 8 catalytic heater I installed. I always left the window next to the heater cracked open, and the same thing with the Buddy heater to mitigate the moisture, and to make sure they didn't use up too much oxygen.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · April 10, 2019, 04:58 PM

So I disconnected the Jeep and drove it over to the Flying J store...and MAN was it cold this morning! Finger hurting skin aching COLD!

I asked the nice young man behind the counter where the nearest Walmart was, and he said there wasn't any in this town...lol! VERY small town. He did point me in the direction of the local Ace Hardware though, and they had a Buddy heater in stock, so I bought it.

Right next door to the Ace Hardware was a KOA campground. So I took the initiative and paid the KOA for a week (this Flying J doesn't have propane or even a dump station...but the KOA has propane AND full hook ups). I'm going to need the Buddy heater later, so I was glad they had one at Ace and that I bought it.

So back to the Flying J I drove, hooked the Jeep back up, and drove us over to the KOA, about a mile or so away. SWEET! And they have a really REALLY nice dog park! I took the pups to the park for a while, and they LOVED playing in the snow!

It is supposed to snow for the next few days, so we are just going to wait it out here in style and rest for a week. Maybe I'll even try to fix the furnace.

Kev

Froggy1936 · April 10, 2019, 06:37 PM

Hi Kev How are you doing with the diesel on those very cold start ups ? Also time to watch for fuel jelling if untreated, Possibly already treated by seller ? Once jelled only warm weather will return to normal , or in a heated building . Good luck Frank & Louie

Rickf1985 · April 10, 2019, 08:04 PM

You won't have any gelling issues with winter grade diesel unless it gets down to 10-15 below zero. And the additive I had him use has some anti gel in it although the other Power Service has more and is made for the extra low temps. BUT, It is not really for the low sulfur fuels since it does not have the lubricants of the stuff he is using. so since it is not that cold he will not have any issues. I am going to guess that the fuel filter in that unit probably also has a fuel heater in it.

tmsnyder · April 10, 2019, 08:53 PM

Buddy heater? Like with a 1lb propane tank? I'm confused, doesn't that rig have a furnace?

LJ-TJ · April 10, 2019, 10:34 PM

Sounds like you should have stayed where you were. It's looking like your going to get hammered for the next few days. D:oH!

ClydesdaleKevin · April 10, 2019, 11:51 PM

Quote from: Froggy1936 on April 10, 2019, 06:37 PM
Hi Kev How are you doing with the diesel on those very cold start ups ? Also time to watch for fuel jelling if untreated, Possibly already treated by seller ? Once jelled only warm weather will return to normal , or in a heated building . Good luck Frank & Louie

It didn't want to start easily this morning, but it did start. There is a plug in a side compartment near the engine, which I would guess is an engine block heater. If it is cold when we leave on the next leg of our journey, I'll plug it into park power the night before we leave.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · April 10, 2019, 11:55 PM

Quote from: tmsnyder on April 10, 2019, 08:53 PM
Buddy heater? Like with a 1lb propane tank? I'm confused, doesn't that rig have a furnace?

I'm using it with an adapter hose off a regular BBQ grill tank, but yeah, that kind of Buddy heater. The rig has a furnace, but currently isn't getting 12 volts. The fuse is good, but no voltage going from the thermostat to the furnace. I think I've narrowed it down to a bad wall thermostat, but haven't had the time to replace it.

That said, on our last rig we had a working furnace, and never used it. We used a Buddy heater instead, and then upgraded to a built in catalytic heater. The reason? They use WAY less propane, heat the rig just as well (although not as quickly), and don't use any battery power.

Kev