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Tuesday, April 2, 2013

The Last Straw and The Last Supper


Our boondock camp was broken about 7:30 AM yesterday in order to make an appointment with the Ford dealer in Cottonwood by eight. We had a bag packed, just in case. I covered all the history of Goldie's tranny illness with the Service Manager, symptom by symptom, day by day. After about an hour, he said last what he could and should have said first. That's when the last straw broke...along with my temper. What a waste of time when someone passes on critical information as an addendum or post script. "Oh, by the way," he says, "Just to be honest with you..."


Why didn't he tell me this last friday...on the conference call discussion with Holmes-Tuttle's Service Manager in Tucson? But no. "Just to be honest with you," he says, "my transmission guy is also my diesel mechanic, and he currently has three motors down in a million pieces...so this could take a few days, maybe a week."

Just as Bobbie was about to pounce...claw him into a shredded piece of shag carpet...I stepped between them and said, "Sorry, that's not going to work for us. Thanks for your time."

We are packing up once again, in apprehensive anticipation of slowly nursing Goldie homeward...good intentions, gentle increments, and during the coolness of morning hours. As you no doubt noticed from the drastic change in our header photo, the Winter Snowbird Edition of the Box Canyon Blog draws near the last page. Like elements in a good novel, we've had triumphs and tribulations, victories and defeats, predicability and uncertainty. We've been lost and found, high and low, and in and out of Life on the Road...and we now look forward to an always fantastic summer in Lovely Ouray.  

One of our greatest memories will be this winter's caravan with fellow RV/outdoor addicts, Susan and Maikel...starting November 1st, in Virgin, Utah, outside the gates of Zion, and ending today, boodocked in pinion juniper Red Rock country near Sedona. We have hundreds of miles of hiking and biking, as well as hours of fellowship to fondly recall. We also look forward to doing it all over again... the next time they step off their respective "treadmills." We enjoyed a delectable  "Last Supper" at the Wild Flower Bakery in Sedona yesterday, after a long hike, of course, to Soldier Pass. Thanks Wiseones...for sharing "The Road" and yourselves with a couple of geezers :)). 

Now if you happen to be in the Four Corners neighborhood, and come across a parked Lazy Daze RV with two legs sticking out from under it, stop and say hello. We might be in need of a "lift" to civilization. 

The "Adventure" continues... stay tuned.

Mark and Bobbie,
Peace out!  




Here are a few pics of one of the most remote towns in Arizona, Portal...home of a multitude of birds, including the Elegant Trogon. The photos seem a little fuzzy today... a lame internet connection I'm guessing. Sorry. They seem fine in the "Viewer Mode," try clicking on them and looking at them that way... 


















16 comments:

  1. What total and utter rubbish from the dealer. That would have gotten my blood boiling too. In fact I'm rather sure my choice of words would have been much more crass.
    Despite your mechanical problems I've thoroughly enjoyed your SW blog travels. Here's hoping you get home safely and the Ford fixed easily.
    Nina

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  2. Loved the quaintness of Portal....had to include on my destination map! Hoping Lazy Daze doesn't wary and maneuvers down the road to safety.

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  3. I'm not brave enough to tackle Colorado's mountain passes with a broken transmission. If I was in your situation, I would ask around for references and search for a reliable mechanic and accept that its gonna cost me some precious $$$. Safety first.

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  4. What a glorious ride it's been! We will miss you & Bobbie and our adventures tremendously. We are off to explore another canyon with fabulous walls. Have a safe trip home. Huggs Susan

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  5. Nice to see the photos of Portal. Gotta love that quaint little place for it's simplicity. That Cave Creek & Portal area is another one of those favorite places we were so fortunate enough to have spent time in a few years ago. Keep on Lazy Dazing it:))

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  6. butterbean carpenterApril 2, 2013 at 12:16 PM

    HowdyB&M,
    HOLD ONTO HER, MARK,; she's got that artist temperament!!!
    That's why I NEVER deal with dealers, only RECOMMENDED independent mechanics!!!
    WE'RE HOPING & PRAYING Y'ALL GET'ER HOME; check on iRV2 and ask for recommendations, between there and CO, someone has had good luck, BUT WHATEVER YOU DO DON'T GO TO AAMCO TRANSMISSION, you won't even get a smooch and will GET S.....d!!

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  7. Thinking of you two as you slowly make your way home. Hoping you can successfully get her home!

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  8. Easy travel for the trip home; you know we are all with you in spirit. As always, amazing photos, thanks for taking time to share!

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  9. Easy travel for trip home. Thanks for intro to Portal; loved it and will add to my list! ( first comment disappeared, hope this isn't a duplicate)

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  10. Too bad your trip had to end on a sour note. The good thing about traveling in a motor home is if you break down at least you have your house with you. Hope you make it home and Goldie gets fixed up before your next adventure. So are you working at the pool again this summer to pay for repairs???

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  11. WHAT? I'd blow a gasket, for sure, if somebody told me that! LOVE the pictures of Portal...looks like a place we'll have to look up sometime!

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  12. hey big guy, rv;s are like boats,they are big hole in the dirt, that you poor money into. you know that!!now man up captain, and fix golddy.still looking for a lazy daze myself,so you should have someone to cry with.fellow traveler. gary

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  13. Laverne here:

    Well, Ive heard of the straw that broke the camel's back...sorry you've had trouble with Goldie, maybe by the time she gets back to Lovely Ouray she will have healed...now wouldn't that be something! And, if it had to happen I am glad it was at the end of your journey, because I certainly enjoyed all your comments, and especially the photo's. Good luck getting home.

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  14. safe travels to ya! sorries about the big bummer but when you make it to Ouray it will bring peace to Goldie to be worked on by a CO friend indeed, I hope!

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  15. What BS. Hate dealing with dealers, and mechanical problems of course. Portal is quite cute. Yet I see larger than Skull Valley, Arizona where there is a reputable mechanic. Keep the rubber down, slowly, and good luck getting her home.

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  16. Bummer, wishing you a safe trip home.

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