Travelling Trio

We got up and I hurried to get my clothes on so the driver would not try to move the generator by himself.  I helped him move it over the hitch and back into the left side where it belonged.  It wasn't too bad!  Everything is easier when you have someone to help you!  We started putting things back into the new truck and figured out we had way to much "stuff". The old louvered tailgate did not match.  We went to Camping World to price a new one.  $400---whoooo!  I put the old one on Craig's List and already have a nibble.  Because the new tailgate was too wide to fit into the back seat, we decided to leave it on and not buy the replacement until we got down around Springfield, MO, next month. We ate a little lunch and took naps.  All this thinking is wearing us out! The day ended with rain and really cool temperatures.  We will probably come back up here next summer for a month. I colored my hair with a darker rinse.  I'm co...

Here we are.  Friday we signed the papers with the promise of picking up the truck on Monday.  But, life likes to remind us who is boss.  We left this afternoon around 2pm with the 2001 Diesel.  I told Gary on the way to the dealer that it was like taking our German Shepard to the vet with the intention of putting her down, and he would could home with her again.  Too hard to depart.  The Diesel didn't want to say good-bye either! But tonight, after drawing the attention of the New Car Manager (all the sales personnel knew us by name) and General Manager, the truck was finished.  A couple from California stopped by to ask questions and visit about diesels.  I think that did it!......  when the customers thought we were a permanent fixture to the store.  Our truck got finished around 6pm.  The General Manager said if we had to stay longer they would buy us dinner.......The first running boards they tried to install were n...

We got up early and took the 2001 into the dealer to have the hitch moved and pick up our new truck.  We hung around the camper most of the day waiting on the "wonderful" little salesman to call us to tell us to come get our 2011 truck.  We waited, waited, and waited.  Finally after 5pm he called to say they were taking longer than expected to get the hitch moved.  The rails and bug shield had not been done.  So we had to take back our loaner Monte Carlo and drive the 2001 back to the campground.  By this time my "uglies" were coming out all over!  It was time for the driver to handle things  because I am about ready to keep the 2001.  It is prettier anyway.   In my mind they are waiting on the van to show up to make sure they were not taken advantage.  Don't they know we are know for our upkeep and well maintained vehicles? Anyway, on the way home we drove up to the site of Buffalo Bill's grave and a mansion.  It must have be...

It is 7:16pm MT.  No call from the dealership to tell us to come get the truck.  We were afraid they had too much to do in too little of time. Good thing we aren't in a hurry. I went ahead and fixed dinner.  We had smothered hamburger steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas, peaches, and cottage cheese.  Pretty tasty! Haven't done a whole lot today.  Vacuumed a little, did the dishes, walked around the campground.  The weather has been great.  It clouds up about every afternoon, thunders a little, and stays pretty cool. No pictures today.

We got up slowly this morning.  I had my coffee, shot a few bubbles, and waited for the driver to rise! The salesman at Stevinson Chevrolet told us they had a great brunch at Isle of Capri so that was our goal for today.   We ate, it was good, and headed to Wal-Mart to buy weekly grub.  Wanted to see new territory so we put Wal-Mart into Bertha the GPS and chose a location that we hadn't any idea where we were going.  Ended up driving down this canyon into Golden.  Nope, she wasn't through with our trip, we then drove further north and ended up somewhere!  When we got to where she said there was a Wal-Mart is was closed down.  We had to choose another one.  We didn't understand why it was closed because it was one of the newer buildings.  Maybe the Super Target across the street and COSTCO ran it out of business.  We shopped and then we needed our ice tea.  Bertha lead us down a wrong path again.  We gave her another chance, a...

We finally made the big decision!  I had been checking Craig's List and the computer for a used Duramax with low miles.  I found a 2011 white one at a Chevrolet dealer in the suburb of Lakewood, Colorado with 17,??? miles.  I told Gary about it and he didn't make any comment. As I was sitting and playing on the computer, he asked if we shouldn't go look at it.  So, I asked if I should put some clothes on.  He decided it might be a good idea. So, off we went to Lakewood.  This nice little salesman came out, we told him we came to check out the used diesel.  It was gone!  But he told us with the incentives offered and year-end-sales, he thought we could get a new one for close to the same price. Dumb us, we drove it, we liked it, we bought it.  It took all day. This is Gary cleaning out the 2001.  What I don't understand is why he cleans it after we trade it off?  He even asked for Q-tips to clean the vents.....Holy Cow......i...

You know when we look back at this trip, one of the things we have done the most and enjoyed the least, our repair history..... Anyway, this is the view from the hill going up to our campground.  We are overlooking Central City (a refurbished mining town)......I met a lady in the lounge of Ed Bozarth's that grew up here.  She claims that the stories the tour guides tell is not how she remembers things.... This is a view of us returning in the afternoon going down a steep hill to enter Central City.  They are redoing the Main Street.  They took the radiators off the truck and cleaned them, replaced the in-cabin filter that was full of bees, bugs, and a little black book.  Gary asked the mechanic if he took any of the numbers down.  Ha! They replaced the thermostats.  We really liked the mechanic and the service check-in man, Rob, treated us with concern.  We were pleased with the service, now let's see how the old diesel pulls up the next mo...

August 16--We drove from Grand Junction to Denver/Central City KOA.  I didn't take any pictures.  I was having a day of silence in honor of NaNa.  I started to finish the last quilt top she had given me.  It was the one thing I could do that would make me feel closer to her. August 17--We drove up to Boulder to pick up my Five Spot replacement.  We had lunch at McDonalds.  I had the Asian Salad.  It was pretty good.  I was pleasantly surprised.  We are headed back into the mountains. On the way down to Ed Bozarth Chevrolet we passed this "little" ranch. We stopped at a Chevrolet dealer in Boulder.  Didn't like what he had to say.  Called my friend and she gave me the number of our #1 Trusted Mechanic.  He gave Gary some suggestions.  We then drove down to the Ed Bozarth Chevrolet in Aurora and made an appointment to have the thermostats replaced tomorrow morning.  The head mechanic we talked to there, ac...

I forgot how much I dislike the heat! We left and stopped at Camper World south of SLC.   The technician advised the driver to change his brake controller.  He claimed that our controller was know for its bucking and grabbing.  That's too much action for an over-weight lady.  Everything just gets settled and it's starts to rumble again! We headed south on Hwy 5 and then headed through the desert of Utah and Western Colorado. Some of the rock formations were really pretty. There was a power plant located in the valley in the center. I was trying to get a picture of the mountain behind the truck.  It just stuck out there and stopped. Oh, I did get it when we got closer. There was an interesting layer of "things".  Grass, desert sand, and then a layer of mountains and then the white clouds leading into the blue sky. We were really in the flat lands. Ahh, one more state closer to home; but several miles. We made it to this...

HOT is the word. First I want to post some memories of NaNa.  I ............... Remember when Sharon, Barbara, and I used to go to her house one week during the summer.  She tried to learn to ride my new bicycle.  We pushed her down the hill, she panicked and just about ran into the pond. Remember She loved Christmas at Grandma Carries and she would be "Santa" and pass out the gifts. Remember She used to play the piano for us and my favorite was "Mockingbird Hill". Remember when Deb, Aunt Florence, Uncle Tommy, Aunt Dorothy, Gary, and I painted the dining room, wall-papered the kitchen, painted the closet under the stairs at James's house.  The medicine cabinet fell on Uncle Tommy and cut his head while he and Gary were working in the bathroom.  We also laid new carpet in there.  Aunt Florence let Gary take Uncle Tommy into town for stitches.  She didn't want to miss the fun we were having. Remember when we three girls discov...

The driver was up and raring to go this morning.  I was sitting in my chair drinking my first cup of coffee and he stuck his head in the door and asked if I was ready for him to unhook things.....guess I wasn't. We are leaving Elko and heading across the desert.  It looks like water?  are your thirsty? More sand? Ahh, one more state closer to home! Driver tells me and dumb me will believe anything----this is the Salt Flats. Wow!  sometimes I amaze myself.  I have better luck taking picutes by just sticking the camera out the window and pushing the shutter.  Pretty clouds! Whoops!  Didn't do as well on this one....I was trying to get the salt refinery, clear to the left.  I'll blame it on the driver going too fast. This is our campground in Salt Lake City.  We are at the KOA and we are taking advantage of stay one and get one free.  You know me, I like a bargain! Just found out that NaNa passed away tonig...

We left this morning around 9:15am.  It was down right chilly when we got up; but as soon as the sun came up, the camper got hot and the air kicked into action. This is our site at the KOA at Reno Boomtown. Can you believe that I was in Reno and had no desire to play the slot machines.  I was pooped.  My feet are swollen to twice their size (hot weather does that to me!).  I just wanted to sit with my feet up in the cool. This is how close we were to the casino. We headed into the desert.  Landscape changed drastically. Time for a "potty" break for Miss Priss and GrMa.  We couldn't find any grass and there diffidently was NOT a tree big enough for a break and there never is a rest area when you need one. There were four tunnels going into this mountain.  I got three of them in the picture.  Two were for the traffic, one for UP trains, and one for the Amtrak. Isn't this an interesting rock formation?  You know I sai...