Fire and Rain, the $3000 brain fart, back to Arizona, 400 days
Fire and Rain
I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain, mostly rain.
After Gettysburg, I got in some beach time in the outer banks of North Carolina and then Myrtle Beach South Carolina. Emerald Isle in the outer banks is a beautiful, sleepy beach town with warm water and nice surf.

Unfortunately, I found out that at dawn and dusk there are tons on noseeums on the beach. The first night, unprotected by insect repellent, I got maybe 100 bites. Most of them stopped itching after 2-3 weeks.
In Myrtle Beach, I attended the iRV2 National Rally and enjoyed another warm water beach.

The second half of the week it started raining – 2-4 inches a day. At the end of the rally I moved on to historic Charleston for nine days of thunderstorms and 2-6 inches of rain every day. Talladega? Rain every day.
Fire? Well a lightning strike just outside the campground in Charleston set a big live oak ablaze. Pouring rain pretty much put out the fire before the fire department arrived.
The $3000 Brain Fart
Heading back to Arizona I noticed I’ve got a small oil leak and started checking the oil every time I stopped. At a rest area between Santa Rosa and Albuquerque in in New Mexico I saw the oil and engine coolant were both a little low. I got out a gallon of coolant and a gallon of oil and a couple of funnels. Then I poured almost a gallon of coolant into the oil spout. It wasn’t until I put down the jug that I noticed the orange liquid in the funnel and looked back at the jug.
Can’t drive like that, so I got towed 100+ miles to Albuquerque ($1250) where I spent three days at Freightliner having the oil flushed and the leak fixed ($1500). The truckers assured me this kind of thing happens, but I know stupid when I do it. Add in a few nights in a motel with a dog surcharge and I’m into this brain fart for over $3k.
Back to Arizona
I’m in Flagstaff now to visit Kylee at NAU. It wasn’t a good trip into town. The engine overheated during the climb from Holbrook. I’m hoping the oil leak just fouled the radiator vents and a good steam cleaning will set it right, but I don’t know yet. I also took a rock to the windshield which left the traditional divot plus two foot long cracks. I hope insurance will cover that one.
After Flagstaff I’m going to Phoenix for a bit to finish the motorcycle repairs from last April’s Flagstaff stop and have some dental surgery. Relatively speaking it could be fun.
400 Days
It’s been over 400 days and more than 80 stops (I know a missed logging a few) since I started traveling full time. Yes, I’m still having a great time.
The dog is still crazy, but controllable. There’s been a lot more expense than I’d planned – new bike, new trailer, dog related repairs, motorhome repairs, Kylee’s car repairs, and more. But just about every spot had it’s charm and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss any of them. Onward bound.
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