Leaving Idaho was a little more difficult than we expected. We started off at Caldwell RV Park because we needed to rest overnight. We stayed because we needed a little vacation to settle in after all the packing and moving and stress. While we were there, we met some pretty fantastic people! Two in particular come to mind.
Dan and Robert met while Robert was out fishing. Dan lives at Caldwell, and would often walk around the park, socializing with the residents. An eccentric gentleman, with a lot of life experience, he and Robert hit it off immediately. He invited us back to his RV, and as I looked around at all of the various photos and trinkets he has tucked in everywhere, he and Robert sat and talked. Off they went, into their own little world, bantering ideas back and forth, discussing hypothesis and theories that would rival any scholar. Ecologically minded, Dan was working on a solution for our fresh water ponds and lakes. Here, clearly, was a man of heart and great ideas. But he needed some help with his focus. We gave him some ideas on how to help himself, and reminded him, just breathe.
Terry came out when I was fishing with Robert. We chatted casually, and then she went back home. Later, she came by, and we talked again, and she started to talk to us about life, balance, and focus. There was an instant camaraderie between us, and we felt connected in some way. A beautiful woman, a gentle soul, and a very talented artist. She showed us her work, and we discussed ways she could help advance her career. We are really looking forward to seeing her again, and helping her in any way we can.
We left Caldwell RV Park on Saturday nite, and started off. But it got dark quick, and the road was torn up, so we had to move real slow, at about 45mph. The stress of holding onto the van to make sure it stayed on the road was telling after such a relaxing few days. So we pulled out for the night to rest. The next morning, we headed back out toward Twin Falls. We took a break there for lunch, and to let Robert stretch his leg, which he couldn’t feel at the time. Once more, we headed to the highway on our way toward Las Vegas, and as we crested into Utah, Robert was starting to have trouble with his leg again, so we exited again for the evening. In the morning, we headed out again. The van was purring softly as we headed up the grade on the outskirts of Ogden. But there was a grade in front of us, and it was getting warmer, and as we crested the grade, the lower radiator hose blew. We rolled into the Perry Port of Entry truck station and turned off the van. The hose had come off, it didn’t split, so we tried to clamp it and fill it, but when we started the van again, there was a small white puff coming from the tailpipe, and it was dripping water. This indicated a blown head gasket, so with heavy hearts, we asked to pull off for a while until we could figure out what to do. We had just had the van serviced in Vancouver, so we were very surprised, since we had told them we were going to be pulling a load through the desert and asked them to make sure our van was road worthy. We called the shop, and they arranged towing for us. Horray! However, our mechanics decided it was not their fault, and were not going to reimburse us for the expense. We were down to gas and food money, and the future looked bleak.
We have a friend, Dawnelle, who had moved to Utah recently, and we had planned on stopping by on our way through, but weren’t able to make an event she had planned the prior evening. When we missed her event, she felt saddened she missed us. She told us she prayed that we wouldn’t pass her by on our way through, so when I called her up, she was overjoyed that we were here, and has been nothing but a ray of hope for us. She has allowed us to park at her home while we figure out our situation. She is also pulling her resources together to help us find a cheaper alternative than the $2700 the shop told us it would cost us to fix the van.
So, here we are, in Ogden, Utah, without a vehicle, and looking for portrait work to try to raise some money so we can get our van fixed and back on the road. We are blessed to have Dawnelle here to help us remain sane and to give us a safe place to park until we figure this out. And blessed for her friends who are mechanics and willing to help us as well. So, sorry, Las Vegas, it’s gonna be another few weeks until we can get there, but, we’re on our way!
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