TOUR AMERICA, 2020: YUMA, ARIZONA – THE GRAND CANYON STATE

Places We Have Called Home In 2020

March 12, 2020

Temperature 71 Degrees

Forget Elvira, Build Me an Ark!

Two More Projects Crossed Off the List:  Muffler and Transmission

Water off the port side.  It was over the soles of my sneakers.  Just where I needed to unhook everything so we could take Elvira in for her scheduled maintenance appointment.

Water off the starboard side.

Water off the bow.  Here’s the funny thing, until you look out you don’t even know it rained.  We can no longer hear the rain on the roof.  All you here is something akin to a dull roar.  Elvira is one quiet lady.  A whole lot different than Graybeard.  This rig is really well insulated.

Unfortunately, my once spiffy lady is now an absolute mess.  When we get to Congress I’m going to have to clean her all over again.  At least she has a coat of wax on her which should make cleaning her a lot easier.

This is where we spent the first part of our day.

Any business that has rides like this outside the front door is my kind of place.  This business is also unique in that it has no employees.  Everyone is an equal partner in the business.  Want to get hired?  You have to be voted in by the partners.  Same thing for firing someone.  The partners vote whether you go or not.  At the end of the year they all share in the profits of the business.  Different to say the least.

Elvira up on the lift.

One technician got to work on the muffler.

The old rusted out fifteen year old muffler.   It was a mess.

 

The new one from Spartan Chassis in place.  Want to know what I think?  I believe I could have just gone with a piece of straight pipe!  Elvira really doesn’t sound all that quiet even with the new muffler in place.  Live and learn.

Another technician tackled the Allison Transmission.  I never realized just how huge they are.  A whole lot bigger than the three and four speed transmissions I used to install in my hot rods.  The good news was no burnt fluid and all looked great.

Of course while they worked I roamed around and took some pictures of the more interesting signs in the office.  Take a look.

If I had the money I sure would like to have this full size for my toad!

We got back home just in time for a major storm to blow through.  Winds were twenty to thirty mile an hour hitting us square on the drivers side  Even with the jacks down we still rolled back and forth.  The rain came in horizontal sheets.  All of this nonsense lasted for about an hour then it was over.  Till now.  We just received weather alerts for more severe weather.  Once again, high winds, lots of rain and with it the chance of flash flooding.  This is the worse weather we have had in the last several months.  So we’re not complaining, just riding it out.

That was our very different day on The Road of Retirement.  We have one more major project to complete and then we are done for this year.  It will be time to kick back and enjoy Elvira and the changes we have made to her.  By the end of next week she will definitely be ours, a reflection of who we are, and how we travel.  Tain’t that grand!

Thanks for checking in with us today.  We always enjoy your company and your comments.  Catch your tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and it’s two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before

See you on down the road!