roadtrip chris arbon: December Departure 2019.

Seven Days of Driving.

____ One week into December and the bitter cold of the Winnipeg Winter begins to hit hard. Finally all the ducks are in a row, Cheryl has the all-clear after her cataract operation and we are ready to head South. The Mack is reluctant to start at minus 16 degrees C. Two magnetic block heaters, the propane heater, the battery charger on 75 amp start-mode plus a healthy shot of ether and the 11 litre diesel fires-up as snow flurries fly in a grey Manitoba sky. South of the border, the weather is the same with an Arctic front bearing down on the whole Mid-West. We decide to push-on into the night, driving in a warm cab as opposed to sleeping in a cold living quarters. Then at Sioux Falls, the alternator packs-up. No volts at the volt-meter and it’s not a broken fan belt. Into the Coffee Cup Truck Stop at Vermillion for the night, knowing that the batteries are flat and tomorrow will not be easy.

____ Having a self-contained, off-the-grid vehicle does have some advantages in our sorry state. The generator charges the batteries while we go for breakfast, the house-batteries in the back of the truck can be used to boost the flat batteries and with another shot of ether we can continue. The old-style diesel engine of the Mack is well-suited to running on reduced electrical power; we keep the lights and heater fan off, running for three hours as the voltmeter slowly drops from 12 to 10. Another blast on the generator at lunch time gets us through to nightfall. Same scenario for the Sunday and by Monday morning I start looking for opportunities for getting the alternator fixed. With the Mack being a fire-truck, the alternator is not the normal unit fitted a 16 ton truck; it is a huge 250 amp lump and not what would be easily sourced, new or re-built. We make steady progress, even with our disability, maybe Arizona would be the best place to get things sorted; at least we would be in the warm.

____ We arrange a rendezvous with Gail and Milo at Snyder Hill, just south of Tucson. Cheryl’s sister and brother in law have been boondocking for a couple of weeks in Arizona and are pleased we have finally started our trip. Milo is eager to help with the alternator problem and finds a place on the Internet in Tucson that rebuilds starters and alternators. Luna Industries says to bring it in and they will look at it straight away. Thanks to Milo and the Suzuki Vitara that he hauls behind his motorhome, this is not a problem. Luna Industries know their stuff! Two hours later and we have a repaired alternator. It was broken wire connecting the alternator to the regulator and fixed for $60. An expensive piece of 3 inch wire but a cheap repair when a new alternator costs $2700 and a rebuilt one costs $1850. Fair play to Luna Industries for saying it was just a broken wire because if they had said it was old and un-repairable I would have believed them.

____ Now with our batteries charging and the warmth of the Arizona Sun shining through the cab windows, we headed for Yuma. Making our way to Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area and our home for the rest of the year. Stocking up with supplies so that the Mack can rest-up for seven days after the seven arduous days of the south-bound journey.