Here's the plan

We leave Chatfield and host grilled burgers and homemade chocolate malts with Jon and Deb, and Janis and Brian, at Rifle Gap State Park, on Sunday. A couple days there, then south to Ridgway State Park and Orvis Hot Springs for a soak and a massage. Two days from there to Las Vegas for the accounting conference for a week. From there, we’re off to Truckee to get the White-headed Woodpecker and Mountain Quail, Redding because it’s on the way, and Crescent City on the Northern California coast for two weeks.

What actually happened: We were up by 7, on the move by 8:15, all the way out of Chatfield Park by 8:30 and pulled over on the shoulder of the ramp from C-470 to I-70 westbound in a cloud of smoke and pool of oil by 9!






The big-honkin tow truck was there by 1.



The tow-truck driver, Aaron, had to very carefully lift the front of the bus, then disconnect the drive train. He popped the decorative hub off the right rear wheel and un-bolted the axle, but the axle wouldn’t pull out past the decorative wheel-work, so he had to put the axle back in, crawl underneath the rig, and take out the driveshaft.

Even having to pull the driveshaft, it only took an hour and a half to get the motorhome underway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgfTDUjKJeg

We were towed to a repair shop out on the east side of Denver. Our plans are on hold while we wait for more information. A preliminary look from the mechanic suggests that this is serious. We should find out more tomorrow.

Today’s installment of: Life on the (Side of) the Road.