2017 RV Adventures - Episode 3

Easily the high point of our 2017 RV adventures was our visit to Pikes Peak. We took the Cog Railway to the summit, which was a great way to go.

The trip begins at the station in Manitou Springs, Colorado. Manitou Springs, which is just outside Colorado Springs, is a small town nestled at the base of Pikes Pike, at an altitude of 6,412 feet. The trip to the summit is along 9 miles of track that ascends 7,703 feet. The train moves along at a leisurely pace, with a maximum speed of 9 mph. The scenic ride takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. We picked an ideal day to go – the weather at the summit was sunny, mild, and not windy, with great visibility.

View from the front car

Rocky Mountain High

Plenty of ammo for a snowball fight on May 31st.

I thought it would be really cold in the thin air at 14,115 feet. It felt as if the temperature was in the low 40s. Imagine my surprise when we found out it was actually 22°! The views from the summit were even more breathtaking than the high altitude. (Click on the following panoramic scenes to view them full screen.)

On a clear day, you really can see forever!

A few days later, we camped in Golden, Colorado (home of Coors beer). We ventured into Denver via a nearby quick, inexpensive light-rail line. There we took in a tour of the United States Mint.

Standing outside one of the few federal government
operations that actually makes cents!

The tour was quite interesting. Security was very tight, and taking photos inside was prohibited. Regarding the tour, I noted a couple of missed opportunities:

> They should have sold breath fresheners in the gift shop, called "Denver Mints".

> They should have offered Mint Juleps for the adults to drink after the tour.

My suggestion for the Mint's new motto: "Change endures" (I can see it now: The Mint's logo with the Latin inscription, "Mutatio Eduro".)

As it happens, the new Ozark Riverways quarters for Missouri were just released the day before our visit. The tour guide mentioned this fact, and said the best deal in the gift shop was in the change machine by the door. The machine was loaded with the fresh, newly-minted quarters, so one could buy four of those shiny babies, previously untouched by human hands, for $1. (How about that, you numismatists?)

After touring the Mint, we satisfied our penchant for quirky museums with a visit to the Denver Fire Department Museum. The museum is located in Denver's first fire station, which was built in 1909.

We found the museum's exhibits to be quite interesting and informative. We even got a bonus private tour by a retired Denver firefighter.

A beautifully-restored 1953 fire engine

One of the more alarming exhibits

After a fine day in Denver, we returned to our campground with fresh money in our pockets, and our burning curiosity extinguished.

2017 RV Adventures - Episode 2

Although I missed the Kentucky Derby by two weeks, it was still great to visit Churchill Downs, that monument to the sport of kings, in Louisville, Kentucky. With the crowds gone, Janet and I practically had the place to ourselves! I bet on four races, including a daily double. (I can't believe inflation hasn't hit the betting window: A bet is still $2, just as it was when I was a kid.)
Did any of my horses finish in the money? Are you kidding? I'm a handicapped handicapper.

As they head for the finish line... my horse is out of the running!

I felt my wallet gettin' thinner, time to pick a winner.

A trip to Louisville would not be complete without a tour of the Hillerich & Bardsby bat factory, home of the Louisville Slugger.

Before taking the tour, I got to swing Mickey Mantle's bat.

I wonder if Charlie is a relative. (I know they
named a long-life battery after Al Kaline.)

Towards the end of May, we were headed for Colorado Springs, but with all of the campgrounds in and around that area fully booked for the Memorial Day weekend, we stayed in Dodge City, Kansas.

No self-respectin' RVer would stay anywhere else in Dodge City.

Shootout at the Boot Hill museum.

Although I didn't see Miss Kitty, I must confess that before I went to the Boot Hill museum, I thought Bat Masterson was a fictional character! [As a side note, here's a missed opportunity: The Dodge auto dealership in Dodge City is Lopp Motors. Wouldn't "Dodge City Dodge" be a better name?]

Come Memorial Day Monday morning, it was (you guessed it) time to get out of Dodge. As we headed to Colorado Springs, the truck began misbehaving. Ascending hills, it was "cough, wheeze, sputter." Fortunately, we made it to the RV park in Colorado Springs. The next day, I was able to find a diesel service shop that wasn't too far away. Diagnosis: A failing high pressure fuel pump. The repair, which took ten and one-half hours, involved separating the cab from the chassis, and lifting the cab to get at the pump. After waiting a couple of days and paying a $3,200 ransom (OUCH), we were able to resume our travels. (So much for paying my high-dollar dues before embarking on what I hoped would be a trouble-free summer!) If only I had hit that long shot at Churchill Downs...

2017 RV Adventures - Episode 1

O.K., I got lazy and didn't write any season 4 episodes for Going Mobile. I will tell you this: We traveled 8,600 miles over three months in 2016, and (wait for it...) – NOTHING WENT WRONG WITH EITHER THE TRUCK OR THE SHUTTLECRAFT RV! I know, it's unbelievable.

So let's skip right to season 5, the year Going Mobile goes international!

Naturally, there were dues to be paid before embarking on 2017's adventures. Last fall, after our return, the truck needed $1,500 of work. A couple of weeks ago, it demanded an additional $1,700 of remedial pre-launch service.

The Shuttlecraft needed work too. The awning canvas started coming apart last year and needed to be replaced. During pre-launch checkout, I discovered the roof had deterioration issues, the air conditioner failed, and the kitchen faucet turned into a geyser. After coughing up an additional $1,600, The Shuttlecraft was shipshape. (Looking at the bright side, I'd rather pay in advance than break down on the road. Here's hoping for two trouble-free years of traveling in a row. If you want to save lots of money, stay away from boats and RVs!)

Launch went successfully at 0700 on Saturday, May 13.

The Shuttlecraft undergoing final preparation in North Fort Myers, Florida

Today is May 15, and we're in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Chew, chew on that fact. Last night, our very nice waitress at the local Cracker Barrel recommended that we check out the Walnut Street pedestrian bridge. The bridge, which spans the Tennessee River, opened in 1890. It was closed in 1978 and sat in disrepair for nearly a decade. Repairs and structural modifications were then made to turn the bridge into a pedestrian walkway. Janet and I enjoyed our walk over the bridge on this, a sunny, warm morning.

Reflection of the Walnut Street Bridge on the murky water of the Tennessee River
Look carefully, and you'll see me standing on the bridge!

If you've been following Going Mobile, you may recall that Janet and I have a penchant for offbeat, quirky museums. We hit the mother lode in Chattanooga, with the International Towing and Recovery Museum and Hall of Fame! It turns out, the tow truck was invented by Chattanooga's own Ernest Holmes, Sr. in 1916. Holmes figured it would be easier to bring disabled vehicles to his shop for repairs than it would be to make repairs at the site of a breakdown or wreck. Who knew? (If this is ever on Jeopardy, I'll be ready!)

The museum houses numerous vintage tow trucks and related equipment, and yes, a towing hall of fame! (I would never be qualified to join this august group. After an accident, I'd be a nervous wreck. If I ever break my hallux, I'll call a toe truck.)

Replica of Holmes' first tow truck

The best golf cart I've ever seen was in the museum.
Hey you folks in The Villages, eat your hearts out!

Well, I'd love to continue this chat, but it's time to catch a train back to The Shuttlecraft; track 29.