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July 2016 and this is our first big trip in the Syncro.

Our plan is to make our way fairly directly to California, and then wind our way back up the west coast and across the midwest US back to Ottawa. It was a good way to combine a camping trip with a visit to GoWesty for a bit of transmission service since it wouldn't stay in first gear as soon as you let off the accelerator. Once you have the trick to driving this way it's no big deal, but it had to be fixed. GoWesty was very good in helping us with the travel cost since the rebuilt unit was under warranty. It meant I didn't have to remove the transmission and ship it back across the continent, and we got a good excuse for a nice trip.

We made it to Morris Illinois the first day and stayed at the Day's Inn there. Not recommended, but the staff were very friendly.

The last bit of driving,especially in town told us the exhaust was louder than usual.

A quick look underneath showed three missing exhaust bolts at the cat flange, and a disintegrated gasket. It could wait till morning, and I'd either use some spares brought with us, or search out an auto parts place for a fresh tube of muffler cement.

So muffler cement where we come from is grey, thick, made of sodium silicate, and dries quickly in thick layers. The only stuff I could find was thin, black (like tar) and would only seal thin gaps- basically a gasket sealer not a hole repair.

White Pole Road was originally named for the white bottomed telephone poles along a 26 mile scenic byway, still there. Another white pole has been added in the area!

Fresh and rested the next morning, we head out, and at 8:30 that night we arrive in Rocky Mountain National Park. Jackie is now back in the mountains, and is verrry happy!

Jackie and her friend Christine had stayed at the Silverton In Las Vegas during a prior trip, and it was definitely worth a return visit. So we stayed there, had a great meal and a great room.

After picking up supplies the next day, and paying a return visit to Fry's Electronics near the airport (see .....), we head out to california - the weather was sunny, crazy hot and very windy- good traveling weather.

Shortly outside Vegas, we drive by the new Ivanpah solar electric generating station.

Thousands of mirrors concentrate the sun's energy onto a tank atop a tower.

The heat is circulated from the tower to turbines and generators which put electricity into the grid.

Dust in the air is lit up by the converging beams near the tower and look a bit like an umbrella of sorts. Those tower tops are bright like large desert stars and are very impressive!

Direct from Vegas after a full day's drive we make it to the west coast and camp for the night at Montana de Oro State Park under sunny skies and warm Mediterranean temperatures.

The next morning the fog shrouded the forest road, and it could've been somewhere in Lord of the Rings.

In the parking lot we meet Mak and Owen. They decided to give up living in just one place, bought a Westfalia, drove out west, and now travel and work from their van wherever they are

.www.boundfornowhere.com

Then it was time to make tracks towards California-we set out south to get onto Interstate 70, which would take us across Utah above Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

It was an interesting experience traveling for the first time on I-70 with the bus. The Westfalia engine is all of 2.0 L and there's not a lot of horsepower. I-70 has some of the steepest grades of any interstate, and so we grunted up some of them at 20mph on the shoulder with 4 way flashers on. There's nothing to be done once you're on the road, until the next exit, so grin and bear it as safely as possible. Finally we were out of the rough area. Onward towards Green River near Arches.

We reach the Green River campground as it's getting dark, and we have no reservation- hoping for spots still available. And so began the second bus problem of the trip.

It's now dark, and we're outside looking at the campground vacancy board while the van idles behind us. Then there's a beeping noise, from the overtemperature sensor I'd installed before the trip. The coolant temperature gauge is heading to the max second-by-second. Turn off the engine for several minutes as we find a site and register. Wait some more, then drive straight to the site as the gauge shoots up again.

Park for the night under warm clear skies and await developments in the morning.

In the morning, sunny and hot, it's time to solve the problem with the radiator and coolant. HTe water pump is working, but the radiator fan isn't turning on. Radiator temperature sensor switch works. THank God for a voltmeter. AFter more detective work, the problem is found.

The power wires bolted to the fan look perfect- tight and clean, with the wires firm and insulated. But after 28years, even with tight bolts, the copper lugs had grown an oxide layer that now insulated the power wired from the bolted stud of the motor! Once the problem was found it was a ten minute job to unbolt, sand,lubricate and re-tighten. Back on the road again, with a nice Vegas hotel room in our sights.

We arrived at GoWesty early the next morning and had a wonderful tour by Kathy, the President's wife. Here we share a laugh with Kathy and Ted Ingle at the customer counter before heading out in a loaner bus while the transmission gets its first gear fixed.

On the counter you can see a couple of the "Go West!" IPA beer we brought for the for the "GoWest y" crew.

With our temporary wheels, we travel to Morro Bay State Park and enjoy warmth, good food, otters and great seaside scenery until we retrieve our van and head up the coast to Oregon.

After visiting NAPA and another place we did manage to get several copper nuts and did the repairs in a gravel parking lot. Then we were on our way, albeit at 2 in the afternoon. Now we need to get through Illinois,Iowa and part of Nebraska today to stay on schedule.