Incidents

 No camping trip goes without incidents, and this is no exception.  Part of the journey is to deal with what befalls you.  I've already mentioned that our converter broke (and Sean fixed it) and gout (which almost miraculously cleared before even 24 hours of steroids were complete--going from non-weight bearing to hiking in no time), and that Humsfr was unhappy with the road to Chaco.  I didn't see a small ditch on a sharp left turn into a driveway and suspended the passenger side wheels by the frame.  A passing neighbor guided me out.  A trip to Durango's Ace Hardware and a restless night had me repairing cabinetry at 3 AM--and it worked!  Alhumdulillah!  

Durango.  We have a dear long time friend, Kimberly Washburn, that we have known since U Az residency days in the late 80's who, with her husband Steve, lives on a ranch in Durango with gorgeous views of the 14,000 foot peaks (Fourteeners, in the lingo of Coloradans).  Steve was fishing in Alaska but we were able to catch up with Kimberly, do a laundry, Joyce to luxuriate in a bath, and this gave me time to fix and wash HUMSFR.  Kimberly took us on a beautiful hike (my first day of the gout clearing) on Tuesday evening followed by dinner at a Nepali food truck Sherpa Momo, since we all have a taste for Asian food!  Wednesday after work we were treated to a bike ride along the beautiful Animas River.  They built a kayak course near downtown that was very popular and fun to watch the kayakers navigate the rapids.  

Kimberly and Joyce 

Bike ride on the Animus River

Thursdays are travel days, and we headed north through awe inspiring Silverton for an Ice cream stop and then on through Ouray passing over 10,000 ft. mountain passes.  The truck and rig handled well (aside from the smell of burning brakes).  We stopped at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.  

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

This part of the journey had no camping reservations and the south rim camping site was full, but we found a beautiful campsite at Elk Creek Campground overlooking the clean, beautiful and big (largest in CO) Blue Mesa Reservoir. 

I worked Friday AM and after lunch and an short nap, Joyce and I hiked the Curecanti Creek Trail with steep canyon walls with a crystal clear burbling creek 850 ft below the rim.  We are astounded with beauty at every corner, silent deer, elk, black billed magpies, silvery lupine, sulfur buckwheat, big sagebrush (names provided by the Seek App!).  Near the creek, at the foot of an impressively large scree field, we could feel cold air coming from within the open spaces among the boulders.  Who knows how many animals seek shelter in these spaces. 

Humsfr

6/21/25 Humsafar.  That is what we named our Airstream.  An Urdu/Hindi word rich with meaning about the one with whom you travel.  In it is the root Safar, basis of such words as Safari.  Hum referring to "we".  This day, I was reunited with my lifetime Humsafar, Joyce who was delivered by my elder son, AJ, to Chaco Canyon.  

Reading the reviews, we took the 'good' road to Chaco Canyon from the north.  Washboarded for miles on end, it was at least passable.  Humsfr was not happy and arriving at the campsite I quickly went to work in the 88 degree heat to set up and also to repair, as best I could, the closet door that fell off its hinges en route and to clean up any spills in the fridge.  I needed to replace a TV onto the wall mount, and re-slot the above kitchen sliding cabinet doors.  Road warriors will have found tricks to keep things closed and tight.  I'm learning! I really wanted Joyce and AJ to enjoy nature and the amazing history of human society that is Chaco Canyon.  

After resting a bit in the shade of Humsfr, we made mashed potatoes and talapia for an early lunch.  As cooling desert breezes arrived, we went to the nearby visitor center and watched the movie in AC comfort, then went down the loop to see our first of numerous masonry villages, pueblos per the Spanish, Hungo Pavi.  The first time you see the masonry with plumb-line straight walls, and crip square edges, the evenly spaced rock layers, the regular window and support beam openings, the multilevel stories, the exacting circular kiva structures--it is breathtaking.  

AJ impressed by the masonry Chaco Canyon(850-1150 CE)

The scale of the site, the straight as arrow roads radiating in so many directions, with steps carved into adjacent mesas allowing ritual pilgrims a direct path, the pottery shards  all give a sense of wonder.  The 'basket weavers' lived in below ground 'pit' housing but in around CE 850 began these enormous masonry projects, likely motivated by spiritual and societal longings, and guided by solar and lunar astronomical milestones.  

Keep an eye out for ancient pottery shards (and leave them there!)

By sheer accident we arrived the day after summer solstice, and the shadow cast by the sun on the east-west cardinal direction wall was almost non-existent, and the timing also led to a ceremonial dance by the pueblo dancers of Acoma, CO, the next morning at the largest and most complex of the structures, known now as "Pueblo Bonito".  Sitting in the flat dirt plaza with a dozen onlookers, the sense of purpose and seriousness in the dancers, including Drummer Miguel's grandson and understudy 5 year old Zachary, made it possible to imagine being there on  a summer solstice in the early CE 1100s, perhaps a year of a lunar maximum, with thousands upon thousands of people from numerous regional tribes, bringing gifts of enormous beams carried or rolled in straight lines from forests at least 50 miles away, laborers, cooks, food, macaws from (now) Central America, Copper, Turquoise, Jett, and even South American chocolate, pots and ceramics, metal work, beadwork, feathers.  The place would be humming with activity.  But as so few actually lived there, they would all disperse to their homelands across now Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. 

Ceremonial Dancers from Acoma Pueblo Tribe

GOUT.  Youch, my right ankle developed a sharp pain and got much worse overnight. It felt awfully like the gout I had in my renal failure days prior to my transplant so I was able to recognize it even though it surprised me since my uric acid, as far as I knew, normalized after that.  It really slowed me down to the point at times where I could barely put weight on  my right foot.  I am not supposed to take Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) but desperate times...!  That improved things to a degree and in the meantime I reached out to my PCP who ordered steroid pills to my next stop in Durango.  So I could walk but little. Joyce and AJ left to take a long evening walk to another site and I stayed back for a nap and to attend to the cabinet doors.

That night, 2 young traveling teachers, Katherine and befriended us and joined us for dinner, shared internet for the download of a stargazing app and for conversation.  They were grateful for the extra blankets and pillow we provided as they had each made a last minute decision to stay overnight, and an early morning breakfast of sausage toast and eggs.  AJ helped drive out and then we swapped out the car and Joyce and I continued to Durango while AJ took the Hyundai Tucson back to Pinetop and on to Tucson.  A tornado where our new son-in-law's family owns a cabin, "Star Island" on Cass Lake, MN, meant that AJ would have good tree work there in a week or so.  

Grants

 My mishap meant I had to violate at least 2 of my "Rules of Two".  Perhaps a fourth "two" is if you violate one, you must violate at least one more.  The Rear glass repair took overnight and not the 30 minutes that was estimated.  I had to leave the rig and David and Laurie Yost let me stay the night at their house and work from there on Friday.  I am meeting Joyce and AJ at Chaco Canyon today and thus could not stay 2 nights nor, working half days Friday, could I get to the campsite by 2:00.  I was able to limit travel to less than 200 miles--the third rule of two. 

I used the time to shop, launder at the Yosts, gas up, wash the truck, and watch the 6th game of the NBA finals. I took David's advice and went to Grants, NM via Quemado on quiet country roads.  Somewhat windy roads on a windy day, the truck handled everything well.  

Quemado Post Office

I passed through the newly burned area east of Greer and saw what nature can do.

Because I was late starting and only staying one night, I decided not to head to Ojo Redondo campground (chosen for it's altitude so I didn't need to resort to AC).  I bypassed primitive Joe Skeen Campground in the El Malpais (pronounced mal pa-ees--Spanish for badlands) as it was 93 degrees out.   Instead I found a KOA Campground on the way with hookups.  I generally try to avoid hookups.  I had a chance, though, to test a few things: the new converter worked perfectly (thanks, Sean!) and the two ACs cooled the rig to even chilly).  I turned it off in the evening and the cool desert night air was very comfortable for sleep.  

The road from Quemado to Grants was through El Malpais National Monument and the scenery was stunning.  I had a stop at Lava Falls, and took a 1 mile loop trail over 'frozen' lava flows with deep fissures, domes, depressions like a fallen cake where air bubbles collapsed during the cooling/hardening phase 3900 years ago.  (If you're reading this in 2125 instead of when it was written in 2025, this would be 4000 years ago, just saying).  Nature has a way of telling us things going on today are temporary, fleeting.  That is one reason I am taking this journey.  

Another stop at the breathtaking La Ventana Natural Arch.  This area of sandstone cliffs contrasted sharply with the black and red volcanic deposits all about. 

I made it to the KOA in the evening and couldn't turn down dinner delivery service (Ribs, green beans, cherry pie a la mode) even though I was already well-supplied.  Plus they have free all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast and coffee. A cool little machine delivers freshly cooked thin pancakes with the wave of a hand.  

Meanwhile Joyce and AJ had a wonderful trip to the famous teepee motel in Holbrook.  We meet later today at Chaco Canyon Gallo Campground.  

Friends old and new

Moose Henris, Pinetop, AZ

This first stop at Horseshoe Lake near Pinetop, Arizona lived up to the purposes of this journey.  I am looking for some relaxed and special time with people important to me.  Sean drove behind me and supported this start.  We set up camp in the dark but enjoyed the next day visiting with Sean and AJ's next door neighbors and friends Russ and Charlie Coons.  We met at Moose Henris for a beer and a lovely meal, toured Russ and Charlies Pinetop home nearby, and got  back for a twilight kayak in my lightweight foldable  Oru Kayak 'Inlet' with a few desperate casts for fish that went unrequited.  Sean left early Monday morning to return to his lab for his PhD in Physics, I went for a walk and Russ and Charlie joined with their inflatable 2 person kayak.  Great Blue herons, Kildeer, Spotted Sandpipers, Mallard moms with a dozen ducklings (in a row of course), Osprey calling out and fishing, Barn and Violet Green Swallows, Canada Geese, Spotted Sandpipers, and, soaring just above our boats inspiring Russ to exclaim, "It's a f***ing American Bald Eagle!" accompanied us. 

That was Monday, now a non-work day for me.  Tuesday was a work day and I had a problem to solve: we had a beautiful campsite in the thick woods with a view of water through the trees.  I was able to stay ahead and advance the charge on my batteries (albeit without using the computers much) despite the fridge/freezer running constantly at about 7 amps.  The woods meant I had o move the ground solar panels throughout the day.  Bt the biggest problem was obstruction of my starling dish even posted high on a 15 foot telescoping flagpole.  So after Charlie and Russ (dripping wet because of a mishap upon exiting the kayak) left, I took a walk and a bike ride around the campground and came upon a starlink user with a campground adjacent to the lake.  Luke Adams and his wife are from Tucson and both work remotely staying most of the summers up here at Horseshoe lake with 3 wonderful preteen kids.  They invited me to use the campsite next to them which was vacated after father's day Sunday.  though much more exposed, it offered great Starlink reception and all day solar without constant adjustment. Hoping to see if i could work through the heat of the day without breaking out the generator (Honda 2200) to run the AC.  

Tuesday, I had a 7 am meeting and then meetings throughout the day. I had some room with my Starlink cord if I needed to move the receiver, but it was not needed as Teams calls went extremely well with perhaps 4 or 5 ten second disruptions/freezes all day and coming right back to the meeting.  This was not any worse than working from my house in Tucson.

I learned quickly to preserve the evening coolness by adjusting to the sun's position.  I closed the back hatch (which has a nice screen door and was left open all night) as the sun was pouring in at sunrise. Also ensured any sun facing window has the blackout curtains drawn, but the shadow side had them open for a breeze.  That plus a damp towel around my neck was very comfortable throughout the 89 degree afternoon heat so no need for AC or generator!  Yay!  Also my battery charged to over 80% and is today 100% with all my electric needs met.  The planning that went into this worked!

I did have a mishap--during a teams meeting it was getting uncomfortable so I went back and lifted up the hatch for air as the sun wasn't pointed into the back of the rig by then.  A sudden crash and I was showered by a million pieces of tiny tempered glass shards from the open window I had forgotten to close hitting the awning I had forgotten to retract.  Darn!  I was able to find an auto glass shop in Pinetop and have an appointment for temporary (plexiglass?) solution until I can get a glass replacement.  Apparently (always learning!) a custom tempered window glass takes weeks to deliver and so I will have to call to some towns ahead of schedule to order the replacement and install when I get there.  

Tuesday evening was spent with dear old friends Joyce and I have known for decades since we were residents together.  Marc Traeger and Laura Brown, and David and Laurie Yost accepted an invitation for dinner at my place and they drove the 15 miles (of virgin forest!) between Pinetop and Horseshoe Lake for Flatbread pizza cooked on our Blackstone flat grill. It was simple, quick, delicious and fun: I'll share the 'recipe' here.

Marc, Laura, and Dave, in addition to being fellow family medicine residents at UA back in the day, also worked in Whiteriver Indian Health Service Hospital for nearly their entire career.  I worked there 5 years as my first job from 189 to 1994 when Joyce and I left for Pakistan to help start a family medicine residency (the first in the nation) at Aga Khan University in Karachi.  But the bonds of friendship never loosed through the distance and we have stayed close with each other, godfathering/godmothering each others' kids, staying at each others' houses when visiting, supporting each other through kids, grandkids, cancer, kidney transplant, retirement, adulting children, different church and faith situations as we all journeed through life.  I am so blessed to have such kind, compassionate, humans and doctors and friends in my life over these many many years.

 

Escape

June 14, 2025

It was touch and go if the planned start date would happen!  I had my first week of part time work after returning from wedding/family in UK.  Early start due to jet lag had the rig at my house Sunday, early Monday I gave Humsafar a wash, and a wax on Thursday.  Shopped and loaded the fridge watching the battery power to gauge how much power it takes per day.  Battery got a little low and I plugged into "shore" power from my house (15 Amps) expecting the batteries to be charge to full by morning.  However it didn't work!

What could be the problem?  I thought maybe one of the switches might have been turned off.  I called Scott Deigal--a neighbor and fellow traveler but he was out of town and then called Scott Harmon, who did my electric and solar upgrade (now have four 100 Amp Hour batteries, and two 200 watt portable solar panels in addition to the 180 Watts of solar on the roof).  He worked with me for over an hour and 20 minutes while I opened the breaker panel to look at the converter (which changes home AC to DC to charge the batteries).  He suspected the converter was the issue but we flicked various switches on and off while checking the voltage, (thank goodness for Scott as I have no skill set in electric).  It was, indeed, the failed converter that prevented charging the batteries from shore power.  The solar worked and so I set up the portables in addition to the roof, but had to empty the newly stocked freezer and fridge because I had gotten too far behind and there wasn't enough to keep the fridge going at night while the sun wasn't' out.  How to fix?

Enter Sean who tuned up my bike for my birthday present and became interested in the problem. He repeated the voltage testing (I recommend everyone get one of these sons who studies/works in a physics lab for his PhD and has acquired some electrical skills).  He found a replacement for the converter and was able to confidently pull out the broken one (and even tore it apart and found the ceramic resistor that failed in it!) and installed the replacement that he found at Camping World and off we went at a much later than planned 2:30 PM.

Did I mention we were working in an un air conditioned trailer in 109 degree Tucson heat wave heat!  The shore power wasn't strong enough (20 Amps) to keep the AC working without tripping the breaker at the house and I didn't want to drag out the generator.  I blame myself--I had hoped it would be 'hot as a fire cracker' in Tucson the day I leave so I could enjoy the cool mountain air.  Joyce returned on schedule from UK on June 13 and was very concerned about us leaving in the heat of the day.  She wasn't ready to join in a few days which would allow Sean to use the car to return to Tucson, so Sean offered to drive his vehicle separately and follow me so he could still accompany his dad on the first leg.  

AJ found a bottle of champaign left over from Kateri's wedding which we used to celebrate the occasion!  We drove out of town and briefly and inadvertently joined the energetic "No Kings" rally processing up country club road. 

The 2017 Ford F 150 truck handled the rig, bikes attached and fully loaded, and handled the heat and especially the Salt River Canyon.  Honestly I was worried about that section in this heat.  We stopped for a quick photo over the Salt, then for a bite and gas in Globe, and arrived at Horseshoe Cienega lake 13 miles east of Hon Dah at 8 PM in the twilight.  Long-time friend Marc Traeger had secured a camping pass for us knowing we would arrive after the outdoor shop closed.  We found a gorgeous spot and leveled and set up the camp and celebrated with a wee dram of Oban Scotch, a birthday gift from my Scottish brother in law, Charlie.  I definitely felt the support of AJ and Sean and Sean and I had a really fine time together just chilling and being in each others' company.  We read and played music, and by nightfall the weather was perfect for sleep. 

Departure

 Many things to get ready!  I chose my 65th birthday to launch but my niece's wedding in Leeds on May 31 pushed that back a bit so I now depart a week later on June 14.  I will be ably accompanied to our first campsite on Horseshoe lake in Whiteriver, AZ by my youngest son, Sean.  Joyce, who stayed in UK a little longer, will bring Sean's car and her bike up several days later and we'll swap her in for Sean.  This will be the first of several travel warrior swaps along the journey.

I signed my new contract and felt the first pangs of the partial loss of role, status and income that is a necessary part of taking this step.  The new schedule is in the HR system in the nick of time.  

I'm in Walbridge, OH with my parents.  Dad celebrated his 92nd birthday yesterday and my mother her 88th the day before.  Sean his 28th.  My flight from MAN via DUB and CLT arrived to late to celebrate with my uncles, and aunts, cousins, siblings, nieces and nephews who gathered at David's but there are videos.  

Mom is sleeping on the couch since her hip fracture.  Her weight at 163, and leg swelling are both down with higher doses of Lasix and the home PT came for the last time.  Mom did well with her exercises and is walking without a cane but not without a limp--she'll need to practice heel toe walking!

It's raining outside--a welcome change from sunny Tucson.  There are forest fires in Canada and I wonder whether and how that might impact this journey. I am hoping that my parent's home situation is stable at least until I return in September for My nephew's wedding.  By then I will be in San Francisco area and my good friend Omar from Abu Dhabi let me know I can park the rig at his home in Tracy for the week.  He and his daughters are slotted to camp with us the weekends before and after.  That is the only planned break from the road.  

So my plans for next week in Tucson: Get the rig to my house.  Wash. Fill with my clothes, computers, and all the stuff. Guitar, propane fire pit, starlink, antenna pole, solar panels, extra blankets and linens for guests, towels, soap, buckets, puzzles, books, hammock, daypack with rain gear, cafe tierra, silverware, cookware---all the stuff you need for at home but compact.  Get truck detailed for a clean start. Grocery shop. Last minute calls to friends.  Fill Truck bed (generator, gas, oil, water containers, camp chairs, stepladder, cooler, foldable kayak with PFD, beach tarp, extra tent, blackstone grill, towing mirrors, folding table.  Attach bike rack and 2 bikes.  I already tested that the AC can be used with the Honda 2200 generator for off-grid need since I had the soft start added. Hoping that the temperatures due to elevation will make that mostly unnecessary.  The goal is to live off solar and propane as much as possible.

Little things to get: ice cube trays that don't spill.  Propane hose so fire pit can connect to external propane outlet, phone mount, mount for rear view camera monitor.

Then pack clothes--how many pair of pants, shirts...?  Hiking boots, shoes, will we want to go to a fancy restaurant?  Need a sport coat for the wedding...  We'll plan laundry stop every week or so. Or a bucket wash.  

Along the route we will need to fill fresh water (40 g plus 2 6 gallon plastic jugs) and dump grey and black water (up to 40 G each).  Most campsites will have a dump station.  Shop for groceries, get gas. Hitch and unhitch the trailer and level it at each stop. Each take time--efficiency is needed if we want to hike, kayak, fish, explore, recline in the hammock, etc.  Joyce says that is a lot of work!  She's right, but in a way it is calming good work to wash you own dishes and cook your own food.  Another goal is to be unhurried.  The "rule of twos": drive no more than 200 miles a day, stay 2 nights minimum each stop, get there before 2 PM, is designed to keep it enjoyable and low stress.  Inshallah!