Arrival: Camp Ranch Road at Hereford

Arrived about 4 PM. Camp Spectrac pissed me until I could not see straight. Barth fell off the rear axle, cost = 10 hrs to recover. Fortunately, trivial collateral damage.

A pawn was sent to a one hour lunch, to also pick up a part worth about $1.25 that was a progress stopper. He returned with the wrong part after lunch and after dawdling. Management got the sequence incorrect: should be part, then lunch! Cost = 1 hour for the want of a common cheap air line fitting.

So 11 hours cost me one more overnight. The over-weekend was my stupidity of making a Friday appointment. The 11 hours cost them slippage in getting promised work out.

Would I ever return to Camp Spectrac in Mesa, AZ? Jury is still out, as it will take travel in multiple conditions to determine if they did any good. If I ever do so, I will schedule for Mon or Tue. Even that may not clear the weekend.

I have determined that such shops with a Lordly nreputation are usually grossly over rated. The reason: the person that created the reputation has completely or partially retired, sitting around injecting salty and sometimes absurd comments. Watch out for alignment/suspension specialty shops that have moved beyond their prime peak, where only an empty reputation lingers and is sure to disappoint if the expectation is above basic maintenance items.

Spectrac may be one of those. And I can name at least two more.

PS Home/house appears ok. Annie T. Dog seemed to know where she was. But then that uis easy, as recently she has started trying to get in every door, steps, sliding glass door she sees whuile traveling. I think A. T. Dog’s eyesight is deteriorating.

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Whoa, what is the collateral damage?

Collateral damage? Unknown at this point.

All started early and well today at Camp Spectrac. Progress, estimate very high, about $1200, but there is evidence that all was needed. So I walked, read, watched and walked some more. I am probably more tired than the mechanic, Tony. Tony is a 4 year apprentice under Lord Jerry. Lord Jerry does command a lot of respect, so it seems that he may be the best, if not a Lord.

So Tony was doing ok, after a couple test drives to determine the symptoms. It became apparent that I am to be stuck here for the weekend. Why I scheduled a Friday for such work is a mystery to me. No mystery, attribute it to stupidity. I am sitting under a metal shed without clearance or microwave transparency. I did not want to go the weekend without internet.

So I ask Tony if Barth could be moved back a couple of feet before he went home for the weekend. He said no. Remember those words. Mind you that Barth had both front wheels, hubs and brakes removed, parts removed from the rear axle that I do not recognize..

Then at about 3 P.M. all hell broke loose. There was a loud sound like a crash, the loud hissssssing of rapidly escaping air. Expletives uttered by Tony who was letting the front down on it’s newly reassembled wheels. Even after staring at Barth for several seconds I was having a difficult time registering exactly what happened.

Currently Barth looks like this with a slew of 20 ton jacks under it.:

Do you notice anything strange looking about this picture?

Not a trick photo, unfortunately. Yes, the rear axle really is, shall we say, slightly off center! It seems that as the front end was lowered with wheels, the whole Barth, slid backward off the rear axle. This dropped the drive shaft, sheared air bags or air lines. The extent of collateral damage can not be determined until Barth is reunited with it’s rear axle. And they are running out of room for jacks, so heaven knows how they will reunite the two. Boss man waves his hands and says simply jack this up, move that over pull the axle… etc. Poor Tony scratches every inch of skin he has and adds a few more jacks.

There probably is a way, but I am for once, keeping my mouth shut, as I am, for once, clueless. I could probably name a few folks that would like to witness that.

One good outcome though. The rearward slide of Barth sans rear axle barely placed my satellite disk from under the metal roof to reach the internet, and possibly the TV, as yet untried. Take a gander at these clearances, a few inches to spare.

The moral of this whole fiasco – be careful what you ask for. You might regret receiving it.

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Arrival: Camp Spectrac at Phoenix

Arrived about 2 PM, later than expected, but then I did not drive the speed limit, took it easy, and made a stop for Anni.T. Dog.

Just as well since I had to wait until the manager, filling in for everyone else, could get to me. All I needed was a finger pointed to where to park.

At least I got a/c power, first time this trip. Water is also available if needed. as you can tell, the scenery is not the best.

If I were younger, I would explore some, uhh, interesting places around Phoenix. But I will instead probably eat at a Denny’s and watch some tv. I doubt if I will call anyone, or even drive by old residences. Residences I do not care about. People stopped calling me, so …

A lot to accomplish at this place tomorrow, but if I have to stay over the weekend in this scenic location, I guess I can take it!

Camp Spectrac:

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Marijuana bust

Some campers in the group were walking near camp. They came upon two bales of marijuana, accompanied by a backpack, a jacket and perhaps a few other items. I haven’t talked to them, but apparently they went for the Sheriff after calls failed.\

This raises a few questions. Did the smugglers break and run to hide when they were approached? Were they nearby when the hikers found the mj? Were they watching from a hiding place. Were they armed and dangerous?

And most importantly, should I get outta here? Should I have a gun?

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Ajo – generic update

Illegals in the vacinity. Lots of Border Patrol helicopter. One RV had a Mexican begging water. Others were intercepted by Border Patrol agents when they tripped electronic sensors while on a hike.

I think the gun shots in the distance were at the Ajo shooting range. The unconvincing coyote calls in the distance were, well, unconvincing. I have never heard four-legged coyote warble like a bird before.

I “helped” Gordon install a window in his 5er door yesterday. I think he would have finished two hours earlier if I had stayed in Barth. I think I will stop “helping” Gordon. He is too nice a person to ask me to go away.

I cranked up my market program just to see that the stock market opens in 23 hours and 23 minutes. Guess today is some holiday. Heck, I mostly do not know the day of the week, how should I know holidays?

The crowd is thinning out here, more leaving today. It appears that this stop on my desert cruise is nearing an end. Time to move to the next port. I haven’t been to Why yet, so that will be a destination this week.

I leave Thur for an appt at alignment shop in Phoenix Friday, then home to confront my taxes.

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