JULES IS BACK, STARTING UP EVERY TIME

Was there ever a more convenient auto breakdown?  Jules is back and, thanks to Classic Auto Works, now starts every time. 

We got a call late Tuesday afternoon that Curt had pinpointed the source of our problems: a defunct starter.  If we wanted to give him the green light, he could order it before 5 pm and install it by mid-morning the next day.  We said “do it”!

Sandy called around 10:30 am on Wednesday; the work was complete, so we walked the mile to Classic Auto Works.  The work was completed in less than a day (THANK YOU, Curt, for fitting us in); the bill was very reasonable (only 1 hour charged for labor); and the starter has a lifetime warranty.  It couldn’t have been easier, and we were barely inconvenienced. 

After we picked up Jules, we did a little sightseeing drive combined with a pleasant walk in Avila, a very small town a few miles north of Oceano.  I had read a bit about the Bob Jones Bike Trail in Avila, and knew it would appeal to Odel as it winds along a golf course.  Our weather continues to be wonderful (particularly when compared with much of the country), and we wandered the trail without jackets, watching golfers attempt to best what looked like a difficult course.  The scenery was purely “old” southern California: rolling hills covered with huge oaks and giant, scented eucalyptus.  Birds flitted in the brush and trees; waterfowl floated the stream that challenged the golfers. 

Heading home, we made one more stop – the small farmer’s market near the Pismo Beach pier.  Though there were scarcely a dozen booths, we came away fully laden: fresh eggs; guacamole and ceviche; cream cheese/garlic spread and cream cheese/chipotle spread (which I melted onto our spaghetti squash at dinnertime); fresh fennel, carrots, a small head of bright white cauliflower, a bag of freshly picked mixed salad greens and a ripe persimmon (to go in the salad).   All snapping fresh, beautiful bright colors…hurray for locally grown!

Whenever we have repairs made, we try to stay in the area for at least 24 hours.  Since we aren’t on a schedule, we decided to extend our stay here at the Oceano Elks Lodge (click here to read our review) for another day.  As soon as the sun warms things up – which will be late morning, as it was 28 degrees here last night – we’re heading off for a day at Morro Bay.  It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the big rock!

JULES THE JEEP IS HAULED AWAY IN OCEANO, CALIFORNIA

I closed my most recent post with the comment that we planned to visit Pinnacles National Monument the next day – and that is what we did, driving 60+ miles into a fairly remote (no cell service) area for a wonderful hike on a cool, sunny day.  Looking back on that jaunt now, after watching the tow truck take Jules off to a repair shop, all I can do is thank our lucky stars.

Pinnacles seemed to be a favorite spot for rock climbers, like this guy hanging off a rock edge.	Odel’s knee must be feeling okay – he looks like he is leaping up the last few steps!

Yes, we are temporarily without our Jeep.  We’ve managed to rule out the battery as the culprit, but that’s as far as we got on diagnosing the problem.  Turn the key and nothing happens – no clicking, no coughing, no sputtering, no nothing.  Headlights work, wipers work, dash lights work, but the power doesn’t translate to starting the vehicle.

At least we not in the remote Pinnacles National Monument parking lot!  Instead, the Jeep conveniently quit right in front of our motorhome, parked at the almost empty Elks RV parking in Oceano, California (click here to read our review).  We have grass and sunshine outside, with a nice view of wetlands and distant dunes on one side, with well-maintained, red tile-roofed apartments on the other.  We can walk to the beach and a nearby restaurant, or call a cab if we want to go farther. 

One downside to fulltime travel is that you have none of the comforting local knowledge that comes with familiarity, no trusted local mechanic who knows your car.  After checking out a few local repair facilities online, we made a call, answered by an extremely friendly, efficient and apparently knowledgeable woman who gave us confidence that we’d chosen the right place.  And, it turned out they are just a mile away.  Coach-Net, our roadside assistance provider, had a tow truck at our place in about 20 minutes, and Jules has now been delivered to Classic Auto Works.  We expect a phone call with a diagnosis before the end of the day.  So far, so good… or at least as good as it gets when your transportation poops out on you.

So that was the downside of the day.  The upside?  Before all this happened, we got a few errands done, then drove the short distance to Pismo Beach for a lunch of clam chowder and fish-n-chips, consumed in the warm shelter of the restaurant’s enclosed, ocean view sun porch.  Next stop was the ice cream shop, so Odel could revisit Motor Oil ice cream (dark chocolate, fudge and Kahlua), a flavor we discovered on our first visit to Pismo Beach in March of 2009.  This super-premium treat is locally made at Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab and, yes, Odel has been dreaming about it for over two years.

It definitely isn’t summer here (no crowds!), but this December weather is great: calm, cool and sunny.  We strolled down to the pier with our cone (yes, just ONE) and enjoyed the view, then stopped in at the visitor’s center on the way back to the car.  We picked up a few maps and learned that the Monarch butterflies are here in their wintering grounds now, around 21,000 at latest count.  The butterfly grove was on our way home, so we stopped to see the Monarchs hanging on the high branch of an evergreen.  I have NO idea how they count them, but I had sort of pictured 21,000 butterflies taking up more space!

Done peering up at the butterfly mob, we hopped back in the Jeep to head home.  Odel turned the key and… NOTHING!   Tried again – nothing.  He jiggled the transmission lever, tried again, and Jules fired right up.  We looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders, and drove home, discussing our continuing problem the entire short drive.  Once we got home, I asked Odel to start the car again – and this time NOTHING worked, including a jump with our handy Jump-N-Carry.  :(   Pretty sad.

So, who knows how long we might be in Oceano?  Fortunately, we don’t have to be anywhere anytime soon, so we’ll just enjoy the beach and maybe get a little more exercise than usual.  :)

YES, WE’RE BACK ON THE ROAD – SACRAMENTO TO SALINAS, CA

In the weeks we spent at Cal Expo RV Park (click here to read our review), the trees outside went from fully clothed in deep green leaves, to the splendor of fall colors, to brown and bare, stripped by the strong winds gusting around Sacramento and all of central and southern California earlier in the week.  But Friday dawned calm and quiet, and as soon as Odel returned from his last physical therapy session, we bid goodbye to our view and hit the road.

Our drive down the center of California on I-5 was uneventful.  Early on, just south of Sacramento in a wetlands preserve, we spotted several small flocks of Sand Hill Cranes, plucking snacks from the fields; after that, there wasn’t much of interest (unless you are interested in feedlots and dormant orchards).   In spite of the recent strong winds, a light haze of smog hung over the valley.  Only the merest hints of green grass are beginning to show on the hillsides, marking the beginning of California’s rainy season.

We were glad to leave I-5 at Santa Nella and head west.  Our target?  Salinas, California (think John Steinbeck), where the Salinas Elks Lodge (click here to read our review and see photos) is well positioned for visits to Monterey, San Juan Bautista, Santa Cruz and Pinnacles National Monument.

We arrived by 2:30, unhitched, set up Scoopy and… Jules wouldn’t start!  I had moved the Jeep about 10 feet after we unhooked (no problem); Odel moved it another 10 feet to the front of the motorhome.  After that, dead! 

The last time we had this problem was back in June, in John Day, Oregon.  Somehow, it seems related to towing… a short somewhere?  Something to do with the transmission setup for towing?  We’ve towed many, many miles since then with no problems at all.  Two non-mechanics can spend a mighty long time discussing possibilities - likely and unlikely - to no avail. 

A jump start was effective last June, but we went ahead and replaced the battery in John Day – so this battery is now just 6 months old.  A jump worked again this time, and we let her run for 30 minutes or so, but with last nights temperature in the mid-30’s, we weren’t surprised when we needed a jump to start again this morning.

Our drive over to Monterey recharged the battery, and our lunch of clam chowder (Odel) and a panko-crusted cod sandwich (me) recharged us.  We spent the next couple hours wandering along the wonderful bayside recreation trail, taking occasional advantage of the many trailside benches to watch the bikers, walkers, kayakers, scuba divers, pelicans and gulls… all the lively and colorful sights of a beautiful, busy waterfront on a bright, sunny, cool and calm day.  We put all thoughts of vehicle troubles on hold to enjoy the ambiance of a lovely spot on a lovely day.

Whoopee, Jules fired right up when we turned the key, and we’re back at home now.  Odel is recharging the little Jump-N-Carry, the self-contained jump starter we ordered off Amazon after our John Day experience.  We have plans to hike at Pinnacles National Monument tomorrow, a rather out-of-the-way spot, so want to make sure we’ve got the juice for a jump if we experience any more problems. 

In spite of the annoyance, it’s nice to be heading off once again.  Warmer weather beckons!