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Published: September 29th 2014
September 23 –Tuesday - Today was a busy day as I was preparing for leaving tomorrow morning on my trip around Colorado to view the Fall Foliage colors. I paid up at the Rainbow Lodge for this week and next week until the 6
thof October, as well since I am not sure when I will be getting back although I am figuring on next Thursday. I got all my clothes washed and my bags repacked. Also stuff in the truck I want in the truck and stuff out of the truck I want out of the truck. All devices charged etc. So I guess tomorrow morning I will head over Ute Pass and westward.
Sept 24 – Wednesday - On the way up Independence Pass enjoying the magnificent Fall colors my brakes kept getting spongier and spongier so I pulled over where I could and found out my brake Master Cylinder was almost empty. Not a good thing most of the way up a mountain pass. So after checking things out a bit I saw it was leaking brake fluid from the right rear tire……great.
Not much else I could do but dig out the brake fluid I keep
Fall colors on Indipendence pass
This is as far as I made it before turning back because of brakes going outin my truck and top it off and pump the brakes back up some to try and get some of the air out of the brake lines, and then top it off again. Then I headed back down the pass the way I had come using my transmission to slow down and keep my speed down as much as I could without at the same time getting run over by a truck coming down the pass behind me.
I survived coming back down the East side of Independence Pass and went into Buena Vista and got two very large cans of brake fluid and topped off the Master cylinder again. Then I called my nephew Bill and told him of my problem and he said he had a garage where he could work on it and should be able to fix it. So I told him I would stay at Antero Reservoir tonight and ease into Denver Thursday morning.
So that was the plan and I eased over to Antero Reservoir for free camping to spend the night as it was getting after 4PM and I didn’t want to even think about going to Denver after nightfall with
this all going on.
Sept 25 – Thursday - It was a bit brisk this morning at Antero Reservoir and I had ice on my windows when I got up. So I turned on the defrosters and cleared off the windows hoping the stupid water leak wouldn't start again, which it didn’t. Then I topped off the master cylinder which scared me a bit because it was empty again.
Then I headed over to 285 and headed northwest to Denver about 100 miles away. On the way to Denver I would go over and back down (the scary part) two mountain passes using my transmission to keep my speed down and to slow down while stopping.
9: 30 AM - I survived the trip and am at the MacDonald’s in Denver sending this out and will go by my Nephew’s in a bit and we will clear out some space in his garage so we can put the truck in. So in a little bit I will top off the Master Cylinder of my truck and head over to his place. He is in a meeting till 10:30 so I will time my arrival for when he
gets back to his place.
I guess this will be the last Road Trip for my truck. It is just getting too worn out for these mountains.....sigh. I’ll probably use my truck for local use from now on and rent a car for trips into the mountains.
Evening – I got to my nephews place and we got the truck backed into his garage to work on it. There is always a problem that comes up when working on older vehicles and this time the brake line was “frozen” and wouldn’t come loose. So this meant multiple trips to the part store getting things sorted out. We ended up just getting a new brake line and installing it onto the new brake cylinder and tossing the old brake line with the old brake cylinder still attatched.
So the job dragged on into the night but we finally got it fixed. I gave my nephew a never used camp stove still in the box, and propane bottles for helping me out, as well as the new 2 ½ ton jack I had had to buy since I found out the jack in my truck had lost all its
fluid and didn’t work??! Also a jack stand I had bought as well. Sometime this week I guess I will have to buy me another jack since I don’t have one in my truck now.
September 26 – Friday - I’m at my nephews and just finished my free range non-soybean fed organic eggs and no meat breakfast, and my coffee with DHA Omega-3 2% reduced fat organic milk. I had sugar with my coffee although I was told by my nephew’s girlfriend that sugar feeds cancer….I said it must as I had a well fed cancer before it was cut out.
My nephew and his girlfriend have a nice condo in an excellent location near everything but in a quiet complex. There is a park across the street and South Glen shopping mall with Whole Foods, etc. within easy walking distance. They are talking about selling it at some point and frankly if I had the money I wouldn’t mind buying it myself. It would be just right for my brother Danny (if he wants) and I later. But I don’t think I could swing it with my $1000 a month lodging budget.
Later today I
will probably go by the zoo and if time permits the Museum of Natural History right next to it. This should give my truck an adequate brake check.
Then tomorrow the plan is to head out once again on my Fall Colors tour. I will head back down 285 to Buena Vista and then up on 24 to 82, then westward again over Independence Pass ( where my brakes went out on me Wednesday) and to Aspen. Then continue on with the trip I had planned before.
My nephew has assured me that my brakes will keep working this time. I do hope so because I went over 2 mountain passes yesterday not sure if my brakes would keep working or go out on me, and I can assure you it is no fun. I used my transmissions lower gears to keep my speed down and get slow enough to use minimal braking to stop.
So I guess in a bit I will clean up and head over to the zoo, and Museum of Natural History.
Sept. 27 – Saturday – Quiet this morning. My nephew fixed up half a pot of coffee and went on
his run. His girlfriend was still sleeping but I hear her rattling around so I guess she is getting dressed.
When I got back from visiting the zoo and Museum of Natural History last night they were out eating Thai Food and I stopped at Rio something Mexican grill in South Glen Mall and got a burrito. It was “authentic” Mexican food which is fairly bland but it put something in the hole. I did notice however that it didn’t give me any heartburn at all so maybe that is not such a bad thing.
There is another place here in Denver called Brewery Bar which has near Tex Mex which is pretty good, but it is a bit of a drive and I had enough of driving in Denver yesterday going to the Zoo and back to suit me.
I discovered once again why I don’t want to live in a city. There is just too much traffic and too many people in a hurry.
On the way back from the zoo I chose to come back on I-25 from downtown Denver back to Arapaho Rd. With all that traffic driving at suicidal speeds I
actually think it was safer driving over mountain passes with my brakes going out.
I always tell everyone, even those going to exotic locations, that the most dangerous part of any trip is going on the freeway to the airport and I believe that to be a true statement.
Saturday evening – When my nephew returned from his run we visited a bit and I think his girlfriend thought we were having entirely too much fun together….. So I loaded up and headed back to the Springs via the scenic route on Hwy 85 and getting on 105 at Sedalia to Monument. This turned out to be a good plan because I could see I-25 and as usual it was jammed up stopped for miles and miles because of something.
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Alexis M Spencer
Beautiful!!!
I really really miss fall (and trees in general!) and I am super jealous. Look forward to seeing more photos of your journey.