Day 1 Arctic Jeep Expedition

Subject: My Day 1 – Arctic Expedition

Day 1 - At around 11:00 a.m. I chose to depart Los Angeles and steer my little ship (Jeep Wrangler X) the four hundred or so miles northeast to the anticipated hot and windy city of Las Vegas. Nevada – the first state line I cross. Vegas will be my day one lodging stop. I say ship because driving this lifted Jeep new All-Terrain big 33” tires on the freeway doing at times 80+ mph sometimes does feel like I was aiming her instead of steering her. The cross winds didn’t do much to throw her around because she seems about as heavy as a Sherman tank.

Maybe I’ll check the steering gearbox later on as she did wander a little more than I liked. My engine light is still on but, that’s only because I swapped out an exhaust emission part called a DCP solenoid. Now don’t make me out to be a mechanic as what I did just sounds more complicated than it really is. I really like the way engines are now. All you have to do is plug in a small computer that you can buy for about $50.00 to a port just below the steering wheel and turn the engine on. In no time flat she tells you what ails her. The computer flashed a code P0455 which told me she had a small leak in the emission system. $70.00 later in parts it is now repaired; however, the code reader said it would cost something like $10.00. Since the code had not yet cleared itself by this morning I plugged her in again and cleared the code myself.

The first goal upon arriving to Vegas was to get fed and rested. Rested from what you might think – unlike my recent hiking experience on the Pacific Crest trail where I started walking from the Mexican border towards the Canadian border – I didn’t walk to Vegas. I drove here but, this driving does get you tired. Mostly though I think it was my eyes. Since the windows of the Jeep are heavily tinted I didn’t wear sunglasses and so the bright glare must’ve put a strain on them.

My visions of jumping in the Jacuzzi quickly vaporized when I realized it was possibly 110 in the shade when I got to Vegas. A nice cold Sam Adams felt more appropriate and so I topped it off with a large shrimp combo of scampi, fried shrimp, cooked shrimp. Tuscany’s Forest Gump version of all you can eat shrimp.

Let me warn you that the on-line Vegas hotel specials are deceiving. Sure, the hotel room was $20.00 plus tax making the total about $23.00 but, who said anything about a RESORT fee? Since anyone can come off the street to use this place (except for the pool and fitness room fully equipped with some weights and one stair stepper) where’s the resort? Hidden fees! Yes.

Last night I woke up from a nap and felt I needed a real fishing pole. Not just the rusted, salted over rod and reel combo that I was now caring in the Jeep. Before I left Outdoor Sportsman World it stayed behind. Someone probably picked it up, refurbish it to almost new like condition and probably catch way more fish than I ever did.

I am now the proud owner of a trout spinning reel combo. There were way more choices than I expected and so I felt intimidated as to what to purchase. My packaged combo came with a prepackaged plastic box that contained everything but the fish. You have your bait, your hooks, your knife for cutting your fish and your string line for carrying trout from the river to your camp fire.

So far in this expedition there is no team yet, just me. I don’t yet know who the Expedition Leader of the trip is as I haven’t yet met him. Like the “trail” we all go by road names vs. real names. My real name is Ralph but my trail, road, Jet Ski; ocean etc. name is still Trawlercat.

My Day 2 will be on the way to Mystic Hot Springs and camping; about 260 miles from Las Vegas. Did you know that Nevada has more hot springs than any other state? I’m about to visit one of those hot springs that looked way cool in the photo. Let’s see if that is the same in real life.

See you on the trail!

Trawlercat