Stone Gray - on the road again 22-23

[grinnelljd]

Our toilet is a Natures Head composting one.
It has a separate pee bucket we need to empty daily. No biggie if you are out in the wild. In town, a little more problematic.

We have an Air Head toilet, similar to the Nature’s Head. For dumping the urine tank we have a small, black carry bag that looks like a diaper bag. This lets us take the urine tank into a rest stop bathroom or a public park bathroom where it can be dumped into a toilet.

We use a spray bottle with vinegar to spray the bowl after each use which works well to flush the urine into the collection tank. I’ve been adding a half scoop of Happy Campers tank treatment to the urine tank and that has kept the urine tank virtually odor free which helps greatly with stealth dumping in a bathroom toilet. We probably could use the same stealth tactics to dump it in a fast food restroom toilet, but we haven’t had to resort to that. Bringing a jug of urine into a place that serves food just seems wrong, no matter how well it is sealed and hidden.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

We have an Air Head toilet, similar to the Nature’s Head. For dumping the urine tank we have a small, black carry bag that looks like a diaper bag. This lets us take the urine tank into a rest stop bathroom or a public park bathroom where it can be dumped into a toilet.

We use a spray bottle with vinegar to spray the bowl after each use which works well to flush the urine into the collection tank. I’ve been adding a half scoop of Happy Campers tank treatment to the urine tank and that has kept the urine tank virtually odor free which helps greatly with stealth dumping in a bathroom toilet. We probably could use the same stealth tactics to dump it in a fast food restroom toilet, but we haven’t had to resort to that. Bringing a jug of urine into a place that serves food just seems wrong, no matter how well it is sealed and hidden.

Judging by some of the fast food bathrooms I’ve witnessed, you’re definitely more conscientious than the masses.
So thank you for that. ????

 

[Rocksnsalt]

I guess someone else has another sprinter the same color and similar windows.
What is that color called?

I went from Las Cruces to Phoenix on Thursday, but I took US70 instead of going through Tuscon.
Google claimed it was faster.
It was scenic, regardless.

I'm back home with the new sprinter now; I picked it up at Mobile MB Monday evening.

Congratulations on picking your new van up, you researched and waited a long time!
Re color, I’m pretty sure it’s “Stone Gray - on the road again 22-23”
per the thread title ?

So how was your trip?
Mpg avg?
Pics or it didn’t happen! ?

 

[RVBarry]

Congratulations on picking your new van up, you researched and waited a long time!
Re color, I’m pretty sure it’s “Stone Gray - on the road again 22-23”
per the thread title ?

So how was your trip?
Mpg avg?
Pics or it didn’t happen! ?

Doh, I should have realized that. But the pic in twilight looked bluish so I was confused.
And the other van I thought might be yours was definitely a dark bluish gray.

Yeah, I tried several times for almost 2 years to order a van, finally it worked out, thanks!

On days and legs that weren't windy, I got 21.0 - 22.0+ mpg (average of at least several hours).
E.g. NOLA to San Antonio was 21 mpg, going at least the speed limits (70-75mph).
And US70 from outside Las Cruces, through mountains, to OWL and Gilbert, AZ was 23.8:

I had no problem keeping the speed limits, even uphill, and there was little traffic.

And yesterday from Phoenix to Pomona, CA was 21.8 mpg, with headwinds west of Palm Desert and heavy traffic:


But the total trip average was lower... Mostly because of trying to go 75-80+ to keep up with traffic in central and western Texas with strong winds, San Antonio to Las Cruces. That day was 16mpg.

Also, the van was reporting very low average mileage for quite awhile after I picked it up. Probably had idled a long time.
This is the total trip as well as the 13 miles it had when I picked it up and any idle time:

 

[45Kevin]

Doh, I should have realized that. But the pic in twilight looked bluish so I was confused.
And the other van I thought might be yours was definitely a dark bluish gray.

Yeah, I tried several times for almost 2 years to order a van, finally it worked out, thanks!

On days and legs that weren't windy, I got 21.0 - 22.0+ mpg (average of at least several hours).
E.g. NOLA to San Antonio was 21 mpg, going at least the speed limits (70-75mph).
And US70 from outside Las Cruces, through mountains, to OWL and Gilbert, AZ was 23.8:
View attachment 243477
I had no problem keeping the speed limits, even uphill, and there was little traffic.

And yesterday from Phoenix to Pomona, CA was 21.8 mpg, with headwinds west of Palm Desert and heavy traffic:
View attachment 243478

But the total trip average was lower... Mostly because of trying to go 75-80+ to keep up with traffic in central and western Texas with strong winds, San Antonio to Las Cruces. That day was 16mpg.

Also, the van was reporting very low average mileage for quite awhile after I picked it up. Probably had idled a long time.
This is the total trip as well as the 13 miles it had when I picked it up and any idle time:
View attachment 243479

Great mileage Barry. It looks like mine is getting better mileage as it gets more broken in.
Too bad we didn't cross paths.

 

[45Kevin]

We have an Air Head toilet, similar to the Nature’s Head. For dumping the urine tank we have a small, black carry bag that looks like a diaper bag. This lets us take the urine tank into a rest stop bathroom or a public park bathroom where it can be dumped into a toilet.

We use a spray bottle with vinegar to spray the bowl after each use which works well to flush the urine into the collection tank. I’ve been adding a half scoop of Happy Campers tank treatment to the urine tank and that has kept the urine tank virtually odor free which helps greatly with stealth dumping in a bathroom toilet. We probably could use the same stealth tactics to dump it in a fast food restroom toilet, but we haven’t had to resort to that. Bringing a jug of urine into a place that serves food just seems wrong, no matter how well it is sealed and hidden.

We have a spray bottle with vinegar and a drop or two of Dawn. Works really well.

Last night, after dark a Sprinter pulls into our camp spot.
They had stopped at a another iOverlander spot a few miles away and after a little time someone told them it was private property and to move up the road a few miles to BLM land.
Anyway, turned out it was a couple from Belgium.
They shipped their rig to Halifax in April and have been doing NA since then.

Turns out we hit it off and had a nice fire all afternoon and into the evening.
A very nice way to bring in the new year.
Their rig is a 2017 4x4 2500 built by Reisemobile. https://www.cs-reisemobile.de/en/motorhomes/duo-independent.htm
Very nice build. They have taken it AUS., NZ, all around Europe and Scandinavia for the last 5 years.

 

[Eric B]

OK, milestone.

I installed the new shocks that @Philip53 gratefully received for me.
We will probably stay where we are for the next couple of days so won't get to experience them until after New Years.

It took less than an hour to do.
It would have been faster but I had to install the first one twice.
If you look closely you will see the gold washer on the outside of the shock.
When i pulled the second shock out of the box I found the installation instructions requiring the washer to be on the inboard side of the shock.
Tools, 18mm socket and wrench, 21mm socket and wrench.
I don't have a torque wrench with me or lock tight but I tightened the bolts very hard with my foot.
I'll check them in a hundred miles or so.

I'm not sure what the purpose of the plastic grommet thingie is on the shaft. A dampener if I bottom out the shock maybe.

Anyway, looking forward to the improved ride that many here have raved about.

Also surprised that the stock shock is a Monroe.

View attachment 243402View attachment 243403

AO doesn’t give you a rubber accordion boot with Fox shocks ? When I bought mine from VC they came with … or did you choose not to install it ?

 

[Rocksnsalt]

AO doesn’t give you a rubber accordion boot with Fox shocks ? When I bought mine from VC they came with … or did you choose not to install it ?

The AO Fox shocks do come with boots, at least mine did 2.5 years ago.

 

[jcmadeintheshade@gmail.com]

My 06 T1N also came with Fox boots from Agile. I am grateful to have Agile less than an hour away. Happy New Year.

 

[45Kevin]

AO doesn’t give you a rubber accordion boot with Fox shocks ? When I bought mine from VC they came with … or did you choose not to install it ?

No, they did not.
Anyone else recently get the AO Fox 2.0 shocks?

 

[Rocksnsalt]

No, they did not.
Anyone else recently get the AO Fox 2.0 shocks?

That made me question my memory / sanity so I went out to the garage to confirm I’m “ok”. ?

 

[45Kevin]

Crossed into MX today via Nogales.
Down the 15D to Santa Ana and west on MX2.
Came across a roll over about 1/2 hour west of Santa Ana.
My ski patrol training went into action.
Old lady with a leg problem, walking wounded situation.
Her son, maybe late 50s, had a nasty laceration on the back of his head that I bandaged and then monitored his vitals for the 40 minutes or so it took for the ambulance to show up. He has a good concussion and maybe a chest injury. Thankfully there was a person that stopped there that could translate for me.
I got to say, the ambulance and paramedics (?) were, how should I say this, not what I am used to seeing in Canada.
It looked like they had no monitoring equipment, or even first aid supplies.
They did a very cursory initial assessment, no vitals were taken, it's a significant head injury, jeez.

Anyway, I have always donated at the Red Cross check stops on Baja and now I know why they need the $$. Donations will get bigger.

Wife took the pic from the van, I'm kneeling down attending to the patient.

Currently at a truck stop in Carborca for the night. Tomorrow, the beach.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Crossed into MX today via Nogales.
Down the 15D to Santa Ana and west on MX2.
Came across a roll over about 1/2 hour west of Santa Ana.
My ski patrol training went into action.
Old lady with a leg problem, walking wounded situation.
Her son, maybe late 50s, had a nasty laceration on the back of his head that I bandaged and then monitored his vitals for the 40 minutes or so it took for the ambulance to show up. He has a good concussion and maybe a chest injury. Thankfully there was a person that stopped there that could translate for me.
I got to say, the ambulance and paramedics (?) were, how should I say this, not what I am used to seeing in Canada.
It looked like they had no monitoring equipment, or even first aid supplies.
They did a very cursory initial assessment, no vitals were taken, it's a significant head injury, jeez.

Anyway, I have always donated at the Red Cross check stops on Baja and now I know why they need the $$. Donations will get bigger.

Wife took the pic from the van, I'm kneeling down attending to the patient.

Currently at a truck stop in Carborca for the night. Tomorrow, the beach.

View attachment 243545

Wow, those people are lucky you happened by. Yeah Mexico is a whole different experience, some good, some not so good. That can be said about any country though...

 

[#yardsale]

Is the hood propped open in that picture to deter rodents? @45Kevin

 

[45Kevin]

Is the hood propped open in that picture to deter rodents? @45Kevin

Yes, that is exactly why he opens his hood.

 

[45Kevin]

That made me question my memory / sanity so I went out to the garage to confirm I’m “ok”. ?

Talked to AO this morning.
The shocks should have come with the boots.
Just now I got a confirmation e-mail that they will ship a pair of boots to my home in Calgary.
Very happy with their customer service.
It should be OK to go without them for the next few months.

Got to Puerto Penasco yesterday.
The place is growing in leaps and bounds with new hotels and condos going up everywhere.
Three years ago we camped on the beach at La Choya but there is a house there now and access to the beach is closed.

So we went a few miles west and are on the beach. Totally alone. Warm with a bit of a breeze.
The land is so flat here. The water line from high to low tide probably moves more than half a mile.

Bonus, the price of fuel here is the same as it was last year, and 3 years ago. Government regulated. 23-24 pesos per liter.



Last night.

 

[45Kevin]

Baja, here we come.

After a couple of days just west of Puerto Penasco we moved on.
Our plan had been to spend a day or two on the beach at El Golfo Santa Clara, but the wife didn't get the vibes so we got groceries, water, let the dog run on the beach for a couple of hours and moved on. BTW, the beach there was quite solid for driving on and wasn't as flat as the PP area.

We went west and found a spot off the road to camp on. It may have been private property as there were a couple of houses (in ruins) nearby.
While we were eating supper some locals did a drive by. Wife got a little worried so we moved on again, eventually parking at the sports field in Riita.

Since then we have been on Playa Hermossa, quite a long beach and at KM 27 on the south side of San Felipe.
We stayed here last year as well and it is a nice quite beach with a couple of other campers and occasional locals on ATVs and dirt bikes.
We will probably hit the road again tomorrow as water is running low. Puertecitos is the next town we go through but we will probably only stop for water and groceries. It has a nice hot spring we have read, but admission is costly.



The truck camper in the background is a couple from Michigan. Very nice couple with a couple of friendly dogs and they invited us to their fire.
He has a F350 PS with a pop top camper and they have been doing this for about 3 years. Not full time, but on the road for 6 or so months a year, like we are.

We use those cheap cigarette lighter USB chargers in the dash for the phones and tablets.
Anyway, the dash socket stopped working, so I plugged it in under the driver's seat and it still didn't work so went to the house socket by our table and blew that fuse as well. I decided it was a faulty charger. Luckily I have the fuse diagram supplement for the Sprinter so finding the blown fuses wasn't a big deal. I highly recommend that anyone with a Sprinter download and print it.



Where we are parked, there is a hot spring. It's not very useable but could be with a little construction and cleaning.
It "erupts" every 12 hours or so and the water at the head is almost too hot to put your fingers in.
Because it flows fairly slowly the pool (upside down truck topper about 20' away) downstream only gets lukewarm.

 

[Philip53]

By the way, how are your new shocks performing? Sorry if I missed that, if you have already commented on them.

Looks like y'all are living the good life!

Take care,

Philip

 

[45Kevin]

By the way, how are your new shocks performing? Sorry if I missed that, if you have already commented on them.

Looks like y'all are living the good life!

Take care,

Philip

Thanks for reminding me Philip.

As soon as the van pulled out of the parking spot my wife commented that it felt better.
I wanted to wait a while before deciding, but within a half a mile of being on that gravel road I could feel the improvement.

It's not a sports car ride, but the wallowing has pretty well disappeared.
We'll worth the cost.

And I'll say again how good the customer service is with AO.
Very helpful with the unusual purchase circumstances and equally as helpful with getting me the boots that were missing.

Yup, we are indeed living the good life. Well earned.

 

[Philip53]

Glad they will make good on the boots. When I purchased mine (2.0's I think), in 2018 for my Navion, no boots came with them. When I opened the box to check the shocks, there were no boots, nor did I expect to see any.