[A/S] Thermostat

["Terry Tyler" <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Jim,

Today (Wednesday 10/18/0), we traveled to Steins, NM where there's a "railroad ghost town." Over the
years, we've stopped here early in the afternoon and enjoyed hearing the stories about this Old West
frontier town as told by residents Larry and Linda Link. They've always encouraged RVers to stay
overnight. As the only full time resident in a ghost town, they don't have much company.

This time, when we stopped, I asked Larry if he still allowed boondocking because we'd be coming
through on our way East and might arrive after dark. By golly, he remembered us and told me to open
the gate if it was late and to park inside along the fence. The same donkeys are still on the other
side of the fence, they are just as friendly and they still like carrots. Jim, if you don't have
this spot on your boondock list, it's a good one. Spartan boondocking is very real here. 

While chit chatting with Larry, I asked if it would be okay for a caravan to stop at his ghost town
(it's really an outdoor museum). His eyes lit up and with a big grin, he told me, "Of course, they
can, that would be great. I'd love to have a group of Airstreams stop. Bring as many as you want.
There's no limit here in the desert." Afterwards, I noticed the area inside the fence is large
enough for a dozen or more RVs if parked systematically. The gravel area outside the town fence
could easily accomodate several dozen RVs and there's no limit in the raw desert

He then went on to suggest having a catered dinner in the ghost town. Kranberry's Restaurant (from a
nearby "live" town) would be happy to provide the food, drinks, tables and chairs and an old time
western band. Larry told me there would be no charge for parking a couple of nights, but there would
be a charge for him to give a tour of the town. He would include showing everyone what the indians
used to eat out here in the desert before settlers arrived. For those interested, he'd take them
into the nearby desert mountain caves where the indians lived. He is a wealth of information and
shares it with enthusiasm and excitement.

Why am I telling you this? I'm not suggesting you bring a caravan or a group, but if you hear of
someone who is looking for ideas in the southwest, this is a real place and the only town resident
is open to having company. Where is Steins, NM? Exit 3 off I-10 near the NM/AZ border. The town
isn't much. It is bonafide dilapidated ghost town, but there are 10 buildings (?) and 16 rooms
filled with authentic artifacts and furniture dating back to the 1800s. If you'd like a laid back,
enjoyable stopover with a historian (who looks, dresses and talks like an 1800s person) who will
tell you about the town, the area, the people and what the west was like, this could be a memorable
event.


Terry

PS - On our list of places to get repairs done, we have added Ellis Towing in Willcox, AZ. 

At 3:30 this afternoon, our truck started losing radiator coolant (billowing steam). After stopping
and putting out three triangular reflectors, I climbed up on a high bank and called our Emergency
Road Service in California who dispatched a tow truck to our milemarker. I also called 911 to tell
them about our situation and what I was doing to solve it. 

At 4:00pm, the local volunteer state police arrived to check on us. They informed me that most cell
phones didn't work due to it not being charged while in the car. Luckily, we have been keeping it
charged with an adapter what fits in the cigar lighter outlet and it had worked perfectly for us. 

At 4:30pm, Gary Ellis arrived with his flatbed tow truck. I disconnected our truck from the trailer
so he could hoist our Van onto the flatbed. He hooked onto the Airstream (with correct size ball), I
picked up the reflectors and away we went. 

At 5:00pm, we arrived at his garage, he parked the Airstream in a level area, offered electric power
and told a few jokes. 

At 5:30pm, his mechanic (who had been called in to work on our truck by Gary while he was
bringing us to his garage) arrived. The mechanic verified our new hoses didn't leak and could hold
pressure, our new belts were in good shape and didn't need to be replaced and our massively capable
5 core radiator could hold pressure, but the thermostat had failed. He replaced the thermostat and
the gasket, test drove the truck and signed off his time clock at 6:30pm. Total cost $99.50. Not bad
for service provided at our convenience without any notice. Gary encouraged us to stay the night in
his parking lot. We did. 

At 7:00pm a thunderstorm with torrential rain occurred (here in the middle of the desert - gads!).
At 8:00pm, thunder and lighning were still occurring on and off. This has been an interesting day.
We visited with an old friend in a ghost town and were unexpectedly introduced to a new friend in a
new town and he solved a mechanical problem for us. Then, Mother Nature washed our truck and
trailer. What more could we ask for in what started out as another ordinary day in the adventuresome
life of an Airstream Full Timer? I love this land of ours.