Isn't this how many epics begin - in blissful ignorance of what is to come? We were happy, enjoying a fun weekend of climbing at Ibex, UT. But then, Saturday evening the intense and ominous winds began, shaking the van, disrupting sleep, and threatening to rip off the camper van's pop top. But all held together and, as nature lovers, we resolved that nature is just nature - you live with what she delivers. Although we had intended to climb on Sunday morning before heading off to our 3rd mapping trip at Red Rocks, the winds dictated otherwise - no climbing. (Hover over or click on images to see captions.)

Although challenged by the wind, we were still in weekend-play mode. Huge limestone cliffs located near the Loneliest Highway in America lured us with their grandeur. Is this a potential new climbing destination? Have routes been established here yet? We would be amazed if no climber has left their mark here.

We pulled off-road and carefully wove through boulders and deep,  uneven dips. Our 4-wd and high clearance came in handy. Upon arriving at the cliffs we wandered along its walls, touching the razor sharp limestone, eyeballing potential low angle face and slab climbs. Then we saw them - several ropes hanging from difficult, overhung routes. 5.12? 5.13? 5.14? The ropes staked claim on the first ascents to come.  As Common Climbers however, we were excited by other, easier possibilities, not yet bolted. Something for another day. For now Red Rock and its mapping mysteries called.

We made our way back onto the highway and were hit again by 40-mph gusts of wind. Dust kicked up and was strewn across the landscape. The wind continued its beating and, soon, the downward spiral began. Faced with gale-force head-on winds, our Tiger Astro camper van struggled up hills as we crossed the desert. Then, after a turn in the road, we heard it - a loud "bam" and then, for a moment, the van lost all power. Next we heard a thwap, thwap, banging from somewhere behind us. What the hell?

I pulled over and we discovered the awning cover was ripped open from the angled force of the wind and the awning itself was unraveled, banging the side of the van. But why did we lose power too?

We stopped to remove the awning. Rick got to work, taking the opportunity to exorcise some pent up frustration by beating the crap out of it so it would fold up and we could get it in the van and not litter the side of the road.

Video: 1:10  - Rick getting some aggression out on the awning.

With the awning now in the car, we started the van and were able to accelerate, getting up to a reasonable speed, but still far below the speed limit. A new, rattling and thumping noise emerged from the depths. It did not sound good. "Please make it to Vegas, please make to Vegas" was our mantra as we hobbled along the highway. It took us 8.5 hours to do a 5 hour drive.

We pulled into the Red Rock Canyon campground, meeting up with some climbing friends who happened to be in the neighborhood. We wondered if it was just the bad wind that challenged the van. It seemed OK when we first started the vehicle after it cooled down. So, we buried ourselves in mapping and denial, waiting to take it to the shop. As the days went on and we drove it, The Tiger finally threatened to leave us completely stranded. We had to take action.

We got a rental car (so we could keep mapping), did some research on mechanics, and dropped the van off at a shop that received good reviews and told us we could have it back sooner than other places we called (perfect, since we needed to go to Joshua Tree to map). Long story short - rapid downward spiral accelerates...

• Thursday, dropped off car, learned it needs a new engine. Shop said they could have it done by the following Wednesday.
• Wednesday, car not ready - mechanic was apparently injured. Extended rental.
• Thursday, car not ready - mechanic was fired. Extended rental.
• Friday, car still not ready. Extended rental.
• Saturday, picked up car. Dropped of rental car after hours, shoving keys into lock box. Walked over to van and noticed a pool of fluid under the car. Shit. Desperately looked for an open rental car place (that was not the airport with outlandish taxes and fees) found one, left van back at shop and left panicked messages with the shop.
• Sunday, no progress on car.
• Monday, car is ready at end of day, picked it up, drove it, more problems, took it back, extended rental car.
• Tuesday, car is ready at noon, picked it up, drove it, major new problems, took it back, Rick loses his shit at the shop, they fixed it in a couple hours, picked it up again, drove it a little further this time, it stalled, we jump started it with the help of a kind soul, extended rental, drove again then it stalled in intersection, another kind soul helped us tow into parking lot, camped in parking lot with drunk/angry people (based on the "conversation" possibly a pimp and one of his employees...) screaming profanity. We were praying that bullets weren't going fly.
• Wednesday - "Woke" at 5 a.m. (who slept?) to tow the car back to the shop while there was less traffic on the road. I (Stefani) broke down in tears in the shop begging them to please fix this... and fix it, they did, sort-of. As we went off to Joshua Tree, the check engine light came on...
  

Here is a summary by numbers:

• 14 days without The Tiger
• 8 days late
• 6 "You are good to go!" messages
• 5 "Uh, no we are not"
• 3 power steering pumps
• 3 alternators
• 2 good samaritans
• 1 re-manufactured engine
• 1 pimp/ho altercation
• 1 fired employee

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