Waltz across Texas!

The trip so far!

 Friday May 24 2024. It stormed most of the night, so I checked weather radar as soon as I got up. Well, actually it was right after I made coffee, you know how mornings are! The big mass of storm moving across us was almost exactly the same as the previous two mornings. There was one substantial difference, a huge area of Oklahoma was under a flood warning. My planned route was straight through the center of the warning area. 

NOTE: On the day we would have passed through this area a tornado killed 7 people. Prudence sometimes is the better part of valor.

I changed our route, taking I-30 southwest to Texarkana and from there west through Texas on Hwy 82. The road has an interesting plan for traffic, the road is three lanes wide, two lanes in one direction and one in the other. Every few miles the center lane swaps to the other direction. It worked seamlessly, even at the 70-mph speed limit. 

Texas Hwy 82

We had gotten away at 9am, I think, I’m not sure which time zone we were using, and planned on driving all day. We have to stop for fuel every roughly 150 miles, so we several stops to stretch our legs and we took about a 45-minute break for lunch at Dieter Brothers Restaurant in Gainsville. If by chance you are ever passing thru Texas on Hwy 82 I highly recommend you stop for a meal at Dieters, it was mighty good eating! 

Mighty good eating!

In the early afternoon we had reached the end of Hwy 82, The Bee-line syndrome was creeping in, as we realized if we could make Amarillo, we can be at our destination tomorrow. We made a right onto Hwy 287 which is a four-lane road, and we angled up west/northwest, and headed for Amarillo.

 

At 6:30 we were 50 miles south of Amarillo and stopped to call the KOA campground. They had a spot for us, and we were on our way again. We arrived at the campground at 7:30 and they promptly escorted us to our pull through site. That meant we didn’t have to disconnect the truck from the RV. We usually stay at this campground when passing thru Amarillo, mostly because it's an easy name to look up on your phone, but it's also a nice well-maintained campground with friendly accommodating employees.

It's a little hard to find with all the Amarillo road construction.

 

Saturday May 25, 2024. We got underway at our normal time, we think, still not sure which time one to be using. We had a 225 mile (approx.) run on I-40 to Clines corner at the intersection of I-40 and Hwy 285. Along the way we refueled at Tucumcari NM, it's about halfway to our turn.

We refueled at the service center at Clines Corner, then parked in their parking lot and had lunch in the RV. I also wanted to check some things; on several occasions we smelled a burning grease smell. I had the gear oil in the differentials changed before we left for this trip. I also had the transmission fluid service performed at the same time. I’m pretty sure the hot grease smell was from the front differential.

A modern day Oasis in the desert!

When I first got this truck, I changed the differential fluids and the front started seeping grease from the shift plate at the top of the gearbox. From what I’ve read this is a very common problem with Ram trucks. I’d take the plate off and reseal it if I could get to it. It’s a very tight fit. The grease runs down the casing where the air catches it and slings it onto the hot exhaust. It’s a minor concern for now, after the fluid level drops a little it stops leaking.

Kamp Kolman

When we start north on Hwy 285 it seems like it is no time at all has passed and we arrived at Millie’s daughter’s house in Los Alamos New Mexico. We are parked on their driveway which is down below street level with a wooded buffer. On the other side we have an expansive view of the Los Alamos National Forest. We call it Kamp Kolman, we will be here for two weeks.

Just an afterthought. In our development back east, they forbid that residents bring recreational vehicles to their homes. They seem to be fixated on creating a 1950's Ozzie and Harriet image. Here we are parked in the driveway of a million dollar house in Los Alamos which has a higher brain trust than probably anywhere, and the neighbors are fine with it being here. Makes you wonder about priorities?