Bed lights wired before New Mexico.
I neglected to take a proper picture when everything was packed and looking good.
top of the Rio Grande Gorge above John Dunn Bridge. Taos NM
Milk Way photographed from Taos
The truck made the 3k + mile trip without an issue.
We spent 2 days in Chaco Canyon.
On our 4th night our 16 month old started to run a fever. She has never been sick before. We were letting her sleep, she was drinking plenty of water, was only mildly fussy but her fever continued to rise. It was about 7pm when I decided it was time to seek medical attention. While my wife and I were trying to figure out where to go (Chaco is hours from anything) our Daughter had a seizure. That escalated things, we rushed to the camp host and had them radio 911. My wife and daughter were taken by ambulance to Farmington where we received what is in my opinion the finest medical care I have ever seen.
My wife says I arrived less than 20 minutes behind them, which I find very hard to believe. The Chaco camp host told me not to worry about camp that they would take care of it. At the time I did not believe I would ever be coming back to Chaco and was imagining myself spending days in the Hospital while my precious little girl fought for her life with what I just knew was some disease the doctor would have a hard time explaining. The oz tent was thrown into the coffin, all the bedding into the cab, everything else I threw into the bed of the truck.
When I got to the hospital they were checking her for a UTI, giving her medicine and telling my wife that seizures from fever in infants isn't uncommon and most of the time does not harm the child. In the back of my I vaguely remembered this from first aid training but at the time I was still convinced I was living through the end of my world as I knew it.
We were treated and left the hospital just before 4am. We got a nice hotel room and slept past breakfast.
The next evening her fever started to rise again so we went back to the hospital. I had decided to stay another night in the hotel room in case this happened, and because our next camp site would have been another 45 minutes from anything.
Second night, same doctor this time they did blood work (the UTI test came back negative) the Doctor said it was a virus, it had to run its course and there was really nothing to do, and if the fever was the only symptom not much to worry about.
We decided to go on to Taos and find another hotel room until our reservations at the earthship two days later.
After 4 days Iris is better, no more fever, and is back toddling around.
The only non-medical issue we had was with my dual battery wiring. I could tell the fridge was struggling and suspected low voltage. I found one of my crimp jobs was bad and moved the fridge into the cab and used the always on plug in the dash. I bought pre-bade wires to replace everything but the long 2 gauge I made running from the hood to the bed. I am going to replace/upgrade all the wires and cut off the ends of the long cable and upgrade the ends + do a better job crimping and add some soldering. I'm also going to move the winch controller under the hood and put my 4 ironman halogens on the front.
Does anyone know the part number for the ARB side steps with side rails? The ones that are airbag complaint, not the heavier duty rock slider ones? I got a quote of just over a grand and I dont think thats right. ARB USA lists both for the 100 series they are in the 800 and 300 dollar park for the two different options. I would be all over the side steps and rails if I could get them in the few hundred dollar range. I am going to have to do
something to make it easier to get in the coffin up top. That extra 1.5" makes using it a chore.