T-2/-1 Day: Tucumcari, NM to Durange, CO (via Aztec, NM)

There is always an adventure when you're traveling w/ the Coach.  This time was no different. We shoved off and down the road from Dallas on Thursday afternoon at about 12:30p with no problems.  Coach was manning the wheel and princess was napping in the back seat.  BTW - it's great to be a princess!  Drove to Tucumcari, NM which was about 450 miles with no problems on Thursday night.  Stayed @ the local Hampton In and enjoyed it.

Friday morning....get up, gas up and the "Check Hybrid System" light comes on in the Toyota. Great!   I'm already working through the various plans in my mind, Plan A - drive to Albequerque, NM (ABQ) with light on and check w/ a dealer in ABQ.  Plan B - drive or to tow to ABQ and get a rental car. Begin bike ride on schedule on Sunday.  Plan C - begin bike ride from Tucumcari and end up in Durango by Sunday to begin bike ride.  Plan D - abandon Princess and find any/all ways to get to Durango to begin bike ride.  Notice, I was able to get Plan D appropriately relegated to last.  However, it was not lost on Princess that in fact that one of the viable plans was Plan D.

Anyways, the Toyota Toll Free hotline gave us the phone number to a dealer in ABQ and we were told to try and drive.  The light went off and we were able to get it to the dealer.  The technician at the dealer put the computer on the car and determined that they needed to replace a DC to DC converter.  So, we arranged for a rental car and transferred all of the gear. Here's the Coach packing the rental car:

So, we're off to Aztec to see Lisa's Dad.  Unfortunately, we get a call about 30 miles out of ABQ and saying that there is no need to replace the converter and we need to turn around.  Up to this point, I'm just taking it as it comes.  Grinning and bearing it!  At this point, I'm doing the Mel Gibson, just snapping and ready to go crazy like in the movie "The Patriot".  We turn around and go back.  Unload the rental and reload the Highlander.  Here's a shot of me reloading the Highlander from the Rental Car:

Aggravating....yes, but we were able to get to Aztec and subsequently on to Durango.  Here's a shot of the canyon that will start tomorrow's climb from the back porch of the hotel:

I look forward to updating you after the ride!

Chuck ("The Coach")