Adventurous Interuptus

The rocket ride west began only slightly different than usual, though it culminated in missing our intended destination on the first day out.  Consequently, we were forced to seek aid and comfort with family before proceeding.

The only exception to the usual route came through choosing I-70 as our exit from city, encouraging a visit one of our new favorite spots in Topeka, Juli's Coffee and Bistro, along with a quick peak at the Kansas capitol building.   The last several outings have convinced us that I-70 is preferable to the I-35 gauntlet through Johnson County, which is traditionally littered with individuals that either believe they are in the Indianapolis 500 or have completely forgotten they are on an interstate.

Satisfied and caffeinated, we eventually departed the 4-lane chaos just west of Salina, barreling southwest towards Great Bend.  While the landscape is not a lot different, it offered a slightly different perspective on the plains.  It also presented an opportunity to sneak a quick look at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center.  While not very wet this season, the facilities offer a nice presentation for this lesser known feature of the prairie. 

One thing led to another and we ended up in Garden City and needed gas to make a bit more progress.  Research uncovered a Phillips 66 proclaiming the cheapest prices in town, and it only required a little bit of wandering through multiple stop lights to arrive at the corner of Taylor Avenue and Mary Street.  The location seemed a little sketchy, though not much different than most we have encountered.  Taking a chance on this place proved a relatively fatal mistake, or maybe it was not.  It is hard to prove either way but we are convinced they were the cause of our later distress.

Traveling another 250 km, with only a brief interruption at the Colorado-Kansas border rest area in Holly, we landed at a Wal-Mart in La Junta to gather a few provisions before making the final jump to the dunes of the San Luis Valley.  

Unfortunately, disaster struck.

We found our transport suddenly uncooperative.  

The vehicle hesitated, gasping for gasoline, lurching forward for a mile or two before stalling again.  This repeated a few times and a state of serious concern ensued.  The nearest auto repair suggested it was open, but that was not the case.  For them, five o'clock had come a half hour earlier than the clock on the wall and none of the other shops were open.

Heading to the nearest parts store, the O'Reilly on Dalton Avenue turned out to be some help.  The parts guys said that it sounded as if we might have gotten some bad gas and recommended dumping some Heet Injector Cleaner and Water Remover into the gas tank (the red one).  That seemed reasonable enough, so we bought some.

Overhearing our dilemma, another customer (and mechanic) backed up this suggestion, and came out to have a look.  He said there might be something to do with the fuel pump and/or filter.  It the problem item were accessible enough, he said that he could help replace it right then and there in the lot. However, he found there was no way to get to the pump without removing the gas tank , so suggested finding a parts store that could capture some codes for us.  Until then, turn on the Heet.

With the recommended substance in our gas tank, we tested the road again.  It was not any more cooperative than before, offering only the same response.  Getting in touch with family we had not intended to disturb for a few more days, we explained the situation and that we would be attempting the 150 km detour to their place, sooner rather than later.

As an afterthought, we considered that perhaps the Heet had not mixed in well enough, so stopped in at the next station to fill up with premium gasoline.

The problem evaporated. 

Somewhere along the way, the "idiot light" had popped on though.  One more stop at an Advance Auto Parts in Pueblo found codes P0087 and P0627 related to our concerns. 

Cautiously continuing with the modified plan for the day, we arrived at the relatives tired and a little disappointed, though happy we had not been stranded in the middle of nowhere.  They greeted us warmly, with smiles all around, reassuring us that all would turn out, in spite of our distress.  We enjoyed their good company, talking away the remainder of the evening, continually circling back to guessing at what could be the issue with the vehicle.

Every possibility was entertained.  From water in the tank, to dust and dirt, to the possibility of an Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) from higher-than-normal solar activity that day and the previous.  Anything was possible.

All that we knew for certain was that tomorrow was Sunday and the day after, a holiday.  Diagnostic options were available, though nothing would be available to treat symptoms. 1100 km separated us from home and we had no way of knowing what exactly was happening.

Ultimately, we came up with a plan to reset the "idiot light" first thing in the morning, drive to town, see if the problem recurred, and have Advanced Auto Parts in Cañon City run codes again.  We could always buy the parts and fix it ourselves, if that was what it required.

All of these thoughts raced in circles until sleep finally took over.