If you’d rather watch than read, that’s what the YouTube channel is for.
I post the rides, the truck work, the drone flights, and the trail dust over at @1bobbylarue. Subscribe there if you want the moving pictures that go with these trips.
A few to start with:
Full channel: youtube.com/@1bobbylarue
What does summer look like? You load up and go.Virginia and I pointed the toy hauler north and west for a stretch of desert, red rock, and high-country pine — Las Vegas, Marysvale Utah, Page Arizona, and Williams Arizona. Same idea as always: base camp in the rig, then get out and explore.
We kicked things off in Vegas, then got out into the open at Red Rock — Joshua trees, red cliffs, and that big blue sky. City lights are fine. The desert outside town is better.
Next stop: Marysvale. We put the Polaris RZR to work on the trails, with the big white M on the mountain watching over town. Dirt roads, sagebrush, and enough country to remind you why this lifestyle beats a hotel room every time.
Down in Page we parked the Genesis Supreme where Glen Canyon Dam Bridge bounced off the coach windows, then walked out to Horseshoe Bend. That Colorado River horseshoe never gets old — and neither does pulling up in your own house on wheels.
We finished in Williams country, up in the pines and aspens with long views over the forest. Cooler air, mountain roads, and room to breathe after the desert heat.
Another summer in the books. More trail dust on the RZR, more miles on the truck, and another reminder that the best way to see this country is to pack the toy hauler and go find it.
So, the ol’ RZR was getting a bit chattery on take-off. With all the normal driveline noise those things make, it not only felt bad, it sounded terrible. Another sign it was time was the slight squealing sound that would emit as the turbo kicked in some boost at higher speed. She seemed to cry just a little. The final straw was when Virginia asked what that smell was as I was easing up the toy hauler ramp in that little creek side RV park in Colorado. Yup… that belt had been on my mind ever since.
After watching a bunch of YouTube I decided to order a new belt and primary clutch puller from HunterWorks. Removal of the old belt was purdy straight forward. Pull the cooler hose, remove the plastic cover, open up the secondary clutch with the tool provided in the toolkit. Bam! the belt is off.
The secondary clutch can be removed without a puller. just remove the bolt & pull it off by hand. I cleaned that one up with brake clean & a scotch bright pad. It did not seem to have any damage. Back on she went.
The Hunterworks puller made short work of removing the Primary clutch. I pulled the spider cover & cleaned every moving part & bushing I could touch. I also removed all old belt residue with brake clean & a scotch bright pad. There was one little groove at the bottom of the disk. Thinking i read the Hunterworks belt is a little wider than OEM I hoped this would not be an issue.
End result? After two days and fifty miles of leisurely putzing around the desert, heating & cooling the belt during break-in. I can report this belt seems to work great. Super smooth take off. No noise when the turbo kicks in at speed. Shifts into gear super smooth. My only, minor, complaint, if I had to come up with one would be the very slight, albeit noticeable, howl noise. It is only detectable at very low rpm, but not at idle. Again, it is a non-issue, but it is there. after all the instructional videos and information provided by Hunterworks. They will be my “go to” should I need any clutch or belt related items in the future.
Well here we are, 6/26/2023 exactly 2 weeks post Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery. Bottom line, all went well & I am forever thankful. I don’t believe anything I could have done would have prepared me for this event. I walked in under my own power electing to have this done. A far better choice than waiting for a cardiac event to damage my heart & end up in the same exact spot only a little farther behind the power curve.
Day one was hard on my people, all day surgery & recovery. from what I’m told I was quite ashen & had very little life color as I was wheeled by, post surgery with tubes sticking out of my throat, neck & belly . I was still blissfully under & out at this point. My first memory was nurses telling me to be calm, they were going to pull these tubes from my throat.
Soon as that happened I started taking inventory, I could not feel my hands. both were numb, Matter of fact, here on day 15 my right hand still has no feeling, making it hard to type. I could not move, I had multiple tubes in my neck, and belly. I had a catheter in my ding ding. I could not sit up or stand on my own. This was the most helpless I had ever felt. I was 100% dependent! I believe that was the biggest mental hurdle I have ever crossed.
From that day on, slowly, but steady, a LITTLE better each day. today, day 19. I feel much better, I have most of the feeling back in my hands. there are still some dead spots on my right hand & wrist. I am able to walk every morning. My surgeon reviewed my last blood work, EKG & chest X-Ray and said I’m doing great & he’s all done with me. He said to follow up with my cardiologist & set me up for some Cardiac Rehab. Said now its up to me to not do anything stupid to slow or harm the rest of the healing process.
Turns out I have one. Little did I know, long long time ago, I was born with a bit of a flaw. Turns out there there should be three where I only have two. It’s called a Bicuspid Aortic Valve. Not only is mine missing 1/3 of its design spec, but now they tell me its too small & calcified and not working as it should. I totally can’t handle the demands my frame & structure put on it. The answer, like anything that has a bad valve, we fix it. Turns out there are several options & I have learned way more than I ever thought I needed to know about this subject. Number one choice was the TAVR Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. for that one they just shoot a new cow or pig valve up thru an artery & boom… you go home the next day. Sounded too goo to be true & it turns out it was for me. Issue number one, my heart would only accept a small valve. When it wore out, my doctor assured me it would they would have to install an even smaller one in that space. Option number two.. The dreaded open heard procedure. This one comes with it’s own set of options & decisions to make. The doctor will be able to remove the old valve & make room for a much larger valve. The two options there would be a “Tissue Valve ” or “Mechanical Valve”. Again, both have draw backs… I don’t want to sound like a Karen here, all of these options are amazing and could potently give me a better life. For that I am immensely grateful! Okay, back to the open heart options. install a Mechanical valve & be done forever, except would need to take blood thinners for ever. Or, install a large tissue valve that would have no problem with slipping a new smaller one inside when it wears out via the aforementioned TAVR method. As of today, my choice is Open Heart, Large Tissue Valve…..I’ll keep you posted…. I hope….
In this crazy year of 2020 there have been some highlights…
One of which was the opportunity to camp and ride Death Valley with friends that knew the valley well. Huge thanks to Jason, Arwi, Maria & Dennis for introducing me to this wonderment of awesomeness.
We made base camp at Panamint Springs Resort. A rustic relic of a place that is just as you would expect to experience in such an environment. A place not connected to the rest of the world with modern convinces such as a power grid connection or cell phone towers. A place where they generate their own power & connect to the rest of the world via satellite. A place where one can really relax & enjoy the solitude.
The off road adventures in the Valley are amazing. We covered a lot of miles thru the valley that simply left me with a longing for more… I’ll be back!
dedicated the early Saturday morning of April 25th 2020 to practicing a few key riding techniques that are key for adventure motorcycle riding.
Started with some practice sand practice, as a guy can never be fully comfortable in riding that stuff. Next worked on “lifting the front wheel” also known as the wheelie. Besides looking really cool. this skill has a very practical application. It’s needed every time you encounter an obstacle, rut, ditch, log, water crossing or anything you need to get that bike over or thru. Lastly I worked on tight trail turn around. also a practical skill that looks cool when performed correctly. Yes, I was equipped with video cam… you know, so I could critique myself later…