Cheney Lake State Park & Mies Automotive

9/9/14
Another great day. The mystery of the awful engine noise is solved. Professional diagnosis was a leaky exhaust manifold gasket. A relief to know, but an expensive fix. I anticipate 500 to 700 dollars. On top of the garage door repair at the condo, this will put me into the red for the month. On the bright side, I've found a pretty cool campground outside of Wichita. I have a great view of a mile long lake just 50 yards from my camp. It reminds me of the old days in CT at Compo Beach when a storm was rolling in. The motorhome is rocking with wind gusts predicted to reach 30 mph tonight. There is a chance of thunderstorms with possibility of quarter to golf ball sized hail. I believe the storm may pass to the north, crossing through Topeka and into southeast Kansas. This puts a damper on riding the motorcycle into Wichita!
This area is a harsh, dry environment at this time of year. Winds are strong and steady from the south. Driving requires constant attention to the terrain as passing by a grove of trees will easily block enough of the wind to require adjusting the steering to keep from swerving. Then upon passing the trees, the winds blows the big motorhome across the road again. On the motorcycle, though difficult to ride canted at an 80 degree angle, is much easier than managing the huge surface area of the RV.
I anticipate the journey to continue west after repairs to the motorhome are complete. Of increasing interest to me is the area south and west of Albuquerque. I've spent a week camping in the Gila Wilderness in 2009, and the climate and magical energy of those mountains are calling me. Colorado will be great, but the cold is going to effect my comfort, I am sure. The mountains in the springtime will be beautiful by motorcycle, but dragging the motorhome up to 12,000 feet just sounds like an ordeal at this point. Adventure yes, an easier softer route? Yes to that as well.

A picture is due here,, and mention of the great truck and auto service I received at Mies Automotive on 21st Street in Andale, KS. Michael bent over backwards to  get me back on the road after professional diagnosing the issue with my exhaust manifold gasket. While under the hood, so to speak, he handled and issue with a vacuum leak in the carb, and the weak emergency brake I'd been wrestling with. Mies Automotive had very reasonable labor rates, and had my bus ready to go at the end of the day. Three cheers for Mies Automotive!