ONE YEAR LESS A DAY

Yep, that was us.  We couldn't believe that it had come to this.  We know we've come along way with how we manage situations like this, because instead of our usual panic and feeling sorry for ourselves, we just rolled with it and focused on the positives, like enjoying having a radio and not having to yell at each other to hear over the noise of the truck.

We were on a mission - we had three days to get home and return the u-haul.  We absolutely hate having deadlines like this.  If it wasn't for the diff breaking, we would still be in British Columbia visiting Justins family.  (Sorry guys, we really wanted to come visit.)

corny Tim Hortons pictures, but hey, its been a year

We wondered how Canadian customs was going to treat us on our re-entry into Canada.  Usually we get grilled pretty hard, but happy to say they only asked us a few questions (and not the right ones) and welcomed us back into Canada with a smile.

There's not much more to say other than it was a very intense drive through the Rocky Mountains.  Rain, snow, black ice, deeper snow and then even deeper snow on unplowed roads and on summer tires.  It was difficult to keep both the truck and trailer on the road.  Not an experience we ever want to repeat.  We would drive through Guatemala twenty times over before ever doing that again.

But we made it.  We're home.  364 days.

One more post to come, to tie everything up.  Lots of numbers, costs, bests, worsts and a little bit of this and a little bit of that....

NO IDEA WHAT TO CALL THIS POST

We have so many possible titles for this post, we couldn't pick just one, so

MOTHERF'N DIFF
NOT AGAIN
ARE YOU SERIOUS
WE MUST HAVE BAD KARMA
1200KM FROM HOME AND THE DIFF STRIKES AGAIN
DELAYED PART FOUR
BUTTER BOLTS
WHAT GOES CRINK AND WHIRR?
FOR SALE, GENTLY USED LANDROVER - PICK UP AT DAYS INN, INTERSTATE I-5 MOUNT VERNON (CHEAP)

Well if you haven't guessed already - our seven month old diff is broken.  The bolts holding the ring gear sheared.  This was suppose to be a set it and forget it kind of part.

This has brought our trip to a very abrupt end.  After going through a dozen options and checking prices we have decided to rent a u-haul and trailer and limp home.  Not really how we wanted to end this trip.

10 sheared bolts

no problem with the half shafts - they are designed to break first

Aaaarrrrrrr!!!!  We don't know whether to laugh or cry.

BACK TO THE PACIFIC

eastern California 

It didn't take long before we were able to shed layers of clothes and replace our shoes for flip flops. Needless to say, we were very happy with our decision to head back to the ocean.  What was hard, was turning north, the desire to turn south was very, very strong.

elephant seals

We basically followed the same route that we were on at the beginning of the trip, just in the opposite direction.  Can't say we did very much, we drove a lot and enjoyed the scenery.  We also ate a lot, we gorged ourselves on fresh seafood everyday.  I think we both may of put on a pound or two.

We had forgotten about the roller coaster roads with the sheer drop offs.  The only good thing was that we were on the hillside instead of the cliffside.  Still, my eyes were closed every time we came up to a sharp turn.  After all of the driving we have done on this trip, we are both in agreement that highway 101 in California is the most scenic/terrifying road we have driven.

close eyes and click picture

cat nap

By the time we arrived in Oregon, we had to start putting on the layers again.  We started accelerating through the seasons fast at this point.  Summer, than bam - fall and now, winter.

the Redwood Forest

We had a short two day stop in Seaside, Oregon.  We stayed in one of our favorite hotels of the entire trip. This is where, a year ago we really started to feel like our adventure had begun and by the time we left this cute little town we knew it was almost over.

a tiny kitchen, the last time we did dishes was August!

stormy seas

But alas, so close to home, after we made it to less than an hour to the Canadian border..........................

Washington

SNOWBIRDS, SNOW AND ONE BIG DITCH

There were two things we wanted to with our time in the states.  One was see Utah and the other was drive the old Route 66 through New Mexico and Arizona.  We didn't end up doing either.  We tried though.  The day before we left Albuquerque, we drove the entire route through the city, taking pictures of all the old signage and stopping at the Route 66 diner for milkshakes and green chile burgers.  We were all geared up for vintage signs and mom and pop diners and we planned to stay in one of the old motor courts.  But it was not to be.  After we got on the interstate we saw the turnoff to get on the mother road, we took it and yikes.  It was a disaster - broken pavement, weeds growing in the cracks and it was skinny like the roads in the Baja. Been there, done that.  We got off of it as soon as we could.  (Its not all like that we've been told).  If it was the beginning of the trip, we would of seen it through but at this point, knowing that there is smooth pavement close by - well, the choice wasn't hard.

this place has phones

 this place has colored t.v

the last green chile burger

old fashioned diner - amazing milkshakes

the actual route 66

As soon as we entered Arizona, we noticed there was something very different about it.  There was a very distinct change in age range.  Every little town or restaurant we went to we were always the youngest around.  It finally dawned on us - it was the SNOWBIRDS.  All heading south for the winter.  And what were we doing - heading north.  We have a lot to learn from our elders.

We took a detour to the Petrified Forest.  We spent a day exploring this beautiful area.

painted desert

the teepees

petrified logs

over 225 million years old

We made our way to Flagstaff where we spent a couple of days.  As soon as we got there we had a big realization - no more palm trees, kind of depressing.  Its all pines and other trees of the sort, nothing tropical.  And it was cold.  We can't just walk outside in T-shirts anymore, we have to bundle up.  Very different from what we have been used to for the past year.  Another thing we learned, after we went out for Halloween is that 7000 feet in elevation combined with rum make for a cheap night out.

We drove to the town of Tusayan.  Not sure if it really is a town, its just a couple of streets with hotels, restaurants and trinket stores, all serving the Grand Canyon.  We were actually forced into spending some money for a hotel, nothing cheap around.  But it was the most comfortable room we have had in a very long time.  It was nice to not have a choice in the matter!  The cost of food here - wow.  We tried a Mexican restaurant and the mid price for one meal was $16 - hard to swallow, when we were buying the same food for a couple of bucks a month ago.  We moved on to a grocery store and they wanted $4.50 for 4 bananas, we put those back.  There were signs everywhere explaining why the prices were so high (because of transporting to a remote location).  Needless to say, we went a little hungry.

Then the Grand Canyon, what can I say - WOW.  Go see it, you won't be disappointed.

the colorado river

You see pictures of the Grand Canyon in books, magazines and on television but the reality is you haven't seen the Grand Canyon at all until you've seen it in person.

Next in line for us was going to be Utah.  We knew exactly where we wanted to go and exactly what we wanted to do.  The night before we were going to leave, a wind advisory went into affect for the area we were going to be driving through.  So, we decided to wait it out and stay for one more day in our expensive but very comfortable hotel room.  The next night, we heard about a snow storm that would hit the area in Utah that we were first going to (and our current location as well.)  At first we thought, no big deal, it might be kind of nice in the snow.  THEN WE ACTUALLY SAW SNOW.  And that was the end of that.

We are now wearing flip flops again and we've seen palm trees.  Everything works out in the end.