Tonopah to Henderson (Another challenge)

I started the morning with breakfast at the hotel as I knew I had a long drive ahead of me. My friendly server was Juan, from Ecuador. Juan was eager to tell me his story. How did an Ecuadorian national end up in out-of-the way Toponah anyway? Juan wanted to escape the political unrest in Ecuador, and in Latin America in general. He explained that travel companies have lists of jobs, often in the hospitality industry that are available to foreign nationals with a 13 month tourist visa. However, they disappear quickly (sort of like the original COVID vaccination appointments). He looked at opportunities in a number of states including CA (Big Sur), SC, MI, OH, and MT, none of which worked out. When his hope for a job at a large resort in MT did not materialize, and he saw the opening at the Mizpah in Toponah, he decided to consider it. He decided he actually liked the remote location and opportunities for outdoor activities. After only 5 months, he decided that he would like to stay, at least for a while. He was able to speak with Fred and Nancy Cline, owners the Mizpah, as well as two Sonoma, CA wineries. His dedication and friendliness was appreciated and they agreed to sponsor him for a green card to stay and work in the U.S. Assuming he is successful (and I hope he will be), Juan will be a great addition to this country.

I started out on Hwy 95 South for the approximately 3.5 hr. drive to Lake Las Vegas. A few miles out, the dreaded check engine light came on, along with VSC trac, VSC off and a car icon with skid marks. Where else would the check engine light come on but 100 miles from nowhere. (Really more like 200 miles from nowhere). I assumed I would have some sort of car trouble on a year-long trip, what I did not expect is that it would manifest the second week!

I immediately pulled over and checked my trusty Toyota manual. It advised me that I needed to take the car into a dealer. Great. I searched for the nearest Toyota dealer, which turned out to be in Bishop CA. I called them, was able to speak to a technician, and received good news and bad news. The bad news was that they could not even take a service appointment until next week. The good news was that he suspected the issue was some emissions sensor thingie that should not affect the actual workings of the engine. He said that, as long as the car appeared to drive normally, I could complete the trip and find a Toyota dealer at my destination. I then searched for a Toyota dealer in Henderson, NV and found Findlay of Henderson . Xavier took my call and assured me they could see me as soon as I rolled into town. He agreed with the assessment that the car was safe to drive and was not at risk for engine damage. I also called my regular mechanic, and spoke with Scott at Meissner Automotive . Meissner had done a full service before I left, even front-loading services that would not have been due until later in the year. Scott agreed with the assessments of the two Toyota dealers, so I felt safe to continue the trip.

I then drove for three hours in pouring rain and driving winds on an undivided highway with big trucks coming in the other direction. All the while four malevolent orange lights glared at me from the dashboard. When I arrived in Henderson, the storm continued, with lightening strikes predicted. I think at least two themes are emerging early in this trip. The first is the idea that self-expression is fundamental to human nature, and often takes the form of art on any available surface. Think early cave drawings, the precursor to modern graffiti. The second is climate change. I suspect this weird weather will follow me for the entire year. I just hope California will still be there when I return!


 Xavier met me as planned and immediately got my car into diagnostic. My first clue that the issue was not too serious was when another employee approached me about buying it. Apparently Toyota 4-runners remain in short supply and high demand. Sorry, nope, not selling this one. Xavier gave me good news. The culprit was the sensor on the mass air flow meter. He explained more details, but I already can’t reproduce them. Something to do with burning fuel and the intake and output. They had one, count them one, of these parts in stock and replaced it for me. The price seemed very reasonable. They also performed a recall repair to fix potential floor mat interference with the accelerator pedal. It could have been much worse. Today’s damage consisted of sitting for a few hours in the very comfortable waiting room with internet, coffee and other amenities. I was able to work on this blog, which is what I would have been doing in my hotel room anyway.  My only regret is that I was so focused on getting the car fixed that I neglected to get a photo of Xavier. He had great hair!

By the time I arrived at the Westin Lake Las Vegas , the storm was clearing and I had a spectacular sunset. No foreground, and frankly all I wanted to do was check-in and get settled in my room. So it will be a mental image.