2005 Lance 1121 Camper
2006 Ford F-350 Dually Truck
June 2006
9-ft Highway on Route 66
Afton, Oklahoma
April 2007
SUNDAY 17th - After a restful five-night visit with Ev, David, and Tessa I left their home (in Rio Rancho, NM) this morning to begin my drive back to my home in Palm Springs, CA. I had mixed feelings, of course, knowing that I was returning home instead of being on my long-planned truck camper trip to and around Utah. The unknown mechanical issue with my truck and the non-cooling problem with the camper’s fridge were concerning enough for me to make the decision to terminate this trip.
MONDAY 18th - Getting back on the interstate I continued my drive through the Arizona desert. The truck was doing OK…until I neared the exit to a gas station in Kingman, AZ. As I approached that exit, the truck suddenly swerved to the left. Even though I was still able to drive the truck to the exit and towards the gas station I did think I had blown a tire.
Adjacent to the gas station was a truck repair facility. They serviced only the big rigs but the fellow that approached me checked all six tires and said none of them were flat. After a “what should I do?” discussion with him, he advised that I get back on I-40 and take the next exit to a Big O Tires Service Center. That I did, keeping a tight grip on the steering wheel. The service advisor who communicated with me had a technician look at my tires and take the truck for a short drive. I rode along and the technician said it felt like the ball bearings might be the problem. Taking the technician’s report, the service advisor then told me the only way to pinpoint the problem was to put the truck on a lift and remove all the tires. To do that, the camper had to be taken off the truck because (a.) their service bay was too small and (b.) their lift was not strong enough for the combined height and weight of the truck camper. I said “No” and told him that I was actually on my way to a state park near Lake Havasu City, AZ. Understanding my reluctance to take the camper off the truck, he made a phone call and then advised me to go to the larger Big O Tires Service Center in Lake Havasu City, which was about 60 miles south via I-40 and Rt. 95. Since the truck was still drivable, I thanked him and went on my way.
The service advisor at the larger Big O Tires was expecting me when I arrived at Lake Havasu City. After a brief dialogue, and his reassurance that their lift can handle my truck camper, we proceeded to make an appointment for the next day. From there, I stopped at a burger place to get a bite to eat and then, since I had already made reservations in advance, I drove 20 miles further south to the Cattail Cove State Park. My favorite state park, right on the Colorado River, but a “happy camper” I was not.
TUESDAY 19th - I arrived at the service center this morning at 8:30 am. The truck was placed on the lift and the technician soon confirmed that ball bearing joints were indeed the problem. Repairs proceeded with me waiting in the lounge until the job was done at 3:00 pm.
I returned to the Cattail Cove State Park, set up my camp chair on the sandy beach and took a couple of dips in the Colorado River. Back inside the camper I started bagging food items and other stuff for unloading when I got back home.
WEDNESDAY 20th - As I drove the winding road out of the Cattail Cove State Park this morning, I wondered if I would ever come back. Deep down, I didn’t think I would…not as an RV camper anyway. I took Rt. 95 S to I-10 W and then took the Dillon Road exit to the Palm Springs/Joshua Tree KOA in Desert Hot Springs, CA. I did more bagging and then called it a night – my very last night to eat, drink, sleep, etc. on a campground RV hookup site.
THURSDAY 21st - I spent most of the morning draining the fresh water tank, which was still full of water, and then followed that with, clearly, the very last time I will ever dump the camper’s gray and black tanks. That was quite a chore and, being that this was a hot August morning, it was a slow and exhausting task. Not a camper-related necessity I will miss, that’s for sure!
It was 11:00 am when I was finally ready to leave the KOA. I stopped at my local grocery store for some perishable items and then, as soon as I arrived home, I immediately proceeded to unload food and other essential items.
FRIDAY 22nd - I resumed unloading the camper. I removed everything, including the many things I had left in the camper for the “next truck camper journey” – all the kitchen utensils, plates, bowls, glasses, cookware, towels, linen, blankets, etc. It all felt so “final.”
SATURDAY 23rd - I drove to Ontario to return the camper for storage at Galaxy Campers. David Yavelak, my “camper guy” since 2006, was sorry to see me back so soon. He understood “mechanical issues” as related to both the truck and the camper. I told him I will be selling the truck, which means I have to sell the camper as well. They both had gone hand-in-hand since 2006, giving me a great 19-year run around many parts of the USA and Canada. David said he can help me sell the camper, so I’ll be meeting with him at a later date to discuss the process.
ADDENDUM:
September 28, 2025 – I traded in my truck for a 2025 Toyota RAV4 SE (SUV).
September 30, 2025 – Taking I-10 W, for the first time in the RAV, I drove to Galaxy Campers to meet with David Yavelak and discuss the marketing/selling procedure for my camper.
As of today’s date (January 23, 2026)
I don’t think I will love the RAV – which is loaded with technical features -- as much as I did the truck.
I still have the camper and will be contacting David Yavelak at some point soon to resume dialogue and implement sale of the camper.
I am giving some thought to taking brief experimental road trips around California. I may eventually consider longer and further road trips in the future.
Travel budgets will be adjusted to apply to the RAV’s cheaper fuel prices and higher accommodation prices.
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