When the vehicle doesn't start...

The original plan for this weekend: drive to Death Valley, do some camping and some hiking, and visit the hotsprings at Saline Valley if the roads were clear. Problems with this plan: Skeena (dogs aren't allowed on trails or in the backcountry in Death Valley) and Titus Canyon Road was closed (this is a one-way access point near Beatty that was going to be our entry into Death Valley).

Change of plans. After a quick map consultation, it was decided that Red Rocks down by Las Vegas should be the new destination. A fairly uneventful drive later, the $5 entry fee was paid and we were hiking our way up towards Turtlehead Peak. We only made it as far as the saddle before snow and ice turned us back to the trailhead. Not sure where to go next, we decided to drive through Las Vegas and try to find a place to camp near Valley of Fire where we could do some hiking the next day.

We made our way easily through Las Vegas (it's weird how Las Vegas just starts from the west...there's no fringe between development and desert...one moment there's sagebrush and the next there's housing developments) and found a nice spot to park about 3 miles up a dirt road just off the main road that was taking us towards Valley of Fire. The forecast was for rain, so before crawling into the 4Runner for the night, we made sure everything was securely closed and that all the food and clothing was crammed into the front seats.

It rained all night long. Unusual for Las Vegas, but we weren't too concerned. During a break in the precip, we ate breakfast and packed up the car. Just as it was starting to pour again, we were ready to be on our way. The 4Runner had other ideas, though. It just wouldn't start. It sounded like it wanted to start, but the ignition just wouldn't catch. This had happened to me before when I was up in Hyder. It was raining, I was ready to head back to Reno, and the vehicle just wouldn't start. I waited two days for the rain to stop and for the 4Runner to dry out. Once it was dry, it started like a champ and I returned from Alaska without incident.

In hind sight, we should have just stayed parked for another day and done some hiking around where we were camped. Instead, we started walking back towards an Indian Casino about 6 miles from where we were parked (I'm so glad we were only out a few miles and not 40). Luckily, some guy and his wife who were out driving the back roads gave us a ride to the casino where we were able to arrange for a tow truck. Three hours and $316 later, we were in Overton with the 4Runner parked in front of a garage (it was Sunday and the mechanic wouldn't be back until the next day).

We booked a room at the Best Western (who, thankfully, allowed dogs for a small cleaning fee) and spent the afternoon wandering around Overton (there's not a lot there). By this time the rain had stopped. Before heading back to the hotel room, we decided to try the 4Runner one last time before retiring for the evening just to see if it would go. It started. In the morning we packed up and started the long drive back to Reno (via the Extraterrestrial Highway).

At some point I will take the 4Runner in to be looked at. My best guess is that there's something wrong somewhere with the electrical system that shorts out when it gets wet. Luckily it doesn't rain much in Nevada.