AHHHH! That Fresh Mountain Air!

After a month of boondocking in the Quartzsite desert, we were both ready to leave. (More about that later.)
After a brief stop in Wickenburg to visit our PressurePro distributor and pick up more inventory, we began heading north to Prescott where we planned to overnight. As we gained elevation, the landscape began to change and we were soon driving through pine forests-- a welcome change of scenery. At Kirkland Junction, a sign warned that rigs over 50 ft. are not allowed to continue on Hwy. 89 due tight hairpin curves. So we took the detour through Skull Valley to the west.

In our campground directory we found Point of Rocks RV Campground, called and made a reservation. Appropriately named, the campground is surrounded by huge granite boulders. An older, rustic campground, it has been owned and run by the same family for 33 years and the “mom and pop” owners were still active in its operations. The staff was friendly and helpful and we had a nice space on the top level ($22 a night with the Good Sam discount) among huge boulders and Ponderosa pine with a spectacular view the city. The weather was mildly cool (sweatshirts) with a brisk breeze off the mountains.

Our plan was to spend one night here before going to Camp Verde where we had reservations for the next two weeks. But, after perusing the Chamber’s Visitor Guide, we decided we needed more time here to see more of what was described as a “beautiful and idyllic community.” Money Magazine recognized mile-high Prescott as one of the top five places to retire; and one of the top 10 most popular retirement towns by topretirements.com. (Tempting???)

We explored Whiskey Row, Prescott’s most famous street. In its heyday, the street was lined with saloons and brothels that welcomed many well-know cowboys and outlaws. In 1900, the entire block, along with three-quarters of the town, was destroyed by fire. Whiskey Row is now lined with shops, art galleries and restaurants. We did a little shopping but mostly looking. We browsed through The Palace bar and restaurant, a famous historic landmark displaying a lot of historical facts and photographs. In the early days, when The Palace caught fire, the bar customers all picked up the long wooden bar, carried it across the street, set it down on the courthouse lawn, and continue to drink the night away. That original bar is still in use at The Palace today.

Steve, our RV neighbor, from Michigan and his wife had been here for about a month. He likes to hike and told us of several hiking trails leading from the campground. The morning before we left, he invited us for a short hike. We walked along a rugged trail alongside granite boulders, and over huge rock outcrops, climbing to the top of a hill with a great view of Watson Lake. (Click on the photos to enlarge them.)

We ended up staying here three nights, still not really long enough to see it all. We were impressed with the small-town charm and hospitality. Just as the Visitor Guide said, the people were friendly everywhere we went (even at the Super Wal-Mart). We hope to visit Prescott again and next time, stay longer.

Our New Venture

First some background: In March 2005, after six weeks at our WHR resort in Kino Bay, Mexico, we left to return to the states. Our friends Jim and Karen were driving behind us with their 5th wheel. Karen had told us she wanted to stop at one of the vendors selling copper items on the side of the highway. We had just passed through Hermosillo and as we entered Mexico Hwy. 15, I saw a vendor just ahead and radioed Karen to ask if she wanted to stop here. She did. As we returned to our rigs, Larry noticed that our rear passenger outside dual tire was sitting at an angle. When he and Jim walked back to investigate, they found only one lug nut still tight, two were “handy” and the rest were gone. The tire was flat, but still on the rim. The flat was caused by the metal-wrapped valve stem extender rubbing against the hub cap causing it to wear through and release all the air. To our astonishment, we had no indication, riding inside our motor home, that there was any problem with the wheel.

Larry’s major concern while driving our motor home has always been the possibility losing tire pressure, leading to overheating a tire and ultimately causing a blowout and damage to our motor home. Well, there we were in Mexico, foreigners not fluid in the language, etc. I walked to a nearby café and with a few Spanish words and a lot of sign language, found there was a Pemex fuel station about 10 kilometers up the highway.

Using our rear jacks to raise the motor home, Jim and Larry removed the wheel and we headed up to the Pemex with the tire in our toad. Fortunately, the tire wasn’t damaged and it held the air. Jim and Larry reinstalled the wheel, taking one lug nut from each of the other three duals. We resumed our journey to the U.S. border, and arrived safely, stopping periodically to check the wheel. When we arrived in Tucson, we went directly to an RV dealer to purchase new lug nuts.

To this day, we thank the Lord that Karen wanted to stop and look at copper pots, avoiding what could have resulted in a major catastrophe, and that Jim (who did most of the work) was there to help Larry.

What does this have to do with our new venture? Well, Larry remembered hearing about a system that monitors the air pressure in a vehicle’s tires while driving. He began doing some research, which led to the PressurePro Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). We decided the safety and peace of mind this system provides more than outweighed the cost. Soon, Larry began extolling its benefits to just about every RVer he encountered. At least five people that we know of ordered a system from the dealer we purchased ours through. So, it was a no-brainer (with a great deal of encouragement from me) to become a dealer and take the product on the road.

The Commercial: The PressurePro system continually monitors the pressure in your vehicle’s tires, allowing you to know your tires’ pressures at all times, while driving down the highway or parked. PressurePro can provide early notice of potential tire problems with an audible and visual alert. The system consists of two basic components: (1) a tire pressure monitor, (2) wireless sensors on each tire. It easily installs in minutes. PressurePro is the original TPMS having been on the market more than 19 years, and it is the only TPMS made in the USA.