RENAMED!! The adventures of Chase and his 2006 Yukon XL Denali!! Follow along on my travels!

[adventurenali92]

It’s been a hectic week. Been trying to get my differentials cleaned up all week but every time I tired to handle stuff for myself something kept coming up. Well last night it absolutely had to get done since I’m setting off on what’s going to be a long stretch of road trips this week. More on that in a bit. Can’t remember time or mileage the last time I cleaned out the fluids in the diffs but I did it myself a couple years back and was surprised how it was somewhat straight forward with my limited mechanical skills. Not sure about if the previous owner had ever had them serviced but I did it myself like I said a couple years ago and then just hammered it out now. So twice in the nine years I’ve owned it. I know this time it was overdue but too far. However, when I cracked it open, the fluid was still somewhat clean, and there was little to no metal shavings in the bottom magnet on the diff cover, which I was pleased to see. The last time I opened up the cover, I bought a new cover gasket, thinking I was going to need it, and then, when I opened up the cover, I saw that the factory gasket was still perfectly in place, and in excellent condition, given its mileage. That was not the case this time around lol. as I pulled the diff cover off this time around the factory gasket started falling apart. Thankfully, I kept that Fel-Pro gasket that I picked up when I did the last service and all I had to do was unbury it in the garage as I thought last time around “ i’m going to hold on to this gasket as I may need it in the future and it couldn’t hurt since it was fairly inexpensive”. I’m so glad I did as that paid off last night and it was ready to roll to reassemble the diff with the new gasket. Lol. Originally for the trip starting today, I had planned to only work a half a day at the ski resort yesterday with a private request lesson with a longtime returning student that had booked with me, then head home and have the whole afternoon to handle truck stuff and pack for my trip. That didn’t go as planned. The diff servicing went well into the wee hours of the morning and I had planned to leave for Mammoth Lakes at 2 AM this morning to get up there and be able to snowboard all day at Mammoth today but I got the truck all buttoned up somewhere around 3 AM this morning and still hadn’t had time to pack or shower or tidy up my house before I left. I was quite furious last night however, thankfully I’m glad I got the servicing on the diffs done as now my mind is a little more ease as I’m heading out on the road trip.

 

[adventurenali92]

So this winter has been quite the challenge with the ski resort, and one of my biggest frustrations is that my head training manager is kind of over his job at this point, and I completely understand why, but that has resulted in him, not putting any effort at all into providing any sort of regular training at our resort for the next level up teaching certification that I’ve been working on for the last couple of years. Through 2019, 2020, and 2021. We always had weekly level three training available to us, as well as several two day training camps booked up in Mammoth along with several of the Mammoth, instructors and trainers, that were always available to us, and I always took advantage of it. Last year unfortunately, I just did not have time to make any of the mammoth training camps, and this year my trainer has only scheduled one of these training camps. There has been absolutely zero weekly upper level training for us and there is a large number of guys trying to get that training in to prep for the level three exam. I signed up for this training camp this week, only to find out late last night that my training boss is only facilitating half-day time periods of training for level three instructors. Taking a lot of expenses to drive to Mammoth booking a hotel room, and the time off of work to only get three hour training sessions is kind of a slap in the face at this point. it’s looking like this trip is turning out to be a huge waste of time, however, I committed to go, and I also committed to splitting a hotel room with one of the other guys that I’m close friends with who’s also trying to go for the exam and I felt bad about potentially bailing on him at the last minute sticking him with the hotel room bill. So we shall see how this ends up going. At any rate, I left Big Bear about 930 this morning and I’m heading up to Mammoth Lakes for the first stretch of the road trip. The plan is to head out then from Mammoth Lakes Wednesday after the morning session, and head out to Utah to see my close friends and go snowboarding with them for a couple of days, and then head back home to Big Bear. I am really looking forward to those couple days as I have not seen those friends since the 4tg of July trip for their party. it will be a good couple of days to just relax and snowboard and have fun and hang out with my friends.

Starting out mileage on the truck, trip computer reset to track all the miles I’m going to put on the truck just in this trip alone, and the route I’ll be taking up from Big Bear to Mammoth.

 

[Fosscore]

So this winter has been quite the challenge with the ski resort, and one of my biggest frustrations is that my head training manager is kind of over his job at this point, and I completely understand why, but that has resulted in him, not putting any effort at all into providing any sort of regular training at our resort for the next level up teaching certification that I’ve been working on for the last couple of years. Through 2019, 2020, and 2021. We always had weekly level three training available to us, as well as several two day training camps booked up in Mammoth along with several of the Mammoth, instructors and trainers, that were always available to us, and I always took advantage of it. Last year unfortunately, I just did not have time to make any of the mammoth training camps, and this year my trainer has only scheduled one of these training camps. There has been absolutely zero weekly upper level training for us and there is a large number of guys trying to get that training in to prep for the level three exam. I signed up for this training camp this week, only to find out late last night that my training boss is only facilitating half-day time periods of training for level three instructors. Taking a lot of expenses to drive to Mammoth booking a hotel room, and the time off of work to only get three hour training sessions is kind of a slap in the face at this point. it’s looking like this trip is turning out to be a huge waste of time, however, I committed to go, and I also committed to splitting a hotel room with one of the other guys that I’m close friends with who’s also trying to go for the exam and I felt bad about potentially bailing on him at the last minute sticking him with the hotel room bill. So we shall see how this ends up going. At any rate, I left Big Bear about 930 this morning and I’m heading up to Mammoth Lakes for the first stretch of the road trip. The plan is to head out then from Mammoth Lakes Wednesday after the morning session, and head out to Utah to see my close friends and go snowboarding with them for a couple of days, and then head back home to Big Bear. I am really looking forward to those couple days as I have not seen those friends since the 4tg of July trip for their party. it will be a good couple of days to just relax and snowboard and have fun and hang out with my friends.

Starting out mileage on the truck, trip computer reset to track all the miles I’m going to put on the truck just in this trip alone, and the route I’ll be taking up from Big Bear to Mammoth.

Nice work Chase! Go have fun and get what training you can. Watch them storms rolling in with that fresh 1-2 feet of powder. Getting close to 200k...

 

[adventurenali92]

Nice work Chase! Go have fun and get what training you can. Watch them storms rolling in with that fresh 1-2 feet of powder. Getting close to 200k...

Yup closing in on 200 K… Lol. One of the reasons I wanted to leave at 2 AM to have clear, dry skies and to get into Mammoth before the storms rolling in. However, as the weather forecast has updated, looking like the storm is going to be a little less severe less snow dumping in Mammoth but hopefully I’ll get some at least good powder even if it’s not a foot or two lol.

 

[adventurenali92]

First stop 85 miles into the drive at Kramer Junction. Which is the intersection of Highway 58 and Highway 395. Quick stop for a little top off of the fuel tank and a restroom break. Denali has been running smooth so far and the roads have been clear, like traffic, but nothing too bad and moving pretty steadily.

 

[willinnashville]

I thought gas was more expensive that that out there. Maybe it came down recently

For reference, I paid $2.89 here in Nashville proper a couple hours ago

 

[adventurenali92]

I thought gas was more expensive that that out there. Maybe it came down recently

For reference, I paid $2.89 here in Nashville proper a couple hours ago

It certainly is higher in a lot of other areas, Big Bear over the weekend was 5.09 a gallon 91 octane at the station I regularly use.

 

[adventurenali92]

This is what I love…..

 

[Tonyrodz]

This is what I love…..

Have clear coat issues on the hood?

 

[adventurenali92]

Have clear coat issues on the hood?

Yup….. and that hood was fully repainted in I think 2017…. Ugh….

 

[adventurenali92]

Took a quick pit stop in Lone Pine at the Mt. Whitney portal visitors center. Good clean public restrooms to use and of course the rock, craggy looking, snow capped peaks always make for an excellent scenic back drop for a truck photo lol

 

[adventurenali92]

Final trip mileage as I parked up at the resort today. Didn’t get any riding in since I got in at 3:15 and lifts close at 4. It was cold and windy and starting to storm at the resort. But made it safe. Nali ran like a champ and didn’t give me any issues. Checked the rear diff cover while I was fueling up in bishop and it was dry as a bone so I did a good job on that thankfully.

 

[adventurenali92]

Bluebird skies today over mammoth after a little storm but only a dusting of snow last night. Rode with 5 other instructors also going for their level three this morning while our training manager ran lower level, level 2 training for morning session. Then afternoon session was level three training. It was a good training session. But unfortunately about 2:15pm, we we working towards the super pipe and rolled through the small/medium park features. Hit a three pack of good size kicker type jumps which I’ve successfully cleared over many times over the last two seasons. Coming down the second jump landing, just at the edge of the landing there was a big frozen snowdrift that basically formed two big spines sticking up, that definitely should not have been there. Hit the first spine, went from down the mountain to across the mountain in a split second and as a result my face and my chest slammed into the second spine really hard. Had a little bloody nose, which was minor and fine, but my chest has a fair amount of pain right in the center. Thinking I bruised my sternum…… ugh…. We were just a few minutes from the base area so I checked in with patrol. He didn’t think based on what I was describing to him that it was a serious injury. He gave me a bag of ice so I sat for about 25 minutes in the lodge and put ice on my chest, while they rest of the guys took another pipe run with our training manager. Got back out on the snow and managed to ride surprisingly pretty decently from about 2:50-4. Took it mild though. Mad that I missed out on the half pipe runs cuz I was really looking forward to riding through mammoth’s absolutely legendary half pipe. Ego is hurt more than my chest lol. Taking it easy tonight with an ice pack and some ibuprofen, so hopefully tomorrow I’ll be good to get back on snow and starting jamming. Can’t complain though because my last bad crash here in 2015 was WAY worse so I guess I’ll count my blessings….

 

[adventurenali92]

Training boss had to shorten the training a bit today. But it worked in my favor as even though I still have a little pain in my chest I was able to keep up with everyone. Didn’t get the necessary movements as dialed in a Sid hoped for but still was able to take away some really
Good bits of tricks to improve my riding. Sunshine and good snow today.

 

[adventurenali92]

Back in the truck and starting off toward Utah. Starting mileage on the trip computer;

 

[adventurenali92]

Well….. I really trekked through the middle of NOWHERE! lol. Endless miles of two lane highways through deserty mountains. But it was cool to look at though. Drove south out of mammoth down highway 395 to bishop. Hung a left and picked up US route 6, drove back north damn near parallel to mammoth but about 25 miles east, and then the road turned east and cut across the mountains towards tonopah. Seeing new scenery and new bits of the country was pretty interesting. Used Apple Maps via carplay a lot but I like the built in nav on the pioneer deck cuz the tiro computer on the nav shows compass heading and elevation. Was cool to watch the elevation changes as I cut across the mountains. At some point in the middle of nowhere I wa sup 7,000 feet of mountains and doing 80 across the highway. That was impressive. Averaged 80 most of the way minus a few spots.

 

[adventurenali92]

Tonopah was interesting to look at rolling through. Tiny little town though. Stopped at loves to fill the tank and paid 4.05 a gallon for 91 so it was nice that it was cheaper than the last full up in bishop, en route to mammoth. Passed a charter bus jsut before the stop off, to pull in behind another coach and see three more siting in the truck stop. All 5 coaches were filled with Asian tourists. They were all sorts jsut milling around inside so after a quick restroom break and the fuel up I scooted out quick so as to not get stuck on the highway behind the buses. There lots of passing areas across route 6 and lots of wide open windows to pass big rigs and slower moving traffic so that was a plus. On the east side of tonopah the highways split for 95 south to head to Vegas and 6 to head north/east across northern Nevada. Once I made that turn, it was like 160ish miles of the next twin which was Ely… and man was that the boondocks for sure.

 

[adventurenali92]

The drive between tonopah and Ely was crazy to me. Literally nothing out there but a handful of ranches which I assumed were livestock or cattle ranches that were pretty far and wide between.

 

[adventurenali92]

Lots of places where a few heads of cattle were just open range chillin in the fields beside the highway. That was kinda interesting too as I’d never seen that before.

 

[adventurenali92]

Some cool mountains to look at along the way