Surprise is where we are. The brand new WalMart at the intersection of the 303 loop (yes, it is functional) and West Waddell in Surprise. Surprise seems to be the only town in the valley that allows you to stay at a WalMart. The last time we came through we stayed at the one on highway 60 at Sun City. They are in Surprise too but much smaller and noisier – this one is surrounded by fields.

Last night I took the small filter out of the carburetor at the suggestion of Steve Ferguson. I decided that Steve was probably figuring anything the big filter in the back didn’t get was too small to worry about and I agree.

When we left this morning we got some gas and headed out for US-93 to Phoenix. We got to Henderson before trouble hit. It was the same failure except now it was getting much more pronounced. I decided that I would skip worrying about fuel and switch to looking at ignition components so I installed the spare coil I carried.

We didn’t get very far – Boulder City is just a little farther down the road – where it acted up again. Now it is either the big fuel filter in the back or the ignition module – 50/50. I gambled (this is Las Vegas after all) that it was the fuel filter. This was not a good decision for a variety of reasons – like I had a module and didn’t have a filter for one.

I found an Autozone and bought a filter and some dielectric grease (not all in the same trip though) so I could reuse an ignition module that now is my spare. Once the new module was installed we were on our way.

To sum that up… it was the ignition module.

The ride was scenic – you have to like desert terrain and plants – and uneventful. They are working on the road but they mostly don’t get in the way – especially on the weekend.

That brings you up to date with us at WalMart.