The next morning in Tonopah was very pleasant…and I was so close to Pahrump with the numerous shipping business there that there was no real hurry. It’s just 2.5 hours away. So I could dally here a while in Tonopah and enjoy the very comfortable weather. Very nice. This is why I head south in the winter.
But around 9 am I got itchy feet so began my break camp routine. Put the satellite dish down, drained, emptied, and stored the water hose, did the dishes, arranged the food in the refer, picked up and put stuff away, and generally prepared for travel. Slowly.
When 10 am rolled around, I was sure that the nearly 70F temp would mean the slides would work. But when I tested them, nope, no movement. No sound. Crap.
Wanted the ambient temp to increase a bit more (the hydraulic system was on the shady side this time) so I kept busy and visited FB online while I waited. Testing the slides every once in a while. Went out and whacked the works with my rubber mallet a time or two. And right around 11 am the slides come back to life. Right after I found the ground stud underneath and forward of the hydraulic control system and whacked it a good one. I can’t really see that stud from where I tend to work on the hydraulic system assembly – have to crawl underneath to see that stud, and the other times I’ve taken to stoop down and try to see it under there were wasted. So finding it was cause for a happy dance. It’s blacktop here instead of the gravel I’ve been staying on over the last several months so easier and more comfortable to scootch under there. Lucky.
So, now I know where that ground stud is. Great. And the slides coming back to life immediately after I whacked it is an indicator of where the intermittent operation problem is. I’ll take care of that after I reach Pahrump, or Mexico. Now with the slides working again, I can get back on the road. So pulled in the slides and was able to get on the road by 11:15 am.
I love this type of country. And the long empty roads. Suits my nature. I know many would get lonely driving these roads alone, day after day, hour after hour, but I love it.
Around 30 minutes south of Tonopah is another mining town, Goldfield, Nevada. Outside of Goldfield another 20 odd miles is Gold Point Ghost town. I’ll visit both places some other time. 
Surprisingly large township area here in Goldfield, with many buildings scattered around the land but like many mining towns in the west, looks like it’s dying. 
Very few open businesses on main street. But the large hotel and bank tells that this town use to be hoppin’.
And soon back on the less traveled road south. 
About 1.5 hours after leaving Tonopah, stopped at the Death Valley Nut and Candy Company in Beatty. It’s on the main drag through town near this Space Age RV park where I’ve stayed before. There’s an economical fuel station at the candy store too. They even have battery car charging stations. Got my favorite nuts and candies to the tune of $35, and after a couple hours was back on the road. Did have a bowl of ice cream first at the locally made ice cream shop. Can’t say their candy and nuts are the freshest in the world, but they have a huge selection that includes many sugar free candies. Though for their deluxe mixed nuts and cashews, the prices are just a tad higher than a chain store like Costco, and the nuts aren’t as fresh, but there isn’t a Costco for hundreds of miles around.
And there in the distance around an hour and a half after leaving Beatty, is the outskirts of Pahrump. I’ve never been to this town, so I didn’t realize this cluster of buildings was quite a way from the town itself.
I thought Pahrump was tiny because I hadn’t done my home work since I thought I’d only be here to ship a package and then move on to Brenda. But actually, you get up there to those white specs on the left in the above picture, and the main road turns right. And the town center is a couple miles on. And, whoa, this town is big! All sorts of big box stores on either side of highway 160. Casinos everywhere. RV parks at all of them. But there’s so much empty desert around the town, it doesn’t seem all that big at first glance.
And here’s that PPA park I had aimed for. Preferred RV Resort. Right near two casinos. As I traveled through town and noticed just how much was here in Pahrump, with it’s numerous big box stores, I decided to stay at least three days to check it out. 
Paid for 3 nights, quickly parked and hooked up, unhooked the car, and headed off trying to find the UPS retail store before it closed. And as it turned out, I found the store just at the right time, about 5 minutes before the UPS guy stopped to pick up the days packages. Pretty damned good timing if I say so myself.
So here’s my space shown in the next picture. Gravel as you can see. Fairly flat, with the services in the back of the space so I’m happy I have 20 feet of sewer drain hose to reach. The water hose at 25 feet was just the right length plus a bit extra. Parked the car in the back usually but still had space in front to park it if I wanted, for unloading groceries. Satellite and cell phone reception was good.
But the best part was the Wifi. I’d asked the guy when I checked in and he said it was the best in town, run by Tengo. I groaned because of my experience with that company before with their slow speeds and cumbersome front porch setup (that’s a system where the RV park broadcasts a ‘doorway’ you have to enter to get on the web, entering your password every time you get online). He laughed because he’s familiar with traveler’s disgust with Tengo, but, “No”, he says, “not like that here, it’s the fastest in town”. OK, so I’m willing to give it a go at least for the 3 days I’m here. And dahyum, if he wasn’t right after all. Getting 18 Gbps up, and 9 Gbps down. Only need 2 Gbps for HD so 18 is great. Suggests that even if there are several other campers trying to stream Netflix, I’ll still have a fast connection. As for my online time, 100% up time while I was there. Nice. Hmm. I don’t remember the Brenda RV park having this fast of Wifi or being anywhere near all these big box stores that are here. Closest shopping while at Brenda is 38 miles away in Quartzsite. And Pahrump obviously beats that town by a mile. So, after the 3 nites here, I paid for a month. The nice weather helped with making that decision too.
See all my nice shade in the heat of the afternoon? Also, had a Provost across the street. If you don’t know, those are the million dollar RVs. Don’t see many of them in the parks I frequent. Middle class parks is where I stay mostly and those don’t tend to attract the Provost crowd. 
Here on the passenger’s side of my site there’s a cement pad with a picnic table that I have plans to use. And there’s that nice tree providing shade much of the afternoon. Turned out the shade made this an excellent parking spot as it did get fairly hot in the afternoon most every day. I rode my bike around this large park several times and didn’t find any other spot with as much shade at the right time of day as this one. I’m going to ask for the same spot my next visit. The tree branches do dangle down a bit much so they are resting on the awning when it’s extended but not all that bad…at least the tree doesn’t dribble anything on the awning. 
Looking towards the main road into the RV park that goes right to left. Get to where those dumpsters are and then take a right to exit passed the gate house through the automatic exit gate. But if you cross that road, the other side of the park is just has huge as where I am. I forget, 250 RV sites? Pretty big park. 
Took a walk outside of the park and across the street up to that small knoll to take some pictures to give you an idea of what the town of Pahrump looks like. All those buildings over there are businesses crowding the main highway through town and the laterals behind them.
Over that way is the fancy winery and community of expensive houses around it. Another RV park there too. 
And on the left in the trees is more of the RV park I’m staying at, and behind them is one casino, and on the right side of the road is another. Walking distance if you have a hankering to gamble. 
More of the town from on top of that knoll. Might not look all that big, but it does have all the chain type fast food, restaurants, grocery stores, dollar stores, and big box stores you could want. Also has some thrifty style local stores, local home grown businesses, and many specialty restaurants.
Here’s the back of the casino and on the right, a big local grocery store that has everything I need so I don’t have to lower myself to shop at the Walmart. 
Looking back towards the RV park. You can see the sun is dipping lower so it’s late afternoon, and really comfortable. Shirt sleeve weather. 
So I’ve arrived at Pahrump, gotten my o’scope package shipped to the eBay buyer, discovered how exceptional this RV park is so paid for a months stay, and already rode my bike around the area and visited both nearby casinos. I’m liking it here already. Shaping up to be an excellent month.
And it appears that I won’t be going to Brenda after all. This RV park is so nice, and the town is so filled with the kind of places I like to shop, that I don’t see any need to head there. Oh, and after an internet search, I discovered a respected RV repair shop here in town too. Made an appointment to have my radiator’s surge tank replaced as it’s started to leak. Well, that’s for another post.
Thanks for reading!