32. StGeorge/UT-LasVegas/NV-Flagstaff/AZ

October 14th, Columbus Day, and luckily for us, the car repair shop in St. George was open. We had a few things to fix: an oil change, a new filter, and guess what? Pissaway is back! Our trusty Pleasure Way motorhome earned its nickname from a persistent drainage leak that just loves making a comeback.

Before hitting the bright lights of Vegas, we squeezed in one last wild lunch break. I whipped up a simple but delicious meal: rice with zucchini, radish greens sautéed with ginger, eggs and tomatoes, all topped with crispy fried onions and crushed peanuts. A sprinkle of lime, chili, pepper, and a dash of soy sauce transformed it into my own take on Phat Thai. So simple, yet so good! We enjoyed it sitting for the last time in our camping chairs, surrounded by wilderness.

Oh, and then the mountain bike tire drama! After shredding Moab’s trails, the knobs on my back tire were completely gone – peeled off! Check out the pic, it’s insane, right? Had to replace that along with the disc brake and suspension fluid. Theo also needed a new shock absorber. The bike's battle scars are real! A chunk of money, but worth it.

It was our last night with Max, so we threw ourselves into the madness of Las Vegas. We treated ourselves to an incredible 4D show at the Sphere – pricey but so worth it. And, of course, we grabbed some epic fast food like burgers at "In 'n' out" and "White Castle" and and soaked up everything Vegas had to offer. Vegas, baby! We also made a stop at my all-time favorite Chinese spot, Magic Noodles. 🍜Those hand-pulled noodles and spicy wontons? Absolute heaven! Best Chinese in Vegas – hands down!

It’s bittersweet, though – Max is heading back to Austria, and I’m really going to miss him. We’ve had such a blast together.

But as one adventure ends, another begins. We met up with Andre and Laura for a delicious lunch at King’s Fish House, as they were visiting Laura’s parents. It was the perfect excuse to stay another night in a motel – though honestly, I much prefer being out in nature, bathing in the Colorado River for free, instead of dealing with cold air conditioning and cockroaches in the bathroom.

Now we’re heading east toward Flagstaff, taking a detour because of the bad weather. Snow is predicted in two days, but we’re ready – we just bought snow chains! Back on the desert highway, the wind is fierce, shaking our motorhome, but the view makes it worth it. The sky is ablaze 🔥 with Alpenglow clouds on one side, and on the other, a brilliant full moon. Solar panels stretch endlessly along the highway – it’s how the city gets all its power. No gardens in sight unless you’re super rich.

It feels like summer is officially over. The days are growing shorter, and it’s already dark by 6:30 p.m. We’ve still got about 4.5 hours of driving ahead to Flagstaff, Arizona. Another hotel night for us, and this one should be much better than Vegas – snow is forecast for the next two days. It’s wild to think that in the span of one night, we’ll go from the heat of Las Vegas to the winter chill of Arizona.Baca selengkapnya