Here almost a year later, is an update, which primarily a list of all the things that happened or was about to happen.
From the beginning:
1. Late start in the spring preparing for the trip which pushed me even though I set the date of departure back several times to relieve the pressure.
2. Patched up the high pressure AC hose where it goes over the transmission (bad decision).
3. The AC high pressure hose blew on the first day out just south of Indianapolis. So, we turned back and set a ten day window to be back on the road (took 12 days as I remember). I flushed the AC system, installed new hoses, new clutch, new dryer and charged it. Worked great and still does.
4. On the new first day out, due to malfunctioning fuel gauge and my stubbornness, ran out of fuel at the service station (filled-up and then it would not start.. took about 30 minutes to get it going).
5. On the 4th day out, the clutch pedal began to fall and take right on the bottom. Long story short, I had to have a new slave installed by a guru in down town Saskatoon. We spent 5 days in a nice campground north of the city.
6. Due to such a late start, second start and lost time, at the toss of the coin, we turned back and made a long sweep through part of the west and headed home. (and, endured a really bad storm in the camp ground the last evening there)
7. Last day on the return, lost the clutch face off the AC Compressor. Have no clue, why, but I had an old used one in my parts box.
Most of the above is in this Thread.... Anyway, here is the rest.
8. About 6 weeks after returning home the Power Steering unit puked it's guts. It began leaking almost a fast as I could dump in more fluid.
9. I installed the OE manual steering........ then, noticed that the Van tended to over stir to the left and under stir to the right. I kept driving it off and on. Finally, I checked the front end ......... ball joints, bushings, etc., all trashed. I installed them new in 2012. They were trashed by 80k miles... Junk Meyle parts. I am sure at the time I thought they were okay as that is a German company (made in China).
10. The MAP had occasionally caused a DTC to show-up which finally would not go away a few thousand miles after we got back.
11. Cruise control stopped functioning.
12. The transmission developed a really obvious grind/whine about a month ago.
And, don't forget, in May of last summer about two months before we left on this road trip, the Water Pump locked-up trashing my Timing Belt (50k miles on it). Fortunately, the TB did not jump time.
If we had traveled on vs turning back, there's little don't that it would have been almost a total disaster.
Well, I am in the process of finishing up most of the work. We've set a window of July 21st to August 15th as departure date on Road Trip 2018. Of course, a late start will dictate using a modified trip. If this window has to be cancelled, we do have an alternate fall Road Trip on the bucket list.
So, watch for our next road trip.