North Rim: Day 2

Rarely do we spend so much time in a National Park.  But the North Rim is different.  Kaibab NF offers so many different vantage points to see various parts of this geological wonder.

We left the trailer for the day and wandered to the end of the NF road we were camping on to see the valley.

After a quick refuel, we headed back into the park proper to see the Rim from the other vantage points the NPS offered.  I've been told by many that the South Rim doesn't compare to the North, but you don't fully appreciate how wildly different and breathtaking the North Rim is until you make it there yourself.

At Angel Window, dogs weren't permitted on trail, so Mike set up a chair in the shade of the Jeep and read while I wandered down to see the canyon.

Sometimes when something is so vast, so large, you need to change perspective and remember to look for the little things.

I took a turn in the shade with the girls so Mike could go see the window.  

After leaving Angel Window, we hit a few side viewpoints on our way down.  And saw a beggar on our way too.

We made it back to camp, cooked up dinner and squeezed into bed for our last night in Arizona.

North Rim via Dirt

We woke to find that the ant situation we experienced the night prior didn't get any better in the morning.

While they weren't bitey, they were annoying.  So we packed up and headed along NF roads to Fire Point.  It was quite the jaunt to get there, but once at the canyon's edge, we had the place all to ourselves.  We set up our chairs, I made lunch and we spent an enjoyable mid morning relaxing in the breeze.

One dirt road to a canyon edge not being enough, Mike decided we needed to get to Sublime Point.  It was a haul.  Towing the pig of a teardrop behind us, we slugged along roads that required 4 low until finally reaching our destination.

The overlook was amazing.  Storms were rolling in, so the trio of dirt bike riders that followed us up left just prior to us.  It took us just as long to get out as it did in, via a different route that dropped us back into the park.  Just prior to pavement, we paused in a grassy clearing to get the 4 low rattle out of our bones.

On our way out of the park, we finally spotted a herd of bison.  We stopped along the road to watch them graze, cross the road for water, and run back to the west side to join up with the rest of the herd. It was the highlight of the afternoon.

Deciding to try NF roads on the east side this evening, we again lucked out with a disused alfa offshoot and hid in the trees, away from the road.

It was a long day, but sometimes the best ones are.

Vacation Mode Activated

It has been over a year since we've taken a proper vacation.  Off the grid, out in the wild, vacation.  And we both needed it.  I spent 6 months away for work, and we've been working our butts off on the Revcon renovation, it was past time.

This year we had no plan.  Pack up the teardrop, load the pups into the Jeep and point north.  We had a vague idea of starting off in the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.   So up I-17 we went.  Mike had never been to Sunset Crater, so we decided that would be a good stopping point to stretch our legs and make lunch.

Once through the park, we found dirt...well loose volcanic soil, and made our way into the Cinder Hills ORV area for a quiet lunch.  The geography of this area is pretty incredible and we decided that a fall trip to relax and explore is in order.

Once back on pavement, we continued north into the Wuptaki National Monument.  It has been 10 years, but since I've been already, I stayed in the Jeep while Mike explored around.

After our quick detour, we slabbed our way north.  We motored into the North Rim park around 5ish. Went to the visitors center overlook, stretched our legs, then left the park to find camp in Kaibab.

We headed on a NF road, found a disused alfa offshoot, and stowed away for the evening.

It was an amazing day spent adventuring with the girls.  Getting long doses of mountain air and curling into bed in the cooling temperatures is just what I needed.

Revcon Rebuild Part 9: Window install

It's weird how excited I am that the three windows we took out in May are finally back in.  All three bamboo walls came out beautifully, which meant the windows could go back in.  The two front windows went in with little effort.

The rear window, on the other hand, fought us tooth and nail.  For some reason, it seemed like the fiberglass shrank.  We just couldn't get the window to fit.  But in the end, with a lot of effort, it too was in, which meant we are finally dried in.

And shiny new tail lights. 

We still have both sides of the Revcon to repaint.  But reaching this milestone feels pretty good.  We know what to expect now with the two aluminum sides, and they'll be done independently of one another so only one side is exposed at a time.  We're getting there. Slowly. 

Revcon Rebuild Part 8: Flooring and Walls

The heat is starting to take it's toll.  It hasn't been below 105* in over a week.  It has been pushing 110* quite a lot which limits our time on the Revcon.  

The more we work on it the more of a puzzle it is.  Can't reinstall the windows without interior walls.  Can't install interior walls before replacing the rotted floor because some (not all) of the insulation sits directly on top of the floor.  

So we ripped up the floor.  But a funny thing happens to steel screws when their imbedded in aluminum and become rusted.  They don't turn.  Mike had to rip the ¾" plywood by brute force alone.  Then we could grind the screws out.

Once removed and cleaned, we were able to insulate the floors.  

Then we could start, in earnest, on the walls.  Mike made patterns, then cut out the front cap walls out of birch.  We were hoping that the birch would look good enough to clear coat and be finished walls, but the ply is too fragile and it just didn't look finished.  So we made the decision to move forward with laminating bamboo to them.  

This is the first time we're trying this laminating thing out.  It was tedious, but I got both walls cut, fitted-ish, and glued.  I have no idea what they look like since it has been 110 everyday this week when we get home from work.  I really hope it works out.

While I was doing this, Mike was working on the floor panel for the rear of the Revcon.  The back wall couldn't be fitted without the panel in.  Once fitted, we covered it with sealer and set it in place.

We're hoping to get as much progress done as possible before our camping trip.  Two weeks from now we'll be in cooler temperatures in the quiet northern desert living out of our teardrop and Jeep.