HELPING TO WORK ON THE HOUSE!!!

The reason we came out to Cousin Bob’s place was to help work on the house.  Jim has been here two other times to help with the construction.

Bob has been working on his house for the past 7 years as he has had time and money.  At least in the end it will be complete AND paid for. 

The house is of post and beam construction, with straw bale walls.  The north, east and west walls of the main house are straw bales with an R value of 40.  The south facing wall is glass or glass French doors.  This will allow the winter time sun to enter the building to warm it.   In the summer time when the sun is higher in the sky the overhangs of the house shades the windows from the harsh sun.

Right now I am sanding and staining the boards that are being used for the ceiling and Bob and Jim work on installing the boards on the building.  They are working on the Library room.  The roof has already been installed on the main part of the house and the “guest house”.

Cheap slave labor!!!

Setting beems before applying the roofing boards



Plugging way at putting the roof on!!



Standing back to admire their handy work!!!!

Some unique things about the house; he has solar panels, a wind generator and a gasoline powered generator for electric, he has to go into Seligman and purchase water and truck it in, but he does have a septic system on the property.  He is totally off the grid and has only himself to rely on.  Maybe the people that got hit by the snow storm back east should take a lesson in self reliance.

Safe Travels and Stay Healthy,
Jim and Barb

TAKING TIME TO BE TOURISTS

We went to the Grand Canyon Caverns on Sunday (10/23/11).  This cavern was different from the caverns we had gone to back east.  Grand Canyon Caverns is very dry, so there are no stalactites or stalagmites.  There is no water in this cavern, but there was lots of dust!!!  It was explained by the guide that there was a cavern exploration team that was exploring for more caves in the system.    The guide also explained the reason for the name of the cavern.  In 1927, Walter Peck was on his way to apoker game when he stumbled and nearly fell into a deep cave entrance,  Peck used a winch to lower tourists into the cave.  It had been known by three other names, Yampai Caverns, Coconio Caverns, changed to Dinosaur Caverns in 1957 and then to Grand Canyon Caverns in 1962.

There were several cavern workers that questioned where the air was coming from that made the cavern usable, so they lit a red flare and followed where the air was going out.  Some other workers went outside and waited for the red flare smoke to come out, well they waited and waited and waited then finally got tired and went home.  Two weeks later the red flare smoke was spotted coming out of a crack in the rock in the Grand Canyon.  So they changed to name to Grand Canyon Caverns, I guess Dinosaur caverns wasn’t catchy enough.

Entrance to Grand Canyoun Caverns



Plaque says Snowball Hall



Rock Formation in Cavern





Rock Formation in Cavern





Three Toed Sloth that fell into the Cavern and
could not get out (it's dead)



The cavern was also used as a fallout shelter in the 60’s.  The place was equipped with enough rations to supply 2000 people for a couple of weeks. 

Supplies in foreground

One of the rooms of the cavern is called the Cathedral room.  Weddings are held there and the brides would leave their bouquets on the wall of the cathedral room.

Bridal bouquets on wall of cave

There is also a “guest room” set up where you can rent the room and spend the night in the cave.  The guest room is equipped with two double beds, a couch, TV and fully functioning Bathroom.  Once the lights are turned off in the Cavern it gets really, really dark.  The guide assured us there were no bats living in the cave.

Going to and from the Caverns, we traveled on Historic Route 66.  They still have Burma Shave signs along the road.

Route 66 (going to Caverns)

Route 66 (returning from Caverns)
















Safe Travels and Stay Healthy,
Jim & Barb

TIME TO EXPLORE!!!

Our first thing on the agenda was to go to Westside Lilo’s for breakfast.  That is all that Jim has talked about since his last trip out to Cousin Bob’s place.

Westside Lilo's Cafe

Cute restaurant, very friendly staff, and he was right, good food.

Then it was time to explore the town.  We went out to the sign for Seligman and of course had to take the cheesy tourist picture!

Welcome to Seligman, AZ

The rest of the town was left to explore for a later date…don’t want to do it ALL in one day.  Besides, there must have been at least 4 tour busses parked along the road with scads of people coming out of them.

After we got back to the camper, Jim took the golf cart out and took Abby and I for a ride across country.  Very bumpy but lots of fun.  Abby loves her golf cart rides.

We took pictures of some of the vegetation in the area.

We spent the evening star gazing.  The stars are so bright here!!

Not sure what we will do tomorrow.  Maybe work on Bob's house.  After all that is why we come out here.

Safe Travels and Stay Healthy!

Jim and Barb Denning

THE JOURNEY FROM TEXAS TO ARIZONA!

Once we left the Escapees park in Livingston, TX we made our way Northwest on I-287.  We stopped for the night in Wichita Falls, TX for the night.  Again by the highway, a train track and Wichita Falls is the home of Sheppard AFB (that means Jet Airplanes flying over head).  At least the two nights we stayed, there were no jets flying those nights. 

We stayed an extra night because we met a really neat couple from Colorado, Nancy and Bill.  We explored Wichita Falls with them.  We went into the Historic Downtown area and looked around all of the antique shops, saw the smallest skyscraper, and went to the local Historical Society Museum.  The guide was the nicest older gentleman.  He escorted us through the Museum and was very proud of all of the exhibits.  It is the kind of place you wouldn’t normally go, but since we were with Bill and Nancy we just happened into the place.

Here are a few pictures of the Wichita Falls Historical Society Museum:




The Oil Rig Room



The Hat Room

 











The Ship Room with Bill, Jim and Our Host



After bidding a fond farewell to Nancy and Bill and agreeing to keep in touch, we left on Saturday and traveled to Tucumcari, NM. On our way through Texas we saw a wind farm with acres and acres of wind generators.

Texas Wind Farm

We got in a bit early in Tucumcari and decided to check out the little town.  It was on the original Route 66.  There were lots and lots of Motels in that town, but because of the economy or the fact not many people stop there nowadays, a large majority of them were closed and boarded up.  So sad!! We missed visiting that museum; it closed an hour prior to our arrival, darn!

The legend of Tucumcari is that the Apache Chief, Wautonomah, knew he was going to die and wanted to choose a successor.  He chose two of the finest braves, Tonapah and Tocom.  He told them to fight to the death and the survivor would become chief and win the hand of his daughter, Kari.  Kari was in love with Tocom.  During the fight Tonapah killed Tocom and Kari rushed in and killed Tonapah and herself.  The Chief was brought to the scene, he was heartbroken and seizing Kari’s knife plunged the knife into his heart, with his last dying breath cried in agony “Tocom-Kari”. The scene of the tragedy is now the legendary “Tucumcari Mountain”.

How’s that for a history lesson?  Sorry, didn’t think to take picture of the mountain.

The next day we set off for Arizona. We really didn’t know how long we would drive but we just drove until Jim was tired of driving.  We passed through the rest of New Mexico and on into Arizona.

What we like most of the trip was the wide open land and the BLUE SKYS.

New Mexico country

We ended up stopping at Greer’s Pine Shadows campground in Flagstaff, AZ.  The campground was in a stand of Ponderosa Pine.  Very shaded and a lovely campground.

Flagstaff, AZ  Ponderosa Pines

Arizona Country

We left Flagstaff and only had 2 hours to drive to get to our final destination…Cousin Bob’s!!!!!  After we turned off of the Highway, Jim had warned me of the condition of the forth coming road, he went really, really slow, which was a good thing!

Road leading to Cousin Bob's property

What was really funny, there are actual street signs on the dirt road to get to Cousin Bob’s.  The county actually maintains the road by grading them at least once a year!  He is out in the absolute middle of nowhere!

We have arrived at our destination!!!!  This place maybe out in the middle of nowhere but it is really neat.  It is so peaceful.  The sky is so blue. The lack of noise is deafening!!!

This is where Bob lives!!

We have found a spot to park the camper and settle in for the time we spend here.  Close enough to Bob’s house to walk, but far enough away for privacy.

Boondocking- in rare form!!!

Were home!! (Temporarily)

Safe Travels and Stay Healthy

Jim and Barb Denning  

 

WE ARE NOW TEXANS!!!

Jim took the written test for the CDL license on Monday (10/10/11) and aced it.  He studied this time.

Question: What is the length a tow vehicle has to be from the vehicle it is towing?  What color flag has to be on the rope/chain/cable attached to the tow vehicle?

Answer: 15 feet and it has to have a white flag on the rope/chain/cable that is attached to the vehicles.

I don’t have any idea what this had to do with recreational vehicles but he got the question right….at least on the second test.

He took the driver’s test on Wednesday (10/13/11) and passed that also.  He had to take the test with the truck and trailer, so he left Abby and I at the campground setting on a picnic table until he returned.  He said the lady was just looking for the fact he didn’t run over any one or took the side off of the trailer while making a right turn.

So in 4 to 6 weeks we should get our driver’s license in the mail, along with the license plates for the truck and trailer.

I said I would share pictures with you on this blog, but NOONE is going to see the driver’s license picture they took of ME!!!!

Safe Travels and Stay Healthy!

Jim and Barb

The Journey South..so far

We left Ohio on October 3rd, from Medina.  Cassie, our daughter, had a very nice send off get together for us before we left.  It was really nice seeing all of our friends before we left.

Jim was committed to find good weather before we stopped the first night. We made it to Cincinnati and the weather broke and we had beautiful blue skys before we pulled into the first RV Campground, Cincinnati, South in Crittenden, KY.  It was just off Route I-75.  Very convenient.  However the highway ran along one side the campground  AND a train track ran along the other side of the campground.  It was very noisy there. We could hardly hear each other talk when we sat at the picnic table to eat that night. Lucky it was still a bit chilly that night so we slept with the windows closed and the heat on.

The second night we stopped at a campground in Lebanon, TN just off of Route I-40. Again very convenient....and noisy from the traffic, but no train tracks that night which was a good thing. Nice campground though. Camper people are always friendly and so full of advice.

Night three...yep you guessed it....right along side of Route I-30 in Benton, AR. The lady at the desk assured Jim that "you won't hear a thing".  That was only if you take out the hearing aids and slept with a very thick pillow over your head. It was a campground good for a one night stay, which is all we did there.

On October 6th we made it into Livingston TX. For the first official part of our trip, we pulled into the Escapees park around 4:30 PM (Texas time-we gained and hour). We were directed to Lot 95...guess what? The highway (Route 146) is about 500 yard away. Cars travel that road at 70 miles per hour. Not as heavily traveled as a state route so sleeping is possible. I just make believe it is the ocean waves as each car passed.

On Friday (10-7-11) we got up and started to do our errands of getting the truck and trailer plated. Which included breaking camp and taking the truck and trailer down to some little Auto repair place in Soda to have it inspected. Brought the camper back to the campground and went to the license bureau for the plates. After an exchange of a large sum of money we were handed a piece of paper to "place in the window" until the real plates come----in 4 to 6 weeks. No they did not hand us plates like they do in Ohio, I thought that was a bit odd... but it gets even better. Our next stop was the Drivers License Bureau (the DPS here in Texas). We both went up to the window together, I just got a regular license and was out in a short period of time, but again they do not hand you your license at that time...it will come in 4 to 6 weeks also. Now it was Jim's turn.  Because of the over all weight of the truck and trailer (over 26,001 lbs) he had to take a written test and a driving test proving that he can drive the rig. Heck of a time now to find that out. He took the test that day, and FAILED it. How that happen I have not clue. We he has to go back on Monday (the 10th) to take the CDL test again. He got a book to study this time. He will  have to make an appointment for the driving part of the test...which should be some time Wednesday or Thursday. This has put a bit of a wrinkle in our travel plans to be out in Arizonia as quickly as possible. This has given us time to do a few things around the camper. Jim washed the camper and truck today and I spent the day shredding the 35 years of tax returns and canceled checks that we have been schlepping around with us for a while now.

I did say I was going to take pictures of what we see out of our door every time we went some place new.  This is a picture of what was out our front door on Friday. At least we get to run with the big boys!!!!

Going Green

One thing we have planned is to head out West to live in the sun. Literally. We plan on boon-docking for quite a bit of our trip, so in an effort to do that, we now have fully-functioning solar panels on the top of the camper. The energy created from these 10 solar panels will allow us to fully function indefinitely, without ever needing to plug in. We run a chest-type household freezer, apartment-sized refrigerator, satellite TV, toaster, hair dryer, coffee maker, all the LED lights in the camper and any other electrical needs.

Jim was featured in Examiner.com, a national publication: Energy Del Sol PVL Solar Power Mat: Shakedown testing

Photos of the roof of our camper, like what you see Jim standing on here, are featured in the Customer Gallery on the manufacturer's website, Energy Del Sol (you can buy them directly and use this discount code: 1115-01).

Very exciting!