That’s the driver’s side door after being struck by someone attempting to make a right turn from an inside lane. I suppose it is hard to see an 8-foot tall truck at times… 
Gifts from Vegas
July 14th, 2010, 20:32 hoursCommunications
July 2nd, 2010, 21:31 hoursGiven the limited space, low dash, and stadium-style seating in the Discovery, the best solution for mounting additional displays and controls turned out to be a custom dash pod. This position on the dash allows for easy viewing on the road, no obstruction of the road from the driver’s seat, and minimal permanent changes to the vehicle.
The pod is built out of 1/8th-inch aluminum plate assembled and ground smooth to match the contour of the dash. On the top of the box, two small speakers provide better sound quality from the radios and conceal access to the only two bolts required for secure mounting. An internal frame holds the CB radio, power wiring, phone charger body (USB based), and the data/audio splitter for the phone (routed to the stereo for music playback). Surface-mounted on the face is a Pro-Clip cradle for my phone, microphones for the CB and amateur radios, the display/GPSr of the amateur radio, dual 12-volt power ports, and dual Anderson power poles.
Underneath the passenger seat, a 1/4th-inch aluminum plate holds the guts of the amateur radio and other wiring where the original CD changer used to reside. An APO-3 cuts power to the aftermarket equipment before the battery’s charge drops too low to start the vehicle, and a RIGrunner 4005 distribution block provides clean wiring and the ease of Anderson power poles.
A slight trimming at the bottom of the “B” pillar allows antenna cable in protective conduit to slip in and up to the roof. The power cabling follows a similar route forward under the foot plate and passes through a factory-provided grommet in the firewall to the engine bay.
Once through the firewall, the 8 AWG wire heads through a 40-amp circuit breaker for fuseless protection, and has ample capacity remaining for a planned carputer setup. The primary battery has also been upgraded to an Odyssey 2150.
Under-hood Wiring Repair/Upgrade
June 10th, 2010, 09:52 hoursWhile upgrading the battery to an Odyssey 2150, I noticed a lot of crumbling conduit and a few melted wires, mostly along the positive wiring harness. Since I needed longer power cables to reach the terminals I planned to use on the Odyssey I opted to rip out and replace the damaged wiring and conduit, then route them down a safer, cleaner path.
On the left side, the negative cable has been replaced with a longer, heavier gauge cable. The positive cables on the right are where most of the damage had occurred. With the three cables separated, the feed to the fuse box can be shortened about 8 inches and is no longer exposed to engine heat. The tangle of wires that splits before heading to the alternator and disappearing behind the engine can then be re-routed so that they experience less engine heat for less of their length. The positive cable that runs from the fuse box to the alternator was not damaged, so it was simply placed in new conduit and routed along a safer pathway.
With the larger battery in place, the stock battery cover will still close without issue. The cover’s function is also unaffected by the trimming done to the bottle jack’s storage area to get wiring through. To keep things simple, I’ve kept the stock wiring connected to a dedicated set of terminals on the battery.
With the damaged wiring repaired, the bottle jack out of the way, and clean cable pathways waiting I started on the additional wiring needed for my lights, radios, and other equipment. Each of the large terminal connections on either end of the battery have ports on them for two 8 AWG wires, one 4 AWG wire, and one 0 AWG wire. Currently, one 8 AWG connection runs through a 40-amp circuit breaker (where the bottle jack used to be) to a distribution block under the passenger seat. From there power feeds off to radios, accessories, additional interior lighting, and a future carputer setup I have planned.
The other 8 AWG connection powers a small distribution block also located where the bottle jack used to be. From there it powers my rock lights, bumper-mounted flood lights, and will be used for other engine bay and bumper mounted additions in the future. The 4 AWG connection runs through a 100-amp circuit breaker then straight up to a distribution block on the roof which is set up for lights and other equipment I have planned. Finally, the 0 AWG connection will be run to the rear of the vehicle to power the air compressor, fridge, aux. battery, and other equipment.
Navajo Expedition: Headed Home
May 2nd, 2010, 13:23 hours
We opted to skip breakfast at camp, not so much for the light snow that was coming down, but the fact that the rest of the group had to make it all the way back to Los Angeles today. It was warmer this morning than yesterday… at least it felt that way, maybe because there was no wind? Either way, a little snow was a great way to end the trip. I’m also very glad it was cold enough for snow, as it would have been much harder to pack up in rain.
Mc Donald’s has changed their pancake recipe – it’s actually pretty good. Their “Mc Cafe” coffee is total crap though.
I finally got my crumb doughnuts…
Navajo Expedition: May 1st
May 1st, 2010, 17:07 hours
Betatakin was an easy hike down over a typical NPS-style trail with a restroom at each end. The ruins are fairly large, and in good shape at each end (a rock shelf gave way in the center taking much of the village with it). Unfortunately, you can only walk into a small portion of the collapsed area. The hike back up is a 750-foot elevation gain, but easy terrain. This is a great place to stop if you are unable to hire a guide, or lack a vehicle capable of reaching the more remote ruins. Both this guided hike and the adjacent Sunset View Campground we stayed in are free of charge.
Navajo Expedition: April 30th
April 30th, 2010, 19:30 hours
Lazy morning, felt good after the past week of at-dawn action. After a couple hours of relaxation and breakfast around a morning campfire we headed up past Goulding to drop off Carlos. If you are ever up in the Monument Valley area looking for a guide I highly recommend Simpson’s Trailhandler Tours, and specifically, Carlos.
The sheep out here do not look, and do not wait for anyone or anything… not even a convoy of 4×4s.
After a quick lunch in Kayenta, we reached Navajo National Monument and set up an early camp. We’ll be hiking down to Betatakin tomorrow, as Keet Seel is still closed. It is cold up here on the mountain, and in typical NPS fashion no campfires are allowed. An early dinner and early bed are on the agenda tonight. Tomorrow’s hike to Betatakin starts at 09:30.
Gear Thoughts
I find myself waiting for the Helton-based shower rather than using the available Zodi system. While you do have to keep the vehicle running to heat the water, I find I much prefer the output of the marine pump, the variable (or off) flow allowed by the heat exchanger, and the added wind protection being right up against a vehicle. With the Zodi, there isn’t a lot of pressure and you must have the water on the entire time, as stopping the water will burn up the heating coils. This means it takes longer to get wet, longer to rinse off, and you waste water when you’re washing and don’t need it. I ended up using the same amount of water on each system, despite the higher output of the marine pump. The increased cost (tripple) is worth the added comfort and control, and vehicle dependence is really a non-issue when you consider the fact that the vehicle is probably going to be sitting there anyhow in a situation where you would use the shower.
On shower enclosures, at least in cold weather, I found I also preferred the PETT system’s tent over Outback’s Porta-Privy. The Porta-Privy has a large, always-open skylight that lets all of the heat escape – a very bad thing when you are showering in 40° weather. The PETT tent has three windows which can be left open or closed, and are designed such you can toss the shower sprayer into one so the excess water drips outside while you are drying off.
Navajo Expedition: April 29th
April 29th, 2010, 22:39 hoursYesterday’s wind was followed by a 25° drop in temperature and a sprinkling of snow, making for a beautiful and dust-free return to Monument Valley. We set off from Mexican Hat after a wonderful breakfast at The Olde Bridge Grille. We will definitely be back this way, as the town is a perfect spot to base future explorations around southeast Utah. Today was a short day today with much of our sight seeing done from or very near the vehicles. The area of Monument Valley known as Mystery Valley is full of pictographs, small ruins, natural arches/bridges and slot canyons to explore. The place is a maze of rock, sand and history.
An early camp at Rain God Mesa made for a welcome rest and conversation around the campfire, and time to catch up on the trip’s highlights thus far.
The last remnants of the storm passed just to the west of us, making for a beautiful sunset…
Food: Dave made an excellent dessert tonight by grilling thin slices of mango, then covering them with honey. This combination of heat and honey changes the texture and brings out the flavor and sugar of the mango, and the peel makes the perfect bowl. The result is what candy would be if you could harvest it from a tree and grill it over a fire.
Navajo Expedition: April 28th
April 28th, 2010, 20:50 hours
Morning brought us up through the tourist-saturated area around The View Hotel, giving us a welcome stop at a grocery store for resupply. Still no sign of my Hostess Crunch doughnuts, I really should have bought some when we stopped in Flagstaff. The rest of the day on into early evening we traveled through even more expansive dunes, cliffs, and slickrock trails with one added obstacle – an ever worsening dust storm.
We’ve reached the top of Hunts Mesa at what seems to be the peak of the storm. The weather radio reports it will not pass until sometime after 21:00. A search of several potential campsites reveals none with shelter from the sand-blasting, made worse by the many dunes up here on the mesa. It would seem the local hotels are in cahoots with the weather, with rates starting at $195. Carlos mentions he knows a good place for us to stay in his home town of Mexican Hat, so we’re heading for the Utah border.
The San Juan Inn & Trading Post, Carlos’ recommendation for “camp” and dinner, turned out to be this perfect little 2-story structure clinging to the cliffs over the San Juan river. As it is just outside the reservation, the restaurant (The Olde Bridge Grille) serves alcohol. As it is in Utah, they have Polygamy Porter. They also have excellent food… 
Navajo Expedition: April 27th
April 27th, 2010, 21:43 hoursI almost regret the shower I took after dinner last night, I was still cold from it when I woke up. Still, it was better than being stinky all day today. Between the cold and my sore feet from yesterday’s hike I’m looking forward to the drive down into the desert this morning.
We were on time arriving at the meeting place for our next guide today, but he was running a little late so we had time to resupply and relax a little. Note: gas stations in the Navajo Nation cut off debit cards at $35, so make sure your tank is actually full when the pump shuts off. At first glance, our guide arrived dressed just like any everyday city folk you’d see waiting in line at a Starbuck’s, but both his knowledge of ruin locations and ability to entertain 4×4-equipped adventurers quickly became apparent. Not 20 minutes later Carlos (our guide) was guiding us over dunes and slickrock in search of a passable route to Poncho House ruin.
The ruins themselves were nothing short of spectacular. Multi-story walls and “streets” remained on the cliff face – all within reach after a short climb. I pushed myself a little too hard hiking here, but a little overheating was well worth it to rest in the shade of this place.
Our departure took us the long way around and into Monument Valley, with opportunities for even more rock, sand and cross-country route finding. The final descent into Monument Valley took us through the strangest cattle guard which had a bar welded over the top allowing only 94 inches of clearance. Several vehicles had to remove cargo from the roof to make it through.
The end of the road found us at one of the tour company’s (Simpson’s Trailhandler Tours) hogans for fry bread, Navajo tacos (a good tostada on fry bread), and a dance performance which included drums and vocals by Carlos (who happens to have an incredible voice). We left dinner for a campsite right up against the north face of Rain God Mesa.
Navajo Expedition: April 26th
April 26th, 2010, 22:07 hoursHad a good sleep last night. Finally warm, thanks to a combination of Charlie’s liquor and Dani’s company. We were up and starting breakfast before everyone woke up for a change.
We went out for the first portion of today’s hike with the intention of turning back after Window Rock for a trip into town, but ended up continuing on the 20-mile round trip to the ruins. During the long hike across the valley I discovered that not only am I not allergic to the sagebrush filling this place, but they actually clear my sinuses right up. Our guide says the Navajo use them as a medicinal tea by boiling them.
The first ruins we reached had a few pictographs, pottery shards, corn cobs and broken walls, but none nearly as preserved as seen on Friday. It looks like there is a seasonal spring here that has melted most of the structures and artifacts away, awesome view though.
The brisk pace to the next two ruins and back to the truck was exhausting, but there was no time for a shower as we were late for dinner. At least I will get to crap in a real crapper. More hiking to get to dinner. We were moving slower than the group after our long hike today, so the cutiest little pug-nosed dog kept running back and forth to make sure we made each turn.
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