Coach Proxy

I bought a Coach Proxy device for our 2017 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP coach.

This is hardware and web-based software to remotely control the Spyder coach systems like lights, fans, etc. Everything that can be done from the main touch panel.

It is also obsolete technology that has a new lease of life. It was a commercial product a few years ago, but was discontinued. But many people enjoyed it, so it was released as an open source project, and some people have continued to make hardware for it using off-the-shelf components.

The device I purchased was an example of that; it was made by a guy named David Earnest, housed in a 3D-printed case:

Coach Proxy hardware

Coach Proxy hardware

The logic board is actually from a Raspberry Pi 400, with another board to interface with the Spyder network:

Coach Proxy hardware

I had a spare Spyder connector under the dash, so I mounted the box there:

Mounted and Spyder connection

The software side is a web app powered by that hardware, with controls for the various lights etc. Here is the top of the Interior page of Coach Proxy, with the main lights; the ones with a slider can be dimmed:

Coach Proxy controls

Scrolling down, the living room TV lift (that TV raises up in front of a window when wanted), and more lights. At the bottom the MEM ON turns on the lights that were on when the ALL OFF was used:

Coach Proxy controls

On to the shade controls; day and night shades on the driver and passenger sides, or all at once:

Coach Proxy controls

The Exterior page has lights, locks, and water systems:

Coach Proxy controls

The Climate page has fans and heated floors (very nice in cool weather):

Coach Proxy controls

A nice thing one can do via Coach Proxy that one can’t do via the touch panel is assign presets, to turn on or off custom sets of lights; I just have a couple so far:

Coach Proxy controls

The Status page has tank levels and power stuff:

Coach Proxy controls

The Notifications page lets me get a notice when certain conditions occur:

Notifications

Plus there are a couple more pages for settings, including options to set up remote access, so these controls can be changed when away from the coach via a secure connection.

A very useful device.

Bears Ears and Natural Bridges National Monuments

A twofer: we visited Bears Ears and Natural Bridges National Monuments.

Bears Ears National Monument is administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is a large area of 1.36 million acres of forests and such.

It is named for the distinctive mountains:

Bears Ears

We visited a ranger station:

Ranger station

Ranger station

But the main focus of this trip was to visit the Natural Bridges National Monument, administered by the National Park Service (NPS). it is entirely surrounded by Bears Ears NM:

Natural Bridges National Monument

Its visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

This monument features three natural bridges, basically holes in rocks much like arches. What’s the difference? Basically a natural bridge spans an erosion valley, and an arch doesn’t. Or put another way, a natural bridge is caused by running water, and an arch by seeping moisture.

The first bridge viewpoint:

Viewpoint

An info sign:

Info sign

The bridge is a little difficult to spot:

Bridge

A closer view:

Bridge

We then stopped for a picnic lunch at a nice shelter:

Jenn at picnic spot

On to the second bridge:

Info sign

Bridge

Bridge

Bridge

And the last one:

Info sign

Bridge

Bridge

Moki Dugway switchbacks

On a road trip to Bears Ears and Natural Bridges National Monuments (a post about them tomorrow), we drove our truck up Utah State Route 261, which includes the Moki Dugway dirt switchback road carved into the cliff face of Cedar Mesa in Utah.

Here’s a map:

Moki Dugway map

The mesa from the bottom:

Mesa

A warning sign:

Sign

Heading up the road:

Road

Twisty GPS route:

Twisty GPS

Road

Road

Monuments:

Monuments

Don’t look down:

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

A road at the top and bottom:

Switchbacks

Monuments again:

Monuments

View from near the top:

Switchbacks

Stay tuned for a timelapse video of this drive.

Monument Valley drive

We drove around the Monument Valley Tribal Park in our truck.

The Navajo seal and statue outside the entrance:

Navajo seal and statue

Looking down at some of the monument rocks and road from the visitor center:

Monuments

Monument

Monuments

It’s a fairly rough dirt road:

Monuments

Rough road

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Our truck at one of the viewpoints:

Monuments

Monument

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

At John Ford’s Point, the man on a horse; he sits out there for people to take photos, or people can sit on his horse as a photo op:

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Jenn

Monuments

Monuments

Another horse; they seemed to be training it:

Horse

Monuments

Monuments and horse

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Our truck:

Truck

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Jenn & David

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monuments

Monument Valley horseback ride

While staying at the Monument Valley KOA, we had a one hour horseback ride from D/D MTA Horse Tours, with a Navajo guide, and horses corralled next to the KOA. 

The experience was a bit marred by unreliable operators; the booking said to turn up half an hour before our reservation, which we did, but they never turned up, so we gave up in disgust. We contacted them, and arranged again for a couple of days later. Again, they didn’t turn up on time; they eventually arrived half an hour late, after we prompted them via text. Apparently Navajo time is like Hawaii time, very casual. Not impressed.

The Trip Advisor site has some reviews from others who also experienced their unreliability, which ruined their plans. Fortunately, we were there for a week, so could afford to be flexible.

Once they did turn up, the actual horseback ride was a memorable experience. This was our first (and so far only) time riding horses, so we weren’t entirely sure what to expect, or whether or not we’d like it. But we did. We’ll probably try it again in the future.

Here’s part of the horse corral, with monument rocks in the background:

Horse corral

Wagon

Rocks and horses

Our guide chose four horses; one for each of us, for himself, and for his young daughter, who also joined us on the ride:

Horses

The two horses in the middle were the ones we rode. The left of those two was named Four Socks (if I recall correctly), and was ridden by Jenn. The black one to the right was named Miles, and was ridden by me:

Horses

Horses

Here’s me mounting the horse, helped by our guide:

David mounting horse

David on a horse

David on a horse

David on a horse

Jenn on a horse:

Jenn on a horse

And off we go:

Horseback riding

Our Navajo guide talking about the monuments etc:

Navajo guide

Navajo guide

Sunset:

Sunset

Sunset

Horseback riding

Horseback riding

Sunset

Sunset

Jenn

David

Sunset

Horseback riding

David and sunset

Some pictures of us taken by our guide:

David and Jenn on horses

David and Jenn on horses

David and Jenn on horses

David and Jenn on horses

Onward:

Horseback riding

Sunset

Horseback riding

The guide’s daughter led on the way back:

Horseback riding

Horseback riding

Horseback riding

Horseback riding

Sunset

Horseback riding

Overall, a great experience. It would have been better if the operators were more reliable, but the ride itself was fun and memorable.

Goosenecks State Park, Mexican Hat, Forrest Gump Point

We visited Goosenecks State Park in Utah:

Goosenecks State Park

This is a smallish park, overlooking where the San Juan River makes a series of tight turns:

Goosenecks State Park

Goosenecks State Park

Goosenecks State Park

Goosenecks State Park

Look closely; what do you see in the water?

Goosenecks State Park

Rafting boats:

Boats

Goosenecks State Park

Goosenecks State Park

There are some no-hookup campsites with great views:

Campsite

On the way back to our coach, we did a quick side trip to the fascinating Mexican Hat rock:

Mexican Hat rock

Mexican Hat rock

Mexican Hat rock

And stopped at Forrest Gump point, an iconic location from the movie:

Forrest Gump point

Forrest Gump point

Forrest Gump point

Standing in the road for a selfie is a popular pastime; we saw lots of people there every time we went past:

Forrest Gump point

Water quick connectors and gauges

I have a history of overly complicated plumbing at our former homestead, and having an RV hasn’t prevented that hobby. But always for good reasons.

To make hooking up our fresh water supply components easier, I have added some hose quick connectors, that clip together very easily:

Quick connectors

The first of these is at the tap, in case I want to disconnect due to sub-freezing temperatures. Following that connector is a two-way splitter, with a hose on one side, and a pressure gauge on the other:

Tap, splitter, gauge

This gauge is useful so I can see the pressure of the water supply (which I note in my campground reviews); the black needle indicates the current pressure, and the red needle indicates the maximum pressure:

Gauge

Here they are at another campsite, with a frost-free tap (lowering the handle not only shuts off the water, but also drains the water out of the vertical pipe, so it doesn’t freeze and burst):

Tap, splitter, gauge

At the other end of that hose is a second splitter, with one side going to a flexible cleanout hose, and the other going to a pressure regulator (set to a maximum of 60 PSI, though not approaching that at this campground), another quick connector, and the water filters:

Splitter, pressure regulator, quick connect

On the other side of the filters is another quick connector (so I can disconnect and put it away on travel days), and another gauge, to check the output water pressure (not very high at this campground):

Quick connect, gauge

Here are a couple of pictures showing both sides of the filters (the orange hose in the background is the “stinky slinky”, i.e. sewer hose, on a ramp for proper drainage):

Filters

View from above

The other end of the aforementioned cleanout hose has a built-in valve, and I added a quick connector:

Qucik connect on hose

That connector has a mate and a valve on the black tank flush port; this port is used to rinse out the black (toilet) tank:

Valve and quick connect

Here is the hose connected and both valves turned on:

Connected and on

When I’m done, I can simply turn off these two valves (and the one back at the splitter), and easily disconnect, without any mess:

Connected and off

Nice improvements.