Adding a bedside Spyder touch panel

Our 2017 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP was the first year where Tiffin was easing into touch panels in their coaches, using the Spyder multiplex wiring system. It came with a rather bad black-and-white panel, which I replaced with a much better color one; a huge improvement.

But when in bed, there are only buttons on Jenn’s side of the bed for some functions like lights. One of the things I’m jealous of newer years of our coach is they have more touch panels, including panels on both sides of the bed.

I had previously noticed that there is a Spyder connector below the bed, so I figured I could hook into that.

I resolved to add a panel on my side of the bed, using the same model of touch panel I used to upgrade our main one.

Here’s a look at the small window on my side of the bed (on which we always keep the shades closed), and the small bit of wall next to it:

Window

The bed base, after removing the mattress (you can see the head tilted):

Bed base

By positioning the bed appropriately, the wires under the bed can be accessed; the orange cable is a Spyder network cable, and the connector is visible right of center:

Wires under bed

I ordered components from Spyder Controls Corp:

The panel: KITTW1412 – 2017 5IN LCD UPGRADE KIT BUS PHTN (1 at $349.95)
The G4 tap: 5015508 | 5016592 BBCKZK200 – BACKPLANE ASSY, DROP TAP, G4 COMMON, 4X4 POS 2MM MINI-CLAMP, , Z (1 at $37.44)
A bunch of cable (more than needed; always good to have spare): 14618 BSPL74600 HARNESS ASSY, CUSTOM CABLE , 2 TWISTED PAIR, 24GA, RV-C DROP CABLE ($0.50 per foot)
Some plug connectors: 5066157 CON824204 9787 – CONNECTOR, 4 POS 2MM, MINI CLAMP, BLUE, PLUG, 20-24AWG, C/E, IDC (4 needed at $5.32 each, but I got a spare just in case)
A couple of socket connectors, though not needed for this project: 5066158 CON864204 9788 – CONNECTOR, 4 POS 2MM, MINI CLAMP, BLUE, SOCKET, 20-24AWG, C/E, IDC (none needed, $5.32 each)

Here are the components:

Components

The G4 tap, connectors, and a stripped end of the cable:

G4 tap and connectors

Adding the plug connector is easy; you just insert the four wires into the holes on the connector (in the correct order; black, blue, white, red), then squeeze closed with pliers:

Connector

I made a short cable with plugs on either end to go from the existing socket under the bed to the G4 tap, so I didn’t need to replace the socket with a plug, and could restore the original connection later if desired:

Cable

Here’s the G4 tap in place under the bed, with the original plug and my patch plug inserted; later a third plug from the new panel was inserted:

My original concept was to pull the power outlet off the wall to access inside the wall, and run the Spyder cable down there, but that proved too difficult, so my backup plan was to go through the side of the window valance. So I drilled a hole in the side of the surface mount for the panel:

Hole in panel mount

To get better access close to the wall, I used an angled drill adapter:

Drill

The hole in the window valance:

Hole

To hide the bright orange cable, I used a couple of cable covers that I had on hand:

Cable cover

The cable through the hole:

Cable

Paladin was surprised to discover a window here; he has never seen it before, since as I mentioned we keep those shades down:

Paladin

The cable hidden inside the cable cover under the window and on the back wall (with the bed in its normal position, the cable on the wall is hidden):

Cable

A closer look at the cable cover below the window, secured by a loop of velcro attached to a self-adhesive velcro patch:

Cable cover

The cable cover on the wall:

Cable cover

Velcro loop and self-adhesive patch:

Velcro

A plug on the cable:

Cable

The new panel mounted on the wall and operational:

Panel

This is a huge improvement; I can turn on and off all the lights, toggle the heated floors, see tank levels, and more, all from the comfort of bed. I mostly use it to turn off the lights at night, and turn on the heated floors when I wake up, so they are toasty when getting up. Such decadence!

Travel from Surprise to Kingman, Arizona

We drove our coach 165 miles, about three hours of driving, from Surprise, Arizona to Kingman, Arizona.

Here’s the map route, heading northwest:

Kingman route

An interactive map, with our stops marked:

Saguaro cacti:

Saguaro cacti

This route was rather bad in terms of potholes on the road; these were relatively minor examples:

Potholes

So much so that some of our internet stuff fell down:

Internet stuff fell down

We had planned to stay at Horspitality RV Resort, but changed it due to our NIRVC visit:

Horspitality RV Park

A nearby horse event:

Horse event

Josua trees:

Josua tree

Josua trees

Josua tree

Back to saguaros:

Saguaros

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

A roadside stop, basically a wide dirt area, where we made lunch in our coach:

Roadside stop

More interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

A river:

River

A truck had a tire blowout on their trailer, with bits of the tire on the road:

Tire on road

An interesting old Silver Streak trailer:

Silver Streak trailer

The rough road seemed to have shook our front driver-side slide slightly out; there was a little light coming in underneath. That’s not great:

Slide slightly out

Snowy mountains:

Snowy mountains

We filled up at a Petro truck stop:

Petro truck stop

Paladin stretching at the truck stop:

Paladin

We filled about 76 gallons of diesel (half our tank capacity; we usually fill when it gets about halfway). The pump price was $376.66:

Fuel pump

But that’s not what we actually paid, thanks to the Open Roads fuel discount program; we saved $92.82 on that fuel up, so “only” paid $293.77:

Fuel discount savings

Our destination:

Destination

Travel from Las Cruces, New Mexico to Tombstone, Arizona

We drove our coach 247 miles, about four hours of driving (and a couple of hours of stoppage), from Las Cruces, New Mexico to Tombstone, Arizona.

Here’s the map route, heading west:

Map route

An interactive map, with our stops marked:

We usually toad up (aka connecting the truck to the coach) by our site, but there wasn’t a great place to do that this time, so we went over by the office. So Jenn drove the coach, and I followed in the truck:

Following our coach

Toading up; hooking up the tow bar and cables, switching the truck transmission to neutral, disconnecting the battery (via a push button), and connecting the brake controller:

Toading up

The brake controller:

Brake controller

On our way; there were lots of signs like these for several tchotchke shops:

Signs

Fireworks and tchotchkes:

Fireworks and tchotchkes

Inspection station, with nobody staffing it:

Inspection station

One of several billboards for The Thing?

The Thing?

Our first stop, at a parking area (i.e. like a rest area, with no bathrooms):

Parking area

Nice to see mountains:

Mountains

Another tchotchkes shop, with a fun fence painted like storefronts:

Another tchotchkes shop

Fuel stop:

Fuel stop

A third of a tank (we actually paid less than this, thanks to the TSD fuel discount card):

Fuel stop

Filling the Diesel Exhaust Fluid:

DEF

Then we parked at this truck stop for lunch:

Lunch stop

Heading out:

Leaving truck stop

Continental divide:

Continental divide

Lots of signs about dust storms; this one sensibly worded as “caution dust storms”:

Caution dust storms

Another sensible sign, “zero visibility possible”:

Zero visibility possible

But “dust storms may exist”; yes, indeed, but kinda a clumsy way to say that:

Dust storms may exist

Mountains

Welcome to Arizona:

Welcome to Arizona

Mountains

Another truck stop, just for a stretch and bathroom break (in our coach, of course):

Truck stop

An interesting and very sketchy-looking homemade trailer:

Interesting trailer

Mountains

Benson, Arizona:

Benson, Arizona

One lane roadworks:

Roadworks

Uncomfortably narrow for our coach:

Roadworks

St. David:

St. David

Hills

Our destination:

Destination

Travel from Abilene, Texas to Las Cruces, New Mexico

We drove our coach 504 miles, an epic eight hours of driving, from Abilene, Texas to Las Cruces, New Mexico.

We normally prefer two hour drives, and will go up to four hours when on an interstate (as they are easier and usually have regular rest areas). We had planned two four hour days, stopping in Pecos, but the weather forecast called for 60 MPH gusts along the route on the second leg. So we decided to push on through, doing it in one day.

Here’s the map route, heading west:

Map route

An interactive map, with our stops marked:

Leaving the Abilene KOA:

Leaving KOA

There were pretty much non-stop pump jacks along the route:

Pump jacks

We stopped at several rest areas; this was the first:

Rest area

An interesting water tower:

Water tower

Wide load:

Wide load

“It would behoof you to slow down”:

It would behoof you to slow down

Road Ranger fuel stop:

Road Ranger fuel stop

Road Ranger

We went in, and had Church’s Chicken for lunch (our least-preferred fast food chicken chain):

Church's Chicken for lunch

Back to our coach:

Our coach

Sleepy Paladin:

Sleepy Paladin

A wind turbine blade:

Wind turbine blade

More pump jacks:

Pump jacks

As mentioned, we were originally going to stop at Pecos, Texas:

Pecos, Texas

Texas

Paladin probably would have preferred that we stopped, but this was just halfway:

Paladin

A nice rest area:

Rest area

We were so happy to see mountains again, after spending months in flat Texas:

Mountains

Lots of trucks:

Lots of trucks

Allegedly scenic viewpoint:

Scenic viewpoint

Entering Mountain Time Zone:

Entering Mountain Time Zone

A busy rest area; we parked on the side of the road:

Busy rest area

El Paso overpasses:

El Paso overpasses

El Paso artwork:

El Paso artwork

An interesting RV paint job:

Interesting RV paintjob

Goodbye Texas; entering New Mexico:

New Mexico

Mountains by Las Cruces:

Mountains

Our destination, another KOA:

KOA

That was quite the drive!

Travel from Gordonville to Abilene, Texas

We drove our coach 244 miles, about four hours of driving, from Gordonville, Texas to Abilene, Texas.

Here’s the map route, heading south then west:

Map route

Leaving the Thousand Trails campground:

Leaving campground

A rather rough road:

Rough road

Onramp to I-35, and interesting clouds:

Onramp and interesting clouds

Denton, Texas, “the home of happiness“:

Denton, the home of happiness

Exit to I-35W:

Exit to I-35W

Sleepy Paladin:

Sleepy Paladin

We never did visit a Buc-ees:

Buc-ees

A big cloud by the side of the road; we thought it was a fire at first, but it appeared to be some roadworks thing:

Roadside cloud

There were a lot of roadworks; we don’t enjoy having a barrier so close to the edge of the lane, since our coach takes pretty much the whole lane:

Roadworks

Exit to I-820, marking the start of our westward migration:

Exit to I-820

Exit to I-30:

Exit to I-30

Exit 420; we didn’t take that exit, I just thought it was “nice” (unsurprisingly, the only sign was above the road):

Exit 420

We stopped for lunch at a truck stop:

At a truck stop

Lunch at the Iron Skillet Restaurant:

Iron Skillet Restaurant

We do enjoy breakfast for lunch:

Breakfast for lunch

Back to our coach:

Back to our coach

Truck foursome:

Trucks towing trucks

A very empty rest stop:

Rest stop

Wide loads:

Wide loads

Wide load

A rolling work convoy:

Work convoy

Another wide load:

Wide load

Our destination:

Our destination

Travel from NIRVC in Dallas to Gordonville, Texas

We drove our coach 76 miles, a bit over an hour of driving, from NIRVC in Dallas, Texas to Gordonville, Texas.

Here’s the map route, heading north:

Map route

We picked up our coach from NIRVC in Dallas, where it had received its annual servicing while we were away:

NIRVC

Paladin sat in the steps for a while:

Paladin

Denton Buc-ees:

Denton Buc-ees

Gainsville:

Gainsville

Our destination, another Thousand Trails:

Thousand Trails

Registration

Starting weekday posts

I’m getting a bit of a backlog of posts, so I’m going to increase the pace to weekdays.

So you can look forward to new Sinclair Trails blog posts Monday through Friday. No posts on weekends.

Paladin on the couch

Travel days from US Virgin Islands

All good things come to an end eventually, and such it was with our USVI vacation.

Driving (on the left, as was the style at the time) our rental car to drop it off:

Driving

A couple of cruise ships:

Cruise ships

The buses on the island are open air things like this colorful example:

Bus

Vodka:

Vodka

Passing by the end of the airport runway:

Airport runway

Rental car return:

Rental car return

The tiny one-terminal airport:

Airport

Some lunch:

Food

“Last sip in the Virgin Islands” on the back of a coffee shop:

Last sip

Our plane arriving:

Our plane

Boarding the plane was a bit of a snafu; they announced general boarding, and everyone rushed forward, but they turned people away for not boarding with their group. Then everyone was lined up outside while the plane was still being cleaned:

Our plane

Boarding:

Our plane

STT to MIA:

STT to MIA

A plane selfie:

Selfie

A view of the cockpit:

Cockpit

Takeoff:

Takeoff

In the air:

In the air

We splurged on business class for this leg. and enjoyed the snacks and beverage:

Snacks and beverage

And dinner:

Dinner

Miami:

In the air

Miami airport:

Plane

Skytrain:

Skytrain

We probably should have taken the skytrain, but weren’t sure where it went; we ended up walking the entire length of this terminal; fortunately we had some time to spare:

Terminal map

MIA to DFW:

MIA to DFW

Another plane selfie, this time in premium economoy:

Selfie

In the air:

In the air

On arrival in Dallas, we caught a taxi back to the hotel:

Taxi

Hotel room:

Hotel room

The next morning, breakfast at the hotel restaurant:

Hotel restaurant

Hotel breakfast

Then we checked out and picked up Paladin from his hotel:

Pet hotel

Paladin:

Paladin

He was very happy to see us:

Paladin and Jenn

It was a great vacation. We’d love to visit there again in the future (and the third of the main Virgin Islands, Saint Croix).

Travel days to US Virgin Islands

To celebrate Jenn’s big milestone birthday in February, we had a six-night vacation on the United States Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas and Saint John.

The USVI consists of three main islands (and a bunch of minor ones) in the Caribbean, east of Puerto Rico.

This post is about our travel from Dallas, Texas to Saint Thomas, USVI.

But first, after dropping off our coach at NIRVC (as in a recent blog post), we dropped off Paladin at a cat boarding place:

Cat boarding

His room:

Cat boarding

Checking out the play area:

Cat boarding

Even a fish tank to watch:

Cat boarding

Then we headed to a hotel near the airport for the night, since our flight was very early in the morning:

Hotel

We left our truck at the hotel. The next morning, at 3 AM, we took a taxi to the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) airport.

Here’s our plane:

Our plane

A map of our flight from DFW to CLT:

DFW to CLT

A plane selfie; we wore masks for the flights out, just in case:

David and Jenn

The plane needed to be de-iced before we could take off:

De-icing the plane

Dallas from the air:

Dallas

Sunrise above the clouds:

Sunrise

Charlotte, North Carolina:

Charlotte, North Carolina

A one hour connection, so we rushed to our next gate:

Charlotte, North Carolina

Rocking chairs in the terminal:

Charlotte, North Carolina

A map of our second flight, from CLT to STT:

CLT to STT

Boarding the plane:

Boarding plane

Takeoff:

Take off

Several other passengers were masked, but many were not; it’s no longer required:

Passengers

USVI:

USVI

Arrival:

Arrival

We were picked up by our rental car, and taken to their office; we booked a Jeep to handle the hilly terrain on the islands:

Rental car

Driving through downtown Saint Thomas; notice that they drive on the left side of the road on the islands, though the cars are US ones, with the steering wheel on the left; that took a bit of getting used to:

Downtown Saint Thomas

We stopped for some groceries on the way to our accommodations — and notice the chickens; there were free-range chickens all over the islands:

Groceries and chickens

Next time, a post about our accommodations.

Travel from Lake Conroe to Lake Whitney, Texas

We drove our coach 196 miles, about four hours of driving, from Lake Conroe to Lake Whitney, Texas.

Here’s the map route, heading northwest (fun fact: the dots along the route were to change it from the recommended route, to try to stick to more major highways, since it had recently snowed):

Map route