The flies have been surprisingly terrible this year in Yuma, AZ. Last year we left our front door open most of the winter and rarely even saw a fly…or any other bug for that matter. I assumed it was too dry in this part of the desert for bugs to survive. That may be true, but the area received a considerable amount of extra rain this year. The cactuses are actually alive to prove it! And so are the flies. After many a morning swatting flies while trying not to spill our coffee (or worse, having dead flies land in it!), we decided we needed to get to the bottom of our screen door complications.
The Problem and the Plan for the Screen Door
Our camper originally had a standard RV style door with a screen. When Jonathan replaced the ugly door with our cozy blue, home style door, he left the hardware for the screen there in case we decided to use the RV style screen with our new door. The plan was to try and find an alternative solution for the screen….perhaps something collapsible or that rolled up and out of the way. Eventually we decided on a magnetic screen door, put in our order on Amazon for the smallest size available and then immediately canceled it because we just weren’t confident we could make it work. The smallest size was still much too large for our tiny house door. But in the end, with the flies pestering us to death day in and day out, Jonathan went ahead and ordered that screen door. We would just have to make it work!
Sizing the screen down to fit
Upon examination, I could see that I could easily (though time stakingly) pull the seams out of the velcro border, trim the screen down to the proper fit, and then sew the velcro back in place. I asked Jonathan how much it cost, and when I knew I only had $20 to loose if I messed it up, I dove right in. I grabbed some headphones, opened my favorite podcast, and started ripping out stitch after stitch.
I measured everything out carefully and used sewing pins to mark where I would be trimming the screen. Then I grabbed my sewing scissors and did the scary thing! I started cutting!! No going back now. I cut both sides down about 4 inches but I left the bottom to trim later.
And then it was time to put the velcro border back in place. It was actually binding tape with a strip of velcro attached to that. So as I was seam ripping, I pinned the velcro to the binding so it wouldn’t fall out of place.
I went through and picked out every bit of thread left over from seam ripping. When I was done with that Jonathan said it looked like I’d given someone a hair cut with all the thread piled up together. It was a lot of thread and it literally took me all day to seam rip this little project.
Putting it back together
When I was ready to put things back together, I spread the screen out on the floor of my studio so I could lay it flat. I adjusted the pins I had used to hold the velcro in place to now grab the screen and envelope the edge in the binding as well. By the time I was done with this it was well past my bedtime and I was exhausted. But I really wanted to finish it up and see how it fit the door before going to bed! Ah well, when my body decides it’s ready for bed, I just start shutting down. So I knew I had to listen and off to bed I went.
First thing the next morning I was back at it. By the time it was warm enough for flies to be buzzing around, I had the screen door in place with just the bottom left to trim. This turned out to be slightly complicated because of having to close off the corners. I also hadn’t thought ahead and had trimmed the bottom pieces when I shaved the sides down, meaning I didn’t have the excess to turn under and hem the corners. So I ended up adding a little seam and using pieces I had trimmed off both sides to extend the bottom pieces to give myself room for the finishing touches.
You can see how much I had to shorten the length of the screen door as well. I was a little concerned about the magnets in the center possibly not lining up in a way that would encourage the screen to close behind you like it should. I noticed they had carefully placed tall and short magnets at certain places to help the screen close smoothly. I was VERY glad this did not end up being an issue.
In the end I think it turned out quite nicely! We’ve been enjoying fresh air with the door wide open without all the flies. Now we can drink our coffee in peace! Oh and the cat? She just pokes her nose down there at the bottom and opens and closes this door for herself whenever she pleases. The first time she did it she was EVER so proud of herself!
With Spring Break approaching, I was definitely feeling some burnout on social media. I love browsing, I really do! So much so that I find myself getting drawn in to the whole scrolling thing way too often. There are several women I follow on Instagram as role models. They are always choosing joy, building up their husbands, lifting others up, choosing to focus on the positive, etc. There is just so much to learn from many of these women and it’s a true gift to be able to connect with their lives through social media! I’ve made multiple connections on social media. Like, legit connections. I mean, I actually call these women my friends now and I’ve even met many of them in real life! How then was I experiencing so much burnout from social media? I wanted to find out.
Social media is not bad, in and of itself. But somehow, I was pouring a lot of time and energy into my social media and something about it was draining me without giving me the return I….expected? needed? wanted? I wasn’t sure what it was. So with Spring Break, I decided it was the perfect time to step back and evaluate my whole social media presence. Since I do work online, social media is where I do a lot of my work for my business so if I was really going to take a week off, I needed to step away from social media. My personal interactions are so wrapped up in my business interactions that it can be really hard to separate the two…and then I start to feel like I work all the time, which is a problem in my book.
Why? To evaluate my focus
My day planner is pretty awesome! At the beginning of the year, my planner took me through a process of determining my work life balance and then setting goals accordingly for the year ahead. Each season, there is a “goal check in process”. This check in landed right on Spring Break. PERFECT! I was looking forward to evaluating my progress with my current goals, seeing how my work life and my life life were balancing out, etc. So I decided to take the entire week off social media and just spend a lot of time evaluating my focus. Where am I headed? What do I want to accomplish? Am I accomplishing the things I’ve set out to do? What’s working for me? What’s not working?
Most people don’t get the chance to step back and evaluate things in their life. They only get weekends (which are busy with errands and activities) and a couple weeks of vacation time. So I’m very thankful that I can take time regularly to step away and think things through.
How? Delete all social apps and make it public!
I turned the idea of my social media break over and over in my mind. I do enjoy social media! So I wasn’t 100% looking forward to doing without it for the week. I mentioned it to a few friends in conversation. Finally, I realized that if I was serious about this social media fast, I needed to make a public announcement so I would follow through. I made a post across all my social media letting everyone know I was going on spring break and would be absent from social world as well. I knew that anyone who REALLY needed to get a hold of me over Spring Break had my cell number and could either text or call me directly. Yes, I actually hesitated due to people maybe not being able to reach me. So many people, including my family, contact me through social media. I just don’t understand it! What happened to email anyways?
Healthy snacking while planning my week.
Next, I deleted Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger from my phone AND my iPad. This way I couldn’t open them out of habit or mindlessness by accident. I was shocked during the week to find out how many times I swiped to the location of these apps only to see them missing. It really made me think about how many times I open these apps when I really don’t need to!
What I liked about it
To start off the week, I did what I always do…I made a plan for my week. What I would do, what I wanted to accomplish. I put things on my agenda that I don’t normally have time for;
Cleaning out the Truck
Cross stitching
Listening to my favorite podcasts
Watching movies
Evaluating my social media interactions
Thinking time
The days seemed longer, slower paced, and more satisfying. I was SO MUCH more present in the moment. I had been getting slightly annoyed with my husband for watching YouTube talk shows and never inviting me to listen with him. I’m interested in those things too! But as the week progressed, he did invite me to watch several YouTube videos with him and it hit me. He hadn’t invited me because I had my face buried in my phone under the guise of “I’m working”. It wasn’t him, it was me!
Spring break like a pro! Am I right?
My mind was present, engaged enough to carry through some deeper thoughts. My husband and I ended up engaging in multiple in depth conversations about some great things!
None of this would have happened if I hadn’t decided to step away from social for the week. And I didn’t want to loose what I had gained. Social media fills the mind with so much constant information that I experience somewhat of a sense of stress just from how much is “going on”. I knew I wanted to continue my social media interactions, but I was ready to find a way to make my time on these platforms A LOT more intentional.
What I didn’t like about it
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There were of course several things I did not like about taking an absence from social media. As I mentioned before, there are several women that I follow both as role models and friends. I missed engaging with these people on a daily basis. It was a bit annoying that I couldn’t hear what they were sharing. But with all good things, I think it’s good to take a break, just for the sheer appreciation factor. When we do without something that we enjoy for a period of time, it makes us appreciate it all the more when we come back to it.
I also didn’t like learning how much I actually use social media when I don’t intend to. I open my phone to pull up a recipe to cook dinner and out of habit open up social instead. 10 or 15 minutes of scrolling later, I bring myself back to the task at hand and resume my recipe search. This was not an easy thing for me to admit about myself! But I was glad to learn it and see it clearly so I can be proactive about my usage.
How I plan to move forward with social
Coming out of Spring Break, I jumped right in with my second round of my fav lifting program.
Going forward, I want to be very proactive and intentional with my social media usage. It’s been nearly two weeks now and I still haven’t resumed posting to my feed! I’ve jumped on stories a few times, but nothing like I used to. I did not lose any followers, contrary to what I had heard. The thing that’s always bothered me about pouring my creative energy into social media is that I have very little control of the platform. Instagram has locked me out of my account in the past, for several days. Facebook has shut down my peers private groups with no warning or explanation. Sure, social is a great place to connect with people….but I don’t feel like it’s a genuine connection until I have an email address, phone number, or some other way of staying in touch with these people outside of social. And so, I plan on putting my blog as a priority over social. Rather than trying so hard to build my following on social, I want to pour my efforts into building my email list instead. My blog, my email list…these are things that I own and I control what happens on these platforms. So you might notice less content from me on social, more blog posts, consistent letters to my mailing list, and more private messages on social platforms. I’m not going anywhere! Just putting things I control on the internet as a higher priority. So my question for you…..are you on my email list!? Because that’s where you’re going to be seeing a lot more of me. And I want to have a genuine connection with you!
What do you find most valuable on social media? Do you find yourself opening social media and throwing 10+ minutes away before getting back on task? Or is that just me?? Let’s chat in the comments below!
We’re coming up on the time of all the New Year’s resolutions!! Don’t make commitments to yourself that you can’t follow through with. Don’t break down the trust you have in yourself with an unrealistic New Year’s resolution. Meet yourself where you are, you know yourself! You know what you can follow through with and what you can’t. Keep your word to yourself in the little things and build from there.
I wanted to share a few thoughts with you from week 1 of this 21 day cleanse I am doing. In a way, it gets harder and harder to follow the plan as the cleanse progresses. But here’s the thing, I need this cleanse! My body needs some help and I’m convinced this cleanse will provide that help. So I decided to stick to this program as best I could…and then I decided not to decide again! The decision is the hardest part…make it once and leave it be! Don’t bring it into question again…that’s exhausting!
During week one I cut out coffee, sugar and white flour, avoided red meat (which I already do) and slowly weaned myself off of meat entirely. I avoided processed foods as much as possible too. I also have supplements that I take as part of the cleanse; 2 pills before each meal to optimize digestion, and one powder packet of greens each day. The powdered greens are SO GROSS and definitely a challenge for me.
I didn’t really notice much change the 1st week, just appreciated the process of slowly transitioning my body into an elimination diet so as not to shock my system. I admit it was difficult to continue cooking meals for my husband, then not being able to eat them and having to fix something far less tasty for myself. But honestly, what I miss most is my warm cup of coffee each morning! What do you think would be hardest for you? Tell me in the comments below.
Since arriving in Salem, we’ve had a lot of little projects that we’ve been picking away at. One of those projects was to organize our cargo trailer, and officially make it everything we intended when we purchased it just over a year ago.
When we brought this beauty home, we were trying to move out of our 5th wheel, before the camper was even livable! It was a rough transition, but so worth it because we could see the potential. The rainy season was upon us, we were working hard to situate things so we could head to Yuma for the winter, and so we put this trailer to use the day it came home! And it was kind of a mess…
We made the most of it and got really good use out of it, but it was frustrating that we hadn’t had time to seal the flooring, build the shelving we really wanted in order to optimize the space etc. We just made it work. And work it did! But we’re super excited about being able to make some improvements this year, which I’ll share with you in a second! 😉
Last year, I took this old cedar fence panel and fixed it up as a backdrop for my studio space in the front of the trailer. I wanted something beautiful, in an effort to present myself professionally as I took my studio to an online platform.
- Swipe left/right to see more
It turned out perfect and served me very well! Now that we’ve have time to update things, I’ve actually really been debating whether or not I will continue to use this as my studio backdrop. I like it that much. 🙂
It all started when hubby decided to build his shop shelves for the trailer. He’d never had time to do anything for his section of the trailer because he was so busy working on the camper! He had just moved in with a couple gorilla racks he already had. But they weren’t working very well and his tools were always a mess. So as soon as we arrived in Salem, at his parents newly purchased home, we took over the ENTIRE garage. LOL! I could not believe how much stuff we were able to fit in that trailer, even without proper shelving!
- Swipe left/right to see more
With the trailer now empty, he decided it was time to seal the floor. One thing led to another and I said, well if we’re going to paint the floor, let’s paint the walls too! And so began the taping, paint color choices, and multiple days of painting and waiting for paint to dry. In the end, we are so happy we went ahead and took the time to do this exactly how we wanted to. It postponed the shop building by a few weeks, but it sure is looking upscale now!
With this complete, the work has begun to rebuild the shelving that was here, plus add a work bench and shop shelves. This space is getting used so much better now and I’m so excited to have this space looking sharp and organized too. What do you think? Have you ever seen a cargo trailer with a paint job like that?
I missed my workout Sunday because I was 100% down with a cold! I wanted to kill it off ASAP so I dove right into my bag of tricks! I’m telling you what I used in this post, but I’d love to add your cold remedy tricks to my bag, so please share! What do you do when you get down with a cold?
I felt the cold coming on the evening before, and it was coming fast. I drank all the water I could stand and rubbed doTerra’s On Guard oil on my feet before bed. (Basically an Orange Oil blend.)
First thing in the morning I opted for tea (which I basically hate) instead of coffee and added honey. I had 4 cups of honey peppermint tea.
I knew I was going down hard, so I ran to the store quick and grabbed the missing ingredients for Chicken Noodle Soup and got that going on the stove. Lots of extra onions, garlic, and herbs.
Seeing as I can’t sit still and knowing I needed to rest, I picked from my favorite relaxing activities that I enjoy. I decided to bake a pumpkin pie. I know, I know, why am I baking an unhealthy and sugary dessert while I’m trying to fight off a cold!? Well, I guess because sometimes a happy indulgence is just what the body needs. And, my pumpkin pie is extremely low sugar, and the crust is made with coconut oil which has antibiotic properties.
I took my time baking and cooking all day. It was discouraging to me that this was all the more energy I could muster, but I knew that I could kick this cold and get it on retreat by the next day if I did the things I know.
After enjoying a generous amount of soup for dinner, topped off by some pie, I was already feeling my body getting to work. I layed low after dinner and watch a couple movies on the couch, with Kitty curled up in my legs. I think my fever roasted her out because she bailed after a couple hours.
That fever fought my cold most of the night! I couldn’t believe it. Of course I couldn’t sleep very well, but I’d given my body the nutrients it needed to fight and fight it did! I finally got some sleep late morning and woke up feeling great!! Sure, the sniffle and cough hang around for a bit, but my strength and energy were back and I knew I was on top of my game again.
So here are my top 10 things to try when you get a cold.
Drink tons of water
Drink tea with honey
Rub OnGuard or similar essential oil on your feet
Do something relaxing that you enjoy
Make a batch of Chicken Noodle Soup
Use lots of Garlic
Snuggle with your kitty
Watch movies
Get some rest!
Last resort: blend grapefruit with garlic and gulp it down!
What is your go to cold remedy? Comment and let me know!
It’s been all over social media. All my favorite bloggers are talking about this book. My friends are reading it and speaking highly of it. “Girl, Wash Your Face!” What IS this book? The more I heard about it, the more I wanted to read it.
But I’ve read so many books by myself and it’s kind of easy for me to read and say, “this is so good!”, “Oh! That’s so true…I should do that!!”….and then I just get another book
Reading another book is great, but what about putting into action what I learned from what I read? How about discussing my thoughts from the book so they can sink a little deeper and have time to transform me into that better person God made me to be?
My moto these past few years has been “Live With Intent”. I want to continually work on bettering myself and being the best version of myself. It’s why I workout. It’s why I try to learn about nutrition. It’s why I live in a camper right now.
“What you do everyday matters more than what you do every once in a while”
A sweet friend and mentor sent me some happy mail today and this quote was inside. It’s so fitting for what I want to share with you today…my free community of women who are making intentional choices everyday to be the best they can be. Living intentionally. Could you use more support in your life? More friends and stronger connections? We’re going to kick off this group September 1st by reading “Girl, Wash Your Face” together!
Live your life with intention! Take control of your wellness journey by intentionally making daily choices to become the best person you can be.
Friendship. Mindset. Exercise. Self-care. We all know these things are important, but are we working on them every day? This group is a place for connection and support. A place to work together and push each other toward our goals and being the best version of ourselves.
Thought I’d give you guys an update on our progress renovating our 17′ Truck Camper. My husband purchased this camper in very poor condition in January 2017. Initially he was planning to fix it up as a way to go out on quick trips for a few days at a time. However, as his plans manifested themselves in his mind, he realized how much potential there was for this camper. He started telling me we were going to move in and live in this tiny space full time. It took a long time to convince me. 🙂
I’ll tell you a bit about the work we’ve done on the outside first, then I’ll take you inside and show you our living space. I’m saving before and after pictures until we complete this project. So for now, I’m just sharing pictures to show where we’re at with this project right now.
There was a lot of dry rot on the back wall, so hubby decided to just take the whole thing off and rebuild it! We love having a regular house style door and door knob. And of course the cedar wood makes it look and feel like a cabin.
Coming around to the front of the camper, we also replaced most of this front wall. There used to be a window up on top here, but the previous owner ran into a tree with it and busted the window out. With the way we changed things around inside, it made more sense to fill it in rather than replace the window.
We also put a brand new roof on this RV, which turned out to be a rather stressful job. With the help of friends and family, we got it done about 3 days before the Pacific Northwest rains set in for the year.
Here is the big idea of the interior. I love it so much! So thankful to have a handy husband, and to be able to live in a home we built ourselves and own it outright!
When you first come inside, there is a chair to the right and our shower/bathroom to the left. The seating is still a work in progress, but eventually there will be a couch of sorts where you see the green blanket. We’re considering putting a corner desk where the office chair is currently placed. But for now, this is our only chair inside. We do most of our sitting outdoors.
The shower was designed with 3 coat hooks that hang out behind the shower curtain when it is pulled and in use. This is the only way we are able to have a coat rack in our little house. Genius if you ask me. 🙂 We also have a very compact composting toilet that slides out of the way a bit to save even more space.
Between the shower and my mini smart oven, we plan to install our cubic mini woodstove. It’s been sitting in our black trailer waiting ever since we pulled it out of the 5th wheel before we sold it last September. We’ve already purchased the tile for this area, it’s just a matter of finding the time and fitting all the pieces together. Before we can put the stove in, we have to install the bathroom shelf which goes on that blank piece of plywood you see there.
My kitchen is so perfect. I couldn’t be happier with it! Or so I think…but hubby says I will be as he still has a few shelves/cupboards to build in here. There are a few large dishes I’m still storing in the black trailer so I am looking forward to having everything in here. But he designed these drawers to fit my dishes perfectly. We spent a long time measuring dishes and discussing width/height/depth before he built this. I love everything about how we set it up.
This counter top is made from a tree that my husband cut down in Oregon. We owned a Mighty Mite Sawmill that he used to mill the wood into lumber. Then he used a hand router to make tongue and grove and piece this together. There is literally blood, sweat, and tears in this beauty! I think it turned out gorgeous though and we are both so glad he didn’t give up on this idea, in spite of not having all the right tools for the job.
Across the way is the stove, pantry, and refrigerator. Just a simple 2 burner propane stove meets our needs perfectly. Our 5th wheel had a 3 burner stove but I never used the 3rd burner so I knew this would be sufficient.
The timber frame to the right of the stove provides support for the back end of the camper, without making things feel boxed in. It gives the space a much more open feel than it had before.
And then there’s the bedroom. Simple. Tiny. But just right. We actually both have empty shelves in our clothes closet and though we do have a tiny hanging closet, neither of us really wear that kind of clothes so they just sit there. Kitty makes herself at home in that window cubby behind our pillows.
Thanks for coming in for a visit! Hope you enjoyed the tour. Let me know if you have questions about anything or thoughts for any of our future design plans. And drop me a comment and let me know your favorite part of our renovation project!
Today I took on a task that has been on our to-do list for quite a while. The window treatments that came with our camper had much to be desired and were one of the first things we removed. Hubby chose some gorgeous custom window blinds for the main windows in our little house, but we still didn’t have anything on the kitchen window (due to fire hazard, being right above the stove) or the bedroom windows. As we prepare to leave Tahoe soon, I thought I better install the rice paper hubby had bought with those windows in mind.
First things first, I tried to gather all the tools and such that I’d need. Most important was the straight edge and a place to cut. I measured the window by the stove and cut a square to fit. Then I worried about the corners and tried to cut them while holding the rice paper in place. It was a bit choppy but it worked, after some tweaking.
I’m going to miss being able to see clearly through this window! Part of the reason I procrastinated so long about doing this task. I’m not so sure that privacy is much of an issue through this tiny window, especially since I keep my “Life is Beautiful” sign here (see final picture in this post). But, I’d rather be safe and since our next location is not going to be as secluded, it was time.
The paper is easy enough to instal and can be removed easily should one change their mind. Yes, that’s the only reason I went ahead and put it up! LOL. I intend to take this back down as soon as we are in a private area again.
All you need is a way to cut the paper to size, a spray bottle with warm soapy water, and a squeegee. After pulling the paper away from the rice film, I sprayed the window with water, then placed the paper where I wanted it.
Once the paper is in place, you spray it another time, and then use the squeegee to press the excess water from the center out to the edges.
This is the finished look for the top half of the window. Now to go outside and do this again, from the underside of the window. I suppose I could have removed the screen from the inside, but this seemed easier.
I can’t help but wonder what people thought I was doing as they drove by. Honestly, they probably didn’t even notice me or think twice about it. But since our camper is positioned about 5 feet from the road, I couldn’t help but wonder if they noticed.
And there we have it! Privacy screening on our kitchen window at last!
This idea goes way back to when my husband and I were dating. He gave me a handbag for my birthday, made by his mother out of a pair of his old cargo pants. I loved that bag! Not just because it had such a strong connection to him, but because it was so practical, casual, and resourceful! Of course this birthday bag was well loved and well used, to the point that it was almost thread bare. I still have the bag, but I’ve had to allow it to retire. When my husband recently snagged his cargo shorts, taring the pocket right off, he suggested I make myself a new bag, but smaller and even more practical than the one his mom had made for me.
Onto the mending pile the shorts went. I’m terrible about getting to projects right away! I always feel like there’s some other busy work or “important task” that needs to be done first. I’m learning to be better about making time for myself and the projects that interest me. Time to be creative and unwind.
I dove into the project eventually and cut the pockets apart. There were 2 large pockets and 2 small pockets. My first thought was to have the 2 large pockets as the exterior of the bag, then sew the 2 small pockets onto the inside of the bag. As I laid it out, I realized it was getting much too bulky, and a much larger handbag than I was wanting. I’d been shopping for a cute, very basic bag for a long time and never found anything I liked. I just wanted somewhere to carry my coin purse, cell phone, and keys, plus maybe a couple other small items on those days when my clothes don’t have pockets. I’ve always been a very simple girl and never really been one to carry a purse. But boy is it annoying when you don’t think you need a shopping cart at the store, your small hands are already full of above said items, and then you find that you want to stock up on yogurt because it’s such a bargain!! This is how I’ve been kindly motioned to the front of the line on several occasions by other shoppers who felt sorry for me. Rather embarrassing to say the least! Anyhow….back to this simple little handbag. Little is key here.
This pair of shorts was going to make two handbags, not one. One small bag, and one medium size bag for those days when I need to carry a bit more. I took the two small cargo pockets and examined how they could be sewn together. I had very little seam allowance around the edge of the pocket because of how the shorts had torn, so I decided to pin the front of the pocket out of the way as best I could on both pockets.
Next I laid the pockets face to face and peaked all around the edges to be sure I had room to sew them together without catching the fronts of the pockets.
Turning it rightsize out, I had a good visual for what the final bag would look like. I did a quick search on YouTube to learn about making linings for homemade bags, decided how I was going to do it, and dove in.
Easier said than done! My first lining was much too big. I took a beautiful fat quarter from a set that I had for making a cat quilt. It was all I had to work with and I’m not one for running to the store to get things for a project. Once I start, I just want to work with what I have. If I think ahead and go to the store before I start, that’s great! But once I’ve started, I just want to get it done with what I’ve got on hand.
I folded the fat quarter in half so I would have two layers, then set my stitched pockets down for size. I cut the fabric the same size as the exterior of the bag, then sewed them together.
Without turning this bag, I poked the lining inside my pocket bag. Then I carefully turned down all the edges and pinned in place.
Before I could sew the top edge to finish off my bag, I had to make the strap. I really don’t keep much around so I didn’t have scraps of anything to use. After some thought, I pulled the piece of binding tape out of the waist band of the shorts, folded a piece of fabric around it and sewed it together. Believe me, this took HOURS to turn right side out. LOL!
Once I finally got that sewed in place, the bag was basically finished. I did take those buttons off later and replaced them with magnetic snaps for easier use. I still haven’t decided how to seal the main pocket shut. I had actually intended to use the magnetic snaps for the main pocket, but forgot to sew them in before sewing the lining in. Oh well! I have a couple ideas, but for now, it’s just open. Makes it easy to poke my phone in there and just the right size too!
Turning onto the Tahoe Rim Trail, I was definitely sure the uphill was over. Wrong! I couldn’t believe how much I had climbed!! (Read about the first half of this bike ride.) With an elevation gain of 3000′ on my route, I really should have known better. But I just kept assuming the worst was behind me and kept trucking along. 5 miles on this trail to get back to the Tunnel Creek Rd which would take me the final 3 miles back to the truck.
Marlette Peak offered the broadest views of the trip. I had to stop for a water break to take lots of pictures. I was above tree line with 360 degree views of mountains, meadows, cities, and lakes. The wind was ripping through there like crazy though and it was bitter cold. So cold I almost pulled my pants out of my backpack to warm up. I found a few wildflowers along this section of the trail as well.
Finally at the highest elevation on my route (I believe it was 9,100′), I was not surprised to find multiple patches of snow covering the trail. This trail isn’t always open until at least the middle of June so I knew I was hitting it pretty early in the year. The snow was only on the east side of the mountain in shady areas. It really wasn’t a problem, except for one extra large patch that was about 6′ deep and 300′ across. This was the only time I lost sight of the trail and it only took me a few minutes to relocate it on top of the ridge. I enjoyed seeing some snow, come to think of it, that’s the first and only snow I’ve seen this season!! We spent the winter in Yuma, AZ so it was refreshing to see some snow. I did end up with soaking wet feet, muddy shoes, and sand splattered legs from wet bike tires though.
Now that I was headed downhill, it was time to cover ground while the sun shined!! 7:00pm knowing I was still several miles from the truck had me getting a tiny bit nervous.
I have to say, the Tahoe Rim Trail is technically a hiking trail, not a mountain bike trail. While this section of the trail is open to mountain bikes, it’s obviously not designed with bikers in mind. The rocks are pretty big and chunky, dropping off 6 – 8 inches regularly. On a downhill stretch, this makes for an extremely awkward ride! (Uphill too I’m sure!) More than once I had to stop and walk my bike through the rocks. Like I said, fine for hiking, not so perfect for bikes! This made for a frustrating section of trail, but the lower I descended off the mountain, the smoother the trail became. Eventually I was able to make some pretty good time and enjoy flying downhill on a mountain trail.
The switch backs down the back side of the mountain by Twin Lakes offered some more scenery and a nice trail. It what seemed like no time at all I was at the intersection for the Tunnel Creek Rd. 0.6 miles had me back on familiar territory, completing my loop for the day. Now for the 3 mile decent back to the truck, enjoying amazing sunset views of Lake Tahoe the whole way down the mountain. I pulled off at a look out point to take a few more pictures just as the sun dropped behind the mountains across the lake. I couldn’t have timed my trip more perfectly!
I would have enjoyed more time to leisurely enjoy the scenery and maybe not push myself so hard on the uphill sections. But I had just enough time, the perfect amount of food, and plenty of stamina for this trip, thanks to my regular workout routine!
Hopping back in the truck at 8:15pm, I completed a 19.3 mile bike trip in roughly 6 hours. So much beautiful scenery!
