We made it back to Swan Valley, Idaho on the first of April, no joke.  There was some snow at camp.

However the sun was strong and warmed the air, and the snow didn't last for long. 

We went to Idaho Falls and purchased a flatbed trailer to help with the Eagle View construction project.  We drove it home in a snow storm at the end of the day.

There wasn't that much snow out at our lot, and the Shop building was closed in.

Troy from Valley Excavation digs the large hole for our well pit right next to the well casing.  This 6 ft diameter and 7 ft tall concrete cylinder is buried n the ground and the water pressure tank and pressure switch are installed in this pit.  The underground location keeps the tank and lines from freezing.

The next day, Mark McNabb guides the first of three section of the pit into the hole with his crane truck.

Gari hops on top of the well pit for a better look.  She is standing right next to the 32" access hole.  We will put a section of ladder in there to get in and out.

Then it snowed again.... welcome to spring in Idaho!

Next, Troy opened up a trench so we could install the electric secondary conduit from the transformer to the meter which we will mount on the exterior shop wall.

Gari spreads the bedding soil over the newly installed 2-1/2" conduit.

Later that week the well guys, Brandon and Rod appeared.

Rod built us a sweet manifold.  It provides three separate water branches; Shop West, Shop East and Future House.  Each branch has it's own cut off and 1/4 turn spigot to drain the line when not in use.

After Brandon & Rod installed the pitless adapter on the well casing and connected water lines to the manifold inside the well pit, Troy opened another trench this time for water and power connecting the east side of the shop.

Gari assists Troy in securing a frost-proof hydrant in the trench.

Hydrant and Waste Drain Valve installed at south east corner and ready for inspection and backfill.

That's a 5 ft bury hydrant behind Gari for perspective.

Gari spreads the bedding soil once again.  You can just see the hydrant inside the shop through the hole under the footing.  The gray conduit will bring the electric power from the shop out to the well pit and eventually to the water pump.

We expect to complete some sewer line in the last week of April.  A sewer line will come out of the same hole in the foundation above.  Together with the hydrant this will be an RV hook up.  The progress at Eagle View has been much better this year as compared to last year.  At least it seems like more is happening in a shorter amount of time.  We have a goal of living on the lot by July 4th, if we are lucky we may even beat that goal.  Please send good karma...

Lake Havasu City, Arizona

This year on our migration north we stopped over in Lake Havasu.  We have never been there before, but we have known that it is a very popular place.  Most RVers we meet have been there... more than once.  We knew there is a big reservoir on the Colorado River there, and it is also the new home of the "New" London Bridge.  Robert McCulloch the American entrepreneur from Missouri, best known for McCulloch chainsaws purchased the London Bridge at auction in 1968.  He disassembled the bridge, numbering every single part, and moved it to Lake Havasu City, Arizona.  It was shipped through the Panama Canal to Long Beach, California.  From there it was trucked to Lake Havasu City then reassembled, where it remains in service to this day.

We parked on BLM land and stayed for about a week.  The wind finally blew us out of there and we continued north trying to escape the wind storm.  The area where we parked Penelope was Lone Tree, known for the lone tree atop a surrounding hill.  You can just see the lone tree at frame left on that little shelf.

An isolated backlit view for a better look at Lone Tree.

We went to see the lake.  It is big!

Gari found a half scale replica of the Vermillion Lighthouse.  Who would have thought we would find that so far from Lake Erie?!

The popularity of Lake Havasu is demonstrated by the large residential area in the background of the shot below.  We usually prefer smaller places, but we had to see this.

Of course we had to go and see the London Bridge, you know, just to be certain it was in fact true.  Yep, there it was, we drove right across.

They had the wire rail with all the pad locks attached, just like over there.

Side view of London Bridge; we were surprised by the excellent condition of the bridge given it was originally built in 1861.

Lots of big flashy boats around the London Bridge harbor area.  No shortage of money here.

The amazing condition of the bridge granite.

We met Dave at the local Sara Park.  He was a local who loved to hike.  We were looking for the slip canyon hike there called The Crack.   Dave knew it very well and said, "come on I'll take you there".  What a great deal, we got a guided tour the whole way.  Dave and Steve head into the canyon below.

Gari spotted some local Mountain Goats up above us on the canyon walls.

The canyon started to close in.  Gari follows Dave down a scramble area.  We learned there are three classes of hiking; Class I is just walking along, Class II is when you have to touch the ground or surrounding area with your hands for balance, Class III is when you have to bear some of your weight with your hands and arms.  This is getting close to Class III below.

Below is a spot called The Slide.  The local hiking group installed a rope to help in getting down The Slide.  Once you go down, there's no turning back.

The slip canyon trail gets hairier the farther we go...

Is Gari looking to see if she can go back?

Below, Gari pops out the end of The Crack!  Wait, that didn't sound quite right....

A view below from the end of The Crack looking out onto Lake Havasu.

Lake Havasu is a nice place, but just not our cup of tea because of the significant population there.  We did love the hiking and may return one day to see more of the local geology.

Center of the World

Who knew the Center of the World would be found just outside Yuma in the little town of Felicity, California.  Population of Felicity: 2, Jacques-Andre Istel and his wife Felicity.  The town of Felicity was founded by this husband and wife team with a vision.  They setup everything legally, with appropriate county and state registrations, and are now officially The Center of the World!  And of course the town was named after the wife.

Steve points out the large sign in front of the curiosity.

Jacques was a dashing young man who formerly owned a parachute company and sold it to develop this Center of the World vision.  We understand that Jacques is now 92 years old and lives on the property with his younger wife Felicity.  They love sculpture and knowledge and faith, and they have incorporated these themes in their vision.

Below is the gnomon (part of the sundial that casts the shadow), pointing to the Church on the Hill, is a sculpture of  Michelango's "Arm of God" painted in the Sistine Chapel, Rome.

Gari and Janice at the sundial.

A section of stairs from the Eiffel Tower stands out front and provides passage to the clouds.

We did get to meet Felicity, who below conducted the official ceremony of our visit to The Center of the World including an Official Certificate.  This took place inside the pyramid where the survey marker of the Center of the World is installed.

The official survey marker.

A view of the grounds and the many granite panels of knowledge that lay before the Church on the Hill.

A view over the grounds below from the Church on the Hill.

Gari walks along the animals of the world panel.

We met one of the engravers that has been traveling to Felicity for years to engrave many of the granite panels.  She said at 92, Jacques was getting really ambitious in the amount of work that he wanted completed this year.  She travels from Georgia and said this was a nice distraction from engraving deer scenes.

There was days of reading and engraved pictures to inspect.

Near the center of the display, Steve found a 1/4 scale replica of the Liberty Bell, complete with crack.

The Church on the Hill sits above the Spark of Life panel.  Our friend from Georgia did this etching.

The Felicity Stone can be found at the center of the granite panels of knowledge.

The more complete story can be found at  http://www.centeroftheworld.us/  It really is amazing what this couple has accomplished with this property and their labor of love.