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Labor Day weekend

Last weekend was off but I worked on Saturday and Monday. As I had Robert’s camper for the weekend, I took the opportunity to take a short break Saturday night and Sunday in the beautiful Pisgah National Forest, discovering southern Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains. Her are some pictures to illustrate this region that owes its name to the permanent hazy atmosphere due to the high moisture generated by these huge and beautiful forests …

 
 
1. Stormy end of day…

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2. twice

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3. Suny sunrise, Pisgah National Forest

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4. Graveyards Lower Falls

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5. “Forest Road” near Cataloochee (Great Smoky Mountains National Park)

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6. Great Smoky Mountains before thunderstorm…

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The bed is almost ready!

Well, another week ends with a lot of work done!

The electrical system is complete with three house batteries in addition to the original two start batteries, enough to live a full week boondocking! The only things still missing are solar panels and controller as well as the microwave which will be installed after completing the insulation with expanding foame. But the light is there now! VivalaVida is alive! 😉

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Plumbing is also complete except a connection for the filter at inlet of the pump, not yet received. And the rear part of the bed (fixed plateform) is also in place.

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Next week, we should receive the aluminum profile that will allow us to install the stove and the upper bed.

And since it was my Birthday today, I had the luxury to enjoy a wallnut cake speciality of Grisons (Switzerland) 😀

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Thanks to all who are following this blog! 😉

Interior begins to take place…

The work continues. All cabinets are almost finished and the doors are now installed. The electrical panel is in place and partially connected. The engin preheater also as indoor heater.

And yesterday afternoon, it was welding time to assemble the elements of extendible sofa bed. 🙂

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Manufacture of cabinets began

A new work week ends and interior design begins to take place. All the walls of the cabinets above the cab and against the left wall are in place, which include locations of the oven, the fridge, the gray water tank, the electrical panel and my photogear bag place. The heater/water heater is also installed.

The next week will see the installation of the sofa and we’ll continue manufacturing cabinets, wardrobe closet and clothes shelfs.

Good week-end to all! 😀

 

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Walls almost up

One of the most complicated stages of the interior construction is about to end: the installation of walls. Besides a brittle material, easy to scratch or break, the cuts necessary to adapt walls to VivalaVida structure where nothing is straight is not easy to do. But we do it pretty well out.

Now, the walls and windows of the roof and the ceiling are permanently installed and lower walls are ready to be . Everything will be consolidated by vertical members of furniture to come.

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Landed in North Carolina.

I’m installed in a campground cabin in Fletcher, a small town in North Carolina near where VivaLaVida continues its construction. A bungalow with a Swiss chalet looking for me not to be too homesick !  😉

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3… 2… 1… take off…

Well, D-day as arrived! Not really since I will work with Robert to build the interior, as the project as some delay. The “real start” to be in a few weeks…

But tomorrow, I leave Switzerland, unfortunately without having had time to say goodbye to everyone. Last few weeks as gone by so fast..! Thanks you all for the affection you shown me, it warms the heart!

Next steps comming soon from the other side of the Atlantic.

Installation of insulation almost to the end

After application of the ceramic insulation layers, the interior is covered with a layer of reflective sheets to keep as much as possible internal heat. The hollow body is filled with insulating wool plant. Frames are filled with vegetal insulating wool.

 

Once this step will be finished, cutting holes for windows will begin.

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First step : insulation

Robert got me a particularly effective insulation: porous ceramic microspheres in a resin to spray. In addition to a factor outstanding insulation coefficient, it has the advantage of reaching remotest corners, hollow members, etc … Beautiful atmosphere during spraying!

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New workshop for new work!

VivalaVida arrived in Morehead Designlab workshop where interior and exterior will be built. Preparation of the scaffolding to access the roof!

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