17 March 2018
Dennis’s Ranch, Cochise, Az
Backstory…… A couple of years ago we got our rig weighed, wheel by wheel, and axle by axle. The outcome was not a surprise, our fifth wheel is over overweight by 700 pounds, (not including fresh water, which is another 360 and gray water up to another 400+ pounds). If you remember our Alaska trip last year, we broke two leaf spring bolts on our suspension. So these two facts put us on the path of upgrading our suspension and brakes.
During the “Big RV Show” in Quartszite, we ordered (from Performance Trailer Braking) new Dexter 8k lb axles, leaf springs, and Titan Disk brakes with an electric over hydraulic master cylinder. Performance Braking has an installer that will come to your drive way, or you can go to his piece of the desert to do the installation.
When discussing the installation details, we found out, Dennis (the installer), has a ranch in Cochise, AZ, with two RV spots with electric and water hookups. So we have to live somewhere, and we have never been there, plus, we got a $100 discount on the installation! No brainer!
Virgil and Delores also purchased new disk brakes and the Moryde equalizer (4000). So we all arrived at the ranch together on Thursday, the 15th.
After four hours of intense supervision (ha), I felt comfortable with the installation progress on our rig. Sp we all hopped into the BFT and went to the Chihuahua National Monument. We had another beautiful day to go sightseeing.
First of, just a little info on the native Americans that use to live here.
Chiricahua are a band of Apache Native Americans, based in the Southern Plains and Southwest United States. Culturally related to other Apache peoples. At the time of European contact, they had a territory of 15 million acres (61,000 km2) in Southwestern New Mexico and Southeastern Arizona in the United States and in Northern Sonora and Chihuahua in Mexico.
Today Chiricahua are enrolled in two federally recognized tribes in the United States: the Fort Sill Apache Tribe, located near Apache, Oklahoma with a small reservation outside Deming, New Mexico, and the Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation near Ruidoso, New Mexico.
The monument was established 1924, to protect its extensive hoodoos (tall skinny spires of rock) and balancing rocks. The Faraway Ranch, which was owned at one time by Swedish immigrants, is also preserved there. We had a great time touring the ranch and driving up the 8 mile road to the top of the mountain, wow what a view.
Making a gradual climb through oak, cypress, and pine forests, this 8-mile paved drive winds to Massai Point. The overlook has a 360-degree view of Rhyolite Canyon, adjacent valleys, and surrounding mountain peaks. Massai Nature Trail is a .5 mile loop trail which allows you to discover the geologic story of the park. Even I was able to hike it!
When we returned back to the ranch, our rig was finished and sitting on her tires. I checked her out, and she looks good to go and can stop on dime !