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Adventure
- Road Tripping
- Parks
  - National Park Service
  - Forest Service
- Campfire Cooking
  - Breakfast
  - Lunch
  - Dinner
  - Side Dish
  - Appetizer
  - Dessert Recipes
  - Cocktail Recipes
  - Eateries
  - Breweries
  - Restaurants
  - Wineries
- More Activities
  - Biking
  - Camping
  - Hiking
  - Overlanding
  - Oddities
  - Museums
  - Art
Travel
- Countries
- - Alabama
  - Arizona
  - Arkansas
  - California
  - Colorado
  - Connecticut
  - Idaho
  - Illinois
  - Indiana
  - Kansas
  - Kentucky
  - Louisiana
  - Maryland
- - Michigan
  - Minnesota
  - Mississippi
  - Missouri
  - Montana
  - Nebraska
  - Nevada
  - New Mexico
  - New York
  - North Carolina
  - Oklahoma
  - Oregon
  - Pennsylvania
- - South Dakota
  - Tennessee
  - Texas
  - Utah
  - Wyoming
  - Wisconsin
  - West Virginia
  - Washington
  - Virginia
  - Vermont
DIY
About
- Chris & Lexi
- Our Rigs
  - Dodgy
  - Dodgy II
  - Avion

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Tag: anodization

1970 Avion C11 truck camper parked outside the Southern Aluminum Finishing Co warehouse.

Anodization Plant Tour

The Roam Lab team tour the original anodization factory of Southern Aluminum Finishing (SAF) metal fabrication distribution & finishing in

About Author

Lexi lives in a truck camper down by the river.

Where We Are Now

Moab, Utah

Instagram

We roll into the Alabam Hills at sunset. We proba

We roll into the Alabam Hills at sunset. We probably visit this area every other year, but this is the first time we have our ducks in a row and can boondock among the boulders. (Remember the great toilet debacle that upended our boondocking plans back in 2021? Yeah, ick.)⁠
⁠
This area was made iconic by Hollywood thanks to its dramatic scenery located conveniently close to Los Angeles. It's that same convenience and dramatic landscape that makes it a draw for professional photographers and selfy snappers alike.⁠
⁠
That popularity has also introduced much-needed oversight of this area to preserve the landscape and limit congestion. These days, while camping is primitive, sites are labeled. ⁠
⁠
So, if you would like to have your own, wild overnight in this stunning landscape, be sure to arrive in time to find an available site.⁠
⁠
Granted, if all the sites are taken, fear not! Tuttle Creek Campground is an easily accessible campground close by with developed campsites.⁠
⁠
⁠
𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 @roamlab 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴⁠
⁠
_________________________________⁠
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝗴⁠
⁠
1970 Avion C11 truck camper⁠
2015 @ramtrucks 3500 Tradesman⁠
@bowen_customs truck bed⁠
@warnindustries Ascent Front Bumper⁠
& Zeon Winch⁠
@bfgoodrichtires All Terrain T/A KO2s⁠
@methodracewheels 305s⁠
@bushwackerinc fender flares⁠
@ternoverland_arctictern roof hatch⁠
⁠
𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘋𝘐𝘠 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘰 𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘮𝘭𝘢𝘣.𝘤𝘰𝘮⁠
_________________________________⁠

Sometimes, we forget there is this thing called sn

Sometimes, we forget there is this thing called snow. But just because we aren't anticipating it, doesn't mean that it isn't happening all over the northern hemisphere this time of year.⁠
⁠
We cross the Sierras with little fanfare. It's the return trip when we wander onto less maintained roads and into trouble.⁠
⁠
The snow piles four feet high, crowding the edge of highway 395 when bells and lights spring into action announcing some ambiguous error in the engine.
⁠
Something is hot.⁠
⁠
We scan the snow-laden valley floor, we’ll, that’s the only thing that’s hot. It’s 18 degrees Fahrenheit.
⁠
Normally, we’d be worried about our lithium batteries freezing. But today we are wracking our heads as to how ANYTHING could possibly be hot. Sure, the heat is on full blast. But it’s still not pumping out much heat.
⁠
We finally find a plowed intersection to pull off and check the engine. Everything looks fine. We start the engine and idle it to look for some indication of what triggered the alarms. But now that the truck has been restarted, the alarms are silent. We shrug and pull back onto the highway, it’s going to be dark before we find a campsite if we aren’t careful.
⁠
We start monitoring the temperature gauges in the engine. Everything looks fine until a brief moment of looking away from the monitors and the alarms start up again.
⁠
The coolant temperature gauge isn’t returning a value. Something must be wrong with the coolant thermometer.
⁠
Chaffing?
Mice?
Something!
⁠
We have to pull off the road and restart the engine to quiet the alarms. It looks like restarting the truck isn't only a temporary fix.

We’ll need to visit a mechanic or at least some auto part store to fix the error.
⁠
But in the meantime, let’s hope we can beat the sun to our campsite.

𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 @roamlab 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴.

This Avion has a weird kind of camouflage.⁠ ⁠

This Avion has a weird kind of camouflage.⁠
⁠
The anodized aluminum shell may be satin silver on its own, but it will also take on the hue of whatever light it's in. ⁠
⁠
It makes sunsets even more colorful but still fails at any attempt we may make at being low-key.⁠
⁠
Then again, that's ok. We like answering people's questions.⁠
⁠
𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 @roamlab 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴⁠
⁠
_________________________________⁠
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝗴⁠
⁠
1970 Avion C11 truck camper⁠
2015 @ramtrucks 3500 Tradesman⁠
@bowen_customs truck bed⁠
@warnindustries Ascent Front Bumper⁠
& Zeon Winch⁠
@bfgoodrichtires All Terrain T/A KO2s⁠
@methodracewheels 305s⁠
@bushwackerinc fender flares⁠
@ternoverland_arctictern roof hatch⁠
⁠
𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘋𝘐𝘠 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘰 𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘮𝘭𝘢𝘣.𝘤𝘰𝘮⁠
_________________________________⁠

In the winter, temperature matters in ways beyond

In the winter, temperature matters in ways beyond just comfort. Chris and I can shiver away without too much concern, but our lithium batteries are not so lucky.

Freezing temperatures can cause permanent damage. So we keep a close eye on them this time of year.

That said, they tend to be perfectly fine, thanks to the heat generated by our inverter.⁠

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See what products we use in our DIY renovation of this 1970 Avion C11 truck camper.

where we are now

Moab, Utah

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