The sun can be brutal at Salora Sunrise, so shade is an essential. The Sleeping Shelter offers shade for a siesta or a book during the heat of the day, but it’s not a place to hang out with friends. I positioned the Ramada a little ways from the Kitchen and with the Rocket Cookstove underneath, since this is where we’re in the habit of eating. Originally, I put a sunshade here, but it always caught the wind and flapped so much it was unbearable.
I built the frame to look like a traditional ramada, though for expedience I used a lot of milled lumber (maybe someday I’ll replace the 2x2s on top with latillas). Our friend Kyler helped immensely with putting the 2x2s on top of the Ramada. We left it intentionally unfinished with hopes of expanding it someday.
The earthen wall on one end is perhaps the most important element, as it blocks the brutal western sun. The earthen benches form a banquette for sitting at the table.
Randy Eggert 