Monday, September 26, 2011

‘STORMRUNNER’ CAPS OUR RIG’S BROKEN BATHROOM VENT:))

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TONIGHT’S PHOTOS ARE FROM BAYFIELD’S VERY OWN RV CENTER……STORMRUNNER RV SALES AND SERVICE Smile

I was up on the Motor Home roof Sunday to grease up the TV antennae's mechanical works.  We broke off our antenna wind down handle a couple of years ago trying to wind down a very stiff antennae.  Lesson learned!!  While on the roof I noticed the vent cap for our toilet pipe was missing.  Those plastic caps get very brittle with age and especially sunlight so it's not unusual for them to disintegrate and break away.  Didn't appear any way to attach a new one without drilling holes in the rig's roof and I sure wasn't going to be drilling anything anywhere.  And, especially not in our Motor Home's roof.  This was clearly a job for someone who knew what they were doing.  We are very fortunate here in Bayfield to have an excellent RV dealer, store and repair facility.  They specialize in 5th wheels but all rigs are welcome.

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We have known Harry and Dianne from STORMRUNNER RV SALES AND SERVICE ever since we first dropped in there one time back around 1999 while looking at some fifth wheels.  And, it was Dianne who surprised us with an email while we were on the road heading for Yuma about 4 years ago one time.  We were surprised because it was the first email we had ever received from anyone in Bayfield.  Dianne has been a blog reader ever since.  Sent Dianne an email about our rig's missing vent cap problem this morning and she emailed back basically saying, 'bring er on down.' 

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Ten minutes later I was parked at their shop and Harry was up on the roof replacing the vent cap.  Problem solved.  I like when things happen like that.  I had known, but forgotten about our roof needing re-caulking.  Hadn't been done since Ron at FOUR SEASONS PERFORMANCE did it prior to us buying it.  Harry noticed right away the roof seams were in need of repair and Dianne found some spots on the side also requiring attention.  I made an appointment for a week from Tuesday to get that done.  Like I have said many times before, it's better for me to have that kind of work done by people who know exactly what they are doing rather than me fumbling around on top of a shaky ladder with a messy tube of caulking, some of which might get on the roof in the right place and most of which would probably get on me in the wrong place!!  We have been fortunate to have never had any leaks in the rig and we want to keep it that way.  Thanks Stormrunner guys:))

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VENT CAP BEFORE AND AFTER   

I think we all remember when Mount St. Helens blew her top years ago and the resulting widespread devastation that caused.  IVAN has been in that area having a look around all these years later and has some great photos of how nature is recovering so much of what she lost that fateful day.

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KEVIN AND RUTH have finally made it to Mexico.   We would love to travel in Mexico as well but after an unfortunate incident in a Mexican border town a few years ago we just do not have the comfort level anymore.  A lot of RV folks love and travel incident free in Mexico every year and as long as nothing goes wrong I think it is a great country to see.  Both Kelly and I have been to Puerto Vallarta years ago and I was always impressed with the Mexican people I met there and the countryside I saw there.  But to take our RV over the roads I hear about and be subjected to searches and tolls along the way just doesn't work for us.  But, that's just us and the way we are.  Maybe it's just our age and experience that is making us a little more cautious about a few things these days.  Here is the link to our MEXICAN BORDER TOWN INCIDENT.

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<<< NO, THOSE WIRES ABOVE THIS 5TH WHEEL DOES NOT MEAN IT’S A TROLLEY

Ok, about that seemingly suspended bird cam in Sunday's post.  Two separate things give the illusion the camera is floating in mid air.  First, here are the settings I used to keep the bird cam in focus but blur the background.  60mm at F5 with a 1/60th shutter speed.  Broken down it just means I kept my subject in focus while purposely blurring the background.  Next, it was into my 'free' Picasa 3.8 photo editing program.  Cropped out the pole it was hanging from and then used my 'Retouch' tool to eliminate the slight wire suspending the bird house cam.  Took maybe 4 or 5 clicks with my retouching tool and maybe 10 seconds to remove the wire.  Just an example of what everybody can do with their easy to use Picasa program if they just take a little time to familiarize themselves with it.  No great magic in the shot, it’s just knowing what your equipment and Picasa editing tools can do for you:))

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A lot of on and off again rain in the neighbourhood today.  Am hoping it's not raining Tuesday morning because they have to undercoat the Motor Home outside and if it's raining they said, 'no can do' and it will have to be rescheduled.  The Jeep can still be undercoated on the inside hoist though so at least we'll get one vehicle done.

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GROANER'S CORNER:((  Old people shouldn't eat health foods. They need all the preservatives they can get!!

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-Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

`-Until one has loved an Animal, their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR PICASA PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.

14 comments:

  1. I've tried and tried and tried, but that retouch tool just doesn't seem to want to cooperate with me. :)

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  2. There are always all these chores that need to be done around an RV. I'm lucky, Jim can do most of them but there are times when it is really nice to have somebody nearby that really knows what they are doing.

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  3. I am better off having work done by someone who knows what they are doing. It wasn't always that way, but it sure is the older I get.

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  4. Your are sly with that suspended bird cam look. Actually Al, you do a grand job with your photos and are very good with it. You have that eye and knack.

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  5. The repair looks great. So nice to have a reliable service center for these types of problems.

    Read about your incident in Mexico. I don't think I would want to drive there. We walked across a couple of years ago and that was good enough. Yup...I'm a chicken!!!

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  6. Al,
    If you haven't already found RV Service Reviews, you might want to bookmark it on your laptop.
    http://rvservicereviews.com/
    You never know when you might need service on the road.
    Christopher

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  7. It still makes me sad that such a beautiful country has so much danger...No, we won't cross the border again for a long time..Once you cross...you are in THEIR country...even though just over the border..and the rules are totally different there. Nothing the US can do to help you out...Sad, but true...

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  8. You won't find Judy and I storming accross the highways in Mexico either Al... not a chance with what has been happening down there the past couple years.

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  9. nice to hear you have a reputable rv shop in your neighbourhood!!!..sure does come in handy!!!

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  10. I went on a bus tour across the border and when the "army" boarded the bus with machine guns, of 40 old women going shopping, I decided there wasn't anything I needed in Mexico. This was about 8 years ago, before all the trouble that's going on now.

    Martha

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  11. "but forgotten about our roof needing re-caulking" Well, Al, did you hear about "roof rubber coating"? I never did it but for now looking any information about it. What do you think? Alex

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  12. Cameras: I've got to get back to my Canon Rebel!

    Mexico: been across the border a few times. Expecting to go again next month, to Palomas and the Pink Store. That's our limit.

    Motorhome: it's time for recaulking again, I'm sure. Time for a lot of things on that old 2001 beast!

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  13. Well at least you all will be able to visit Mexico through our blog! We love it down here...great boondocking, great prices, great people, and great weather. Sure, there's a few cultural differences, but that's what makes life interesting!

    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  14. Re.Mexico You were there in 2008. Since then the situation has worsened a lot. Folks who once lived in MX have told me that they would never ever set foot into that country again. And we won't either, other the walking across the border into Algodones for the dentist, which is actually the best we ever had.

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