tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52985350345938066632024-03-14T05:51:15.317-07:00Time Warp TrailersIn the beginning ...
There was this idea of having a tiny travel trailer made in the year I was born and it had to be red - of course. And one day, there it was on Craigslist. A 1962 Road Runner travel trailer with a big, red stripe! And so begins the adventure ...Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-9898358659486053972012-03-11T12:42:00.004-07:002012-03-11T13:04:15.199-07:00Third Time's a Charm<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW090eRoQhwhNvRq82viw2114bAZAje87Nr_MRyOUM7V2s2EG2VjuX8AN4SVuSCbCDBNv42_lh9k4J2kirhYqyzSeGSSgVj8htoDSSw39qk3vvXuZYVVYiD5XemWR4zl84xI4dRCm_Cnw/s1600/DSCN3985.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW090eRoQhwhNvRq82viw2114bAZAje87Nr_MRyOUM7V2s2EG2VjuX8AN4SVuSCbCDBNv42_lh9k4J2kirhYqyzSeGSSgVj8htoDSSw39qk3vvXuZYVVYiD5XemWR4zl84xI4dRCm_Cnw/s320/DSCN3985.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718732397234339362" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2v6OE0bUhW14RjBYak279iagiIeIibGz5LwO_l4IJbp9Kud2lgyWs5YlLkbYdktkhbcUAx10y-E_QG9yTil4Gf39asu0kT4Kn4yHAmPxWZxlrZu2jzXRLtnll2MfRXhvWBIjMl_xJ2A/s1600/DSCN3991.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2v6OE0bUhW14RjBYak279iagiIeIibGz5LwO_l4IJbp9Kud2lgyWs5YlLkbYdktkhbcUAx10y-E_QG9yTil4Gf39asu0kT4Kn4yHAmPxWZxlrZu2jzXRLtnll2MfRXhvWBIjMl_xJ2A/s320/DSCN3991.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718732389135758818" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuX4s0nghorBsJfS5waCTLi6fm1jKQz1CTrBEbhQxeUu625hQIVzNZMpM3i_9br2BhmaCVe6XbRHPtbN1NQ49swj7YTw1RUDMOI5t3DbQBTw1_axwU99hoo7yD0WG4dU7dIcCm2inxEM/s1600/DSCN4004.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuX4s0nghorBsJfS5waCTLi6fm1jKQz1CTrBEbhQxeUu625hQIVzNZMpM3i_9br2BhmaCVe6XbRHPtbN1NQ49swj7YTw1RUDMOI5t3DbQBTw1_axwU99hoo7yD0WG4dU7dIcCm2inxEM/s320/DSCN4004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718732382519362850" /></a><br />The insanity continues! Within 2 months of finishing the RR, I bought the Chiclet. And a few months before finishing the Chiclet, I bought number 3 - a 1947 Ken Skill teardrop! About a year ago, I was talking with some friends while sitting around a campfire. We were talking about our various trailer projects. I happened to mention that I might like to restore a teardrop. Well, just so happened that a friend of a friend had one for sale. A few phone calls later, I was bringing one home!<div>It is completely disassembled & missing all of the trim parts & wheels. But the basics are there: the frame with a new axle & reinforced with new angle iron, a sheet of 4 x 10 plywood for the floor, 2 sheets of 4 x 10 plywood already cut to size for the sides, all the original aluminum skin & 2 doors. I'll need to rebuild the hatch. The cool thing about restoring teardrops - you can buy reproductions of most of the parts. New trim pieces, windows, wheels, appliances & lights are all available online. I've already decided to keep it really simple - no electrical, propane or plumbing systems. I've found my little battery operated LED light fixtures are sufficient. I don't want to take up precious space in the "galley" with a sink, icebox or stove. So it should be just basic construction. Famous last words, huh?!!</div><div>My best camp buddy Marti completely rebuilt her teardrop. And my Dad could probably put it all together in a few days. Maybe I'll be able to get one of them to come & help me get it started : ) </div><div>Since my trailers are getting smaller & older, I'm not sure what would be next. Guess I better get the teardrop started before even thinking about picking up just one more ...</div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-69516648856271965902012-03-11T11:28:00.013-07:002012-03-11T12:41:47.026-07:00Talk About Time Warps!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwz6q5X0yeDjzRGuBD2muoukNnm_icH7CCOYvf1GsK4_AbuYvdbsfXvQcyahe5O6bQ_KVhhT67KfhTqJewG0uPGxUbtLfk57ovrMRbRz9wbHmdmamM_rLsZ48aeuxiGglopP6C0FNH8GA/s1600/DSCN0373.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwz6q5X0yeDjzRGuBD2muoukNnm_icH7CCOYvf1GsK4_AbuYvdbsfXvQcyahe5O6bQ_KVhhT67KfhTqJewG0uPGxUbtLfk57ovrMRbRz9wbHmdmamM_rLsZ48aeuxiGglopP6C0FNH8GA/s320/DSCN0373.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718725314881120226" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xlE_EQH5aXr3AaKAE8BH5ICa6ZaJrR3_XKpALcS7sYEc7bL6jE_3nitcXV2bvncbU6hlN5Dysg7rEJXgHML1cREGw3Pr9CcqsDpDnVNJPWN8el6rnbxi3YYmoUNyw9uVQhyphenhyphen-cCu3BhY/s1600/DSCN3191.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xlE_EQH5aXr3AaKAE8BH5ICa6ZaJrR3_XKpALcS7sYEc7bL6jE_3nitcXV2bvncbU6hlN5Dysg7rEJXgHML1cREGw3Pr9CcqsDpDnVNJPWN8el6rnbxi3YYmoUNyw9uVQhyphenhyphen-cCu3BhY/s320/DSCN3191.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718725299571942434" /><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVw1jjtn4d3fIQe8V3pW3wOikATtPmlBTR5HcqWL904NByi6nGnGkcElQ7k-yO0o6iUmQu7AZeqLMlyhYuGpGAlNhvWT1dNGg9FnxBxoQPe7FAB6J_5o1W2q27a6MbvwmtR_8QbOazdIs/s320/DSCN4036.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718725290989222738" /></a><br /><br />They say that email is killing the postal service. Well, I believe that Facebook is killing the blogs! Its much easier to post a few quick lines to FB than to sit down for an hour & write in my blog. But a rainy Sunday has me thinking it's long overdue ... about 25 months to be exact!<div>In these past 2 years, so much has happened. On a personal note, my dog Nani passed away. It was difficult to lose both of my dogs within 18 months. All my life, I have wished for a dog that could go everywhere with me - camping, hiking, working, hanging out. A constant companion. Well, that wish came true. June 22, 2010, I adopted Snickers from my local humane society. He is the most amazing dog I've ever had. I could write the entire blog just about him, but this is supposed to be about my trailers. Oh well : )<br /><div>I'll start with my adventures in the RR. I have had so many wonderful camp trips that I can't list them all (or remember them all!). I have done my annual trip to Fallen Leaf Lake, several rallies each year, some excellent local camping & 2 more trips into Oregon. My final road trip took me up near Portland - almost 600 miles one way. My daughter is doing her graduate studies at Portland State. A good excuse for me to explore new areas & visit her at the same time.</div><div>So I said "final trip". Yes, I sold the RR 4 months ago. As I was finishing work on the Chiclet, I knew the RR would need to go to a new home. And thanks to Facebook, I connected with a wonderful couple who drove 7 hours to pick it up. Best part - they will be joining me for my Fallen Leaf campout in June, so I'll get to see it again : ) </div></div><div>While restoring the RR, I worked on it every spare minute. If the weather was good, I was outside ripping out dry rot or prepping for paint. Rain days had me polishing trim pieces on my kitchen table. I was on a mission with a deadline. It had to be done for the Pismo Rally. And 2 months after that rally, I bought the Chiclet!</div><div>The Chiclet was a much bigger project than the RR. I was in no hurry & wanted to enjoy the process a bit more than just rush thru it. And when I adopted Snickers, he was just 4 months old. For 6 months, I did nothing but train my new pup - best investment I've ever made. So I worked on my little trailer every now & then. Slowly but surely, it got done. Fully insulated, all new electrical wiring, new plumbing for the sink, rebuilt door, interior light fixtures won on eBay & installed, refinished all the birch wood interior, polished all the hardware & window pieces, new counter & table tops, new flooring & 2 new sheets of aluminum skin on the lower rear side. During that time, I had also decided on my color scheme. My friends Paul & Caroline that sold me both of my trailers have the most beautiful Shasta. They painted it a soft yellow & off-white. So I decided to copy them. My buddy Rick the mechanic was happy to do the painting for me. I decided it was worth the money to have a nice automotive paint job instead of using rattle cans again! A bit pricey - $1,600. - but worth it. </div><div>I know I'm leaving out so many of the details of the restoration, but this is the best I can offer up at this point. The coolest part about my work on the Chiclet - I made mistakes, I learned a bunch of new things & my skills are improving. </div><div>A few weeks ago, I took the Chiclet on a maiden voyage. There are a few bugs to work out - had a slow leak in one tire (a bad valve stem), my corner jacks were too talk to fit underneath the trailer & I need to reorganize my storage spaces. This trailer is 3' shorter than the RR & is lacking the huge overhead bunk / storage cabinet. But overall, it is very sweet little camper & I love it! </div><div>I have the coming year already booked full of camping trips. The best part of restoring old trailers is taking them out & using them. As much as I love a good project, I love camping even more : )</div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-47043873268394362402010-02-28T15:28:00.000-08:002010-02-28T16:16:06.789-08:00One cool trailer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxpmnrsU7Sgzmqb5Ica9_tuIKVBBLSCp2KstYu5T_GZvkwn_jhAHpax6bAB4RgkahjYqYmX23dYcY3Sc6R34WLo8nnHp8IYkyOAgQHJ_PlFcOiNiSCl_vO7nopgDdleaiTmIRqIlFf4D8/s1600-h/DSCN1966.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443451434074696434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxpmnrsU7Sgzmqb5Ica9_tuIKVBBLSCp2KstYu5T_GZvkwn_jhAHpax6bAB4RgkahjYqYmX23dYcY3Sc6R34WLo8nnHp8IYkyOAgQHJ_PlFcOiNiSCl_vO7nopgDdleaiTmIRqIlFf4D8/s320/DSCN1966.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAghckAVTNjWZQpFV8xvsIauIz_D119BtN7XHPcbpW8oXb5yVtEM3pBWYyqO8yX-oGUvpb0D6eGrk0bK943UyKsnOj8np7hs97YKwOnsKS1JEwgn1xfnPQdOSdCPJDrY_ibAjw4B0t9s/s1600-h/DSCN1964.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443451427817577570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAghckAVTNjWZQpFV8xvsIauIz_D119BtN7XHPcbpW8oXb5yVtEM3pBWYyqO8yX-oGUvpb0D6eGrk0bK943UyKsnOj8np7hs97YKwOnsKS1JEwgn1xfnPQdOSdCPJDrY_ibAjw4B0t9s/s320/DSCN1964.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Well, that "real" winter weather that I mentioned in my last posting - it is still going on. Lots of rain & stormy conditions. I love it! But it makes it a bit tough to get work done on the Chiclet. Glad I have no time frame to get 'er done.</div><div>A few weeks ago I wanted to see if I could tackle the interior electrical system. I had already gone to my local Tru Value Hardware & purchased everything I needed (plus some extra stuff "just in case"). So I got out my bag of goodies, spread it out on the floor & quickly realised I had absolutely no idea how to begin. HELP! I put in a call to my buddy Rick the mechanic. Not only did he take my call, but he said he would be happy to work for me again. Cool. I would rather ask for help then mess things up - electricity & propane are not something I want to take any chances with. Plus, Rick is willing to teach me as he works. A perfect situation for me!</div><div>I decided I wasn't going to waste a perfect day without rain ... I could get started on the insulation. I took some quick measurements & ran over to Home Depot. I purchased a bunch of sheets of foam board insulation. I have heard other vintage trailer owners say that the insulation makes a huge difference in the comfort level of their trailer. I'm not worried about getting cold - its the heat I can't stand. And since the Chiclet is completely skinned, I might as well do it right.</div><div>This was going to be a fairly straight forward project - cut the boards with a utility knife & fit the pieces into the wall spaces. I knew it would be tedious - the curb side wall has 23 small areas to fill in. But at least it was easy to access - the roof was a whole different story. The top skin isn't attached. I have it just "resting" on top of the Chiclet for lack of a better place to put the large piece of aluminum. This means if I need to put an insulation board up there, I have to brace the skin up. Argh!!! To make matters worse, none of the sections were completely rectangular. For example - it might be 72" long but vary from 15" down to 14 1/2" in width. Plus, on the lower front & back areas, the curvature of the trailer is such that I had to "score" each panel so it would fit correctly under the skin. I then covered each score cut with duck tape - I don't want any drafts getting through. It took a lot of time & used up what little patience I had that day, but I got 3/4 of it done. I will wait to do the street side after all the wiring & gas lines are in place. With all new insulation in place, the Chiclet should be nice & cozy when I take my afternoon camp naps : )</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-66644698878294014862010-01-21T09:20:00.000-08:002010-01-21T10:05:16.597-08:00Dead of Winter<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bnu0EjUBgKxS6X7qxYKETOxzSgwNUu2kJl3zekOO2WkoS36ONxzxIBF1s2AsgB-qqk17U71aqMS0Tt_taYcQ8c0ljfvu0qbAbF1E49t51uGjF4jeCPpwkkh8n5Bsw_J8ZuZnJ3zSFWA/s1600-h/DSCN1918.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429254949702000866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bnu0EjUBgKxS6X7qxYKETOxzSgwNUu2kJl3zekOO2WkoS36ONxzxIBF1s2AsgB-qqk17U71aqMS0Tt_taYcQ8c0ljfvu0qbAbF1E49t51uGjF4jeCPpwkkh8n5Bsw_J8ZuZnJ3zSFWA/s320/DSCN1918.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3iHd4EHwyqzaMNCbkWXZb7r7gINvzt7hPUDHr29q-KCpd_UYiocp8QN_46PZ3gQw4tLJger9HRsFQGsC6hM6xtmy8h-sD734tumMvWXbtdrLvpTMi-9tjZ1TkuDLJou8hsVnOCVzV5fA/s1600-h/DSCN1908.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429254944510184626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3iHd4EHwyqzaMNCbkWXZb7r7gINvzt7hPUDHr29q-KCpd_UYiocp8QN_46PZ3gQw4tLJger9HRsFQGsC6hM6xtmy8h-sD734tumMvWXbtdrLvpTMi-9tjZ1TkuDLJou8hsVnOCVzV5fA/s320/DSCN1908.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSOliMnVkCuYkXDW8LT1eLsG5EQDIz0BjXegF2xVfkPvKKZXI2uIdbRqMlvqQdKfQcghqWJ3FMQ-djY5hV90jQOI964rFNxTjvJ8mMUjuO1_Dw2qDayrChyeyJ9IyraLaM1JmoxoMPeY/s1600-h/DSCN1901.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429254936303225602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSOliMnVkCuYkXDW8LT1eLsG5EQDIz0BjXegF2xVfkPvKKZXI2uIdbRqMlvqQdKfQcghqWJ3FMQ-djY5hV90jQOI964rFNxTjvJ8mMUjuO1_Dw2qDayrChyeyJ9IyraLaM1JmoxoMPeY/s320/DSCN1901.JPG" /></a><br /><div>For the first time in a few years, Sonoma County is actually having a real Winter. In between the cold snaps & the downpours, I've still been able to work on my trailer.</div><div>I have mentioned many times how much I enjoy doing the woodwork aspects of the restoration. And the more I do, the more confident I become. My work might not be of the highest quality, but I am pleased with the results so far. Without good "bones", even the most beautiful of trailers would just fall apart.</div><div>Since the corners had already been rebuilt, the hardest part of the framing job was behind me. Now to reinforce & replace the cross members. Here again, I took 1 section at a time. I removed any boards that were weak or showed signs of dry rot. I was finally able to use that table saw I bought a year ago! I ripped new 1 x 2 pine to add strength to the roof areas. Near the roof vent, the aluminum was sagging noticeably. Some new lumber, a dozen Simpson ties & the top skin leveled right out. </div><div>The interior birch paneling in the front & rear lower areas was either completely missing or severely damaged. I had learned on the RR, the easiest way to replace those panels was to do it before the new framing was completed. I went to my local high-end lumber yard, Mount Storm, & purchased some sheets of 1/8" birch. I also picked up a 1/2" sheet to use later when I will reface some of the cabinets. </div><div>I started at the front - the curvature of the trailer would be easier to duplicate than the rear. I measured & cut the panel to size with my jigsaw. I attached the panel to the lower edge of the window framing. Then I started adding the new cross framing. With each new cross member, I would gently curve the paneling into place. I went inside & used tiny 1" panelboard nails to attach the paneling to the framing. I was relieved to see how easy this task was. Then on to the back. The rear of the Chiclet has a much more severe teardrop shape. I just hoped that the paneling wouldn't snap like a dry cracker. I repeated the same process that I had done on the front. It worked like a charm. Whew!!!</div><div>I did a bit more framing reinforcement. More lumber & more Simpson ties. I have probably added several hundred pounds to the weight of the trailer - no worries tho. The Chevy can handle it!</div><div>With all of the exterior woodwork completed, I can now more on to some of the more intimidating aspects of the restoration - the electrical & propane systems. I'll need to wait until I have a day when I feeling super confident ... or super brave : )</div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-11448452752995972672009-12-12T19:29:00.000-08:002009-12-12T19:33:05.804-08:00Leaps and bounds!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqkE_UyppKLLVcXfXQ78YnenyWIX_WBfQ5r2IAP9LlAAb_2sMQdZWdMyl6v8gZej3dNpzBzJOH0F-MK_TUBEgnpPEBcULUYV-f6ajcLF9adiKEBM2NBFC2yyDLILv1MlbcloD2sqNQ08/s1600-h/DSCN1732.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414558424427310866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqkE_UyppKLLVcXfXQ78YnenyWIX_WBfQ5r2IAP9LlAAb_2sMQdZWdMyl6v8gZej3dNpzBzJOH0F-MK_TUBEgnpPEBcULUYV-f6ajcLF9adiKEBM2NBFC2yyDLILv1MlbcloD2sqNQ08/s320/DSCN1732.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtqXDt3vxVrMfa4mS9yZ6JAhgLLrsygWMp7gV5QwXSg6dJlbWgI3AeJ0kQ7hWB3hyphenhyphencuDXcSkfCmuY3rrUzEewppjeSaQSjvWlqyiu369vslx9TjP41WR4Nvge7dTt7KDnPECSdHOvl0U/s1600-h/DSCN1720.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414558423057135410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtqXDt3vxVrMfa4mS9yZ6JAhgLLrsygWMp7gV5QwXSg6dJlbWgI3AeJ0kQ7hWB3hyphenhyphencuDXcSkfCmuY3rrUzEewppjeSaQSjvWlqyiu369vslx9TjP41WR4Nvge7dTt7KDnPECSdHOvl0U/s320/DSCN1720.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0n3_RRDU76hOFxboJ_phK5iFsZ3DHQNZrH_rchRmmWX0fK5xMJyh97boGXzpKyLrcOYN8ft1UJCRJV28moY84D1Qsl39hHHxiY24FaUurmA86yK_A6CjI_1LbwsN0RHSVqqonuboFMEs/s1600-h/DSCN1692.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414558411605402210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0n3_RRDU76hOFxboJ_phK5iFsZ3DHQNZrH_rchRmmWX0fK5xMJyh97boGXzpKyLrcOYN8ft1UJCRJV28moY84D1Qsl39hHHxiY24FaUurmA86yK_A6CjI_1LbwsN0RHSVqqonuboFMEs/s320/DSCN1692.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>I may still be a month or more behind schedule with writing my blog, but I have accomplished a lot on the Chiclet. Now to see if I can remember everything I have done ...</div><div>I knew that my first line of attack needed to be addressing the issue of dry rot. As with the RR, I could see daylight thru the lower rear part of the trailer - usually not a good sign. I figured I would just remove the rear window & some of the trim pieces & pull off the bottom sheet of skin. Should be simple enough ... NOT! That lower section of aluminum wasn't original to the trailer. It looked like a piece of aluminum patio siding attached with rivets. LOTS of rivets. And the window & trim pieces were attached with #6 (tiny) flat head screws and equally tiny upholstery nails. I knew I'd be replacing the piece of patio siding so I felt justified with just ripping that son-of-a-gun off of the trailer. No big deal that it got torn up. But then there was the issue of the tiny screws used to hold the rest of the trailer together. Each screw slot was packed with the remnants of the 5 coats of paint. Once I was able to scrape the crud out of the slot with what amounted to an ice pick, then I could try to turn the screw with my flat head screwdriver. About 25% of the time the head would snap off. Down right frustrating. LONG story short - it took me 2 hours to do what might have taken 15 minutes on the RR. I had to remind myself - I have no deadline & I am choosing to do this project. Argh ...</div><div>With the rear window & several sheets of skin removed, I could see the extent of the damaged framing. To form the teardrop shape of the Chiclet, the builders had laminated about a dozen thin strips of wood together to make the curve on the outside edges. Well, this wood had turned to sawdust. Huge pieces of it crumbled to the ground as I lifted the skin. Oh boy - was this gonna be fun to try and replace! The RR was easy to reframe - all the angles were straight lines. How the heck and I going to reproduce the sliver-moon shaped pieces??? I wrote down my measurements & headed to Home Depot.I didn't want to use plywood - the layers would separate when I drove new screws in from the side. I needed one solid piece of wood. The best idea I came up with was to use pine shelving. I grabbed several of the largest shelves, some screws & and bunch of Simpson ties & went home to try & figure this out. I won't go into detail, but my first 2 attempts were a disaster. Then it struck me - I can use the side skin panel as my "pattern" for the framing edges. Third time was a charm. I traced my pattern, cut it with my trusty jigsaw & attached it to the Chiclet. Yea!!! It was very solid - exactly what I was looking for. I want this baby to last 50 more years! </div><div>I knew that I would need to reframe the remaining 3 corners & possibly some areas below the windows. I was on a roll & feeling confident ... so I went ahead & removed ALL of the skin except for the roof panel. As I disassembled my trailer, large amounts of rotten wood bits would fall to the ground ... I knew there was no turning back. (I won't bore you with the statistics of how many hours it took to remove the screws & pull the nails ... or how many Advil I had to take to ease the pain in my wrists ... but we are talking big numbers here.) Then it was like - OMG - what have I done??? The Chiclet is bare naked!! But it was actually pretty cool. The construction is very simple. It is basically a bunch of 1 x 2 pine with a few 2 x 4's thrown in under the windows. Essentially, it was like a house made of sticks! I replaced the remaining corners & some of the cross framing. And I found that just as with the RR, I really enjoy doing the wood work. There is something about the smell of freshly cut lumber. And even better is the feeling of taking an old, cast aside trailer and breathing new life back in to it & having a great time in the process : )</div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-49441781323651519972009-11-20T10:13:00.000-08:002009-11-20T11:34:25.189-08:00Shopping in Oregon!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7hawhRdP0yy2Gtx5nN_Q4nxUdtvECT_em5KTo5jWbv00wrXWhOsP50lfvgQrnO_OqFbIIYX7B9O7MVRVNtIG7x0EQHAr6nkELIaTWhqisoVAucS8sOw8qlG_uAWTNIw4uuJJBocKv8E/s1600/DSCN1567.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406271093984841890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7hawhRdP0yy2Gtx5nN_Q4nxUdtvECT_em5KTo5jWbv00wrXWhOsP50lfvgQrnO_OqFbIIYX7B9O7MVRVNtIG7x0EQHAr6nkELIaTWhqisoVAucS8sOw8qlG_uAWTNIw4uuJJBocKv8E/s320/DSCN1567.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQianx6tyQ6m-e44qjXOujKuioV8gNJeaxw2EhHARXjpkfsoRaf8eiygQtVG86dM2-Ypm9bVao6YDqrt8ngJFUtF4ALsjZD4SW4utlJsYIvYXv1YnqAv3cVDfNV1DhQpCheyzsCg9D6BY/s1600/DSCN1512.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406271083801991954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQianx6tyQ6m-e44qjXOujKuioV8gNJeaxw2EhHARXjpkfsoRaf8eiygQtVG86dM2-Ypm9bVao6YDqrt8ngJFUtF4ALsjZD4SW4utlJsYIvYXv1YnqAv3cVDfNV1DhQpCheyzsCg9D6BY/s320/DSCN1512.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DokDAKzF4VZ7R7cRxLv-m6OKiZpAWNSgK64_BHBoHhPW7V2iA3kzh1xjmIQqg8I3jyxaQPQ-Ek8RTM6LKYOwM8u_xtiJkF0vI8VoJYsiPj0nYnT0vNR-LaHXTPuP_FO39rLhs-Lu-YU/s1600/DSCN1500.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406271075514270738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DokDAKzF4VZ7R7cRxLv-m6OKiZpAWNSgK64_BHBoHhPW7V2iA3kzh1xjmIQqg8I3jyxaQPQ-Ek8RTM6LKYOwM8u_xtiJkF0vI8VoJYsiPj0nYnT0vNR-LaHXTPuP_FO39rLhs-Lu-YU/s320/DSCN1500.JPG" /></a> I finally have a rain day & can catch up on my blog - I'm an entire month behind! Seems to be my "norm" lately. <div>Four days after the Rally at the River, I packed up the RR again and headed out for a 10 day camping adventure. I had originally planned on going to southern coastal Oregon. But a guy named Hugh from Klamath Falls, Oregon, had posted to one of my vintage trailer groups that he had some appliances from a '57 Shasta that he was replacing. I jumped on that one like a cat on a mouse! His icebox and oven/stove are the exact same ones that were in the Chiclet. I was never able to test my propane systems because the lines were all crimped. And Hugh had taken his stove to a RV center & had it cleaned & pressure tested. I figured it was well worth the change in plans to go & purchase these hard to find gems.</div><div>I broke up the 410 mile drive with a 2 night stopover in Mt. Shasta. I figured the name of the town was enough to make it worth exploring. I camped at the KOA - not bad for urban camping. I did a bit of looking around, but basically caught up on my rest & reading. </div><div>The drive north from Mt. Shasta was wonderful. The views looking south back toward Mt. Shasta were amazing. The landscape is volcanic - covered in scrub & rough tumbles of lava rock. Very stark with the snow capped Shasta in the background. Beautiful!</div><div>I met up with Hugh & his wife (I'm SO bad on remembering names) in Klamath Falls. The appliances were in much better condition than the ones from the Chiclet. I was happy to pay them the $100. I got to see their Shasta - they are doing a complete restoration. Once again, I love meeting new people who share the love of old trailers. </div><div>With my new treasures packed in the truck, I continued north for 33 more miles to Collier Memorial State Park. I remember camping here as a young child & my parents said it is still one of their favorites in central Oregon. Sounds good to me! I was lucky & scored on of the best sites in the campground for my week long stay. There was a '65 Aristocrat in camp - of course I took the opportunity to say hello & talk trailer! Most of the rigs were large & modern ... what a surprise. But I still met some really nice campers.</div><div>Collier State Park is home to an outdoor museum of historic logging equipment. My parents have pictures of my brother Ron & I climbing on the old wagons when we were kids. This visit, I settled for just looking around & taking pictures! The campground is also bordered by Spring Creek & the Williamson River. It was some of the most beautiful scenery I've seen in a long time. Large groves of quaking aspen mixed with tall pines, the fast waters of the creek mixing into the gentle flow of the river - very cool. I even saw a coyote & 2 bald eagles - a major bonus. I had 2 days of blustery weather & rain showers. I was warm & dry in the RR, content to enjoy a cup of tea & a good book.</div><div>I went into nearby Chiloquen for groceries & found a wonderful used book store called Fine Books. The owner, Richard, has a collection of over 80,000 books on every subject from the latest in fiction novels to auto repair manuals. I explored the shelves for over an hour & came out with a big bag of books for my future camp trips. I even scored a hard to find western novel that my dad had been looking for!</div><div>A highlight of my time in Oregon was a drive up to Crater Lake. It was bitter cold & an approaching snow storm was set to close down the area the following day. The views were incredible. I would love to go back when the weather is a bit more tolerable & do some hiking & exploring ... perhaps next year??</div><div>During my time on the highways in Oregon, I was amazed at how many vintage trailers I saw -- sitting in side yards or abandoned out in a field. I counted about 15 of them - all in desperate need of restoration. Naturally, my head goes to the thought of .... maybe I could just move up here, buy a tiny piece of land with a big barn on it, collect some of the old throw aways & make a business of it. Perhaps if / when my time as a gardener runs out & I'm in need of a new career!</div><div>As always, my week flew by in an instant. I had the most fantastic time - I explored new places, saw some wonderful sites, met a lot of really neat people, read a stack of good books, took a ton of pictures & came home with a good story to tell. </div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-2229585591729879842009-11-06T17:25:00.000-08:002009-11-06T18:46:41.183-08:00Bare metal!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZRc04bd1fzfDMLyQ7ZlqWy0z2poEK7Yt6An_If2s7xyWlF9p51xYAdeSFZBnWTxRgxj2w8xmDf4hhokCpOtPPXvGv_l8IAj-DjBRMbjZJOUIfuSr4n7GOdvDXhAYEzHQz7JxlEcUBc8/s1600-h/DSCN1684.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401175788908601634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZRc04bd1fzfDMLyQ7ZlqWy0z2poEK7Yt6An_If2s7xyWlF9p51xYAdeSFZBnWTxRgxj2w8xmDf4hhokCpOtPPXvGv_l8IAj-DjBRMbjZJOUIfuSr4n7GOdvDXhAYEzHQz7JxlEcUBc8/s320/DSCN1684.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8kUkLx2axv9RPWmpM17NJPI7Nf-L6o5ISUGpcaaAEpODK7cOymnDX_97pGTl6bA_LZyQ8itDaDE3sCTpc-wu_mTIiAbBWnsaUMxrjut4YzWCh65yKDS8QqLfQeOX49pzsxbvHqux8yw/s1600-h/DSCN1388.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401175784573217842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8kUkLx2axv9RPWmpM17NJPI7Nf-L6o5ISUGpcaaAEpODK7cOymnDX_97pGTl6bA_LZyQ8itDaDE3sCTpc-wu_mTIiAbBWnsaUMxrjut4YzWCh65yKDS8QqLfQeOX49pzsxbvHqux8yw/s320/DSCN1388.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>I'm about a month behind and slightly out of order with this posting ... but such is life. Just before the Rally at the River last month, I finally finished stripping the paint from the Chiclet. It took me a total of 35 hours and cost $200. in chemicals. No joke - I kept track! Needless to say, I have now perfected my paint stripping techniques. My lawn is covered with a kaleidoscope of paint chips to prove it! And mark my words, I'll NEVER do it again!!! </div><div>The coolest part of getting all those layers of paint removed is that I could see the original stripes etched into the bare aluminum. This trailer has the most unique pattern I've ever seen. I knew this design would be like a fingerprint - it could tell me more about the identity of my little treasure. So I used blue painter's tape to trace the original lines. I took pictures and sent them off to Juergen for his opinion. He wrote back with an enthusiastic "Yes, this is definitely a '52 Honorbuilt Romer. It is the first year they were in business and yours is a very rare trailer." So it is not a homebuilt "kit" trailer after all - it was actually manufactured by the Honorbuilt Company. Now that I know how rare the Chiclet is, the pressure is really on - I better do it justice! </div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-77814146459165134352009-10-27T18:16:00.000-07:002009-10-27T20:26:29.431-07:00Rally at the River<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpbIf4CtUo-9ezVy6CywGWN28HkeikIsT93ES0YrpeXDUTu4gd1igy8UM_VUjjcfx1vYbu13Wy_3_Bj3YAAaV8uiZkIT4s-cVZhyCRSgFh83TRGI-Sx2setCTGLDxp-5Bw4IlN2nfzZY/s1600-h/DSCN1482.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397465000328210482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpbIf4CtUo-9ezVy6CywGWN28HkeikIsT93ES0YrpeXDUTu4gd1igy8UM_VUjjcfx1vYbu13Wy_3_Bj3YAAaV8uiZkIT4s-cVZhyCRSgFh83TRGI-Sx2setCTGLDxp-5Bw4IlN2nfzZY/s320/DSCN1482.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIptCoPALN9T-fCd72O2t2T0xoYKVJlffb2RJ1m81bQlbCPCyqYOWj3-YVGPXedWDutdRx1lPWYH0OCEsVAPpDshtD8hqn4i9pBf2Ei-A5sewhIIo_hz_ye6goJpLHx8AAnhBqEptyQc/s1600-h/DSCN1431.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397464997384200850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIptCoPALN9T-fCd72O2t2T0xoYKVJlffb2RJ1m81bQlbCPCyqYOWj3-YVGPXedWDutdRx1lPWYH0OCEsVAPpDshtD8hqn4i9pBf2Ei-A5sewhIIo_hz_ye6goJpLHx8AAnhBqEptyQc/s320/DSCN1431.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>It has been just over a year since my first introduction to the vintage trailer scene. On October 1st I packed up the RR and headed to Casini Ranch for my second Rally at the River. The Russian River area is such a beautiful place and Fall is my favorite time of year. It was guaranteed to be a fun gathering!</div><div>As usual, I arrived at camp a day early. I like to get all set up and be ready to entertain when my friends show up. By Friday afternoon, the gang was all together - my "camp wife" Tom (with his famous chandelier!), Marti & her sister Cindy (1 of the "Marti Girls"), Professor Mike & Sherry, Margaret & Steve, Anne-Marie, Penny & Charlie and finally, Paul the welder. Now let the fun begin!</div><div>Friday night was the happy hour with a "funky hat" contest. You'd be amazed at the crazy stuff people come up with! Needless to say, my pimped out "Sugar Daddy" hat didn't take a prize ... can't imagine why??? </div><div>The trailer "open house" on Saturday was a lot of fun. I had seen many of the trailers before - it was nice to visit with some of my rally friends. There were also some trailers that were new to me. I had 2 new favorite trailers - Donna & Neil's '52 Aljoa and Sharon & Mike's '55 Aljoa. Not only were these 2 trailers were very similar to each other, but they closely resemble the Chiclet in size and styling. I took a bunch of pictures and will use them for ideas and inspiration as I work on the Chiclet's restoration. My friends Stacy and Nic arrived late in the day with their '57 Shasta. Just a few days prior, it was still in pieces like a giant jigsaw puzzle! Good thing they lived near by (I was told that only 4 screws were holding in each of the windows!).</div><div>Saturday night was the pot luck - time for some Tums! Too much food, lots of laughs - what a great group of people! A few of us then went to Marti's campsite for a big bonfire. I think we must have burned up half a truckload of firewood! Time to just talk and relax after a long day - these rallies are exhausting!</div><div>Once again, Sunday came way too fast. We all had to pack up and head home. It gave me time to think how far I have come in the past 12 months. Last year at this time, I had purchased & cleaned out the RR, but hadn't done much else. Now I have finished the RR (except for repainting that damn roof) and am starting on my 2nd restoration. The biggest thing I come up with is how much fun I am having and how many wonderful people I have met. I feel truly blessed to be part of the vintage trailer community!</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-80966566866690384862009-09-16T18:58:00.000-07:002009-09-16T19:38:03.463-07:00Stripping and Camping<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCz0_9pBr49f3IB2qTkO8sPm75SMF8oRHH8mDnGlrGOIAWFcNRbupeXvXlIh-hPHy-MdNP86K139Wpbi-Cwz6aHREEwQelysJJkeIM56If0R05wwoD2_6k1KXf3y8O9uzVnAwlykL-9s/s1600-h/RR+Bodega+Dunes+9-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382258711768247714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCz0_9pBr49f3IB2qTkO8sPm75SMF8oRHH8mDnGlrGOIAWFcNRbupeXvXlIh-hPHy-MdNP86K139Wpbi-Cwz6aHREEwQelysJJkeIM56If0R05wwoD2_6k1KXf3y8O9uzVnAwlykL-9s/s320/RR+Bodega+Dunes+9-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8VX6Fww5yPSIgSwjDtQk0GeiUxHahdXTLwQLQx5kH-2Y1U6jW5FBiDDvZlG9Bw2s5Tqo0rarGAP_p0OMxXIt9ljbFbh33qj1-rt0lCWKW3RGQL8H7pUdhjI9K5Jqgr2SvQ_f-sPBJ1d8/s1600-h/Ben+%26+Heather+-+Bodega+camping+9-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382258703907950194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8VX6Fww5yPSIgSwjDtQk0GeiUxHahdXTLwQLQx5kH-2Y1U6jW5FBiDDvZlG9Bw2s5Tqo0rarGAP_p0OMxXIt9ljbFbh33qj1-rt0lCWKW3RGQL8H7pUdhjI9K5Jqgr2SvQ_f-sPBJ1d8/s320/Ben+%26+Heather+-+Bodega+camping+9-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlou9cs4iXV0zL00U3rOMIqSQPK2e7MBOVqVhCoQWbLwQ-vjDqmHTX6q4svN8hQpWD64-FVxnlisxD7uXELguvBSUaBVeSp5uDqWr9QvN7Kc-u9K5EFxDjlQMqkVwKlhFKqlTi6IcAzM/s1600-h/Ben+%26+Mom+-+Bodega+9-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382258689940116290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlou9cs4iXV0zL00U3rOMIqSQPK2e7MBOVqVhCoQWbLwQ-vjDqmHTX6q4svN8hQpWD64-FVxnlisxD7uXELguvBSUaBVeSp5uDqWr9QvN7Kc-u9K5EFxDjlQMqkVwKlhFKqlTi6IcAzM/s320/Ben+%26+Mom+-+Bodega+9-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>All I can say about the Chiclet -- I'm STILL stripping the exterior paint. Haven't done anything else. Just stripping paint. Good thing I don't have a deadline to meet!</div><div>And as for the RR, I'm so glad to have it 99% completed! I brought it home last week to get a few things finished up and prepare for my September camp trip. The original tongue jack was broken and needed to be replaced. Off to one of my new favorite stores - Harbor Freight Tools. I picked up a decent replacement jack for about $30. Within an hour, I had the old one removed and a nice, new jack mounted in its place. </div><div>I also needed to put a final coat of color on the exposed parts of the frame. I masked off any nearby areas to avoid over spray. For once, the winds were calm and I was able to do the touch ups in record time. At some point, I'll need to repaint the roof ... maybe next month!</div><div>A little work and then a little camp time! I invited my son Ben and his friend Heather to join me for 4 days of camping at Bodega Dunes State Park. They would get to sleep in a tent with sleeping bags while I am in the RR with a futon and 3" of memory foam! Age has its privileges!! I picked up the kids Friday morning and we headed out to the coast. We arrived at the campground in less than an hour. We got all set up and went for a nice long walk around the bay.</div><div>About 2am Saturday, we were awakened by thunder and lightening. A bit of a surprise as it was almost 100 degrees 2 days prior! A lot of noise, but luckily only a small amount of rain. It was cloudy and drizzled most of the day. Thank God for a trailer - we could sit inside, drink cocoa and play board games.</div><div>Sunday was more of the same ... it was getting a little old. Note to self: camping in wet sand is a drag. The stuff gets everywhere. We did manage to have a lot of fun despite the weather. Its all about the good quality family time, right?? </div><div>By Monday morning, the kid's sleeping bags were pretty wet. Seems the old tent isn't very water resistant anymore. We loaded up our gear, including about 50 pounds of sand, and drove home. Of course, then the sun came out. Argh! I had wet camp gear hung over every section of fence at my place. Everything needed to be dried and shook out. Overall, it was a really nice camp out. And the cool part is - Ben and I are still speaking!!!</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-50924441745368784212009-08-15T18:05:00.000-07:002009-08-15T19:01:41.071-07:00Trailer trash at it's finest!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPkc5uEw-MN-DBF6ViX9YnnZ8tntvGdEV1Eh8zLE5I_Nl-4e43E36056MsYNXMdsb7-vt1GPZO0ftYli6OjX89TPdHDpn_41Lx1pJq-ugdKhOLxqYeu2_xnHQOMInPLpJOCVeGHjlxBo/s1600-h/RR+-+Golden+Gate+Bridge+8-11-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370374120483777970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPkc5uEw-MN-DBF6ViX9YnnZ8tntvGdEV1Eh8zLE5I_Nl-4e43E36056MsYNXMdsb7-vt1GPZO0ftYli6OjX89TPdHDpn_41Lx1pJq-ugdKhOLxqYeu2_xnHQOMInPLpJOCVeGHjlxBo/s320/RR+-+Golden+Gate+Bridge+8-11-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXDn0UZCJenxPzYYtf8iPMfvz2qlLH7R9-JGdfYPOnS2jIVfZteOgcN5_xePfe-sw2ZYuOCXuYqT_xbE2mQVfo8IJCCNURn-Gj_6v3lkoDOGWRd8LsrTCC9EpHFH0XVacZdWNZLU3bek/s1600-h/Penny+-+Felton,+8-8-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 304px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370374108788314786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXDn0UZCJenxPzYYtf8iPMfvz2qlLH7R9-JGdfYPOnS2jIVfZteOgcN5_xePfe-sw2ZYuOCXuYqT_xbE2mQVfo8IJCCNURn-Gj_6v3lkoDOGWRd8LsrTCC9EpHFH0XVacZdWNZLU3bek/s320/Penny+-+Felton,+8-8-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6we2hF23caJJhSQ7I_SQ_BpQ67U9VHMMbxRGcYPtPS2RZca_C63iynxyDoH0mfMAhfx2tTeNy4gim5FPfdynFOby-6qEr5d1MJuwA8RI4l46iP_wcEVdfqbjo4uKxeuzEs3e1GGFnMa0/s1600-h/RR+with+awning+-+Felton,+8-8-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 251px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370374102153999458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6we2hF23caJJhSQ7I_SQ_BpQ67U9VHMMbxRGcYPtPS2RZca_C63iynxyDoH0mfMAhfx2tTeNy4gim5FPfdynFOby-6qEr5d1MJuwA8RI4l46iP_wcEVdfqbjo4uKxeuzEs3e1GGFnMa0/s320/RR+with+awning+-+Felton,+8-8-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>The weekend of August 7th, the RR and I headed to Felton (near Santa Cruz) for the annual Trailers in the Trees Rally. I had all my "rally decor" packed and ready to roll by noon on Thursday. Darn job always gets in the way of my camp trips - I was up at my usual 4am chomping at the bit! But I had to hit a few of my gardening accounts first so I could enjoy my time off without any guilt.</div><div>It was an uneventful trip south thru San Francisco. Its funny how those tiny urban vehicles gave me a wide berth cruising down 19th Avenue. I think some of the city folk have never seen a trailer before!! I made the 135 mile trip in about 3 hours - not bad considering traffic thru The City and the windy road up into the Santa Cruz mountains.</div><div>I checked in at Smithwoods RV Park and got all set up in space #68. It was a perfect location for me - a nice wide site, shaded by the redwoods and just across from where the main "wagon train" would be! I put up my new awning for the first time - an absolutely perfect finishing touch for my trailer. Now I was ready to entertain guests!!! An hour later, Penny (A.K.A. Queen Fayleen of the trailer park!) arrived to set up her Shasta. Penny and her husband Charlie organized the rally - and what an amazing job they did. A few others streamed in that afternoon including my "camp wife" Tom. A few friends joined me for dinner, a bonfire and the 1st of 4 homemade blackberry crumble pies. </div><div>About those pies ... I'm not quite sure how it came to be that I was to bring 4 pies to the rally. It started as a joke at the Pismo rally, then as a treat for Marti's Girls, and finally as a request for an encore performance from my Tahoe camp buddies ... and before I knew it - I had picked 24 cups of fresh blackberries and spent 1/2 a day baking. I stuck the pies in the freezer and then was able to have them for the rally. And I didn't forget the whipped cream either! Yummy : )</div><div>The rest of the vintage trailers arrived on Friday - about 30 all together. My mom and dad also joined in on the fun. They couldn't be part of the rally - they have a '98 Alpinelite 5th wheel - but they had a space nearby in the same park. I invited them to join in on the fun and see all the wonderful old trailers. They are, after all, the ones who got me started in this whole trailer thing when I was a child! The Friday night happy hour was a blast. There was a ton of food, plenty of cold beverages and a chance to catch up with some old friends: Anne-Marie, Margaret and Steve, Marti and 1 of the "Girls" and Michael (of the notorious Brothers on the Loose gang). I also made some new connections: Perry with a Silver Streak, Dan and Susan with a Traveleze and Wayne and Kathy with the cutest little Arrowhead. </div><div>Saturday was the big "open house". A chance to poke around in other people's trailers and take lots of pictures. Its also a wonderful opportunity to share ideas and gather information on the restoration of vintage trailers. That evening was the pot-luck. Naturally, I had 2 pies ready for the event. I think we all ate way too much food - especially of the tasty treats from the dessert table : )</div><div>Sunday came along way too fast. By noon, all the vintage trailers except for Perry's and mine had left. So sad to see them go ... but knowing that most of us have already signed up for next year's event made it a bit easier to say goodbye. I was fortunate enough to be able to stay on until Tuesday. I needed the extra days to catch up on my rest after the rally! These trailer gatherings are a lot of hard work!!!</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-40398216416463176552009-08-11T19:27:00.000-07:002009-08-11T19:42:14.223-07:00Aluminitis!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAY0vSuqPScorM8jB5F3bKNmvZTlJS5EkNbSLBVVwkPaQ0ty7jGupVjyci2s5FUViXVWqlcSCNXI3WIBYq9uCtnuU9L_aPxVARXmDOGIpGmuG8PAGRzCUivLdO-tTLHfY9oct8VIMhLF8/s1600-h/RR+%26+Chiclet+8-5-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368901317193203890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAY0vSuqPScorM8jB5F3bKNmvZTlJS5EkNbSLBVVwkPaQ0ty7jGupVjyci2s5FUViXVWqlcSCNXI3WIBYq9uCtnuU9L_aPxVARXmDOGIpGmuG8PAGRzCUivLdO-tTLHfY9oct8VIMhLF8/s320/RR+%26+Chiclet+8-5-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>I was warned early on that this business of collecting and restoring vintage travel trailers was addicting. Well, I'm here to tell you - that is the truth! Last week, I brought the RR home to get it cleaned up and packed for the upcoming rally. With the 2 trailers side by side, I could see just how different they really are. The RR is only 2' longer than the Chiclet, but is about 3' taller in height. The RR looks like a big bread box compared to the Chiclet's smaller teardrop shape. They are both wonderful trailers with their own unique characteristics. When I finish restoring the Chiclet, I don't know that I'll be able to sell the RR. Glad<em> </em>I don't have to make that decision any time soon!</div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-25135457140201614852009-08-02T13:24:00.000-07:002009-08-02T14:30:18.129-07:00Chiclet's real identity!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8FFZ54ntlF-BamznGn3_mf26IXqyLYYSBo5XJs81Z0bUhRL-Z9Q69s4LeS4ewd_qhaUg7JNAzfb_B2tQsfPgHra08Z6CBSfG7BNyrlVM1z5bmHzwIudnjPpUjTJo26ytqWdA7z2KPeU/s1600-h/DSCN1305.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365479227542705442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8FFZ54ntlF-BamznGn3_mf26IXqyLYYSBo5XJs81Z0bUhRL-Z9Q69s4LeS4ewd_qhaUg7JNAzfb_B2tQsfPgHra08Z6CBSfG7BNyrlVM1z5bmHzwIudnjPpUjTJo26ytqWdA7z2KPeU/s320/DSCN1305.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8To6CHZ3F5K5kXVxoQrw8y5vBT45hxm6rTHYK9xDpo61RTl84AWe7Unb1uwA-tcQGYcmFneAfsX-3A0Wbg6meBQ0ziwfWO4zkkP0BujCzmegGzDv5mvDqv0g8fw_vQHJFTNbqg44qTY0/s1600-h/DSCN1314.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365479224266843730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8To6CHZ3F5K5kXVxoQrw8y5vBT45hxm6rTHYK9xDpo61RTl84AWe7Unb1uwA-tcQGYcmFneAfsX-3A0Wbg6meBQ0ziwfWO4zkkP0BujCzmegGzDv5mvDqv0g8fw_vQHJFTNbqg44qTY0/s320/DSCN1314.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkOg1xtomwPNmDcfAoeHDDZiFisHQCeWu39uWz1n60eZ9k6gSHz7PSRUPELmpob6Ec3aefjIWS1uqhIQEix7EQ6M3Wht49c8lcJm6Z1WhQ7iE2ewGOrtQ7fHbXKeVI7HINKWhH3TzewI/s1600-h/DSCN1278.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365479218830149858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkOg1xtomwPNmDcfAoeHDDZiFisHQCeWu39uWz1n60eZ9k6gSHz7PSRUPELmpob6Ec3aefjIWS1uqhIQEix7EQ6M3Wht49c8lcJm6Z1WhQ7iE2ewGOrtQ7fHbXKeVI7HINKWhH3TzewI/s320/DSCN1278.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>The first thing I set out to accomplish this week was to try and find out what type of trailer the Chiclet is. I posted photos to several of my Yahoo vintage trailer groups. Fellow trailerites seem to love a good challenge - the message boards lit up like a Christmas tree! Tim from Florida thought it might be an early 50's Shasta. Donna of "72 Shasta Fin and Feather Inn" fame wasn't so sure. Then Juergen Eichermueller said he would check his archives and get back to me. Juergen is like the Pope of vintage trailer archivists. The guy has files on just about anything concerning trailers that you could ever imagine. My fellow groupies and I waited patiently for his response. ........ Finally, he came back with 95% certainty that the Chiclet is a '52 Honorbuilt Romer. I now had a starting place to begin researching the history of my new canned ham. I was able to find out that the Honorbuilt Trailer Manufacturing Company sold plans and kits for building your own travel trailer. This makes complete sense in that the Chiclet has several indicators that it might have been home made. I have ordered a CD of Juergen's trailer archives including his file on Honorbuilt Romers. I can't wait to learn more and see pictures of other Romers.</div><div>Now to roll up my sleeves and get to the real work! One thing I learned from the RR's restoration was that I should have stripped the exterior paint prior to removing any of the trim and windows. This seemed like a daunting task - I could tell there were MANY layers of paint on the old aluminum. I did a "test strip" in a few spots with a product called "Citristrip Stripping Gel". The old paint peeled away fairly easily. Friday after work, I slathered a bunch of the gel on the front and rear ends of the Chiclet and left it to sit overnight. The next morning, armed with chemical resistant gloves, goggles, a plastic putty knife and some steel wool, I began working on removing the old paint. In some areas, the paint peeled off in big sheets that reminded me of the fruit roll-ups my kids used to eat when they were little. Other areas weren't going to give up without a fight. I found a total of 5 layers of paint -- white, off-white, golden yellow, aqua and finally a rusty red. After a few hours of scraping and scrubbing, my shoulder and wrist began to ache. Gosh, this is so familiar ...... I needed to take a break. The best thing about this restoration project is that I have no timeline. With the RR, I had to get it done before the Pismo rally. The Chiclet and I have all the time in the world. I'll get it done, do it right and hopefully enjoy the entire process.</div><div>So I took a look inside to see what I might tackle first. An easy task was to pull the icebox. Only 4 large nails held it in place. Once out on the lawn, I carefully removed the 57 year old insulation wrapped around the icebox. One more bag of hazardous material to throw on the dump pile. Now I was on a roll. I went ahead and removed the counter top and sink. It was obviously not the original Formica. It is an ugly, dark brown wood grain pattern. I removed the tiny screws holding the edge trim on, preyed under the lip of the wood slab and up it came ... almost. I had forgotten to cut the 2 copper water lines connecting the faucets to the water tank and outside hook-up. Seems I always forget the small details! Next to go was the stove / oven. First, I cut the propane line. I already knew all the lines would need to be replaced - I could see several places where the supply line from the propane tank was severely crimped.. Not gonna take any chances! With the line cut, the oven came right out. Not a single screw held it in place.</div><div>I placed the appliances and counter top on my workbench to be dealt with on another day. </div><div>I had 2 friends stop by to take a look at the Chiclet. Paul the welder showed up and gave it the once over. He thinks it is a solid little trailer and can see the potential. Then Shasta Stacy dropped by and shared some of her ideas with me. Once again, I couldn't do it without the help and advice of my trailer buddies. Its nice to know that I'm not the only nut case out there with this thing for old aluminum!</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-46104609158976118352009-07-27T18:46:00.000-07:002009-07-27T19:56:08.736-07:00Announcing ... The "Chiclet"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHSEkNJbYhLay5zeQfaesdeZRQPpj-tYAzhVaGp48WRIywGRSzTosbUrD70Yjo3Av9O_hPA0YOL0SlX1XG90kp98B7n64kQ59dLP_MhZ4Z6Ake8SdHxrj07H_q2Bk4D-_EFusFOmBWfk/s1600-h/DSCN1167.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363337150310424162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHSEkNJbYhLay5zeQfaesdeZRQPpj-tYAzhVaGp48WRIywGRSzTosbUrD70Yjo3Av9O_hPA0YOL0SlX1XG90kp98B7n64kQ59dLP_MhZ4Z6Ake8SdHxrj07H_q2Bk4D-_EFusFOmBWfk/s320/DSCN1167.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpndym3kt8yJ0bmKxZOcJkT5tgyn9R0feJNyeVF9OPvUT6qsy8CmY7Um-8pVnFEyhnXB0Ua_40H1m1ss4awN3s3YzDi0tN-pjH8rN4ySl7uUNiCdBHXY2jvP3-Mmrfj0EB856yBjVLrUg/s1600-h/1st+day+home+-+brown+side+7-25-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363337139929145362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpndym3kt8yJ0bmKxZOcJkT5tgyn9R0feJNyeVF9OPvUT6qsy8CmY7Um-8pVnFEyhnXB0Ua_40H1m1ss4awN3s3YzDi0tN-pjH8rN4ySl7uUNiCdBHXY2jvP3-Mmrfj0EB856yBjVLrUg/s320/1st+day+home+-+brown+side+7-25-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpLAWLa5E0ObQE8dC2Wp1AjaoD_utg2wNpoLU92WhUCZX870BT3aRUo_r2jDZ1rsFSA94fZmOJxSGMSvGLhr_gMBCweKmCL8ha25CZj9b5ZSiHCbwGhEsoiDAZlg66qnGdzstEUL2U6E/s1600-h/Paul+%26+Grace+7-25-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363337130127317266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpLAWLa5E0ObQE8dC2Wp1AjaoD_utg2wNpoLU92WhUCZX870BT3aRUo_r2jDZ1rsFSA94fZmOJxSGMSvGLhr_gMBCweKmCL8ha25CZj9b5ZSiHCbwGhEsoiDAZlg66qnGdzstEUL2U6E/s320/Paul+%26+Grace+7-25-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>On Saturday, I drove to Paul and Caroline's home near Sacramento to pick up my new bundle of joy! They have the coolest place - a really nice home, a big vegetable garden, a huge chicken coop and currently 9 vintage travel trailers. I considered asking them to let me just live in my trailer on their property and be their own personal gardener, but it is way too far from the ocean for me! Gotta be near that salty air! </div><div>Paul gave me a tour of the little 12' canned ham I was about to purchase. There is no paperwork or license plate on the trailer, so I have no clue as to the year or manufacturer. It has definitely seen better days. The aluminum skin is in fair to poor shape. All the exterior aluminum trim has been painted ... isn't that a crime? The tail lights are missing. One window needs the glass replaced. And somebody has applied several coats of house paint to all of the skin with a BRUSH. Just awful! Now that should be a felony!! To top it off, Paul painted a blue stripe on 1 side - just to show how cute it could be? Its like the Jeckyl and Hyde trailer! </div><div>But the inside is where I can see the potential. The wood is in fairly decent shape. The flooring isn't original - it is some really lousy wood grain vinyl. And the counter and table tops are an equally ugly formica. Definitely gotta go. There are 2 little electric lights and 1 propane fixture that is missing most of its parts. It has a little white sink with 2 faucets. The icebox is old white enamel with what looks like a tin lining. The coolest thing is the white 3 burner stove / oven. It is a "Modernaire" made by Modern Metal Manufacturing in Gardena, CA. The appliances look to be from the early 50's. The layout is similar to the RR. To the right is the table with bench seats that can make into a twin bed. At the back is a fixed double bed. There is only slight water staining in 2 areas - it will sand down just fine. A new coat of shellac and the interior will be beautiful again. The icing on the cake will be new cushions and curtains. I wonder if I can get Karen to help me again???</div><div>Caroline kept apologizing and telling me that I didn't have to buy the trailer. What does she know that she isn't telling?! I told her I could see the diamond in the rough. I already had it pictured in my head - a cute little canned ham, white with a red stripe (is there a pattern here?), nice and cozy on the inside and finished off with a custom vintage style awning from Marti's Awnings! Once again, I knew I would be bringing this trailer home with me just as I had the RR 10 months prior. </div><div>Paul helped me get it hooked up with some temporary lights and the RR's license plate (now THAT is against the law). I paid him $500 plus 1 blackberry pie and headed towards home with my latest project in tow.</div><div>About 3 miles down the road, I noticed the skin on one side ballooning out as I drove. The wind was pushing up under the loose front corner and threatening to unskin the trailer right there on the highway! I pulled over and drove several screws thru the skin to hold it in place. Disaster averted! The rest of the 120 mile trip home was uneventful. It actually towed nice and smoothly. I'm glad I had paid Paul to have new tires put on it before I picked it up. One less thing for me to worry about on the road. I got home safe and sound.</div><div>I had decided that my new trailer needed a name. Because I have no idea what brand of trailer it is, I'd have to come up with something original. I decided to call it the "Chiclet". It is tiny, shaped like a piece of Chiclet's gum and it is owned by a chick! Very clever, huh? Looks like I'm already attached to my new aluminum treasure : )</div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-88650191757724661812009-07-24T19:28:00.000-07:002009-07-24T19:51:53.173-07:00I'm expecting!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQQpUdiDLoa8dGXBY3fAtlSMt5eVzTpiwZVLKkoBt3GuLq9AHatQnR9KA1OQBhncEmj4tx8U-Qb_GE79eE5MepQGKxk8yGLygBIFCAyflcZi8B2PhThokybcA735EfzYDl-WwasOcb5E/s1600-h/RR+at+Timmsen+Ranch+7-23-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362224560755340962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQQpUdiDLoa8dGXBY3fAtlSMt5eVzTpiwZVLKkoBt3GuLq9AHatQnR9KA1OQBhncEmj4tx8U-Qb_GE79eE5MepQGKxk8yGLygBIFCAyflcZi8B2PhThokybcA735EfzYDl-WwasOcb5E/s320/RR+at+Timmsen+Ranch+7-23-09.jpg" /></a><br /><div>That's right, friends. I have a new baby due to arrive tomorrow. Not a human baby (been there, done that), not a puppy (although I would REALLY like one!), but a tiny new vintage travel trailer!!! You were all correct when you thought I had a bad case of aluminitus. Now here is the proof!</div><div>My friends Paul and Caroline who sold me the RR had the sweetest Dalton posted for sale on their web site. When I wrote to them and inquired about it, Paul told me they had changed their minds and wanted to keep it. I kicked and screamed that I wanted a Dalton. I even sent him the photos of my grandparent's late 50's Dalton as proof that we belonged together. No luck. Then he mentioned a little canned ham that was available. The old bait and switch. Damn ... well, it worked! I had actually looked at this trailer last September when I purchased the RR. I remember thinking it was tiny and needed alot of work. All that still rings true. Paul has no idea as to what year it was made or who manufactured it. A real mystery! All I know is that it is a canned ham, about 12' long and I'll be bringing it home tomorrow. Yipee!!</div><div>Not meaning to neglect my first love , I have arranged with my friends Patty and Ron to park the RR on their property. It will be kept company by their ginormous 80's travel trailer and a Kubota tractor. It is a lovely setting near a creek and under the oaks. And for probably the next year while I'm working on the new project, the RR and I will still have our monthly camp trips. When you love all things aluminum as much as I do, there is always room in your heart for one more!</div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-46997709063172286132009-07-20T10:55:00.000-07:002009-07-20T11:45:23.512-07:00Stillwater Cove<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0gqzPiCYDnGL4ECIR3SvwVa8WIEFjnr7srpxRCuCPoa5cF174oEuQKseXDQKI8JLEG88wM7xHaeM_sXYQ-g14nJanyZOSnYDhsw3bAng6kK5Sc_fzIJd7HLWCUnys_GwLIdUH_FTD-0/s1600-h/RR++Jenner+coastline+7-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 184px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360613610640324354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0gqzPiCYDnGL4ECIR3SvwVa8WIEFjnr7srpxRCuCPoa5cF174oEuQKseXDQKI8JLEG88wM7xHaeM_sXYQ-g14nJanyZOSnYDhsw3bAng6kK5Sc_fzIJd7HLWCUnys_GwLIdUH_FTD-0/s320/RR++Jenner+coastline+7-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DuoFgeBJXgJ5f5ld705NZ15tcSNT3sEMS37viSoog2B_dcqyO55JA_q3MdsWWII7WFYbpUDrTnuSLsuNcpThekg29PG4urUbb6pmT7u-y_Wt_oHoXy-Ifsyo-WRoIE1koutKqT4Rxag/s1600-h/RR+Stillwater+Cove+7-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360613605175817058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DuoFgeBJXgJ5f5ld705NZ15tcSNT3sEMS37viSoog2B_dcqyO55JA_q3MdsWWII7WFYbpUDrTnuSLsuNcpThekg29PG4urUbb6pmT7u-y_Wt_oHoXy-Ifsyo-WRoIE1koutKqT4Rxag/s320/RR+Stillwater+Cove+7-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgr0sCJALn7eO7r9k-w7k22pjRVqLCjSJmKNVb9FD18OVrMvc7JzTCD35_hh0ZSIcI9_e95_jla4JPZQmNHEaURvpXy9rnRSRNJrGvh8WVFPAfWy6Jqwt-KBl0vDQuaYHQ5IzAaCeCnno/s1600-h/Sportsmaster+-+Timber+Cove+7-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 223px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360613596741789458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgr0sCJALn7eO7r9k-w7k22pjRVqLCjSJmKNVb9FD18OVrMvc7JzTCD35_hh0ZSIcI9_e95_jla4JPZQmNHEaURvpXy9rnRSRNJrGvh8WVFPAfWy6Jqwt-KBl0vDQuaYHQ5IzAaCeCnno/s320/Sportsmaster+-+Timber+Cove+7-09.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Another month, another camp trip. This is the life! July's adventure took me to Stillwater Cove campground on the beautiful Sonoma Coast. It is part of the Sonoma County Regional Park system. With only 22 sites, it is nice and small and well maintained. </div><div>I got an early start (as usual) on my 45 mile, 90 minute trek out to the coast. The 15 miles on Highway 1 from Jenner to the park has more curves than the infamous "road to Hana"! But the views are breathtaking. I've driven this stretch of road many times and had previously noticed a row of travel trailers set up on a bluff near Timber Cove. Funny though, this is the first time I have spied the tiny vintage Sports Master wedged in between the other rigs. Looks like it has been sitting there for years. I wonder if the owner might want to sell it ...</div><div>I made it to camp and got the RR all set up in record time. Site #7 has a partial view of the ocean just across the highway. Then I preceded to take a long nap - the type that feels like you've been hit with a tranquilizer dart! Guess I've been pushing a bit hard lately.</div><div>On Saturday, my friend Shelli came out to visit. We sat in camp, talked and caught up on life's happenings. It is always good to see an old friend. Saturday evening, I made a new "camp buddy". A guy named Richard rode into camp on a BMW motorcycle and needed a place to throw down his tent for the night. I offered to let him share my space. He is from Boston and had flown out, rented the bike in San Francisco and was on a week long tour of Nor Cal. We chatted by the campfire, shared a cup of coffee the next morning and he went on his way up toward Eureka. You can meet the most incredible people while camping!</div><div>Over the weekend, several other campers stopped by to take a look at the RR. I'm always flattered when people show an interest in my canned ham. And I love hearing stories of their camp adventures from days gone by. </div><div>In my 5 days at Stillwater, I read 4 books, took 2 naps and enjoyed some wonderful hikes along the ocean cliffs. All in all, another successful outing with my RR.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-25956806586077745682009-06-27T13:57:00.001-07:002009-06-27T15:00:31.646-07:00Fallen Leaf Lake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWJ-fmyTT0t-vh8RxohODwYpEtzorEU_qPUjWqOR_45zWHqfLvvuvnZZUwt45hI9ZKotdzmEvGJmWWHXb4Gmi6ZY0Ua0aZtcAwNXRZ4R2MQONjE1XjmXDoMJqCn-kqGXFcd6sJ44CM1k/s1600-h/RR+Fallen+Leaf+,+Tahoe+6-09.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352128742581023970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWJ-fmyTT0t-vh8RxohODwYpEtzorEU_qPUjWqOR_45zWHqfLvvuvnZZUwt45hI9ZKotdzmEvGJmWWHXb4Gmi6ZY0Ua0aZtcAwNXRZ4R2MQONjE1XjmXDoMJqCn-kqGXFcd6sJ44CM1k/s320/RR+Fallen+Leaf+,+Tahoe+6-09.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnLIw9El-6CvbiPBwRVCKAL2HPi5HRKuzS7em5WXVqajX5Ng1EMxKZTUYfJhQIVfo7XBgIxf_VKkBmQtK8PWquKwWvv9PJspt4tlQ77Z0200DRc3H00qBDfxhKJlwMX4gbRpAcM2I1Vg/s1600-h/RR+Tahoe+6-09.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352128735251610066" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnLIw9El-6CvbiPBwRVCKAL2HPi5HRKuzS7em5WXVqajX5Ng1EMxKZTUYfJhQIVfo7XBgIxf_VKkBmQtK8PWquKwWvv9PJspt4tlQ77Z0200DRc3H00qBDfxhKJlwMX4gbRpAcM2I1Vg/s320/RR+Tahoe+6-09.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>South Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. And Fallen Leaf Campground is 1 of my favorite places to camp. I have camped in this area for the past 7 years. Early summer in the Sierras is the most amazing time of year for a visit. The meadows are lush and green. Snow still sits on the mountain peaks. The early wildflowers are just starting to bloom. There is still a crispness to the air. And, on occasion, there are thunderstorms. What fun!</div><div>I had made my reservations back in January. I like to be sure and get 1 of my "preferred" camp sites! Plus, it gives me something to look forward to during the long, cold winter months. When I was at the Pismo rally, I mentioned my trip to a few friends and they wanted to join in. A good old fashioned camp out!</div><div>As always, I was out the door at the crack of dawn. I covered the 210 miles in under 4 hours (including potty breaks!). My Chevy truck had no problem pulling the RR up the grade on Highway 50. I arrived at the pleasantly early hour of 9:30 am! I do like making the most of my vacation time! I got all set up in site #165. It is a nice spot with plenty of shade, privacy and a wonderful view of the meadow. Just a bit challenging to get the RR level!</div><div>Later in the afternoon, Margaret and Steve arrived from Roseville, CA. with their '66 Aristocrat. And after dinner, Anne-Marie from Oakland with her home-made teardrop trailer pulled in. Now the fun could begin!</div><div>Saturday morning, Margaret and Anne-Marie made breakfast for everyone in the Aristocrat. Then Anne-Marie and I took the hike to Big Meadow. A short but exhilarating trek, Big Meadow has some of the most spectacular views in the area. A leisurely afternoon brought a few rain showers. Good thing the Aristocrat has a nice, big awning! </div><div>For our Saturday night pot luck, Margaret and Steve cooked a chicken dish in their new Dutch oven. Anne-Marie roasted vegetables over the campfire. And I provided homemade blackberry pie with whipped cream. Why does food always taste better when you are camping?! Great food with good friends. Perfect!</div><div>Sunday was my turn to make breakfast. Then sadly, Margaret and Steve had to pack up and head for home. After cleaning up the breakfast mess, I took the 4.2 mile hike (with 1,200' elevation gain!) to Cathedral Lake. Either the trail gets a bit harder each year or I'm getting older ... This is my favorite hike at South Lake Tahoe. And I got my wish - there was still some snow on the trail!</div><div>Sunday night I opted for burgers in town with Anne-Marie. Then back for a big bonfire and off to an early bed.</div><div>Monday morning Anne-Marie had to leave, so I spent the day catching up on my reading. I took a nice afternoon walk around the west shore of Fallen Leaf Lake and collected some cool rocks to put around my new fish pond.</div><div>Tuesday it was my turn to pack up and crawl back home. My time here is never long enough. I did get 3 of my 4 wishes: I touched snow; I saw a wild columbine in bloom; there were thundershowers. But to my disappointment, I didn't see a bear. I heard the screaming and ruckus in the middle of the night. But that was all! No sightings : (</div><div>I was pleased with how the RR handled coming back down the mountain grade. It towed nice and straight without a lot of weight straining the braking system. I got home safe and sound. I cleaned out the RR and covered it up until our next camp adventure next month.</div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-38963713127976086152009-06-27T13:11:00.000-07:002009-06-27T13:32:55.071-07:00A new chapter<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOtIItrfYelSG-75aI_nIX8Vyixtb2WbwsthLNgvV9bVDLSLrJNB_HrjG6JIo_lFkhSxp6XH5ssH1z5SKzdBBgDnEzqPvOJhdAjwBTLOwt8ALen-yUca4JbcSokGAOUTJaotjW_kLAh0/s1600-h/KL+Tahoe+hike+6-09.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352107182658186850" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOtIItrfYelSG-75aI_nIX8Vyixtb2WbwsthLNgvV9bVDLSLrJNB_HrjG6JIo_lFkhSxp6XH5ssH1z5SKzdBBgDnEzqPvOJhdAjwBTLOwt8ALen-yUca4JbcSokGAOUTJaotjW_kLAh0/s320/KL+Tahoe+hike+6-09.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>With only a few minor details to finish up on the RR, my blog will be moving on from the restoration process to my travels in the little canned ham. It has been such a wonderful project for me. I have reached all of my goals and then some. I found an old trailer in need of love and attention. I gathered information, jumped in and tackled jobs I never thought I could do. I have made some wonderful new friends thru my Yahoo groups and from the rallies. I made mistakes and have learned from them. My confidence has grown tremendously. I am proud of what I have accomplished. It kept me busy and out of trouble ... for the most part : ) And now, I get to use and enjoy the RR. This might be the best part of the whole project!</div><div>I have plans to camp for 5 days each month from now thru October. I will visit some familiar campgrounds as well as explore some new places. There will be 2 more rallies to attend. And plenty of fun and adventures to keep me a happy camper!</div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-48344817823720530612009-06-22T19:14:00.000-07:002009-06-22T19:49:59.735-07:00Post rally blues<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrx9nUtH67nnzZFOW3PbHoO1myMGeMmJ2ApTtF8KP3U-lkmO14ODjQVKiYhwO-NdD_fivYRJxW15NZuT501o3Hc1tHCBycglFhcZMxK5xJOB2tGYE_mhfKp_bRM0zxR4DRkbdDLVsq3g/s1600-h/RR+rock+guard+open.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350348937365122754" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrx9nUtH67nnzZFOW3PbHoO1myMGeMmJ2ApTtF8KP3U-lkmO14ODjQVKiYhwO-NdD_fivYRJxW15NZuT501o3Hc1tHCBycglFhcZMxK5xJOB2tGYE_mhfKp_bRM0zxR4DRkbdDLVsq3g/s320/RR+rock+guard+open.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvEkh6xyhI_wUnQb6xhTrcBNd7kCrTb5efclgbgm31BWbNlj8XLfGOtNZSlL8B9v0wqIR_yLTV3yrPq8g8pho4w-1-zgizZBDpbY9KvC6ejBYPAtbg3AI80qMLCRDsCxSmawTuPJZVRQ/s1600-h/RR+rock+guard+closed.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350348928682034834" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvEkh6xyhI_wUnQb6xhTrcBNd7kCrTb5efclgbgm31BWbNlj8XLfGOtNZSlL8B9v0wqIR_yLTV3yrPq8g8pho4w-1-zgizZBDpbY9KvC6ejBYPAtbg3AI80qMLCRDsCxSmawTuPJZVRQ/s320/RR+rock+guard+closed.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>With all the excitement of the Pismo rally behind me, it was tough getting back into my work routine. I had spent the majority of my time for over 8 months working toward that goal and now there was a bit of a let down. I am the type that thrives on a challenge. I need to stay busy - mentally and physically. The RR had been the perfect project for me. So now what?</div><div>I did have a few things to finish up on my trailer. First priority was the rock guard. The rock guard is a fiberglass awning that folds flat against the front window while towing. It protects the glass from debris kicked up on the highway. There was a couple at the rally who had the side of their trailer literally blow apart after a rock took out the front window of their Fireball while driving home. $4,500. in damage. Very sad to see the pictures. I had already removed and cleaned the aluminum frame. Now it was time to get it done.</div><div>I had a piece of semi-transparent corrugated fiberglass left over from a patio roof project. I just needed to figure out how to get this piece of material into the frame. After going over the frame carefully, I am convinced the edges were riveted together after the fiberglass sheet was installed. I would need to cut the sheet slightly smaller than the frame so I could bend it into place. I did my best to measure carefully - hard to do when the sheet is wavy and flexible. I cut it with my favorite tool - my old jigsaw (best 75 bucks I've ever spent!). Of course, as I cut, the sheet wanted to jump up and down with the movement of the jig blade. For the hundredth time, an extra pair of hands would have made it much easier! Where is that darn dog when I need her help?? Probably napping on 1 of her 3 beds ... I made the cuts slowly and held a 2 x 4 on top to keep it from bouncing too much. At $30. a sheet, I didn't want to have to do it twice. I laid the frame out on my work table and began to wedge the fiberglass into place. Just as I would get 1 edge into the frame, the opposite side would pop out. Argh! I ended up using clamps to hold the material in place. I finally got it assembled and of course, one edge was less than straight. No big deal. Here again, nothing that some big globs of caulking can't fix! I sealed it into the frame and let it sit overnight to dry.</div><div>The next day, I installed the rock guard on the front of the RR. The frame was a bit off - slightly askew like it had been twisted. No surprise on this trailer! I attached the side mounts for the arms that hold the guard open when parked. I was pleased that I was able to put it all together and that it actually worked! It is a wonderful finishing touch to the RR. And it gives me one less thing to worry about during my travels.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-38357739883356112152009-06-19T17:45:00.000-07:002009-06-19T18:11:15.447-07:00R & R for the RR<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Pz3pUYskJB2svXyHWQHV7elB8njTkwngA2kok8fPBgmTEJjUFnKwQx-4x0AUtAydCY66jrZPp1E1yMIxXsHwrN6PHZHVC7K4bo5b4eQohW3Pwxl2zZYRg88oeyvFyDjnm_eYPz9Yl8Y/s1600-h/RR+Refugio+State+Beach+5-09.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349210118370462674" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Pz3pUYskJB2svXyHWQHV7elB8njTkwngA2kok8fPBgmTEJjUFnKwQx-4x0AUtAydCY66jrZPp1E1yMIxXsHwrN6PHZHVC7K4bo5b4eQohW3Pwxl2zZYRg88oeyvFyDjnm_eYPz9Yl8Y/s320/RR+Refugio+State+Beach+5-09.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>After a wonderful but exhausting long weekend at the Pismo rally, I was lucky to have some down time. I headed south to Refugio State Beach, located about 20 miles north of Santa Barbara. I had camped there once before and found it to be 1 of my 2 favorite campgrounds in California. Located right on the sand, the beach stretches for miles. At low tide, there are some amazing tide pools with lots sea shells for collecting! Dolphins frequently swim up and down the coast, right off shore. What more could I ask for?? I stayed for 5 nights. I caught up on my quiet time, read several good books and took 2 long walks each day. Ah, this is the life!</div><div>I was very comfortable camping in my little trailer. I am becoming really attached to the RR. In the beginning, I thought I'd just use it as my "guinea pig". Fix it up a bit, learn some new skills and then look for my "forever trailer". Now I'm not so sure. I would really like a Dalton for sentimental reasons. Or a 50's Shasta. I do still look at Craigslist and E Bay. If the right opportunity presented itself, I'd probably jump on it! But for now, I'm very happy with my canned ham. And with a camp trip planned for every month thru October, who has time for all that hard work?!</div><br /><div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-84974254995418204252009-06-17T17:47:00.000-07:002009-06-17T20:49:22.197-07:00Ready or not, Pismo here I come!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMg6ODQJnM87qbQvy5SY0QpP5gXji0cq4hODA2Uanv5rT3pmKGkTwCzDag350SYbWRrUG8kycVdQg7jrRolzWcuTZ9KJXMWsJPcEHXZ2XQa7C6mYX80fZ5vTQ4w1IDe5ZtLCdvHMm5ZuY/s1600-h/RR+Pismo+rally+staging.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348490417204272242" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMg6ODQJnM87qbQvy5SY0QpP5gXji0cq4hODA2Uanv5rT3pmKGkTwCzDag350SYbWRrUG8kycVdQg7jrRolzWcuTZ9KJXMWsJPcEHXZ2XQa7C6mYX80fZ5vTQ4w1IDe5ZtLCdvHMm5ZuY/s320/RR+Pismo+rally+staging.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_1kJ9pIWV_7goF7ypcd64eLZpJWD3AVs1c6VqKW_EGCI1aJMpJ5nUgq7P5Ws0U-ZsL7f73Nr97lkx0ca0b3b2Qof5DdqdKVEzaJdVR9ixD_NNIos3Vb1h4MgrmAOyRQJBmZO-3_MYPA/s1600-h/RR+Pismo+rally+sign.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348490412263175570" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_1kJ9pIWV_7goF7ypcd64eLZpJWD3AVs1c6VqKW_EGCI1aJMpJ5nUgq7P5Ws0U-ZsL7f73Nr97lkx0ca0b3b2Qof5DdqdKVEzaJdVR9ixD_NNIos3Vb1h4MgrmAOyRQJBmZO-3_MYPA/s320/RR+Pismo+rally+sign.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsQD6LnyuXHbUMMIEkLE99e7rG-UAWDet7i1idhcEwGlE4eM1ROcpfsReIa8xqvAgL7FuRllsSowhtlSgF7q2Yj8dJaUo8dW1K2An8rdS1PiRE8gYsgg1LyQX4rb_jLBQ0gMFv7yC2CM/s1600-h/RR+Pismo+rally.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348490410519576466" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsQD6LnyuXHbUMMIEkLE99e7rG-UAWDet7i1idhcEwGlE4eM1ROcpfsReIa8xqvAgL7FuRllsSowhtlSgF7q2Yj8dJaUo8dW1K2An8rdS1PiRE8gYsgg1LyQX4rb_jLBQ0gMFv7yC2CM/s320/RR+Pismo+rally.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KyC8RqllcJESht6QZto8p4SfvkV6BEWYkC5yU7j_mma5FAvv_15iAQHi5TTmVDmY549eZhSiiNQS5lCE4uhx5egAbbZ_7k9b9yriWwMDhC73v2Qrw_K9VkkP5kawlJq67aa6x-vZQqE/s1600-h/RR+towing+2+rally.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348490404371548178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KyC8RqllcJESht6QZto8p4SfvkV6BEWYkC5yU7j_mma5FAvv_15iAQHi5TTmVDmY549eZhSiiNQS5lCE4uhx5egAbbZ_7k9b9yriWwMDhC73v2Qrw_K9VkkP5kawlJq67aa6x-vZQqE/s320/RR+towing+2+rally.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>After 8 months of working and waiting, the big day finally arrived. I was on my way to the Pismo Beach, CA. vintage trailer rally. I think I was more excited than a 5 year old at Christmas! This was HUGE. All my hard work. All the friends I met last September at the Casini rally. All the wonderful people who have patiently offered me moral support and answered my endless questions thru my Yahoo groups. 3 days of wall to wall aluminum. Yipee!!!</div><div>On May 14th I was all packed and ready to roll. I couldn't sleep so I got a nice early start to my trip - out the gate by 4:30 am. At least I would beat the traffic thru the Bay Area! The ride south went off without a hitch. No problems or complaints. The RR towed like a dream. Its almost like the old trailer could sense it was time for its debut. 314 miles later, around noon, I pulled into Pismo Coast RV Park. There were vintage trailers everywhere. I had to remain focused to avoid hitting something! I got the RR all set up in my space and then set out to explore. </div><div>First person I found was my buddy Tom. He was there with his '66 Cardinal Deluxe. Another red and white beauty! It was like Tom and I were old friends. Gosh knows we had spent hours talking - he does have the gift of gab ; ) I found the host site and picked up my registration packet and t-shirt. Now it was official. I was a rally participant!</div><div>On Friday, the rest of the trailers pulled in. My dear old friend Jo arrived from L.A. with her Silver Streak. My "Casini" friends all showed up - Jerry and Francis from L.A. with their '69 Cardinal; Margaret and Steve from Roseville with their Cardinal; Anne-Marie from Oakland with her teardrop; "Professor" Mike and Sherri with their Airstream. And my fellow Yahoo groupies - Craig and Patty with their Airstream; Rachel and Joel from Sacramento area with their Shasta; Marti from Chico with her Shasta. So many cool trailers and even more way cool people.</div><div>Saturday was the big "open house" and flea market. I was torn between wanting to be a good hostess and staying at the RR and doing the trailer tour. So I divided my time between the two. There were 218 trailers of all makes, models, shapes and sizes. From the tiny teardrops to the big dual axle rigs - they were all fun to see. But I have to admit, one of my favorite things was a '60 VW rag top! As far as the trailers went, I really enjoyed seeing the Shastas and a few Daltons. It took me back to the times when I had camped as a child in these classics. I also managed to find a few treasures at the flea market. I bought a burnt orange chenille bedspread that matches the colors in my curtains perfectly. I picked up an old gallon size water jug that will look good when I "stage" my campsite at the next rally. I purchased a vintage style awning from Marti's Awnings. I chose one with bright yellow and white stripes. A perfect accessory for my trailer. Saturday was capped off with a pot luck. Good food and more good conversation. There were some late evening shenanigans around the bonfire. I'll spare you the long story, but it had to do with a certain person waking me up at 6:15 am and a stolen chandelier :) My partners in crime were Jerry and Francis and the "Marti Girls" (Marti and her 3 sisters). I get the feeling this was only the beginning in a long running series of pranks. I'm already plotting my next moves!!</div><div>Sunday was a group breakfast, more socializing and the wrapping up of the rally events. Most people had to pack up and head for home. A few of us were lucky and could stay until Monday. Overall, it was a wonderful event. One big happy family all with 1 thing in common - the disease of aluminitis and a strong desire to share it with others.</div></div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-40114594578728910822009-06-08T17:35:00.000-07:002009-06-08T18:31:46.698-07:00Down to the wire<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmElsMp7LzctJUndeBGACq-M5qQkGscjFQdKDyuV8ewxyP90CirQy1f1u7wxOyrCdMBwrMZf00O_lN2jKyp2jf9kcy3c_El6cMZCRz-2inE7w1F2StavOP4_b8TzpvAeQc79fGjaHXiCs/s1600-h/RR+Paul+welding+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345133494677344018" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 311px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmElsMp7LzctJUndeBGACq-M5qQkGscjFQdKDyuV8ewxyP90CirQy1f1u7wxOyrCdMBwrMZf00O_lN2jKyp2jf9kcy3c_El6cMZCRz-2inE7w1F2StavOP4_b8TzpvAeQc79fGjaHXiCs/s320/RR+Paul+welding+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEt6iV8mRRdSHn5nJi0EMkqrHp80ZCgaTobcfmBcEwCbwuakTXltESyOOvTDcOyTuF2oUMKkL_ke6-KV15yuDFYS52nBj_NP_aATbNaJmIAnlGJoPK91781k1ltYQu6uVEQweBHuk0iAQ/s1600-h/RR+old+-+new+wiring.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345133488606269890" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEt6iV8mRRdSHn5nJi0EMkqrHp80ZCgaTobcfmBcEwCbwuakTXltESyOOvTDcOyTuF2oUMKkL_ke6-KV15yuDFYS52nBj_NP_aATbNaJmIAnlGJoPK91781k1ltYQu6uVEQweBHuk0iAQ/s320/RR+old+-+new+wiring.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Life never ceases to amaze me. With my deadline quickly approaching, God decides to hand me a few extra challenges. Is this a test or what?? </div><div>I need to back up about 2 weeks and write about Rick the mechanic. He is the wonderful guy who came over about 2 months ago to do the barrings and brakes. I managed to get an appointment with him (he is a very popular guy!) for the 1 Monday in early May when we got record rainfall. He had planned on getting the brake controller hooked up in my truck and the trailer wiring dialed in. I can't make a road trip without functional brakes and trailer lights. When Rick arrived, it was just drizzling a bit. He got the brake controller installed no problem. Now on to the trailer. By this time, it is solid drizzle bordering on sprinkles. I'm like "this reminds me of Maui rains - nice and warm and no big deal!" Rick wasn't buying it. I got my big patio umbrella and set it up over him so he could stay dry. That worked for awhile until the weather turned to full on rain. He managed to get all the lights working but was having a problem with the brakes not activating. I could sense his frustration. I gave in and asked if he could come another day and finish up the job. He gladly agreed. I think he was just happy to collect his money and get out from under that umbrella! A few days before I left for the Pismo rally, he came back and was able to pinpoint the problem. One of the wires had pinched off in the connector. He fixed the connection and bingo -- I had trailer brakes! I just hope that the next time I need his help, he will take my call!!</div><div>The 1 other job that needed to be done before I hit the highway was some welding on the frame. This is WAY outta my league. Lucky for me I met Paul the welder at the Casini rally last September. Small world in that we have many mutual friends and clients. Paul has a growing case of aluminitis - he now has 3 vintage trailers! If only I had the space ... </div><div>He had stopped by and taken a look at the RR. 4 of the small angle irons on the sides of the main frame needed to be repaired. No problem for a handy guy like him. I hooked up my trailer and took it to his shop in Healdsburg. He got his gear and slid under the RR. All I could see were his legs and a bunch of sparks. I got a little nervous when he asked for a wet towel to cool the metal and then questioned where I kept any extra small propane canisters! I could just see all my hard work going up in flames :0 But Paul is a professional. I got away with only a few scorch marks. </div><div>With the last 2 major hurdles behind me, I could now focus on getting thru my final work week and packing for my trip. I know my RR is finally "rally ready". I just hope that I am!</div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-42490413350665862532009-05-27T18:27:00.000-07:002009-05-27T18:56:39.983-07:001000 loose ends<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5F30qTOfeBOePp66HvhLybxliwBLx7qDg6kxNPTirJr7NtOhcoDySOQaAGUlsfMBLm1PYTybsS0-R892D43V7HIku0kWvJk1K4tnHr0tF3ia7P3WB4CFTNtImzfEUUmD7kYB85yu3xUA/s1600-h/RR+sink+topper.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340686820603843042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5F30qTOfeBOePp66HvhLybxliwBLx7qDg6kxNPTirJr7NtOhcoDySOQaAGUlsfMBLm1PYTybsS0-R892D43V7HIku0kWvJk1K4tnHr0tF3ia7P3WB4CFTNtImzfEUUmD7kYB85yu3xUA/s320/RR+sink+topper.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyW-3_mWvCEqbRNfXkz7I6Hw4cR8lfpZTuqFvBXqWeyEC1ADIUp1Tf4Svu2atl3Vp67bcsFLmCE01o6Pd8VCpJ6Z9AIE8DaNxGJBF6beDOW_vFNuu4pAtJIBeDDQs-Dmm492_6XiyQYg/s1600-h/RR+painted+wheel.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340686815448192322" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyW-3_mWvCEqbRNfXkz7I6Hw4cR8lfpZTuqFvBXqWeyEC1ADIUp1Tf4Svu2atl3Vp67bcsFLmCE01o6Pd8VCpJ6Z9AIE8DaNxGJBF6beDOW_vFNuu4pAtJIBeDDQs-Dmm492_6XiyQYg/s320/RR+painted+wheel.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>With just a few weeks until the rally, I had a long list of small projects to finish on the RR. It is the tedious tasks that I hate the most. So I made a bargain with myself. Do 1 or 2 of the less desirable things on the list, then do something fun. </div><div>I needed to trim all the excess butyl putty tape from the drip railings and seal any gaps with a special elastomeric caulking. HATED IT. Then I spray painted the wheels. FUN! I scraped all the loose paint from the frame. HATED IT. Then I painted the exposed parts of the frame. FUN! I had to reposition the drip cap over the door (I'll spare you the long story on this - it has to do with the door not being aligned quite right). HATED IT. Then I measured, cut and finished a wooden board to cover my sink. REALLY FUN! You get the idea? :) It was all about staying motivated at this point. </div><div>My big reward came when I got to pack some things into the RR. I put all my avocado and gold melamine dishes in the cupboard above the sink. All the pots and pans went below the oven. I have several boxes of "camp essentials" in the cupboards above the table. This is everything from extra batteries, electrical tape, waterproof matches and first aid kit to playing cards and my backgammon board. I would have been such a good girl scout! </div><div>With my list getting shorter and with time running out, I could actually see light at the end of the tunnel. Everything seems to get falling into place right on time. Now if I could survive the last week without any major incidents!</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-6483916211117521572009-05-25T14:03:00.001-07:002009-05-25T14:26:56.732-07:00Maiden voyage!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRmse7qSOQHAJgSJLSdJ9AMzwYeD9hqCsHaCOQB-lAdCnkrnZp7ODV-95rF79PCbSjbSkk52LAqlz4Ujrz6pPjGE2GyxCb6PzV-ncLwbBd450Ur4soV3PaiMiFIjRGjN7c7OEYiXYNeo/s1600-h/RR+Spring+Lake+4-17-09.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339875226227946514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRmse7qSOQHAJgSJLSdJ9AMzwYeD9hqCsHaCOQB-lAdCnkrnZp7ODV-95rF79PCbSjbSkk52LAqlz4Ujrz6pPjGE2GyxCb6PzV-ncLwbBd450Ur4soV3PaiMiFIjRGjN7c7OEYiXYNeo/s320/RR+Spring+Lake+4-17-09.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2LAYz9wnLijR2wJFLtJo-491Kum5r92plXlQWvjY26HC-jiTVxoy8N5Eo70thEjE-nvrNVvLAwkZqkcCCGHUPP3BsWuZljItYIO8JprU6uGgh4B6diSxl4ejvzcva3aIV-yWrE5kro8/s1600-h/RR+maiden+voyage+D.+side.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339875215550934066" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2LAYz9wnLijR2wJFLtJo-491Kum5r92plXlQWvjY26HC-jiTVxoy8N5Eo70thEjE-nvrNVvLAwkZqkcCCGHUPP3BsWuZljItYIO8JprU6uGgh4B6diSxl4ejvzcva3aIV-yWrE5kro8/s320/RR+maiden+voyage+D.+side.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>I haven't done a very good job of keeping up with my blogging. Spring is such a busy time of year for my gardening business. On top of that, I have a trailer that needed to be finished by mid-May. A big vintage trailer rally was scheduled for the weekend of May 15th in Pismo Beach, CA. I was determined to be rally-ready and looking good by then! </div><div>One thing I wanted to do was a trial run in the RR. I'd rather work out any problems while I'm close to home and not 350 miles down the coast. April 17th I went to Spring Lake Campground in Santa Rosa for 2 nights. Urban camping - but it would serve the purpose. I threw in a few essentials (a good book and a chair!) and off I went. I noticed immediately that I was getting a lot of bounce while towing the RR. When I returned home, I consulted with my fellow trailerites and learned that I needed to load more weight to the forward part of the trailer. I also made a list of things to do and things to pack. Overall, it was a grand success. After over 6 months of hard work, I was finally able to sleep in my little trailer! Hopefully, this was only the first of many more adventures to come.</div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-48538783865715852112009-05-02T15:57:00.000-07:002009-05-02T16:29:51.936-07:00Eating crow<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBE-Q0ifNDId4erUcGWT3Dv_iKV016lvrcL1X93SrwOCMuqpv8cOlay4Iqv8A7lMz_0-dxeSWoZCq5pYM4SHNdDaqVkRGW3K73Ue-2ypW-amSwbTA1BJLQzJwD2nxDp0_21y2RmQHxvZw/s1600-h/RR+new+curtains+closed.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331371362049202626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBE-Q0ifNDId4erUcGWT3Dv_iKV016lvrcL1X93SrwOCMuqpv8cOlay4Iqv8A7lMz_0-dxeSWoZCq5pYM4SHNdDaqVkRGW3K73Ue-2ypW-amSwbTA1BJLQzJwD2nxDp0_21y2RmQHxvZw/s320/RR+new+curtains+closed.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKOUxCl3NxYqCLc67xA9axLREbpV1YzcfSSH3H3yVzAl4l_9t05g4HHE1i3o6sRscPOxXpgM2HFLkAOyRe_SB7CZ5oZwKjFSzNux4RtejS_JPUMgMrV_ceRcUQxWd8pAf7kMci0Fvfp7A/s1600-h/RR+new+curtains.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331371357404761570" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKOUxCl3NxYqCLc67xA9axLREbpV1YzcfSSH3H3yVzAl4l_9t05g4HHE1i3o6sRscPOxXpgM2HFLkAOyRe_SB7CZ5oZwKjFSzNux4RtejS_JPUMgMrV_ceRcUQxWd8pAf7kMci0Fvfp7A/s320/RR+new+curtains.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>From the beginning, I was determined to restore the RR with as little help as possible. Silly, I know. Maybe I am just trying to prove to myself that I can do anything I set my mind to. I knew that I'd have help with the wheels and brakes. Being safe on the road is more important than being self sufficient. I have mentioned several times how I was planning on making the curtains myself. I even bought a vintage sewing machine at an estate sale! I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and do something that wasn't about demolition and rebuilding! Well ... I caved in. Push came to shove and with my time in short supply these days, I asked for help!</div><div>Karen, one of my favorite clients, offered to sew the curtains for me. She is an amazing watercolor artist with an eye for detail. I knew she would do a better job than I ever could.</div><div>She came over and checked out the RR. She measured and calculated the dimensions. She spent hours figuring out to lay the fabric out correctly. Things that I would never have thought of -- how will the weight of the fabric affect the "bunching" on the rod; how to have each curtain long enough without having it touch the tops of the benches or the kitchen back splash; how to add a lining on the backside of the fabric so it will look "finished" from the outside. OMG - this is like an algebra equation! Way too much for my brain to process. I'll stick with a hammer or a drill!! She sewed one set to be sure it looked just right. Then she finished up the sets for all 7 windows. Her workmanship is incredible. All the seams are straight and even. The width and length of each panel fits with the corresponding window perfectly. I am blown away how different the RR looks the new curtains. And I couldn't have done it without her : )</div><div>I bought some off-white cording for the tie-backs. At least that part of the window dressings I could do all by myself!!!</div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298535034593806663.post-22386383804628404952009-04-26T17:05:00.000-07:002009-04-26T17:35:51.034-07:00Seeing red<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcKsSSFtBQ0iGCbwPkELo5_WOHE3dJ4xAjdstmttzkY5KHreYWHnubQes6w_o39Oznr4Pgzr_S6ReN6hcI4oYSEaMJZ1KoMG6R1S_tDpLEVWwjiQODC05h60WO6M53SXe1PQ-kA7ax3g/s1600-h/RR+red+stripe+-+old+%26+new.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329162750521605362" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcKsSSFtBQ0iGCbwPkELo5_WOHE3dJ4xAjdstmttzkY5KHreYWHnubQes6w_o39Oznr4Pgzr_S6ReN6hcI4oYSEaMJZ1KoMG6R1S_tDpLEVWwjiQODC05h60WO6M53SXe1PQ-kA7ax3g/s320/RR+red+stripe+-+old+%26+new.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXH20206li3bfVVf5V2VuTfHMCpxnmJUrWu0x_Tt998Q_MXoRQDM_3wNgbO3D2L4U7NBl2JzCXaBA25qWpWNbXxM1Qkx6fK6bdTgijAMRNgNYql8cRv4B4MLmg9FGowP1_kUdFLlTipTY/s1600-h/RR+red+stripe+masking.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329162743729370530" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXH20206li3bfVVf5V2VuTfHMCpxnmJUrWu0x_Tt998Q_MXoRQDM_3wNgbO3D2L4U7NBl2JzCXaBA25qWpWNbXxM1Qkx6fK6bdTgijAMRNgNYql8cRv4B4MLmg9FGowP1_kUdFLlTipTY/s320/RR+red+stripe+masking.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>After allowing the required time for the white paint to dry, I was ready to paint the red stripe. Ah, red. My favorite color and one of the two requirements when I was looking for a trailer to purchase. I went with "safety red" in rattle cans. With a name like that, how could I go wrong? And I wouldn't even need to worry if any over spray got on my truck! A perfectly matching pair. Wouldn't it be sweet if I could find a '62 Chevy pickup to tow with!</div><div>Yes, the wind was still blowing. Funny how I never paid much attention to wind speeds before. Now it is right up there with temperature and humidity. I did all the required masking. Tedious at best, but essential to a successful outcome. Only a few scratches needed to be primed. Then on to the color coat. Beautiful, bright new red. It covered so much easier than the white had. Methodically, back and forth, nice and even. I sprayed the entire stripe in about an hour. I was so pleased with the finished product.</div><div>I let the paint set up overnight and then went to work removing all the painter's tape and plastic sheeting. There were a few areas where I didn't get perfect contact with the tape and some red spray seeped under onto the white. Oh well. At some point I can go back and touch up those spots. Then there was the roof. If I remember correctly, the day I painted the roof the wind was blowing about 25 MPH. I had a feeling I was pushing my luck and should have waited and done it another time. Me, wait? HA! So when I peeled the tape and plastic from the roofing, the white paint came right off! Big stripes of exposed bare aluminum. All I could do was laugh. Another day and time, I probably would have cried. I was just grateful that it was the roof and not the sides that would need to be repainted. Perhaps there is a lesson here somewhere .....</div><br /><br /><div></div></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06421548463630326079noreply@blogger.com0