Changes In Altitude!

     It's been a while since my last blog entry - and that's because there hasn't been a whole lot going on. We spent 9 nights in Sparks, Nevada at Sparks Marina RV Park. There is a paved 2 mile walking path around Sparks Marina Park Pond that Travis, Suzanne and I walked daily (sometimes twice). The walking path is about a quarter mile from the RV park so the entire loop actually totaled 2.5 miles. 

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     We had some windy conditions a couple days into our stay with gusts in the 30mph range. I had retracted the full slide during the worst of it and deployed it only 6 inches or so after gust warnings ended and the wind had abated. Unfortunately the forecast was a bit off and a couple hours after the wind gust warning was lifted - back came the wind. It wasn't as bad as before so I left the slide in its semi-deployed state...big mistake.  A sudden, very strong gust billowed the 35 foot vinyl slide topper. What followed was the cringe-worthy, unmistakable sound of the roller tube flexing and disengaging from the end caps and the inner spring violently becoming 'unsprung'. I immediately went out to survey the situation where I met our neighbor, who had come outside thinking a window had shattered. 

     The next morning Suzanne helped me remove the vinyl topper from its tracks. We folded it up and placed it in the back of the Traverse then I went back up on the roof and spent the next hour or so getting the roller tube back in its end caps. 

     There are three retainer mechanisms mounted along the length of the topper housing. I bought some 1/2" PVC air hose at Lowe's, cut twelve 2" sections and drove them onto the retainer rollers - thus increasing their diameter. My hope is that the modification with prevent the roller tube from slipping out of position in moderately high winds. I've had this happen three times now - and it shouldn't be happening. Not in winds of this velocity. 

     We left Sparks Sunday (yesterday) morning for Napa, California where we have a spot reserved at Napa Valley Exposition RV Park for six nights and where we will spend Thanksgiving with Suzanne's sister Barb and her family. We were here two years ago in the coach. There are several blog entries from that visit if you're interested. 

   Yesterday's 196 mile trek began with gains in altitude - first, with the gradual climb from Sparks (4,400') to Truckee (5,817') and culminating with the chug up and over Donner Pass (7,056'). 

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     We used to live in Napa and spent quite a bit of time skiing at the many world-class resorts in the Lake Tahoe area. Alpine Meadows, Northstar, Squaw Valley... it was a lot of fun! We have many fond memories of time spent with our kids playing in these mountains. 

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     Saw this sign guy in Sparks... "Axe Throwing & Smash Rooms" at a local bar. I'm familiar with axe throwing but had never heard of a smash room - so I Googled it. Seems there are rooms (also called Rage Rooms) where you can smash the hell out of TVs and various pieces of furniture with a baseball bat. 

     Sometimes I feel as if I've lived too long.

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       It's always nice visiting Napa. Things have changed so much since we left here back in 1996! 

       Barb & Vince invited us to dinner last night and brunch this afternoon. Tomorrow afternoon I'll be grilling steaks for the four of us here at the RV park.

       Life is good.

Thanks for checking out the blog!