RV: Re-string Shade. Remove Decals. Insulated Shades. Awning Tears. Tires. ‘Tail Swing’. Squirrels. Nagasaki. Nixon – Ford.

For “tRaVersing Thursday, or RV Day”:

How to re-string a pleated RV window shade:

 
“Pleated day/night window shades are a common feature in just about every class of RV. Since the design relies on thin fabric cords sliding across hard plastic parts, cord wear and breakage is a distinct possibility. Part of the inherent problem with the design is that there needs to be enough tension on the cords to hold the shades where you put them, preventing them from falling on their own. The good thing is that re-stringing a pleated RV window shade is a Do-it-Yourselfer's dream job. Read more and watch a video demonstration.

“The good thing is that re-stringing a pleated RV window shade is a Do-it-Yourselfer's dream job, with the vast majority of the cost being labor, inexpensive & readily available replacement parts (just the cord) and no special mechanical skills or tools required. A little time, patience and care are all that's needed for this task.”

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The U.S. Department of Interior, parent agency of the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management says it contributed $385 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than two million jobs in 2011.

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“Don't mummify your dog poop. That's what BioGroupUSA exhorts. Picking up dog doo-doo with a plastic bag may make you a good neighbor, but poly-based bags last hundreds of years and cause dog poop to mummify, not decompose. Its BioBags breath, break down and are compostable. Call (727) 789-1646 for more info.” Or: http://www.biobagusa.com/biobag_dog.htm

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Remove those unwanted RV decals and stripes
Weather and time aren't always friendly when it comes to RV decorations. The more "graphics" and "decals" the manufacturers stick on the side, the more the sun and weather seem to just degrade and fade them. Are you "stuck" with a lot of faded stick-ons? Here's a few tricks to try to get rid of the unwanted cling-ons. Read more.

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Awning torn? Here's how to repair it.

 
Vinyl RV awnings are easily subject to small tears--ones that left on their own can get much larger. The simple act of opening the RV door with the awning just a "bit too low" can leave a small, but nasty snag. Fixing a small tear in an area where physical strength isn't at issue is easy. Here's how.

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More cooling tips -- thermal insulation for your windows. It works!
As you probably learned in the last issue, Rich Miller, the Wanderman, likes to be cool. He does not like heat (well, at least in the streamy summer of the Northeast). In his blog this week he continues his discussion about how to keep an RV cool. Read all about it.

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RV Tire Safety
A tire autopsy "Root Cause" part one
In part one of this series, our tire expert Roger Marble explains the difference between reporting a condition such as "The tire went flat" and the "Root Cause" or fundamental reason why a tire is in the condition it is in. This is a critical item if you want to try and prevent another tire failure. Read more.

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Learn your RV's "tail swing" factor
“"Tail swing" is the term used to describe the effects of the length of a motorhome or trailer's overhang beyond the rear axle. Many an RVer has learned the hard way that pulling a sharp turn away from a fuel pump (or other object close to the side of the rig) that tail swing is a reality to be reckoned with. Repair bills for crunched corners are not fun. Read more.”   “One foot of tail swing for every three feet of distance behind the center of the axle or center of two axles. A 10 foot overhang would produce approximately 3.3 feet of tail swing in a hard left or right turn. Also depends on the turning radius of the vehicle.”

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Squirrel invasion. What to do?
Dear Gary,
“I need some help with a little problem. After a recent camping trip I discovered that squirrels had been in the engine compartment of my vehicle and had eaten through some of the wiring. The dealership that repairs my vehicle is giving me a $200.00 estimate to repair the damage the squirrels caused. It seems there is no absolute solution to this problem. I called the campground where this occurred to advise them and to let campers know what happened to me. Please help! Do you have a solution that works?”
Read Gary's response.

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Mercy! Mercedes camper!

“OK, we keep making the mistake that we think we've seen it all. And then comes (drum roll, please) the Mercedes Benz truck camper. OK, maybe it's a car camper.”

From: http://weirdrvs.rvtravel.com/2012/07/mercy-mercedes-camper.html

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On This Day:

 

Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Aug 9, 1945:

“On this day in 1945, a second atom bomb is dropped on Japan by the United States, at Nagasaki, resulting finally in Japan's unconditional surrender.”

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Unusual succession makes Ford president, Aug 9, 1974:

“In accordance with his statement of resignation the previous evening, Richard M. Nixon officially ends his term as the 37th president of the United States at noon. Before departing with his family in a helicopter from the White House lawn, he smiled farewell and enigmatically raised his arms in a victory or peace salute. The helicopter door was then closed, and the Nixon family began their journey home to San Clemente, California. Richard Nixon was the first U.S. president to resign from office.

Minutes later, Vice President Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the 38th president of the United States in the East Room of the White House. After taking the oath of office, President Ford spoke to the nation in a television address, declaring, "My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over."

Ford, the first president who came to the office through appointment rather than election, had replaced Spiro Agnew as vice president only eight months before. In a political scandal independent of the Nixon administration's wrongdoings in the Watergate affair, Agnew had been forced to resign in disgrace after he was charged with income tax evasion and political corruption. In September 1974, Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he may have committed while in office, explaining that he wanted to end the national divisions created by the Watergate scandal.”

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Yesterday:

Misty and I drove down to Jay’s to pick him up for our weekly shopping trip.

We quickly looked in four thrift shops.  Jay bought some more Crocs, and a couple of T-shirts.  I bought some little blue and white china dishes, a necklace, and a cotton nightie.

The main event was to pick up Jay’s mother’s prescription at Walmart, and return some things there. Then on to Petsmart to buy some canned food for the puppies.  They eat more and more each day.