24/7 Chat About Anything

[NctryBen]

Maki2... not a bad idea. About the only time I might muster up enough whatever to be in an urban setting for any amount of time when the people from there are all out ripping up the forests.
Just spent two days working in the cemetery getting it ready for such a weekend. Usually I work thinking about the people that have passed. The last two days I got to see family of both people I know and some I don’t know. One I don’t... a mother of a gal that lost her daughter in an accident. I sometimes in my head complain about the “crap” around the stones I have to mess with. This one has a short log hollowed out as a flower pot of sorts. I told the mother how I sometimes move it to knock down the weeds and put it back. It is getting a little rotten so I have to be careful. I know she said, but it was put out there by my daughters grandma so I’ll leave it there as long as I can. Wow, I look at all that “crap” a whole lot different. Another lady I see every year. She has to have a family member escort her to place flowers and clean up the stones of family graves. She always thanks me for taking care of things there. I saw a relative... cousin who came with her daughter. My cousin just lost her husband this year and being in a cemetery I could tell the daughter was still hurting pretty bad from losing her dad a few short months ago. I mentioned I had to be stepping down from my township maintenance duties soon and everyone has been so kind. But this year I’ve seen so many people... kind of why even though I set things up to make it easier it took two full days. Stopping now and again to talk with people. You think you know some through reputation and such. But when you hear about people through the eyes of their loved ones you sometimes wanna ask.... are we talking about the same person I’ve heard so much about?
I often wonder why my great grandparents were not buried here. After all, they were originals of our township. My great grandfather was the first town board chairman... and had the first store in town. This Memorial Day I hope we can remember of course the military veterans who helped us to live as we do. But the people also that went before us that got us this far. Yes, there isn’t roses in every story. But if you learn about people’s true colors and such, you can appreciate more the people around you. You wanna know more about me?... I just burnt my tongue on my coffee, haha.
Off to drive a fire truck in escorting the body of a fallen fellow firefighter...

 

[travelaround]

I like the urban camping idea, Maki. I barely noticed Memorial Day here. We're so far off the beaten path few people come here. My neighborhood isn't in the main part of town and I stayed home most of the weekend... it was quiet here, which is how I like it. I did do some errands on Saturday but saw nothing to indicate more people than usual being in town.

There was a group who went to put flowers and flags in the cemetery here. All the graves got flowers and the veterans got flags.

I wanted to go help, but I've been having problems walking because of plantar fasciitis in one foot... so I decided not to go as it would mean my foot would start hurting more if I walked a lot on it. I did put books away in the library last week, and barely got through that.... it involves a lot of walking around the one-tiny-room library... and then my foot hurt more for a day afterward. I wanted to lose weight this year but I can't even take walks until this clears up so I don't want to exacerbate it.

Wow, long explanation for why I didn't get to help at the cemetery this Memorial Day. Hopefully, next year!

 

[maki2]

There are easy exercises to fix plantar fasciitis. My little travel trailer has a lower roof area over my bed. I can lie in bed and put my toes against it and do those helpful hamstring stretches with ease. Sine I started doing that several mornings a week no more painful episodes. It is not about how much you weigh, you just have to stretch those leg muscles to keep the muscle from contacting and pulling too tight at the ends in your feet. Watch some YouTube videos and find what works for you. My doing it lying on my back means I am never going to lose my balance or even be uncomfortable. Easy peasy fix that is pain free to do.

 

[maki2]

Keeping things shady on the side where my 12v fridge is. 90% cloth on the top and 70% on the drop. This photo is from late afternoon and the tall limber pines are now casting shadows into the clearing.

 

[Camper]

Where do I get the 90% and 70% cloth? What exactly is it called? Happen to have a link to it? Thanks

 

[AmargosaWayne]

Use these search terms.

"90% shade cloth"
https://www.amazon.com/JTsuncover-Heavy-Shade-Cloth-Fabric/dp/B07MZNWSMC
"70% shade cloth"
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/70-percent-green-shade-cloth

 

[abnorm]

Sun Shades................Sun Sails

My first one was a 90% 20' x 13' Cool-A-Roo from Australia....TX bought it and gifted it to me....4 yrs later this Winter......a corner tore and Maki recycled the fabric

I replaced that first one with an exact same size SUNNY brand....Sold by Wayfair......Cheap so I bought two.......$50 ea

The first SUNNY has a "run/defect" in the fabric.....still works OK.......I haven't opened the spare.....I'll never get it back in the package !!!!!!

Couple thoughts...............

The curved edges pull tighter and make less NOISE in the wind.........the straight edges tend to Flap

I find Sand/Tan/Beige colors are easy on the eyes while you're under the tarp

Every use is different........I hang it from the Corner D-rings.......Maki uses Grommets and Ball bungees and RV track

YMMV

 

[Camper]

Thanks for the info.... now to design a frame to mount it on my cargo trailer.

Think I may use 1" aluminum tubing since I have plenty left over from another project.

 

[maki2]

I actually use a flexible plastic track that can take curves. It is sold by marine sources and is used primarily on fiberglass boats. It's not typically available from RV supply sources. I wanted the black color and narrow profile for an upper trim detail on my fiberglass trailer. Looks like an intentional, integrated design feature instead of looking like a slapped on piece of aluminum channel.

My trailer has a color scheme that looks custom built for my Honda Element. Just an illusion though as my trailer is actually a 50 year old vintage that has a similar boxy shape. People call the boxy Honda Elements Toasters. Well my trailer actually has a pop-up top on it. A toaster pulling a toaster.

 

[Camper]

I'll connect it to my aluminum solar rack on the trailer.

 

[NctryBen]

I had envisioned using a rain tarp for shade. But after being around the desert rain is hardly the issue when I’m there. And the sun is pretty much a killer for 1.1oz sil nylon. So that shade stuff is what I may have to invest in...
So, looks like everyone survived the long weekend. There was pretty crappy weather here... but still a lot of people made the trek up to the lakes.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Just so yall know, Abnorm had gone to all the trouble to gift a van-rally t-shirt to me....which I do wear! But then I had bought this HUUUGE shade-sail that I thought I might use someday...but nope...so it seemed to be just what the doug-mobile needed!

I think 4 years on the Traveling Transit in all kinds of weather and nearly daily use...would have lasted a part timer or weekend warrior 25 years!

I'm glad that old cool-a-roo is having a second chance at camping life!

 

[abnorm]

It keeps going and going....................

Welcome Mr Moderator

 

[tx2sturgis]

I know...how did that happen?

 

[maki2]

My rain shade is made from silpoly fabric. There are a few companies online that sell it. It has natural UV resistance but I only deploy it on rainy days when UV is not much of an issue anyway.

The keywords you need to find an already made silpoly tarp are polyester silicone tarp. Mostly they are found from companies that sell silpoly camping hammocks used for sleeping in at night rather than the less expensive lounging hammocks.

I bought the supply for my rain shade as basic fabric yardage from ripstopbytheroll. Then I sewed on a Kedar header that slides into my awning track at the top edge and added reinforcing squares of Sunbrella polyester fabric at the lower corners and center of lower edge and put grommets into those reinforced areas so I could tie it out on a slant oner the windows on my travel trailer. That is needed to keep out the water if I want to open a window when it is raining. My fiberglass trailer has sloped sides with sliding windows.

I was fortunate to be doing my build near the company Seattle Fabrics. Their specialty is selling fabrics and fasteners for making sports /camping gear. You can learn a lot about such fabrics when you are free to wander around in such a place

Monsoon season in Arizona officially starts on June 15 and the long range forecast for Flagstaff is now showing a string of partly cloudy days for next week.

 

[vanbrat]

I have made my own shade/rain cloth for the van I got nylon rain cloth very light weight. first I used some marine grade silicone glue to hold rings to the van roof. They worked of the side but not over the back where I cook. so friend told me more about how to get it to work and tried again. Nope still did not work. I was trying to get to much stress on just 2 rings. First puff of a breeze and down they came. So I went back to the drawing board. Now I have some high grade velcro made for indoor outdoor use. It had some glue on the back and after really following all the directions it stuck. Sewed the other side to the nylon and it works! I don't know how high of a wind it hold up to but it worked in the rain this last trip.

 

[maki2]

Looks like the Flagstaff area will be heading into the lower 90s in a week or so. That will have a lot of the nomads heading north into Colorado! I will likely just head higher up towards the Humphrey peak pass NW of Flagstaff. Plenty of trees there to produce some shade to put my zero gravity chair in.

 

[travelaround]

We've got rain for the next few days in Northern California. I'm working on my little garden this weekend... just a few plants and flowers to see when I step outside my trailer to do the laundry.......... my washing machine is hooked up just outside the travel trailer door now. Very convenient - and I'm hanging my laundry inside to dry. The little washing machine isn't big enough to do blankets but is large enough for everything else.

It has been so windy here the last few weeks I haven't had any shade cloths hung outside. I do have awnings on my travel trailer and cargo trailer but can't use them with this kind of wind happening. I have a black shade cloth I wanted to hang out there too, and more, but no... not now. Maybe during summer there will be less wind.

 

[NctryBen]

Boy, I hope there is a big gap in rain here. Our lake is full... and the bugs are plentiful. Temps are still cool, although today is supposed to be 68. haha!

 

[maki2]

We've got rain for the next few days in Northern California. I'm working on my little garden this weekend... just a few plants and flowers to see when I step outside my trailer to do the laundry.......... my washing machine is hooked up just outside the travel trailer door now. Very convenient - and I'm hanging my laundry inside to dry. The little washing machine isn't big enough to do blankets but is large enough for everything else.

It has been so windy here the last few weeks I haven't had any shade cloths hung outside. I do have awnings on my travel trailer and cargo trailer but can't use them with this kind of wind happening. I have a black shade cloth I wanted to hang out there too, and more, but no... not now. Maybe during summer there will be less wind.

Perhaps this summer you will be able to put up a new carport adjacent to your travel trailer. Shade to sit under and clothes lines inside it for rainy days. Plus a place to work on projects.