22 May 2023 - Slide Ski Installation and Evening Celebration

 

Today the Alliance "Ally" team that is camping here at Whispering Hills joined forces to tackle slide skis on three coaches.  Skis on fifth wheel slide-outs look like a snow ski.  They are plastic sheets about 4 inches wide that are curved up at the inside end and provide a surface for the slide-out to extend and retract on.  The left-hand slide-out is the heaviest because the refrigerator, stove, and television cabinetry live on that slide-out.  After time and weather they become brittle and crack.  Then the continual extending and retracting of the slide-out will cause them to split and fail.  Both the front a rear skis on the off-door side (left side) of my coach were cracked and getting worse after every stop.

The rear ski on my off door side slide-out.

The front ski on my off door side slide-out.

When we were in Texas we picked up new slide skis that are made out of stainless steel.  This is obviously more substantial that the plastic ones.  So the off door side slide-out (2 skis) took us about two hours because there was some preparation involved and the door side slide-out (2 skis) took us one hour.  No issues.

A split plastic ski

A close-up of one of the new stainless steel skis

We then moved to George Walker's trailer and then to Ralph Lowther's trailer.  Each one is a bit unique but generally the same.  Bottom line ios we got everyone fixed up and then when we get to Elkhart we will do the skis on my son-in-law Keith Ervin's coach.

While we worked on the skis the girls were planning a pot luck event tonight, also known as a "Throw-on".  Someone fires up a grill and you "throw-on" whatever meat you want, and then you bring a side or multiple sides along with beverages and everyone enjoys! 

Weller, a premium Buffalo Trace bourbon - most excellent!

Legends 87 - a fantastic Gorgia distilled bourbon.  

I was not familiar with this one, but also a Gorgia bourbon with great flavor!

 That is it for today.  Tomorrow we have an Amazon delivery arriving involving a new lawn chair and a pop rivet gut we need to exchange the table.  Later we plan to head into town and enjoy some local spirits and food!