Repair: Rear Window

We decided to go all Alfred Hitchcock and address the Rear Window (10 points if you get this.)  Anyway, the rear window was leaking and we realized that our band aid re-caulking job from last year was not cutting it anymore...time to do it right.

First we had to take the shade and valance down so we could get to the inside frame to unscrew it.

The on to the window itself.  This bad boy wasn't easy to get out - lots of putty knife work around the old caulk and butyl tape, especially on the sides and bottom.  The top was the problem where very little was left and just let the water right in.  

Tons of elbow grease and alcohol got the old caulk and butyl tape residue off both the fiberglass and the window frame.  This part was not fun.

I masked up the window and made it all nice and new with the help of the good folks at Krylon.

Meanwhile Kevin took care of the section of plywood at the top that had seen too much wetness.  It was delaminated but not rotted, however we decided to take the extra step to be safe and painted on the Rot Fix stuff just to be sure of a good repair job.

After that we used marine epoxy and some clamps to re-laminate the layers.

Fresh butyl tape applied (tip on this stuff - keep it stored in the freezer for easier handling) and back in she went!

Viola!  The bonus is that the window is now the cleanest it has been since we've owned it ;)

NC - State Fairgrounds Campground

We went to Raleigh to visit Kevin's sister and brother in law and to run the Rock and Roll Half Marathon.  We really wanted to stay somewhere closer in town than out along I-95, so I started searching and found that the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh has campsites - $25 a night for full hook-ups and close to everything - perfect!

We picked the end row, near a big grassy area which was perfect for throwing a ball around for the puppies.  We also saw a family flying kites there :)

Theo had a fun overnight with Aunt Kathryn, Uncle Pee Wee, and Penny...and loved the recliners in the man cave (ahem, it is a woman cave too!)

Kevin and I had a really good race - not the fastest for either one of us since the rolling hills were relentless, but it was a beautiful course and a great way to see Raleigh.  Lots of great crowd support and fun creative signs along the course!

Alas, we had to tag team the rest of our visit since Theo came down with a bug with a fever, chills, aches, and a sore throat :(  Poor peanut.  This is how he spent the good part of Sunday afternoon and Monday:

At least we were in our own comfy camper and not stuck being sick in an unfamiliar hotel room.  

Kathryn and I took the dogs for a nice walk at the art museum that is close to the fairgrounds - great outdoor trail with large works and it links to the greenway system.  Dogs allowed, yay!  We will definitely put this on our list for next time when we can all go together and spend more time!

Theo did rest enough to rally for a final hurrah dinner:

VA - Mountain Cove Winery

Yes, you read right - an overnight at a winery!  We joined Harvest Hosts and now we can access a whole bunch of wineries, farms, and even a few museums that allow RV'ers to stay overnight.  This was our first stay and it was great!  A little bit of a route modification for us, but so worth it!

We had a great wine tasting and chat with the owner (no tastings for Theo of course, much to his disappointment) and picked up a few bottles as well as some homemade jam :)

The weather was great and we had such a nice relaxing evening walking the dogs and playing some Mad Libs.  Our parking spot was right near a babbling brook - near our bedroom windows, which is just about the only thing we heard all night out there in the country!  Daytime temps of 70 dropped to 50's at night - best sleep in a looooong time!