LastBestPlace August 2020

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08/28/20 Am I in Heaven?
by LastBestPlace 29 Aug '20

29 Aug '20

I certainly must be in heaven today. Before my eyes I view an Angel Wing. Where else could I be?

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07/28/20-07/30/20 Scamp Trip #1, Logan State Park
by LastBestPlace 10 Aug '20

10 Aug '20

First "scampout" in the Scamp. 2 nights at Logan State Park. Electric hookup. Filled the 12 gallon fresh water tank from a spigot. The location was on Middle Thompson Lake, about 1.5 hour drive west of home. Scamping beats tent camping!! A bed; a sink; hot water; toilet ; shower; fridge -- very cool. We thought we had tested all parts of the Scamp in advance. We had tested the hot water heater with propane, but had missed using it with electric. There is a light switch inside that is labeled "Water Heater", but not labeled On or Off, and after trying it both ways and waiting half an hour each time it still had no effect, so the first night we just went with propane for hot water. The next morning I re-investigated and discovered in the fuse box it was turned off; problem solved! The only other concerning item was while driving going down a hill at 65mph we felt some sway from the trailer, and will be installing an anti-sway bar to prevent that. The campsite. Only took a few tries for us amateurs to get it backed in to place. Yep, we are at the right site. Prepping for the first dinner. We actually cooked outside on a camp stove, as it was 94 degrees. Our neighbor generously provided an incredible wonderful Scotch to help properly break the Scamp in. The campsite was about an hour away from Libby MT. I had never been to Kootenai River swinging bridge, so this provided an opportunity for a visit. This is the new bridge, installed last year, that allows 5 people at a time on the bridge. I think the old bridge only allowed one at a time. Signs for social distancing directed that the bridge was "one way at a time", so 5 people cross one way, wait for it to clear, and then 5 cross the opposite direction. It was pretty busy; the parking lot was full with lots of out of state visitors. The joys of Montana -- you don't have to travel very far for beautiful things to see. Yikes! Sandy is ready to go. Double yikes!!! Train tracks beyond the bridge. We've ridden past this spot countless times on Amtrak, but it usually goes by around 3am whether you are heading east or west. We were on a late train once that went thru during daylight hours, and the 2 hours where the tracks parallel the Kootenai River are stunning. Also went and saw the Libby Dam. The visitor center is closed. The dam was completed in 1972, the last of the large western water works projects. While the dam does generate some electricity, the primary purpose is to hold back water to ensure a steady waterflow for Grand Coulee Dam in Washington. Lake Koocanusa, 90 mile long, was formed behind the dam. 48 miles of it are in the US; 42 are in Canada. When it was formed there was a contest to name it. The winner created the name from KOO -- Kootenai River CAN -- Canada USA -- USA Also as part of the dam project /The Great Northern Railroad line was also relocated, proving to be one of the most complex of all the projects related to the Libby Dam. This rail line relocation included the building of a seven-mile railroad tunnel through Elk Mountain, on the upper Wolf Creek Drainage of the Kootenai National Forest. / When traveling on Amtrak heading east, this tunnel is a sort of wake up call in the morning before arriving in to Whitefish. It takes about 20 minutes to travel thru, and the pressure change in the tunnel causes ears to "pop" a number of times, waking you up if you are still asleep. The Scamp is very cozy Our emergency spare water supply. Be prepared for every emergency (read the label). Not really sure how 5 gallons of water is helpful during a Zombie Apolalypse. False advertising?

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July 2020 Roof Reconstruction
by LastBestPlace 04 Aug '20

04 Aug '20

We were a small job for the roofers. As such we were their backfill when they had free time. They had come out and waterproofed the roof to protect the wood and prevent leaks, which would hold until they could come out and finish the roof. We were delighted when about a week later we received a 5pm text asking if they could come out at 7am the next morning. It took a couple days to complete the roof work. Needed to replace full panels of sheet metal and replace the venting at the top.

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mid June 2020 ~ mid July 2020 Carpentry Reconstruction
by LastBestPlace 04 Aug '20

04 Aug '20

With demolition complete, reconstruction begins. The most excellent news is that water damage was minimal. A few boards and portions of plywood were replaced, but no serious structural problems occurred. At this point we have a hole in a bedroom wall, and a roofless hole where once stood a chimney. Both areas are tarped up. We were very fortunate to have a carpenter we have worked with before who agreed to be ready to "jump in" immediately after he demolition was complete. Steps one was to remove the old cricket and removed all damaged wood. Putting in a new frame over the exposed chimney area. Create a new frame on the upper roof. The completed carpentry for the roof, which was finished the morning of Friday June 26. The afternoon of June 26, the roofer came out to apply the tar paper to waterproof the roof. This had been planned in advance, and we were delighted it all played out according to plan. Waterproofing the roof occurred just in the nick of time! More carpentry work remained on the upstairs bedroom, repairing the area where the chimney had been. I've since repainted this room and have baseboards cut and ready to be installed. Just need new carpet installed first and this will be complete.

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moron humor
by LastBestPlace 01 Aug '20

01 Aug '20

A big moron and a little moron are at the top of a cliff. Which one fell off? The big moron because the other was a little more on

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LastBestPlace August 2020