Stinson Beach 10am until we’re done. Look for our silver Sprinter and park as close as you can. Please drive carefully. Please bring a beach chair or a blanket. It may be hot. It may be cold. This is a typical northern California beach.

Each bad beer will be brought to you if you are located close to the unauthorized SMB Bad Beer Contest mobile headquarters in the beautiful, wonderful, award winning, you-will-know-it when you see it, SMB Sprinter.

Each entry will be assigned a number.
2 entries per person max. Entry fee is $.05 per beer (reduced from $.25). Any beer costing over $8 per six-pack is automatically disqualified. Home brew is not eligible as we do not want any participant to suffer permanent brain damage.

Beer will be judged on three factors; flavor (how does it taste), mouthfeel (is it foamy, weak, carbonated), and on aroma (does it stink). Scale 1-10 with 10 being the worst score possible. Scoring will be made on the unauthorized score pad. You can also make short comments about anything on the score pad.

Beer will be served in small paper cups and does not have to be consumed just tasted. Beer may be poured onto the sand but please secure your paper cups. You can eat or drink anything you like between beer samples.

Trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. 1st place winner will either have to drink a bottle of the winning beer or spit into the wind – their choice.

Note: This event is an unofficial, unauthorized, non-binding, unplanned, spontaneous, audacious, incomprehensible gathering of Sportsmobile owners, guests and want-to-be owners. SMB denies knowing or wanting to know any participant.

Acting responsible for anything, anywhere or at anytime will not be tolerated. Parties exhibiting responsible behavior will be only be invited to future Winnebago events.

Order your official Unauthorized Bad Beer Contest T-shirt here.

Approximate:
Driving distance: 270.0 miles; Driving time: 5 hours, 44 minutes

At our last meeting I was very disappointed to find out that my step stool was small. First, I did not know they came in different sizes. I thought the size I had was adequate – I had never had any complaints. But comparing it side by side with another it was clear mine was lacking in every dimension. And I left that day feeling totally inadequate and irrelevant.

How could I make the mistake of having a small step? I knew size mattered but I guess I was just rationalizing. I thought back to the campgrounds . . . were those strange glances and stifled laughs because of the small, ok, let’s say it, tiny step stool? People can be so cruel.

Last week I looked into the mirror and said, “Keith, you are a good guy by golly and if anyone was judging you by the size of your step stool it was their problem.” I also did a web search using !bing, found and quickly ordered the biggest step stool I could find!

So there! Anytime you want to compair sizes, I am ready! It is the first thing out of the RV when we camp and the last thing to go back in. I’m very proud of it. Oh, we are going to keep the little one around just in case things don’t work out for the big one. You just never know.

You should have been there! We had a lot of fun yesterday! The day started out COLD and cloudy but towards the end of the game was hot and sunny.

I got there when the gates opened. It was like the Oklahoma land rush as cars, trucks and the bus dashed across the open asphalt of the parking lot to find a primo spot to set up for the pre-game whoop-de-doo. The folks next to me were burning cherry wood after they bar-b-cued and now the bus smells like we were parked next to a campfire.

We had a RoadTrek Sprinter, our SMB Sprinter and one SMB van. Our other attendees (who shall remain nameless) came in a truck instead of their SMB van! Oh, where is the loyalty!

The game was great. The ninth inning, as in many games, the most exciting when the A’s almost won. They just needed 6 more walks or a couple of grand slams! It was right down to the wire! We some gloves there but no balls came our way. The Guinness was good but I think the shrimp and fish combo was left over from last season and just re-heated. We managed to get most of us on the big screen at the stadium, watched Stomper clown around, and saw lots of pitcher and other changes as both teams were still setting the opening season line-up.

I know, I know – many of you would most likely get more excited over the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit Issue but for me, looking at new Coleman stoves is about as hot as it gets . . . and I can touch one of those without my DW getting upset!

The occasion was a meet/great for Sportsmobile owners and we had a great turn out. Two Sprinters, six 4-wd Sportsmobiles and 1 rental Class C (Driven by a potential SMB buyer, Andrew, from Switzerland and his business partner from France.)

We camped in a couple of groups and had a great time. It got down to 26° F. but during the day was quite warm. At night in the Sprinter it was cold – we opted to use the heater in the mornings to take the chill off. Presley had a great time hiking, eating snow and trying to take in all the smells and sights. He was afraid of the poping wood in the campfire so during that time he slept in the bus.

I don’t think I could have run the heater all night as we were parked in semi-shade and never got a full charge. I may start looking at 6volt AGM batteries to replace the 12volt I have.

The 4wd’ers took off for some real challenging runs while several of us opted for hiking. I had hoped to see some wildlife but we just saw signs of their presence. The other Sprinter (08) took off to see some scenery but had a turbo boost failure and had to limp out of the mountains. I think it may have been one of the inter-cooler hoses but I will make a note here when I find out.

There were too many foo-foo California hunters in the area. I say that because all they do is drive up and down the roads slowly, peering from their vehicles which are often bristling with the guns of too many occupants. (Yes, I hunted for many years in Colorado, always successful and NEVER from a vehicle, ATV, etc.) OBTW, hunting from a vehicle is illegal as were the 2 shots we heard long after sundown on Thursday night. Give me a break!

Around the campfire at night, every one sitting close because of the temperatures, a lot of information and ideas about Sportsmobiles, 4-wheel driving and more was exchanged. I think everyone there learned something.

We had a great bunch of participants and I look forward to next year’s event.

The day before we left, Big Dog, as I called him, (His real name was Cracker Jack) followed a couple of our hikers and their dogs into camp. He had a collar on with name, number and address (of course, we had no connectivity) and a tracking device. Seems he was a “bear dog” used apparently to for hunting bears. I know nothing about that and prefer not too.

He was still there on Sunday morning so Debbie and I decided to take him to his home. We had no way of knowing if his owner was on the mountain or not (turned out he was but lower and a long way from us). He was a blue tick hound dog, very well behaved, and slept all the way to his house.

We got great mileage going and coming and the Sprinter, turning over 30k miles on the way home, continues to be a delight!

And PS, you need to haul your own trash out. Don’t leave it in the outside toilet buildings like some ignorant, stupid, deserve to drive off a cliff at night, idiots.

The new window.

Wednesday I will head to Sportsmobile in Fresno to have the window replaced. Instead of the n0rmal Sprinter glass I am having a CR Lawrence window put in that opens on the bottom. We have that type of window all around so it should be a good match.

I use the trip to Fresno as a mileage check also. Filling at the same station and pump before leaving, and coming back. I will be interested to see if the H44 recall made any difference.

Information on the window is here, http://www.crlaurence.com/ProductPages/F/FW625R_67771.html?Origin=

Tony was there with his Lopes 55 Special from Sportsmobile (the red one). That is quite the deal with the stereo system, satellite dish, etc. More on that here http://www.sportsmobile.com/3_bikes.html.

These are some pics silkwan (from a different forum) took – he apoligized for the contrast – too busy talking. Thank goodness someone was taking pictures!

After Saturday I decided to upgrade the bus’s shocks and sway bar. Also, as soon as I win the lottery, I am getting a CJ5 to pull behind our Sprinter so I can join some of the 4wd Sportsmobile parties. :^)

Had there been a contest, no doubt I would have won but there would have been some close seconds. One 4wd was about the same color as mine and just impeccable.

I am hoping the next get-2-gether we will have some different branded Sprinters and maybe a Class C or two.

I think almost everyone learned one thing or another about Sprinters, SMB 4w drives, how-to’s etc. We had lots of goodies, beer, water, etc. but the group seemed pretty shy about drinking so Tony and I helped make up for it. Hey, the kids wouldn’t even take cookies! Next time it will have to be a bbq. And somewhere shady!