Our Excellent Adventures

The morphing of the Dodge Sprinter into a Mercedes Sprinter is completed.

The new grille is covered by my bug screen which I am making sure it works ok before the trip to Alaska - it does!

I notice now with the Mercedes badging, I get much better MPG and my top speed is 180mph . . .

Why re-badge? Hmmm, no one seems to be able to give a good answer to that so for me, just my super-inflated, over-active ego is the justification.

On the roof you can see the Thule wind deflector I mounted to the solar panels. Gives them a less industrial look and who knows? It may actually lesson the wind drag.

All I have left to do is to add Jack’s antenna ball to the antenna!

PS. Watch the height in the woods. I have scrapped several times on tree limbs and branches. No damage that can’t be rubbed out but the potential is there - if you see low branches, slow down!

Just a reminder . . .

The Baylands, 2775 Embarcadero Road, in Palo Alto, will be the spot.

June 7, 11:00am to whenever you get tired or bored. All SMB’s, and all Sprinters from the bay area. Totally unofficial, with no planning and no respect. However, the event is homogenized, pasteurized and may be dangerous to your heath.

Hiking and biking. Checking out the birds and all. Giants on the radio. Telling lies. Looking at mods. Lots to do!

Hope to see you there.

Too hot to drive right now with Spare the Air and all that so, I’ll opt for a place where I have been and recommended by others. Sufficient parking, trails to hike if you bring family, easy on and off the freeway, and hopefully fairy centrally located (except for the North Bay :^(.

The Baylands, 2775 Embarcadero Road, in Palo Alto, http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/depts/csd/parks_and_open_space/preserves_and_open_spaces/
the_baylands.asp  will be the spot. Here is a map of the area http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=6117 and we’ll plan on parking in the area outlined in red on the photo.

Questions? You can email me: keithmessinger@comcast.net or call me 925-997-9289 (cell) but don’t call during cocktail time!

This is a totally non-official, off-the-cuff, ill-planned chance to put some names with faces. If you want something to drink bring it. Same with food.

I’ll be there about 11:00 with a metallic silver Sprinter. It is a SMB but pretty stealth.

I have invited all bay area Sprinters, don’t have to be a SMB and all area SMB, don’t have to be a Sprinter. If you know someone who would be interested please invite them. Families are ok, what ever you want is ok.

If you are coming, please post here and tell us what you will be driving.

The June 7 Bay Area Sprinter Gathering is still on. As soon as the weather cools a bit I will check out the 2 bird refuges and let you know the place.

Hope you marked it on the calendar! This won’t be an all day deal. Probably 2 or 3 hours at the most . . . of course some of us can make a party out of anything! So go for a hike, listen to a ball game, tell a few lies, show off your rig . . .

The invite is open to any SMB vehicle, Sprinter or no; any Sprinter, SMB or no.

See you there!

Here is how the building progressed on the Sprinter. Sportsmobile did an excellent job.

PS. I am looking for some good slide show type program or widget for WordPress. I am not satisfied with this one but it is the best I could find so far.