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Richard's RV Spa and School of Manliness
#1

Gang,

I just returned from one of my favorite RV trips ever.  I stopped in at Richard and Rhonda Entrekin's southern command center.  My plan was to ask him to help diagnose a problem in my No. 1 slide that has troubled me since I have owned the coach.  Newell has worked on the slide many times without improving it ....so it was time to tear into it and see what was causing recurring water leaks which in turned caused a bunch of other issues.

What I did not know is that Richard in addition to being a full-fledged guru legend is also a renaissance man.  Between working on what ended up being three big coach projects he also put me through his Art of Manliness bootcamp.  I will post separately about the things we fixed on my coach but I wanted to share a little bit of the curriculum for the week.  My grade is posted for each class.

String Theory 101.  While we were working on the slide problem Richard brought out his trusty nylon string.  With the string were were able to figure out exactly what the sag in the roof of my slide.  (Both before and after the fix).  I learned that you can do all sorts of measurements with nothing more than a string.  In Richard's words...."The string doesn't lie"   B-

Hiking and Navigating in the Florida wilderness.  Long hikes into the Florida wilderness gave us a chance to see wildlife and enjoy the clean air.  Rhonda kept track of our direction on her phone - "Precious".  My grade for knowing which way we were going and which way was "home".  C- / D+

Cooking Seminar.  Richard gave cooking demonstrations each evening.  This was a pass fail course and if you liked the food you get a pass.  My grade - Pass.

Beer Brewing 102.  Richard brewed two different varieties of beer during the week stay.  He converted an old fridge to a microprocessor temperature controlled fermenting chamber.  Grade B+ was awarded based on my enthusiasm for drinking beer.

Coffee Roasting 103.  Richard also demonstrated the long lost Gas BBQ technique for roasting coffee beans.  I really enjoyed this seminar and will try to rig up a similar rig.

Welding 201.  The basic level welding course was not available so I took the 201 level course.  Richard put the MIG stinger in my hand, a welding mask on my head and told me to go for it.  I enjoyed a several minutes of un-bridled joy until I realized that I had welded my coach to his wrought iron fence.  (Actually I did not have any mishaps and really enjoyed this course).  C+

I left Richards southern command center feeling very accomplished (and tired)....But its a good kind of tired.  I have a renewed sense of purpose and will continue to hone my "man skills".


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Bill Johnson
Birmingham, Alabama
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#2

(01-14-2018, 04:56 PM)bikestuff Wrote:  Gang,

I just returned from one of my favorite RV trips ever.  I stopped in at Richard and Rhonda Entrekin's southern command center.  My plan was to ask him to help diagnose a problem in my No. 1 slide that has troubled me since I have owned the coach.  Newell has worked on the slide many times without improving it ....so it was time to tear into it and see what was causing recurring water leaks which in turned caused a bunch of other issues.

What I did not know is that Richard in addition to being a full-fledged guru legend is also a renaissance man.  Between working on what ended up being three big coach projects he also put me through his Art of Manliness bootcamp.  I will post separately about the things we fixed on my coach but I wanted to share a little bit of the curriculum for the week.  My grade is posted for each class.

String Theory 101.  While we were working on the slide problem Richard brought out his trusty nylon string.  With the string were were able to figure out exactly what the sag in the roof of my slide.  (Both before and after the fix).  I learned that you can do all sorts of measurements with nothing more than a string.  In Richard's words...."The string doesn't lie"   B-

Hiking and Navigating in the Florida wilderness.  Long hikes into the Florida wilderness gave us a chance to see wildlife and enjoy the clean air.  Rhonda kept track of our direction on her phone - "Precious".  My grade for knowing which way we were going and which way was "home".  C- / D+

Cooking Seminar.  Richard gave cooking demonstrations each evening.  This was a pass fail course and if you liked the food you get a pass.  My grade - Pass.

Beer Brewing 102.  Richard brewed two different varieties of beer during the week stay.  He converted an old fridge to a microprocessor temperature controlled fermenting chamber.  Grade B+ was awarded based on my enthusiasm for drinking beer.

Coffee Roasting 103.  Richard also demonstrated the long lost Gas BBQ technique for roasting coffee beans.  I really enjoyed this seminar and will try to rig up a similar rig.

Welding 201.  The basic level welding course was not available so I took the 201 level course.  Richard put the MIG stinger in my hand, a welding mask on my head and told me to go for it.  I enjoyed a several minutes of un-bridled joy until I realized that I had welded my coach to his wrought iron fence.  (Actually I did not have any mishaps and really enjoyed this course).  C+

I left Richards southern command center feeling very accomplished (and tired)....But its a good kind of tired.  I have a renewed sense of purpose and will continue to hone my "man skills".

Sounds like maybe we should've hung around a little longer.  Smile

Bryan
Ionia, MI
1983 Apollo Sceptre 35' DP
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#3

Yes, R&R have found their own bit of paradise out there!

Forest & Cindy Olivier
1987 log cabin
2011 Roadtrek C210P
PO 1999 Foretravel 36'
1998 Newell 45' #486 

1993 Newell 39' #337 
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#4

what i like about richard is he knows his limits. when he was here helping me recently we would stop at 16 hours of work each day.

tom

2002 45'8" Newell Coach 608  Series 60 DDEC4/Allison World 6 Speed HD4000MH

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#5

(01-15-2018, 10:15 AM)encantotom Wrote:  what i like about richard is he knows his limits.  when he was here helping me recently we would stop at 16 hours of work each day.  

tom

Maybe that is all the Rush he could take for one day.ha!

1995 # 390
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