Contemplation

I did a little google searching and found a newly opened lumber liquidators in Colonial Heights near Kingsport. With a little more searching and surfing I found some closeout laminate dirt cheap. How cheap? These two boxes, 25sq ft each, less than $21.00 WITH tax! Yea, for both boxes not each! I anxiously paid the man and brought them home.



I needed help with this job though! I can't manhandle that big bench seat by myself without scratching the laminate. So Austin flexed his biceps and made this an easy job! The metal floor in the van was as wavy as the local Miss Blue Plum waving in a parade. It was bad! I used two tubes of liquid nails to help the flooring adhere to all that gap underneath, hopefully.... it will. Below I have it all laid out before mounting it to the floor.

Here it is with the seat re-installed. It looks ok I guess. I have been wondering how to cover up the floor in the back and I have had soooo many people say that they had seen vans like this with laminate flooring and it looked so good, I'm still on the fence after the install though. This isn't your typical place one would install this stuff. My other plan was to use an automotive grade carpet with a rubber backing that's used in 18 wheelers but I've been unable to find any. The guy I used to get it from said it's not being made anymore, hogwash!

I have a black metal piece that covers and guards the edge but I didn't have the proper screws for the job, so there's more work for another day.... ugh.



Mad props for Austin throwin' down and helping me on this. He actually did alot of the jig saw work too. I just marked everything and he cut 99% of it. He even sucked all the sawdust out of the van with the shopvac. It's almost finished, all I need now is a decent stereo/dvd installed, a hidden mattress for camping and for the most part it'll be done! I plan on taking it for a test run soon too! A camping trip to N.C.

Contemplation;

I have been contemplating racing the Bays Mtn Bike Rally race during funfest for the past few weeks. The past couple of years I have missed it due to having to work at the shop. This year looks different I may be able to get there this time. Although I haven't been training or riding hard I want to get up there and do this. They have added alot of extra stuff that they usually don't have in the race course so I would like to give it a try. I prob won't do well but I WILL have fun. Shoot I will be lucky to keep up with that guy on the steel huffy in the back.

I have been riding somewhat more though. COB has stepped up his game of late and is throwing down the mileage. He's been calling and we've been rolling the skinnies together quite a bit lately so maybe some of that road mileage may help me.

There's a ton of local rides going on in the next several weeks. The Iron Mtn 100K in damascus, Bays MTB Rally, The White Lightning Ride/Race if you're up front, ORAMM, Short Track ETSU and the last two ETSU/TCRC training crits in the parking lots on campus. It looks like enough cycling events to keep everyone happy in July!

LAter G......................