Truck Bed Cover & Golf - (Louisville, KY)

First we had our weigh-in. Linda lost 1 1/2 pounds and I gained back a 1/2.

We left around 9:00 and dropped off our truck bed cover at Fitzimmons for a little repair of a seam. Since we have some new folks that are interested in the bed cover, here is a summary I wrote last year that includes pictures.

We started by dropping in on Fitzsimmons Auto Glass & Upholstery just to see if they might be able to squeeze us in to fix our truck bed cover. It took a minute, but James remembered us. James is the one who designed and installed our truck bed cover.

And since we have had a few emails on the subject, I'll try to describe the bed cover and enhance the description with some photos.

Last year, before hitting the road, we took our truck to James to see if he could design a custom cover for our truck bed. Our vision was to have something that could be used while the fifth wheel was hitched so we could use the bed for storage 100% of the time.

James and Linda put their heads together to come up with the design. It's basically a boat cover attached to the rails and tailgate of the truck with snaps (just like on a boat). Up by the cab, the cover is attached to a heavy duty cord that slides in and out of its own little railing if we want to remove the cover completely.

In the center of the cover, James cut a hole large enough for the kingpin. He added velcro around the hole and installed a flap that covers the hole when we are not hitched up. Then he installed a zipper from the hole to the tailgate that allows the cover to open up until we are hitched. The zipper is hidden under another flap so that it doesn't show and so that it is protected.

Once we are hitched, we pull the cover tight around the kingpin. The edges of the hole in the cover slide into a position such that the hitch can move when we turn without damaging the cover.

We zip the cover from the tailgate toward the hitch - no easy task when hitched up. So we developed a tool with a handle and a hook to push the zipper closed and to pull it open.

Here is how it looks without the trailer.

And here are some views with the trailer hitched.

In addition, James installed three removable, fiberglass bows across the bed - front, back, and middle. With the bows up, water drains off the bed cover. We can't use the back bow when hitched, so we have to remove it.

This set-up is not completely waterproof, especially around the hitch, but everything we have stored forward of the hitch has stayed dry. Items nearest the tailgate also stay dry - most of the time. We only store things there that can take a little moisture.

Our buddy James is busy, but is going to have us fixed up by Friday. Again, all it costs us for any repairs is a few chocolate donuts. :)

The rest of the day was spent at the Chariot Run Golf Course in Southern Indiana. We were sponsored by our Merrill Lynch advisor, Laura, to play in a golf scramble.

Since I cleaned house the other day and put the camera out of sight, I keep forgetting it. Chariot Run is the golf course of the Caesars Indiana casino and it is pretty nice.

After our barbecue lunch, we teed off around 12:30. With Linda bowing out, we only had a threesome, but she rode along.

Our team was not the best (understatement), but I played well for the first eight holes and we were three under par. After that I had a brain spasm and completely lost it for the next seven holes. We bogeyed all seven. Not good in a scramble. :)

We righted the ship enough to finish with three pars, but four over in a scramble is terrible. We finished dead last. But not by as much as we expected. :)

We had fun. We won some door prizes including a couple of $40 golf shirts, and I won some golf balls in a putting contest.

By the time we left, it was after 6:00. And with the record heat for the day, I was exhausted.

Back home Linda made a little breakfast for dinner, and I programmed all the possible combinations of new TV shows for recording and took a shower.

At 9:00 pm eastern, we popped in the Chat Room for a little while. Linda chatted until she could barely keep her eyes open while I did the dishes from dinner and from her casserole the night before.

Then it was off to bed. We've got our interview in the morning, so we need to be sharp. More on that tomorrow as we reveal a little more information.

A Forum topic was started on the subject of our interview and the magazine has been guessed. But you will still have to wait to find out for sure. :)

We'll let you know how it goes. See ya. :)