For the last year and a half, the screen and shade combination in my Alto’s big front window (BFW) has been broken. I made a series of cloth covers for nighttime, held in place by velcro, finally settling on a two-sided, double-thick quilt-type cover (thanks, Peg, for sewing the binding and velcro on that beast). Finally, this summer, when I got to Quebec and the Safari Condo factory, I would pickup an actual new screen/shade for it, and for the other three windows.
The person fulfilling my order (thanks, Carollan!) kindly sent it to the Safari Condo showroom, only 20 minutes from my campground so I could drive a bit less. Given the cost of gas in Quebec (and Canada in general), I appreciated that thoughtfulness very much. And I was glad I had a pickup truck because the screens are BIG, especially the one for the BFW.
One thing I really wanted was the sleek, black frames on the new design. I was definitely tired of the white ones, and they were probably tired of me, too 🙂
The learning curve was steep, and involved taking the old white screen off one window, and then seeing how the new shade fit on. And that’s when I realized I was missing the screen corners and the hardware to install it. Sigh. I discovered this about 30 minutes after the factory closed for the weekend at noon on Friday. So, here’s the new screen, held in position with some white tape. Sure, why not?!
Monday, I dropped by the factory to get the necessary corner pieces and hardware, and a quick lesson from Frédéric Pratte, the director of service, on how to install the new screens. Back to the campground, and with some innovative techniques and patience from the Alto MacGyver, Jim Gauvreau, we got three of the screes installed in one afternoon. Yay!
I think we were both dreading the installation of the BFW screen, but by now, we kinda knew how this stuff worked. 15 minutes and it was on. Oh, boy, was I one super-happy camper!
As a bonus, the BFW screen is very tiny mesh, designed to keep out no-see-ums, and the shade part is thicker so it keeps out more light at night. Overall, I love the new look and the improved functionality. Thanks, Jim, for the installation expertise! (And you can read more of Jim’s adventures and Alto modifications at his blog, Route Alto 80. Yes, his Alto is #80; mine is 831, so you can see he’s been into Altos for a very long time!)
The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.
Albert Einstein
That looks fantastic!! We’re coming into the home stretch on our tiny home build. I hope our house turns out as well as your window screen project did. :-))
Very nice!!! I love the black. I bet you feel accomplished now.
That looks great! And love the bottoms up functionality!
Way to go!
You put so much effort into this project, from ordering, to waiting, to crossing your fingers and much much more. I’m so glad it all worked out. The screen/shades look fabulous! And also yay for Jim helping. It’s always nice to have a person on location when doing new and different things. Kudos! You’ll enjoy for years to come.
Wow looks great, Annie! Aren’t home improvement projects fun?? Except when they’re not.
Hi Anne:
Hard to believe it has been 7 years (I think that is right) since you started “Altoing” around the US. I remember seeing your packed up apartment in Seattle -was that 8 years ago? Looking back to the start of your Altoing – if you had known then what you know now – would you have – oh never mind – of course you would have done it. You have had some very great moments – and no doubt so not so great moments. I am glad to know that Breeze has had a good refitting. Your travels remind me – in a very small way – of my two hosteling trips to Europe back in the 1950’s – by motor bike, by “autostopping” – and by motor scootering. I must have scared the life out of my parents – and they knew only what I sent them weekly on a air letter. It. was mostly about my plans and then what I actually did – which was something quite different. No cell phones, no internet, no way of getting in touch with me aside from sending an air letter to an American Express Office somewhere in Western Europe in the hope that I might turn up there to collect it. Your adventures will make for a great book – someday when you have the time to write it. I am hoping to have enough energy (and time) to write up my stories of my two hostel trip to Europe for my family.
Always great to be able to “catch-up” with your life on the road with Breeze.
Sweet new design!