Seems like a lot of extra work just to avoid strips. Is the strip shift thing really that common? I’d worry more about the prep time getting the slab perfectly clean.

Yeah my buddy did that once... he skipped his car wash for like a month straight during that rainy spell. Said it was fine since the rain was "rinsing it." @xena_butler, you would have cringed... the water spots baked right into the paint when the sun finally came out. Took me two full passes with the soap to even make a dent. He never skipped it again after that.

My own dad is my harshest critic, and he's usually right. Those free quality control checks from family keep you honest and save real headaches later. Just gotta swallow your pride and listen.

Old houses really do have their own set of rules, don't they.

What was the bear actually doing that whole time? Just milling around your camp, or was it actively trying to get your food? Did you have bear spray out or were you just frozen watching it?