Thanks to all who replied . . . I got it working at lunch today.
I tried three things that were suggested, and at least on of them
did the trick.

1.  I removed the cap on the metal drainage plug under the fridge and
vacummed it out.  (This seemed more hygenic than sucking on it as
suggested in the Refrigerator-Manual in the archive).  There was a
lot of carbon / ash particles in there.

2.  Stopped holding the 'ignition control' button down so long.  I was
holding that button down while pumping, ostensibly releasing to much gas
and thus causing the 'small explosion' I was seeing.

3.  I adopted Richard Angelini's method of starting.

> 1. outside master gas value on
> 2. inside gas/12v/110v switch to gas
> 3. inside gas valve on (|)
> 4. pump 20 times
> 5. hold gas button in and spark (does not normally light this time)
> 6. pump 6 times
> 7. hold gas button in and spark (lights this time, or repeat step 6 & 7)

Thanks again . . . After work I'll see how cold it gets.

Stephen Jones
'87 Westy