{By Kelly}
As expected, we didn't get everything done before we left for AlumaFlamingo. We've been burning the midnight oil for the past week, trying to accomplish our never-ending restoration "To Do" list. We haven't had much sleep lately, but we've made a pretty good dent. However, some things will have to be done once we're in Sarasota. That's OK. We're used to pulling into rallies and assembling Ikea futons.
Monday was a last-ditch effort to get The Riveted Roost in ship shape. Justin had the day off for Presidents Day and I took a half day. His main focus was to get the plumbing squared away, which included running the Pex piping from the water heater to the bathroom, then back to the kitchen, and adding an extra strap to the gray water tank to hold it securely during transit.
At about 2:30 p.m., I was ready to start prepping Riva's exterior for her Airstream rally debut. Justin had to remove the fence panel from the backyard and tow her into the front yard so I would have enough room to move the ladder all around for her big bath. I started at 3 p.m. and didn't finish until after dark. She was filthy! Our cabbage palms had done a number on her, the black berries left a major scum all over the roof and A/C shroud, and streaked down her side panels.
I used car wash liquid soap in a bucket of water and a soft, microfiber mitt, and tried my best to scrub with the grain of the aluminum and not against it. I started at the front end cap and at first, I felt like I was getting nowhere with my attack on the residue. It's hard to reach the roof, even perched precariously on the top rung of the ladder, but if I laid against the aluminum beast, I could reach the very top. It was a good strategy, but it results in being a human rag... I was soaked in no time. Once I started scrubbing the street side, I could see that I was making some progress, which was a great feeling.
When I got to the A/C shroud (which looked like a flock of birds with irritable bowel syndrome had taken to roosting on it), the palm berry residue came right off the plastic with minimal effort. Maybe it was poop? Thank God it was coming off easily, because I could barely reach it!
Justin had to set up some shop lights so I could finish the last few panels after dark. Needless to say, I couldn't really admire my handiwork, so I hoped there would be a noticeable improvement visible in the morning. If this is what it takes to wash an Airstream, I'm not looking forward to polishing! Eeek!
I also Windexed all the windows inside and out with the help of my baseball hat that has LED lights in the bill. I love the jalousie windows on the curb side, but they are a bitch to clean. BUT! I'm willing to sacrifice for such awesome vintage windows. I think it was close to 11 p.m. by the time I finished.
Justin got a lot done with the plumbing, but he didn't get the drain hooked up for the kitchen sink, so we'll be doing dishes in the tub during AlumaFlamingo, ha ha! He also installed the tires sometime after midnight while I held the flashlight and the jack arm because it wasn't holding Riva up on its own. Aye yi yi! We need a new tire jack, too. Add that to the list.
I did some packing of clothes and toiletries and got all the remaining kitchen stuff sequestered into a laundry basket, WASHED BOTH DOGS - never a small feat, then collapsed in bed from exhaustion. We have certainly earned this trip!
Follow our adventures on Twitter @RivetedRoost, or find us on Facebook and Instagram. We're posting a lot of photos to our social media sites in real time, so follow along!
As expected, we didn't get everything done before we left for AlumaFlamingo. We've been burning the midnight oil for the past week, trying to accomplish our never-ending restoration "To Do" list. We haven't had much sleep lately, but we've made a pretty good dent. However, some things will have to be done once we're in Sarasota. That's OK. We're used to pulling into rallies and assembling Ikea futons.
Monday was a last-ditch effort to get The Riveted Roost in ship shape. Justin had the day off for Presidents Day and I took a half day. His main focus was to get the plumbing squared away, which included running the Pex piping from the water heater to the bathroom, then back to the kitchen, and adding an extra strap to the gray water tank to hold it securely during transit.
At about 2:30 p.m., I was ready to start prepping Riva's exterior for her Airstream rally debut. Justin had to remove the fence panel from the backyard and tow her into the front yard so I would have enough room to move the ladder all around for her big bath. I started at 3 p.m. and didn't finish until after dark. She was filthy! Our cabbage palms had done a number on her, the black berries left a major scum all over the roof and A/C shroud, and streaked down her side panels.
I used car wash liquid soap in a bucket of water and a soft, microfiber mitt, and tried my best to scrub with the grain of the aluminum and not against it. I started at the front end cap and at first, I felt like I was getting nowhere with my attack on the residue. It's hard to reach the roof, even perched precariously on the top rung of the ladder, but if I laid against the aluminum beast, I could reach the very top. It was a good strategy, but it results in being a human rag... I was soaked in no time. Once I started scrubbing the street side, I could see that I was making some progress, which was a great feeling.
When I got to the A/C shroud (which looked like a flock of birds with irritable bowel syndrome had taken to roosting on it), the palm berry residue came right off the plastic with minimal effort. Maybe it was poop? Thank God it was coming off easily, because I could barely reach it!
Justin had to set up some shop lights so I could finish the last few panels after dark. Needless to say, I couldn't really admire my handiwork, so I hoped there would be a noticeable improvement visible in the morning. If this is what it takes to wash an Airstream, I'm not looking forward to polishing! Eeek!
I also Windexed all the windows inside and out with the help of my baseball hat that has LED lights in the bill. I love the jalousie windows on the curb side, but they are a bitch to clean. BUT! I'm willing to sacrifice for such awesome vintage windows. I think it was close to 11 p.m. by the time I finished.
Justin got a lot done with the plumbing, but he didn't get the drain hooked up for the kitchen sink, so we'll be doing dishes in the tub during AlumaFlamingo, ha ha! He also installed the tires sometime after midnight while I held the flashlight and the jack arm because it wasn't holding Riva up on its own. Aye yi yi! We need a new tire jack, too. Add that to the list.
I did some packing of clothes and toiletries and got all the remaining kitchen stuff sequestered into a laundry basket, WASHED BOTH DOGS - never a small feat, then collapsed in bed from exhaustion. We have certainly earned this trip!
Follow our adventures on Twitter @RivetedRoost, or find us on Facebook and Instagram. We're posting a lot of photos to our social media sites in real time, so follow along!
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