In my last post, I mentioned how hard the water is here at Addison Oaks County Park (map). It left water spots and streaks after I washed the coach on Wednesday. After writing that post, I couldn’t stand it any longer. I got the ladder out and a couple of clean microfiber cloths and went at it with a waterless cleaner call The Solution.

While I was working on the finish, going up and down the ladder, Donna went for a power walk. She walked about five miles and got her 10,000 steps. I cleaned about 3/4 of the coach by the time she came back. I took a break and we had lunch. I kicked back for about 20 minutes and finished the Vince Flynn novel I was reading before I went back to work cleaning. It took about three hours to get the job done. The water spots were stubborn in places.

Sometimes when we’re rolling down the road, I hear a rhythmic rattling sound on the right front of the coach. It only happens when we’re driving on concrete slab with expansion joints that set up a certain frequency. While I was cleaning, I noticed a side panel on the right front beneath the compartment for the HWH hydraulic reservoir and pump had play in it. This body panel had two rivets holding the trailing edge to the frame. The rivets were worn and loose. I could grab the panel and rock it back and forth and hear the same sound I heard on the road.

I got a few tools out of the trailer and went to work. I drilled out the old rivets with my cordless drill.

Upper rivet drilled out

About this time, Donna was leaving for her hair appointment. When we knew for sure when we would be in the area, she made an appointment with the stylist she used to go to when we lived here. After her hair appointment, she planned to drive to Harrison Township for a meet up with a swap group she established a few years ago. Donna didn’t expect to be home until after 9pm, so I was on my own.

Back to my task. After drilling out the old rivets, I set up my pop rivet tool. Blind rivets are commonly called pop rivets – this is because the original manufacturer was POP. Pop rivets are tubular with a mandrel through the center. You insert the mandrel into the tool and push the rivet into the holes on the parts you are joining. The tool pulls the mandrel, expanding the rivet and flaring the back side until it clamps itself in place. The mandrel then snaps off, leaving the rivet in place.

Pop rivet tool and rivet

Rivet mandrel inserted into tool

After installing the new rivets, the panel is now held firmly in place. This should prevent the rattling sound.

New rivets in place

After I put my tools away, I rode the scooter to the store a few miles from here. I found local IPA brewed by the Rochester Mills Beer Company in 16-ounce cans. I brought a four-pack home and tried it. It doesn’t have the balance and mouth-feel of good west coast IPA. It had a grainy flavor – not malty, but a thin grain aftertaste.

Cornerstone IPA, Rochester Mills Beer Co

Maybe it’s the can that’s influencing the taste. I’ve had it on tap at their brew pub before and liked it. They also have a milkshake stout that I liked before and I’ll have to try it next time.

Before Donna left, she gave me a quick lesson on how to preheat the convection oven and set the cook temperature and time. I planned to reheat one of the frozen pasties we picked up in the U.P. for dinner. It occurred to me that our Traeger smoker/grill is also a convection oven. Why use the indoor microwave/convection oven when I could fire up the Traeger outdoors and maybe also add some smoky flavor to the pasty?

Pre-cooked frozen pasty

Heating up the Traeger

Ready to eat

I had the pasty on the grill for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. It came out perfect, but didn’t retain as much smoky flavor as I thought it would.

Donna got home after 10pm. It was bedtime for me.

Donna’s new do

This morning, I woke up to the sound of thunder and rain drumming on the roof at 7am. There goes a half day’s work cleaning the coach!

Weather radar this morning

The rain has stopped now and I hope it bypasses us this afternoon. We want to grill dinner with our friends Jason and Danielle Bates and their sons. The current forecast shows a 50% chance of rain this afternoon. Our plan B is to meet up for pizza.