Logo reveal

It's official! The Riveted Roost has a logo. Drumroll please...

What do you think? Leave your comments below. 

Follow our Airstream adventure on Twitter @RivetedRoost or find us on Facebook.

On the rocks

{By Kelly}

In an attempt to reclaim the driveway and access to the carport, I started brainstorming alternative parking locations for our 26-foot behemoth. 

We don't have a big yard, so our options were limited. I measured the south end of our backyard and was elated to discover the Airstream would fit along the fence line on the side of the house, in front of the shed. It would be a tight squeeze between the fence and cabbage palms, but if my measurements were correct, the door would be perfectly aligned between two palm trees. 

Justin had to rework the sprinklers a bit, then we created a pad of pebbles and river rocks. FINALLY, a use for all the rocks I've collected over the years from North Carolina streams and the California coast! We had enough rocks for the border and we purchased two yards of Chattahoochee river rock pebbles to fill the interior area.

On the rocks

Ample shade and the proximity to the shed would make it a much better location for our renovation work, which is nicely concealed by the fence. When our work is finished, it will make for a perfect "guest house" and party pad.

The most impressive part of the move from the driveway to the backyard was Justin's keen "backing up" skills. He removed two fence panels and a 4x4 post so we could accomodate the 8-foot wide trailer. Backing that Land Yacht through a slalom of trees and bushes in the front yard and a 12-foot opening would be no small feat.

I took a deep breath and prepared for a barrage of cussing as I tried my best to direct Justin, our Ford F-150 Super Crew, and 26-foot Airstream through this narrow chute and onto the 10 by 30-foot pad. Bear in mind, there's still an A/C unit mounted on the front street-side window of the camper, blocking Justin's view. I winced as our neighbor, George, walked over to watch this spectacle, afraid he would witness what would surely end in foul language and yelling. 

Miraculously, I was able to shout loud enough for Justin to hear me and he carefully maneuvered the Airstream into her new home. I was thoroughly impressed and so was George. Justin was rather proud of himself, and rightfully so.

Apparently, Justin perfected his skills as a youngster on a riding lawn mower hooked to a short-tongued utility trailer. He also gets lots of practice at the boat ramp. I've made it one of my goals this year to become proficient at backing up the boat, then I'll progress to the camper.

A new parking spot in the back yard, in front of the shed.

After we moved the Airstream to the backyard, Justin reinstalled the fence panels and we were set! Eventually, we'll install a large gate, but she's not going anywhere for a while. It makes me so happy to look out the kitchen window and see our shiny aluminum abode instead of a fence.

As I admired the Airstream from the kitchen, I knew she needed a name. I'd been kicking around several ideas with Justin and my Mom, but nothing seemed original or appropriate enough. I knew I wanted to incorporate kitschy flamingos into the decorating theme, so I tried to think of a name with the word "nest" in it, or something bird related. Once the word "roost" crossed my mind, I knew I had it: "The Riveted Roost" or "Riva" for short.

I searched through Airstream Forums about camper names, then Google and couldn't find where anyone else had used the name. I ran it by Justin and received his seal approval, and then it was official. I created this blog, started a Facebook page and claimed the Twitter handle, @RivetedRoost. I can't wait to work with Justin on a Riveted Roost logo... the wheels are already turning. Stay tuned!

It was a tight squeeze between the fence and the palm trees, but she fits!

Strip Tease

{By Kelly}

Our first order of business was to take inventory of what needed to be replaced on our 1960 Land Yacht. Here's what we came up with during our initial inspection of the Airstream:

• Vents (1 would be replaced with a rooftop A/C unit, 2 with vents)
• The window A/C unit needed to come out and be replaced with aluminum sheeting
• Several windows were cracked
• All screens would need to be replaced
• The full-size pink porcelain toilet would need a lighter, road-worthy replacement
• The existing flooring needed to be removed so we could examine the plywood sub-floor
• Exterior and interior lights/fixtures needed to be replaced
• Fix or replace entrance step
• Refrigerator would need to be replaced (wasn't original anyway)
• Holding tanks were non-existent, as the camper had been hooked up to a septic system of some sort - new fresh, gray and black water tanks will need to be installed

Drawers and doors: BEFORE, in shades of mint and light blue

It appeared that the front vent had leaked, so Justin fashioned a makeshift vent to keep water out until a new vent could be installed. 

Numerous repairs would need to be made, as well as an electrical, propane and plumbing assessment.

We started with a task we knew we could tackle. Justin removed all the drawers, cabinet doors and hardware so we could strip the paint. It was obvious that there were many thick layers and sanding simply wouldn't suffice.

The chemical stripping process revealed that the wooden cabinetry had been painted at least three shades in the past 52 years: first pink, then turquoise, and then a mint green or light blue most recently. It appears from my research that the original cabinets in the 1960 Airstreams were unpainted and just had a coat of varnish.

Justin, the [paint] stripper

Some cabinet doors were in poor shape due to insect invasion and others had been replaced for unknown reasons. We decided that we would need to paint all the cabinets and install new facings in a few areas to achieve a uniform appearance.

After stripping the doors and drawers, we sanded the remaining paint away. Justin filled in holes with wood putty, repaired any damaged veneer, and replaced the faces of a few drawers that were beyond repair. 

I taped off the edges to prepare them for a fresh coat of paint, but alas, it was all just a tease. Now they sit in our carport, as Justin discovered several other issues that needed to be addressed before we can even begin to think about painting and reinstalling the cabinet doors and drawers. [SIGH]

As you can see from some of the photos, above, we still needed to move the Airstream out of our driveway. AND she needed a name...

The stripping process revealed several layers of paint, first pink, then turquoise, and finally a mint or light blue shade.

Drawers and doors: AFTER and ready for paint

Follow our Airstream adventure on Twitter @RivetedRoost or find us on Facebook.