Sometimes things just don't go as you plan. Today was one of those days.
After removing all of the screws marked red (stuck) and using the yellow (loose) to hold the house together, I hooked up the backhoe to the roof. The backhoe isn't really designed for lifting things that high, even with theextendahoe extended as far as it would go. But I hooked up straps to the scoop and dangled it over the roof. I ran the straps through the holes left by the removed AC units, and attached them to pieces of wood.
So far so good.
Then I started lifting with the backhoe and the roof started peeling back, just as expected, and I was feeling good.
As the roof started peeling back, the sealant wouldn't come loose. I had checked and rechecked to make sure all the screws were gone, but I had missed one.
Also, at this point it was starting to show that the length of the roof and the angle of the straps were not ideal. But the roof was separating as it should, and getting the last, or so I thought, of the screws out, the roof was coming off nicely.
Now the roof was loose all the way to the back. However, when they assembled the Elandan the aluminum strip at the top of the rear panel was installed off center, and one of the screws holding the aluminum strip to the rear panel was crooked and was holding the roof on.
So, with the final screw located and out, the roof was floating above the walls of the Elandan.
For about 30 seconds.
The last of the screws to be stuck had caused the straps to slide a bit sideways as the roof tilted, causing the entire roof to roll over on it's side.
Now there was no chance of lifting the roof over the side walls, so the only option was to lower the roof down inside the house. Since the roof was already tilted, this was just a matter of slowly lowering the roof down and jumping in and out of the backhoe to both lower the roof and guide it as it was coming down.
Lowering the roof was a tedious task of lowering and guiding the roof down, and jumping in and out of the backhoe. Then came the next problem. The walls on the RV were higher the scoop was over the roof.
Sorry, no pic.
So now I had to get into the house and lift the roof enough so that I could free the straps and lower the roof manually. By loosening the ratchets I could control the drop by slowly releasing the strap ends.
The roof is now lying on the floor of the Elandan resting on the wheel houses in the back and on the floor in the front. The backhoe is back at rest and everything is looking good.
Not at all what I had planned. I had planned to put the roof next to the house so I could remove the final vent covers, railings, etc.
This is also when you let your guard down. But you shouldn't. I did.
I shouldn't have. I was collecting the straps when I backed into the back end of the frame and punctured the back of my thigh on the corner of the frame.
I now have a good size bruise and my muscle is very sore.
And worst of all, tomorrow is Midsummer
, and we are planning on going to
Ales Stones and walking down to Kåseberga, the little fishing village below the ship setting. Fortunately the locally brewed Ystad beer is known to work as a pain killer.
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