Returning “home” after a five month long RV trip, there are many tasks that need to be done. We store a number of things that are normally on the back patio inside the workshop when we leave on our extended travel, be they in the RV or our overseas trips. With all the agricultural fields and constant winds, plus the high humidity, it means dirt and algae in abundance. The Pergola covering the patio is especially prone to the latter.

Trust me, although it doesn’t show, there is an a healthy growth of algae on the pergola.

This close up shows what I mean.

The solution is simple, or at least it was when I was younger. I’ve done this many times over the years, so I really should know that when you use the pressure washer above your head there is a constant powerful down force on your arms and shoulders. After five months of travel those arms and shoulders of my ever aging body had definitely lost some of their youthful vigor. (That is a classic example of understatement if there ever was.)

But there was more. The pergola faces the south. Winter in the northern hemisphere means the sun is in the south. Just let me say that putting on sunglasses was a good idea that unfortunately only made a slight improvement. I somehow managed to wash about 2/3rds of the pergola before my arms gave out. You came bet the bank that I will be starting early tomorrow morning to finish this job while the sun is still in the eastern sky. I have been informed by she who had to empty the RV today without my help, that she expects planked salmon for our afternoon meal tomorrow, which can only happen if I finish power washing the pergola. I think it is called pressure washing under pressure.