Mirror head replacement

Back in 2022 a truck clipped the driver-side mirror on our motorhome, smashing the mirror glass. I replaced the mirror glass, which made the mirror usable again, but unfortunately the motor that allows adjusting the position would only work three of the four directions, so I’d have to manually push the mirror if it drifted out of position (which seemed to happen regularly).

We were going to get it replaced when doing the annual service, but the pandemic supply chain issues made the part unavailable at the time.

It wasn’t a super urgent issue, so we put it on the back burner, but it continued to annoy us. Eventually after much research I determined that one could buy a replacement head for the mirror, which (in theory) could be easily plug-and-play replaced. The part is manufactured by Valvac, and the part number is 719853, “Euromax-XL Replacement Head w/Camera, Lighted, Left Side, Chrome”.

I purchased this part:

Mirror box

The new mirror head:

New mirror head

New mirror head

It looked like an easy job, but we were about to be in Red Bay, so I got a mobile tech to look at replacing it for me. Good thing I didn’t try it myself, as it was too hard for that tech; he couldn’t fish the wires out of the mirror arm.

So later while at Thousand Trails Orlando I got a local RV tech, Charles Sutton of CS Mobile RV Repair LLC, to have a go at it. He also had lots of difficulty with it, but eventually managed it (and was very generous in not charging extra for it, too; I’d highly recommend him for any RV services!).

Here’s the old head removed:

Old head removed

He had to remove a bunch of excess insulation in the generator compartment to access the wires to get enough slack to reach the plugs:

Removed insulation to access bolts

Finally able to reach the plugs:

Wires

The replaced mirror head:

Replaced mirror head

So nice to have that working again. And if we ever need to replace it again, it should be a much easier job next time.

Independence National Historical Park

We visited the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

An interactive map of our walking route:

View of Independence Hall:

View of Independence Hall

But first, Campo’s cheesesteaks for lunch:

Campo's cheesesteaks for lunch

Campo's cheesesteaks for lunch

Old post office:

Old post office

Passage to Franklin Court:

Passage to Franklin Court

Ghost structures representing Benjamin Franklin’s house in Franklin Court:

Ghost structures representing Benjamin Franklin's house in Franklin Court

Benjamin Franklin sign:

Benjamin Franklin sign

Bicentennial Bell in Benjamin Rush garden:

Bicentennial Bell in Benjamin Rush garden

Second Bank of the United States:

Second Bank of the United States

President’s House Site:

President's House Site

Liberty Bell Center:

Liberty Bell Center

Liberty Bell Center

Liberty Bell Center

Liberty Bell Center

Liberty Bell Center

Liberty Bell Center

Liberty Bell Center

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

Jenn getting her passport stamps; this roll of paper is an excellent idea we haven’t seen elsewhere:

Visitor center

Cranking for smashed pennies:

Visitor center

Snack at the cafe in the visitor center:

Visitor center

Independence Hall:

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Flag reflected in a circular window:

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Court room:

Independence Hall

Our tour guide:

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Assembly Room, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both signed:

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

We did the expanded guided tour (40 minutes vs 20) that got to go upstairs:

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Independence Hall

Historical.

Baseball: Harrisburg Senators vs Erie SeaWolves

We attended a double-A baseball game between the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals affiliate) vs Erie SeaWolves (Detroit Tigers affiliate) at FMB Field in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

An interactive map of the ballpark on an island in the capital city of Pennsylvania:

Capitol building:

Capitol building

FNB Field:

FNB Field

Dinner options:

Dinner options

Weird burger and cheesesteak:

Weird burger and cheesesteak

Snack:

Snack

View from our seats, section 110, row 1, seats 1 & 2:

View from our seats, section 110, row 1, seats 1 & 2

Play ball:

Play ball

Baseball

Selfie:

Selfie

Run scores:

Run scores

Run scores

Exploring the ballpark:

Exploring the ballpark

Exploring the ballpark

Exploring the ballpark

Exploring the ballpark

Exploring the ballpark

Exploring the ballpark

Exploring the ballpark

Exploring the ballpark

Exploring the ballpark

Exploring the ballpark

Exploring the ballpark

Hershey ice cream:

Hershey ice cream

Ball hit the ump’s mask:

Ball hit the ump's mask

Wackiness:

Wackiness

Broken bat:

Broken bat

Baseball

Final scores:

Final scores

Baseball

Hershey’s Chocolate World

We visited Hershey’s Chocolate World in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Hershey's Chocolate World

We did the Create Your Own Candy Bar experience, where you choose components for a bar; here are Jenn’s selections:

Create Your Own Candy Bar

My selections:

Create Your Own Candy Bar

Selfie:

Jenn and David

Production line:

Production line

Production line

Production line

Production line

While the chocolate is drying, you design your packaging:

Design Your Packaging

Production line:

Production line

Our packages:

Our packages

Then we did the free Hershey’s Chocolate Tour, a ride showing what goes in to producing chocolate bars:

Hershey's Chocolate Tour

Hershey's Chocolate Tour

Hershey's Chocolate Tour

Hershey's Chocolate Tour

Hershey's Chocolate Tour

Hershey's Chocolate Tour

Dinner in the food hall:

Dinner in the food court

Dessert:

Dessert

Hershey’s Largest Candy Store:

Hershey's Largest Candy Store

Extra-big Kit-Kat (which we didn’t buy):

Extra-big KitKat (which we didn't buy)

We did buy a lot of stuff, though:

We did buy a lot of stuff, though

Kissmobile:

Kissmobile

My custom candy bar:

David's custom candy bar

David's custom candy bar

Jenn’s custom candy bar:

Jenn's custom candy bar

A fun experience.