Author: admin (Page 44 of 66)

There is not a major news story this week so this post will be a collection of short topics, including the new stove, The Lot, a few animals, and a few miscellaneous photos.

Our new stove arrived and I installed it this past Wednesday. It sure is nice to have a working stove again! Pam has tried the oven and reports it appears to be more evenly heated than the old one, and the top-side burners light quickly and have very even heat distribution. Pam hated to have to replace any more appliances here, since we don’t plan on staying that many more years.  It is what it is – you don’t mess with gas.

Our new GE stove

The last of the firewood has been picked up; it’s good to have it gone from the edge of the driveway but I do miss the woodsy smell that was present every time I walked past the pile.

There are a couple of miscellaneous photos from trips to The Lot. We took Tabitha’s advice and spent some time enjoying our visits from time to time.

Jerry enjoying a campfire

Pam viewing fall colors from Pavilion Point

Pam and Jerry look out over South Park

We will miss our mountain visits (eight weekends in a row late August through October), but the night time temps are getting below freezing on a consistent basis in the high country and, with the leaves fallen, the scenic views are not what they are in the spring and summer. Besides, there are plenty of projects to work on around the house.

On my last trip to the lot the free-range Llamas were pretty close to the road and I could not pass up this photo of a young one:

Young Llama in South Park

We have squirrels (and chipmunks) on The Lot and the dogs enjoy trying to find them. Although we see them often I’ve not gotten a good photo of one. Here is a bit of info about pine squirrels:

Pine squirrel info

One aspect of Colorado that I like is the history of the state, particularly the narrow-gauge railroads that were built during the gold mining days. South Park had the Denver, South Park & Pacific line that came out of Denver, crossed Kenosha Pass to enter South Park, and served Breckenridge by way of Boreas Pass. At the top of Kenosha Pass a bit of the line has been reconstructed. Here is one informational sign from that stretch:

A bit of rail history in South Park

For the time being our lives will settle into the cold weather routine, mostly work and chores around the house related to fall activities such as raking and mulching leaves, prepping the house for winter, and other low-level activities. Just as well; with sunsets coming earlier and earlier it is hard to get much done after we get home during the work week, usually around 6:00 PM.  We do have a couple of real estate property viewings scheduled for later in the month; more on those as they occur.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

Fairplay property visits scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 8.  Hope to set up Lake Vallecito property visits for Nov. 10-11 (taking some annual leave).  All dependent on weather – light snow already in the forecast for higher elevations.

Happy Trails.

During September I took some video clips of different events but did not have time to put them in my posts. Here are 4 short movies depicting events and outings from that time.

The first (1 minute) is a view of fall colors taken from The Lot on September 12th.

[cincopa AkMAS9MmZWrY]

This next clip (3:10) is of the delivery of 15 tons of gravel for the lower end of The Lot’s driveway. This occurred on September 24 and was the last major project for the year.

[cincopa AoEAu_M6ZyZa]

These next two clips are from ATV trips. The first, North Twin Cone Peak, (1:06) is silent as the wind noise over the microphone rendered the audio track unusable. It is a visual record that I was there (elevation of 12,600 feet) but otherwise is not significant.

[cincopa AQLA088ZZ6Di]

This last clip, the longest of these 4 at 6:22, is of scenery (mostly mine tailings and mountains) along Forest Road 290 near the old mining town of Montezuma. Again, it is mostly a record of “I’ve been there” rather than any cinematic masterpiece. The second half of the clip was taken from Handcart Gulch, the trail leading up to Webster Pass, also in the Montezuma area. This part of the clip has a bit more color and a couple of Jeeps in it.

[cincopa AIDA7_MBZSss]

These short takes are, as I mentioned earlier, more for documentation than entertainment, but I hope you enjoy some parts of them.

Finally, one photo of all the firewood cut up and stacked along our De Beque driveway before Kathy and Doug come and start taking it away. Kathy uses the wood to heat her 1-car garage, converted to rescue cat house, in the winter.

All firewood has been cut

(The cat in the background is Sunny, one of our indoor-outdoor cats.)

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

I looked back at the summer calendar – Fields and (less frequently) myself + the dogs were at Sanderling eight straight weekends from late August through early October. Which is what happens when there’s a late, wet spring and all the projects push forward to the end of the season.  Accomplished this summer: retaining wall and gravel work on the driveway, clearance of the future carport area, down and standing wood removal (includes larger trees) in The Nook, septic pumping system operational, components purchased for the cistern system.

Happy Trails.

It has been a couple of weeks since I last posted. We have been very busy with a range of activities that includes The Lot, the “new” utility trailer, a couple of ATV rides, fall colors, and wood cutting. Here is a bit of an update on all these topics.

I had wanted to add stake bed sides to the utility trailer to increase it’s carrying capacity, particularly for hauling slash to the burn pit. It took me a few night’s work, but the stake bed is finished and working very well for my intended use(s).

Stake Bed sides help load capacity – burn pit wood, in this case – from The Nook area

In a bit of an unusual design, both the front and end panels can be removed giving me great flexibility in loading stuff. At the burn pit I can remove either side or end and unload the trailer right from the deck, a much appreciated feature.

Over the last few weeks I have taken several loads of wood to the burn pit and brought home two loads of firewood with this trailer and am very pleased with the way it has worked out.

One thing left to fix; the tailgate of the truck won’t drop down if the trailer’s tongue jack is in place. This is not a major problem but is inconvenient. Back in the day truck tailgates were not as tall as they are now and there was no clearance problem but the newer Ford F-150 tailgates are pretty tall, causing interference. I will either buy a bolt-on jack and mount it further back on the tongue or weld up a plate and re-use the original jack in a different location.

The trailer upgrades are tied in with work on The Lot, which pretty much ended last weekend due to encroaching cold weather. (Last weekend you could see a white tint on the top of Boreas Pass and other high peaks. Good thing we already “visited” Mtn Laurie up there for this year.)  We finished clearing The Nook to our satisfaction; the last of the firewood from this area is in the trailer and waiting for me to finish cutting it up later this week.

Last load of wood for 2015

Firewood waiting for delivery

It is always sad to shut down The Lot for the year and bring The Box home. It means summer is really over and signals an end to our weekends in the high country. I’ll miss my campfires under the stars.

Last campfire of 2015

Speaking of campfires…

Our gas range, 21 years old and original to the house, developed a leak and is not worth repairing. We have a new GE unit on order with expected delivery of October 13th. In the meantime we are using our 2-burner Coleman camp stove and microwave for cooking. Camping at home!

Camping at home with the Coleman stove

I did get one last ATV/Fall Color trip completed a couple weeks ago, a re-visit of Webster Pass and the surrounding area.

Old cabin along Forest Road 290

Gold Aspen along Handcart Gulch

I can say I am tired. August, September, and early October — a very busy time, including nights and weekends. Once we get the last of the wood cut and delivered, get The Box home from The Lot, and complete a few chores around the house (Pam wants a new raised flower bed and some fence work done) I will be ready for a break. By that time fall chores will have started, mostly raking leaves and mulching flower beds so we will see how much of a break I actually get!

A couple of miscellaneous notes…

KitKat has decided she wants to be an indoor-outdoor cat and has taken to coming into the house for long stretches of time, including overnight. She was the most anti-social kitten we fostered, and after Pam put KitKat outside I didn’t think she would even stay around. Surprise! KitKat even lets me pet her while she is in the house. Unbelievable.

The Honda turned over 377,000 miles last week. We are aiming for 500,000 miles. There are signs the transmission (automatic) is not what it used to be, particularly when cold, and we are just hoping it hangs in there through the winter.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

With the conclusion of the work on the Sanderling property for the year, we commence the winter project – our search for a retirement house.  Actually, the realtor who sold us the Sanderling property has already shown us several houses in the Fairplay area, so the search has begun.  Two schools of thought about a retirement location – we are attracted to the water and recreational aspects of Vallecito Lake near Durango.  But, their internet situation at the moment is not good and I need reliable internet to work at home.  An alternative would be finding a retirement home near the mountain property in the Fairplay/Alma area.  Internet is somewhat more established in Park County, and of course it would be nice to be a half hour drive away from Sanderling rather than four hours.  Homes everywhere in Colorado are expensive; it will take us a bit longer to put together the [outrageous] down payment needed, so the search will continue. If it takes as long to find a house as it did to settle on the Sanderling property, we are in for a two year run.

Clover Court home for sale near Fairplay

Happy Trails!

Much has transpired since my last post. Here is an effort to catch up on the last 3 weekends.

We had driven to our Sanderling lot the weekend before Labor Day to continue cleaning the area we have taken to calling The Nook. The Nook is an expansion of an uphill area we had partially cleared  last year, but is further back on the lot, in more pine trees, and steeper.

Pam and I created a slash pile (burn pit wood) and another pile of soon-to-be firewood. However, due to the terrain we had to haul the slash further than I really like; only with much difficulty could I get the ATV and utility trailer into the area. This slowed us down a bit but we still managed to get several loads of slash staged and one load of firewood ready to bring home.

That weekend we had mice again. Determined to fix this problem,  I crawled under the RV to identify the entry point. Peeling back some of the undercoating fabric,  I found a place where the mice had gained entry through a very round-about route. I think they had come in though a space near the holding tank drain line then followed a smaller drain line into the bathroom sink area. Having purchased a can of expanding foam, I proceeded to plug the route and every small hole and opening around the water tanks and lines that I could find. While this appears to have ended our mouse problem for now – no mice over Labor Day weekend or last weekend – I will need to make a more permanent fix when I bring The Box home for the winter.

And speaking of that…tree colors are changing here in the high country. Como had one night below freezing. It may be only a matter of weeks before we’ll have to shut down operations for the year. Seems like it is just too soon for fall to be here!

September 13, 2015, fall colors beginning to show

The next weekend was Labor Day.  I had taken off  Friday to make a 4-day mini-vacation out of it, planning to include a little adventure by adding a couple of ATV rides to the weekend schedule.

I went up on Friday with the truck and trailer and Pam followed Saturday afternoon with the dogs. By the time Pam arrived I had The Nook slash loaded and taken to the burn pit. Determined to get the most out of the Saturday, we tackled a project closer to the driveway…clearing an area adjacent to the dog run. This spot is in line-of-view of The Box, and has fairly easy access. We quickly had a load ready to go and when I returned from yet another burn pit trip Pam had a good start on a 2nd load. That load would have to wait until this past weekend as the burn pit was now closed for the day. We came to the conclusion that there will always be another pile of slash…for the rest of our lives!

Another slash pile takes shape

Jerry getting a load of firewood out of The Nook

Sunday morning we again worked on the dog run area and added to The Nook’s piles of firewood and slash. Pam headed home around 3:00 PM; I stayed to take my ATV rides later in the day and next morning. We feel we got a lot done and the absence of mice was an added plus.

My 2 ATV rides (Sunday evening and Monday morning) were of Hall Valley and North Twin Cone Peak. The former was fairly easy and short, only about 14 miles round trip, but a light smattering of rain made the evening a bit more interesting. However, the rain ended quickly and the long rays of the sun made for a very nice late afternoon ride.

My ATV and another family at the end of the Hall Valley trail. (Building is an old bunkhouse.)

Monday’s ride of North Twin Cone Peak, accessed from the top of Kenosha Pass, was pleasant but the final third of the trail was rocky and steep, thus making for slow going. The 32 mile round trip took me over 4 hours. Highest elevation, at the top of the peak, was 12,600 feet. I was glad Pam had insisted I bring my lined leather jacket along…it was chilly up there. I headed back to The Box, had lunch, hooked up the trailer full of firewood, and headed home, completing the long holiday weekend.

Downhill on the North Twin Cone Peak trail. Angles not enhanced by camera…trail was steep and rocky in places.

Fast forward to this past weekend. I drove up Friday after work  – no day off this time – while Pam stayed home. Saturday morning I managed to get the pre-staged slash (a couple of loads) out of The Nook and over to the pit and still had time to get another load ready by late afternoon. (Photo of this 3rd load is below.) Originally I had planned to return home on Saturday, but the weather was totally beautiful and I was tired so I decided to stay over until Sunday morning. I made myself dinner then built a nice campfire and watched the stars appear after the fire died out. At our elevation, just under 10,000 feet, and with no lights around (the moon had not yet risen) you can really see all the stars and the swirls of the Milky Way.  I slept well that night.

Load #3, more fuel for the burn pit

Sunset from The Lot, 9/12/2015

The last big project for the year is scheduled for September 24 – 25, when we will have another load of gravel delivered for the lower end of the driveway. While the gravel company will try to spread the gravel somewhat when dumping it from the truck, we anticipate a lot of gravel will have to be moved and raked by hand. We want to get this done now as some washout has occurred on the lower end of the drive over the last two winters. Hopefully the gravel will put a stop to further driveway deterioration.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

It’s a mad rush to the end of the season.  Once we wrap it up at Sanderling, it will be time to accelerate the retirement house hunt– into next year.  Something to keep us engaged during the long winter months.

Happy Trails.

In my last post I mentioned a “trip video” I was working on. Here is a 6-minute clip consisting of footage taken in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The footage is mostly waterfalls, but a few still photos have been added to break up the waterfall monotony.

[cincopa A0PAI1MTLn1e]

I do like my waterfalls. 🙂

A few statistics about the trip:

Miles on bike: 580

Miles in truck: 3,313

Highest price per gallon of regular: $3.17 in Colorado

Lowest price per gallon of regular: $2.46 in Iowa

Hotel price range per night : $59.00 in Lincoln up to around $85.00 in Nebraska and Minnesota. (Julie’s Motor Inn, base camp for the rally, came in at just under $65.00 per night.)

Total gallons of gasoline purchased for truck: 250

Average MPG – truck: 13.3

Total gallons of gasoline for bike: 14

Bike’s average MPG: 42

Number of photos taken: 131

Number of video clips shot: 12 (all on an iPhone 6+)

The trip took 11 days all told, August 11 (afternoon) until August 22nd (early evening).

 Next post: Back to normal themes, including The Lot, Fall colors, and general living.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

And my vacation lasted from August 11 (afternoon) until August 22nd (early evening).

The last segment of my trip, which had begun on August 11th, included a visit to central Wisconsin to see my mother and family members.

I arrived in Greenwood, where my mother lives, late in the day on Monday, August 17th. The drive down from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was a bit rainy and cold, but I did work in a stop at another waterfall. Notice how grey the sky is, an indication of the intermittent rain falling on this Monday morning.

Agate Falls

The old railroad trestle is now part of a recreational trail for both summer and winter use. Must be interesting to ride a snowmobile over it! The primitive trail down to the bottom of the falls is almost non-existent and it took a bit of work to get this shot.

The visit with my mother and sister Sienna was quiet. We talked a lot, watched a little TV, and I walked part of the land where I grew up. It is different now, after 4 decades, particularly where open fields have grown over with large trees and tall grasses.

On Wednesday I drove to Bloomer to visit with Pam’s brother Craig and his wife Dianne, who just moved into their newly-built lakeside retirement home. While there is still work to do, the house is very well built and quite attractive. Both Craig and Dianne are glad to be out of their small rental, occupied while the house was under construction. They still have a lot of boxes to go through, still need to sort out storage places for their stuff, but both are retired and are looking forward to settling into their new place.

Craig and Dianne outside their new house

After a very good visit with relatives on Pam’s side, I headed back to Greenwood, stopping to see my father’s brother Frank and his sister Gina, my aunt and uncle. Both live near Chippewa Falls. Aunt Gina is 94 and is still as sharp as ever. Uncle Frank is 88 and looks terrific. They took me out to eat at a China Buffet and we were able to talk for quite a while over dinner and later back at Aunt Gina’s house. It was very good to see both of them.

The next morning, the 19th, I started back to Colorado with the intent on making it as far as Lincoln, Nebraska that evening. On the way I passed a sign advertising the Iowa Aviation Museum. Who knew? So, just on the spur of the moment, I decided to visit the museum.

The museum is small but growing and has a collection of some ’20s and ’30s aircraft as well as a few newer planes.

1929 Stearman

A-7 Corsair

I had arrived late in the day and could not stay long at the museum, but it was an interesting place to visit! Later that day I arrived in Lincoln and settled in for the night.

The next day it was back on the road again. Previously I had mentioned I’d stopped in North Platte during the initial days of this trip to buy a used tire, and at that time had been quoted $180.00 per tire for a set of “take off” tires. (The story is that a guy had purchased a new truck but wanted “monster truck” tires installed so traded these in. Supposedly the tires, Michelin light truck tires, had only about 400 miles on them.) I decided to offer the dealer $150.00 per tire, about $92.00 each off the price of a new tire, and they said OK if they could keep the old tires to resell. So I stopped in North Platte and had a “new” set of tires installed! The old tires, on the truck since we bought it, were nearing the end of their service life and Pam and I had talked about replacing them this fall, so I just accelerated the timing a bit. The Michelins seem to ride very well and are quieter than the tires they replaced. I just hope they last a long time.

That night, Friday, I made it as far as our Sanderling lot in Colorado and stayed in The Box, our RV trailer. Saturday morning I did a few chores (such as loading the firewood I had cut previously), walked around the lot a bit, and just sat for a while enjoying the morning while drinking a hot cup of tea. After I did get going I stopped to look at a couple of For Sale houses Pam had seen during an on-line search; my last leg home was unhurried with a few side stops.

Over all it was a good trip. I saw some new country, reconnected with some old acquaintances, met some new people, and visited family. I had the opportunity to visit Craig and Dianne’s new home plus walk the property where I grew up.  I ate some good food and drank some good beer and learned a bit of history along the way.  Then I had to go back to work… 🙁

My next post will have a few statistics and a movie clip, mostly waterfalls but presenting a few other topics as well.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

Convincing Fields to drive the truck and trailer the cycle was a good move.  He also did well watching his diet and practicing moderation to control his diabetes during his first major trip since his diagnosis.

Happy Trails.

Saturday was the “Big Ride” day. After a good breakfast we headed north out of Houghton into the Upper Peninsula. (Da UP.)

One stop was at the ruins of the Calumet Brewery, once one of the largest breweries in the state. (1899 – 1919.) Prohibition put an end to this and many other breweries in the country. The remains of the building are impressive but are being taken over by vegetation.

Jerry at ruins of Calumet Brewery

We made a few other stops, then took off for a ride around the south side of the peninsula, going through the town of Gay. Of course, we had to stop at the Gay Bar for refreshment and to take photos.

Our group at the Gay Bar

A scenic stop was part of the Brockway Mountain drive, with views out over the town of Copper Harbor and Lake Superior.

Brockway Mountain overlook

After a 200+ mile day we ate dinner at the Red Jacket Brewery in Calumet. The room was a bit warm but the locally-brewed beer (I had the Downtown Brown) served with the broiled lake trout was excellent. The trout, fresh caught, was delicious.

Our motorcycles lined up in Calumet

After dinner it was back to the hotel to clean up, talk, and relax after the long day.

Sunday was short ride day as some of the guys had to start home. Erik led us out to the end of the shipping canal, dredged to open a natural passage though the peninsula for ships to pass through instead of having to go around. With the decline in copper and coal mining the canal does not see a lot of use but large freighters occasionally pass through. The lift bridge in Houghton goes up for ship passage then down for auto travel. In winter the bridge drops to it’s lowest position so snowmobiles can use the bottom level to cross the canal.

Lift bridge over shipping canal in Houghton

After lunch we returned to the motel and another fellow (Brent) and I decided to ride some local roads we had not been on before. Part of the afternoon was spent sitting under a pavilion overlooking the lake, watching the lake traffic and swapping stories about riding motorcycles. Later we rode some back roads and returned to the motel just in time to hook up with several other guys for dinner. We ate at Joey’s Fish Market in Houghton. Advice: Don’t order the 3 piece cod dinner unless you are very hungry!

Brent has a fondness for cigars

Back to the motel where farewells were said as all of us would be heading out our separate ways on Monday morning. It had been a good gathering with nice roads to ride, stops that combined a mix of history and scenery, and good company.

Next post: Visiting family in Wisconsin and the trip home.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

While Fields was cycling da UP, I was driving back and forth to work with not-totally-healed bursitis.  Ouch.

Happy Trails.

This is going to be a long post; I will split it up into three segments.

The first and second parts will cover the “Lost in Da UP” motorcycle rally I attended August 14, 15, and 16. The third part will cover my Wisconsin visit and trip home.

This narrative will be in chronological order, starting with my departure on August 11th. I left from work early with the goal of making it to North Platte, Nebraska the first night. A nail in a tire slowed me down a bit as I had to run into Sterling, Colorado, and find a tire shop who could make the repair. However, I did make it to North Platte.

The next morning, still in North Platte, I had another flat tire. The local tire shop said the damage could not be repaired so I ended up buying a used tire. The shop also had a barely-used set of Michelin truck tires in the size I needed, but I decided to pass. After a long day’s drive, I stayed the night just south of Minneapolis.

Thursday I made it to Houghton, Michigan, and my motel, Julie’s Motor Inn.

Base Camp for rally

The motel is right out of the ’50s but the A/C worked. (Temps were in the high 80s and low 90s.)

Motel office

I checked in, got my gear into the room, unloaded the bike, then went for a ride. I ended up getting a burger in a local steak house, then it was back to Julie’s for a night’s rest.

The rally didn’t officially begin until Friday evening, so Friday morning I took off on a ride of my own. I enjoyed the many icons of small-town America are in this area, as large cities are few and far between. Here are a few  examples:

Typical General Store

Well-kept rural church

This one made me laugh – decorated hay bales

Waysides had a mix of scenic views and historical information,

View of Lake Superior from Chassell Cliff roadside park

Reynold-Corliss steam engine was in service from 1912 to 1968.

And, it turns out, there are waterfalls in the area.

Bond Falls

Water views are always an attraction, and this ride got me close to Lake Superior on a few occasions.

North side of Upper Peninsula has many small beaches

After a ride of about 235 miles I returned to Julie’s Motor Inn where Erik, the rally organizer, was setting up the meet-and-greet cookout.

Erik (The Red) sets up Friday evening cookout

I am going to jump ahead just a bit and include this photo of the nine rally attendees:

Arlan, Greg, Harry, James, Brent, Ian, Erik, Todd, and Jerry

That’s it for now. More rally and trip commentary in my next post. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

While Fields was on his Midwest junket, I carried on here at home.  I did visit the eye glasses folks to order new spectacles; they’ve arrived since.  When I’m stylin’ the new frames, a person faintly resembling my Uncle Don looks back at me from the mirror.  So much for going “retro” with the new glasses.

I’m going on my annual extended motorcycle trip beginning next Tuesday; the Upper Peninsula of Michigan  (Houghton) is calling me. The rally is being held on August 14, 15, and 16th. I’ll attend the rally, then head to central Wisconsin on the 17th, see my mother for a few days, and get to Bloomer to see Craig and Dianne’s new home.

I won’t be posting from on the road so there will be a break in the action. Check back in a couple of weeks!

There is some news to report from this past Saturday. I drove to the mountain property Friday night with a list of items to accomplish on Saturday. Everything was to be done on Saturday, as I had arrived too late on Friday to get any real work done. Except for checking the mousetraps. (Yes, one mouse in one trap – again.)

Saturday arrived. First of all, I took the last of the landscape blocks out of the bed of the truck  and put them in place along the driveway. I re-arranged some of the existing railroad ties for better appearance and function as part of the landscape block project. Next, I cut up the small aspen we had removed from the carport area. Finally, I pumped water and filled the RV’s fresh water tank. In my spare time, I took a load of wood to the burn pit. Checking off all the items on my Sanderling list, I drove past a couple of For Sale properties in the Fairplay area before returning home around dark Saturday night.

Here is a short clip – 2:38 – of me cutting the firewood. The action is a bit repetitive due to the nature of the job, but I have not posted any video for a while so thought I would throw this one in.

[cincopa+AoEAwx8Ud36f]

When I am cutting small aspen, this method is faster and safer than using the chainsaw. It is only possible with a working generator, another reason I’m glad to have the generator fixed.

Today I installed the motorcycle wheel chock on the trailer, changed oil in the Honda and checked all Honda fluid levels (for Pam’s use while I’m away), and began preparing for my upcoming trip. I will be taking the truck and trailering the bike; this is the first time ever that I will be trailering instead of riding the full distance. But I ask you: How many times riding a cycle across Nebraska is enough? I am looking forward to the trip with the truck.

Bike loaded on trailer and ready to go

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

While Fields drives across the middle of the U.S. and back, I will be enjoying a few days of annual leave here-and-there myself while he’s gone.  Eating when I want, watching my programs on the living room TV – pretty much a vacation for me too.

Happy Trails.

Since my last post, a bit has happened regarding the Sanderling lot. Here is an update.

The maiden voyage of the cistern trailer went very well. It pulls behind the truck better than the aluminum trailer. I have not yet used it for hauling the cistern or honey wagon tanks, but below is a photo of it loaded with slash wood to be taken to the fire pit.

New trailer loaded with burn pit wood

I have decided to add stake bed sides and a motorcycle wheel chock to make the trailer more of an all-purpose utility platform.

I did get my generator fixed (about $70.00) and I took it to The Lot this past weekend. It now runs just like new, and I was able to use it to power the honey wagon pump and empty The Box’s holding tanks. (I put the honey wagon tank in the back of the truck.) This means we no longer have to pull The Box over to the nearest dump station, the goal we were hoping for when we embarked on this project. Below is a photo (Pam says it is gross) of the honey wagon system in use:

Honey wagon kit working as advertised

I still need to work on getting the cistern tank and associated systems functioning, but that is a lower priority as I can still pump water by hand when needed. Still, the cistern project is progressing — I received some fittings I needed and ordered on-line and fitted them to (and tested) my pump. Not a lot of progress, but some.

This is the second trip to The Lot with some of my landscaping blocks in the truck. The blocks have been put in a few spots along The Lot’s driveway, a lot of work considering I have to dig out dirt and gravel  to get the blocks in place. So far, 132 in, 32 more still to transport and place. The blocks look like this:

Landscape blocks in place – upper drive

Landscape blocks along lower drive

We relocated the front half of the dog run in order to make way for another project, a car port. This is prep work; the car port itself will probably not get installed until next spring but could happen sooner. We had to remove quite a few trees, mostly very small aspen, to make a 12 foot by 24 foot opening along the driveway. Now we will have to level it off and get some gravel down before the port can be assembled. It is nice to have an off-driveway parking spot for the trailer; we were getting tired of having to maneuver around it when going to or from The Box.

Car port will be the newly cleared area left of trailer

I had one disagreeable task; the last time I was up alone the furnace kicked on and a bad smell came out of it—burned mouse hair. This trip I had to remove a grill, plus the front cover of the furnace burner, and scrape out the charred remains of a mouse that had – somehow – found its way into the furnace and died. Ba-a-a-a-d smell, and it took me a while to scrape the remains off the furnace burner. I did not turn the furnace on this trip; it was warm enough at night not to need it, but on my next solo trip I will turn the furnace on with the windows open and see how good a job I did. No photos of this particular task… 🙂

There was much to get done this past weekend, and we actually accomplished everything! Dog pen reconfigured, car port preparations started, landscape blocks placed, and holding tanks emptied. I have some trees to cut into firewood next trip, and a load of stuff to take to the burn pit. The generator runs like a champ. We returned home very tired but very pleased with what was accomplished. Now if we could just keep the mice out of The Box….

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

These darned mice. Mother Nature laughs at the family, with over a dozen domesticated + feral cats, that has mice in their RV.

I was pleased this weekend; my ailing hip allowed me some measure of mobility around the property. Still not 100%, but health improvement.

Happy Trails.