Power Is On

The "Bear Den" is now on shore power, the trusty ole generator is sitting idle, once again the HITW is a peaceful quiet working environment. A good day today, while the Bear was running electrical wire through the the walls and eventually connecting us to shore power the rest of the crew worked on individual projects. I completed the siding project at the peak of the cabin with the Bull Moose commencing preparing the rear wall for the exterior paneling. We borrowed our soldier from the Army for a few days and assigned him to the roofing project. To assist him, we were able to rent a nail gun from the local rental center. With everyone assigned to pounding or screwing, I turned my attention to the installation of the doors and windows. This task will be completed tomorrow, just as soon as I get Papa Bear to disconnect his power source to the breaker and remove the transmission line which is currently running through the side door opening. By this time tomorrow, the roof should be completed and the cabin dried in. A quick trip to the lumber yard will be in order to get some trim wood for the windows and corners but in all, it is coming along very nicely. Thanks again to our "Pope" and Tara, they left us in good shape and it has been relatively easy on us to fill in the blanks. The roofing shingles look real good and will blend in well with our "green environment". By the time the "Wolf Pack" returns, we will be ready to raise the walls and repeat the process one more time.

Who knew so much work could be so much fun?

Now that Mama Wolf repaired the generator
(as advised by the Lynx), we should be a lot
easier on the pull cord. The highest hope of
mine for this weekend happens to be sun
and high temperatures of which the ol'
Doppler does not expect at this point.
Him AND Jackie are wrong, sometimes.
See you at the HITW!

Rain, Flood, Rain, Flood

Just returned from a 0400 security check at the HITW and to cancel all charter operations at first light. It must have been foresight that we commenced the dredging of the HITW De-waterazation Project this past weekend. The flood of rain on Wednesday, proved the effectiveness of the project and for testing 1.5 PVC pipe instead of a 3/4 inch garden hose. During this period, the cistern had retained most of the run off with some slight overflow.

Upgrading to 1.5 inch lines will control any flooding at a much better rate and increase the GPH to 1850 gallons per hour. It was also noted that the holding area needs to be enlarged. This fact was not happily accepted by the crew until Lady Eagle suggested that the "Bobcat" return to the project site for the enlargement of the "pit".

The rain commenced last evening at 2200 just as we settled in for a family night of sticky buns and watching the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". It has been raining since that time and as you can see from the latest Doppler Radar picture, we have more to look forward to. those living in the LA area can expect a full wet day. At the HITW, we should see a clearing trend.

My 0400 inspection revealed that the "cistern" was filled to capacity and overflow moving into the Gazebo area. At good light and whenever the hardware store opens, one hundred feet of 1.5 PVC will be picked up for the new drain line and the "de-waterazation" project will once again commence. With our new "Heidi Generator" on line providing full electrical capabilities, installation of the drain line and activation of the pump, the control of the water should be completed in 1.34 hours. Until the hardware store opens, I foresee four more sticky buns, three additional cups of coffee and a nap.

Recent Rain Was Useful

Having endured 24 hours of steady rain, I visited the HITW this morning with one thought in mind. We would likely have to cancel any construction projects this weekend. Upon my arrival, my thoughts were verified when I discovered "flood waters"inside the Gazebo, very similar to the spring breakup floods. It also reinforced my concept that some type of drainage system must be constructed this season.

However, while running some errands, a "new concept" entered my thoughts and upon my return to the HITW I discovered the newly arrived sun had dried the building pads to a point that you could walk on them without leaving a shoe print, for the most part they were dry and ready to work on.

Making a quickie trip to the local hardware store, I found the material I needed and began the "de-flooding" project. With the use of a new submersible pump that has a flow rate of 1855 GPH to a delivery height of 26.25 feet, minimum water level of 2.5 inches with the capability of running a 1.5 inch discharge line.

Water Level and Submersible Pump

Discharge Using a 3/4 Inch Hose

Starting the generator, I commenced the "de-flooding" at 1610 and secured operations at 1810, with about an hours worth of water remaining in the confines of the holding area. With the capability of 1.5 inch hose the processing time could have been reduced in half. I am very pleased with the concept, but I need to run it by the resident Plumma to see if my entire concept is viable. If it is, it may save us the time and funding to dredge up half the area installing storm drains.

Why were the rains good? If they had not occurred, creating the Gazebo Flood, we would not have had the opportunity to test out the new "de-watering" process. Perhaps, the rain which created the premature spring flood has saved us a lot of time and money, that is good!

As for conditions, they are good. The parking lot area absorbed all of the rain and there were no wet spots. The building pads are now dry so and with the current weather report, the weekend looks like a fine weekend to start construction.

The NOAA 2045 weather report for this evening, Rain north of Kenai. Friday, partly sunny with a slight chance of showers, temps to lower 60's. Friday night: Cloudy with a chance of showers. Saturday: Mostly Cloudy with highs into the mid 60's. Saturday Night: Mostly Cloudy, Sunday: Mostly Cloudy highs 60 65. The Doppler is clear 360 degrees except for rain moving north through Kenai and should hit Anchorage later this evening.

Daily Update

Additional preparations completed today. Equipment moved in, transit set up and crew of two measured out the site and set their level marks. The Bobcat Man went to work leveling the building sites stopping mid point to lay out level lines to insure he was on grade. Completed the leveling process and the Bobcat was back on the trailer in 1.5 hours, well worth the time and effort. The Bobcat is a great little machine and with the open bucket, it was quick and easy. The proposed Wolf Den will be 3.5 inches lower in elevation than the Bear Den, ascetically it will be appealing and 3.5 inches of material did not need to be moved.

Between watching the Bobcat run around, I did spend a little time in unloading and cutting up our last delivery of firewood. Following the departure of the Bobcat, Lady Eagle jumped in and stacked wood for me as I cut it into measured lengths. This load had some very fine quality dimensional rough cut lumber.

As a side note, Claire Allen, Sundance, and Butch have become more brazen in their search of the pantry. I also think the Magpies must be going through a second mating season as they have been "wrestling" a lot on the ground. Approaching their nest, they have once again taken up the watch and let you know when you are getting to close. I thought they only laid eggs once a year? Mama Moose and this springs calf have also returned to "Moose Meadows", the little one was eyeballing my new berry farm last evening. Considered catching him / her inside the fence and domesticate him / her as a pet and pack animal at the HITW.

Power Is On

In December 1999, we purchased a 5,000 watt generator. While others were buying them in fear of Y2K, or whatever the year 2000 computer scare was, we purchased ours to have emergency back up power for our home in the event of a long electrical outage. We did have an outage in February of 2000 but before I could get the generator started, the power came back on. It was run for a total of 30 minutes. Since that time, it has sit idle waiting to be used.

Today, Little Buffie and guest helped move it to the HITW for use during the construction phase. Not being started in eight years, it was a little hesitant to start, it fact it would not even try. Gas leaking from the fuel filter, perhaps the clamps need tightening, but being that they were crimp on, Lady Eagle was dispatched to the hardware store to purchase two 1/8 inch hose clamps. Returning,they were installed but still a little gas seeping, perhaps the filter was cracked and it was getting to much air. Lady Eagle dispatched one more time to get a new filter. Returning with the exact fit it was installed. Still it would not start even with starting fluid. Perhaps, the spark plug which Little Buffie had mentioned as possible problem, but with only a half hour on it, it had to be good but why take a chance. Lady Eagle made a third trip to the store and returned with a new plug. Installed, it would turn over with a good squirt of starting fluid but die.

Everyone else grew weary of watching the "generator light off" and headed out in all directions leaving myself and Little Buffie to deal with the problem. With him pulling a lot of false starts and our tinkering, we finally discovered that it was not getting gas because the butter fly valve was not opening due to "dehydrated gas". Activating the valve, one small pull was made it and it roared to life. Letting it run for a half hour to build up the power as recommended by the manufacturer, we decided to see if it would really make electricity. The only electrical equipment that we could find to test it was a "coffee grinder", it to purred like a kitten when plugged in. I still do not know if it will power a compressor, but at least we will have fresh ground coffee.

Tomorrow, the "Bobcat Man" will move onto the site and do additional "dirt work" that is required to level out the sites. Billie Bob Woodman delivered a load a wood today, enough to last perhaps a day but Boy Moose and I will whack it up tomorrow and throughout the week pick up another load or two from the back up distributor. Perhaps, this weekend we can dispatch some to pick up additional wood that will last us throughout the season and perhaps even a load of gravel or two to resurface the Fire Pit and other areas that can use a little gravel. The "Green Project" is looking good, the nearly perfect two Christmas trees that I transplanted this week are looking much better and I have upgraded them to a 37% chance of survival.

Enuff said.

Preparations On Schedule

Phase Three of the cabin construction is now completed. All the material has been delivered, staged, and inventoried in preparation for construction. Strictly by coincidence, the material was delivered by Carlile Trucker, Bill who use to shop at the tackle shop. Not only a flat bed trucker having the same name as Ranger Bill, he also new Ranger Bill from the stint that he work for Carlile. He was also a faithful listener to the Sport Fishing Report.

Arranged to meet him at the Anchor River Inn Parking lot so I could drive him to the HITW so he could get a good look a the driveway before he had to commit to making the turn. As he pulled into the Anchor River Inn parking lot, the vertical lift forklift was directly behind him and continued to the HITW. After viewing the driveway and limited access, he chose to back into Private Drive and let the forklift unload from there and haul it into the HITW via Bronco Lane.

Spendard Builders were a little stingy with their pallets, so some dunnage had to be borrowed to sit the material on. The total process took less than one hour to complete and we only blocked traffic on the Old Sterling Highway for five minutes while backing onto Private Drive, but we had "road guards" posted during the backing in process for safety purposes.

In all, everything when very smooth. Our next step is to move in the generator, which is on the "to do list" for tomorrow since we have a couple of extra hands down from LA. What did I learn today, I could not figure out why Spenard Builders had shipped us a bunch of fish boxes, fortunately I still have my big stapler to folder and staple them together. Then I talked to the "Pope" and discovered that they are insulation baffles, ain't never heard of them before but now I know! Waiting patiently for all of you.

Cabin Update

Due to the effort of our good friend Jon, we are now on track for construction of the first phase. He called today and gave us the number to the representative at the local lumber yard in LA. Contacting them, we were able to complete the final aspect of payment and coordination of the delivery. The flat bed will be loaded out this week, should be delivered as early as this weekend or the first couple days of next week. All the material is on this load with the exception of the doors and windows which are ordered. Jon has offered to bring those down when he comes down the following weekend if they are ready to pick up.
The fork lift operator has been notified and will arrive on scene given an hours notice of the unload, then it is just a matter of tarping the material until we are ready for construction. It does look like it is going to become reality or we are going to have a huge pile of dimensional dunnage.

Ice Is Broken

This evening at approximately 1917, the bad karma has been removed from M/V 006. Onboard was Bull Moose, Girl Moose, Buffie Junior and "Ole One Eye". Not determined whether it was Girl Moose or Ole One Eye that was instrumental in changing defeat to victory. Bull Moose brought home a 35 - 40 pound hen King Salmon. Morning trip will consist of Brer Bear, Moose, Girl Moose, Daddy Beaver, and the Wise One. The run has commenced.