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.