Three Weekends

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.