I had mentioned in a previous post on the expense of foam upholstery padding. After a little research on the net, in an attempt acquire the materials cheaper and of better quality than what can be found at JoAnne's Etc., it became obvious that finding them through CList was the best route to take financially. Purchasing and parting out the Coleman Newport camper made a lot of sense as the padding alone would have cost about $150-200 and this didn't count the OSB backer boards or the upholstery!
I had a little free time a couple days ago so I used it sizing the longer than required seat cushions from the Newport to fit the dinette seating of the Banner.
The end result looks as if it came with the camper straight off the production line. The only exception is that the pads are bit wider and therefore they don't lay perfectly flat when converted to the bed. I thought about cutting down one of the pads, but liked the coverage of the current dimensions. So, we'll see how the craftmatic-bed like pillow area is over a night's sleep and adjust later if need be.
I've got a couple more things I'm going to try my best to get done this week as well. There is a stainless steel tank in one of the seat compartments that I'm going to remove. It was part of a "Steven's" pressurized water delivery system that is found on many of these old time campers. The pressurized systems are prone to leak as the copper tubing and fittings age. I'd have to inspect every run and squeeze into some confined areas underneath the camper, in the walls and in some of the cabinets. A scenario that I'm going to pass on. We'll have water at Trout Camp via an auxiliary tank. I'll likely run new flexible tubing and use a gravity fed delivery system for both the sink and shower. It'll be something that we can use when we're there and take down and store when we're not. Having a tank out in the open just invites destruction and/or damage whether on purpose or by accident. Over the course of removing the 12volt air pump that pressurizes the water tank, I was able to finally locate the source of that sweet yet rancid smell in the camper. I'm hoping that I don't find more, but it is unbelievable on how one dead field mouse in a semi-enclosed compartment can make an entire camper reek so badly! He's found a new resting place and purpose; fertilizer in the garden!
I'd also like to remove and resell the 510A Dometic Propane fridge. It isn't in incredibly bad shape, but whether it works or not is the question. I'm sure there is someone out there in CList land that'll buy it and I'll use the proceeds toward the re-roofing in the spring.
Finally, there is another galvanized tank under the fridge that I believe to be the "gray" water tank. That'll be removed as well after the fridge comes out.
I'll put up some photos later this week to show you the removal steps and progress.
Well, this trip was bittersweet. On the way into camp Saturday evening, I was informed that my wife was driving my 10 year old son to ER for stitches. While playing some aggressive football with the neighbor's son and friends a head-on collision occured. My son's eyebrow got the brunt of the force exerted by the other player's teeth. The result was the peeling down of his eyebrow from the midline out toward the right side of his brow ridge.
I'm happy to say that a dozen stitches fixed him all up. And, the report I got, was the ER at Hillcrest treated him well and did a great job. He's still swollen and the blood is beginning to drift down and under his eye. In a couple more days, he should have a nice shiner to go with the son of Frankenstein stitches he's sporting. Poor guy! What a bruiser though!
So, with that on my mind and a whole host of other stresses that I'm trying my best to cope with....traveling to trout camp was supposed to be a welcome relief. But, I can honestly say that I didn't feel the stress reduction that normally magically happens upon crossing the Ohio / Pennsylvania border this time around. There were just too many things going on for me to attempt to forget. The calming / healing properties of Trout Camp weren't working on this trip. I'm hoping that it was me and not lost majical properties at our little hide-away in the hills.
The buzz at the local tavern was the influx of bear hunters. Jim and I hadn't seen this packed in like forever. In a stroke of luck we were able to snag a table just as some patrons finished up and left. We ordere our "usuals" and chased it with a couple of ice cold bottled Yings. We spoke to a few guys in from Ohio and made small talk about football and dealt with the "flat landers" comments from the locals. Even the Steelers fans seemed to be optimistic that in a couple years our Brownies might be up to the task of walking on the field and battling it out like we had years ago when the rivalry was bitter and a celebrated event. We can only hope that we're on the right track now with the current staff. I believe we are.
Jim and I headed up to camp and went through our normal routine of scoping out the property and prepping for snoozing in the Mountaineer. I quickly took note of the overturned 55 gallon drum and the scattering of all our trash that we had left. What had scavenged our refuse? Raccoon, deer, cougar or maybe even a bear? Who knows? Whatever it was, it was strong, because that steel drum isn't the lightest thing to topple over! I was hoping that the culprit wouldn't show while we were up there either! I spent a few minutes cleaning up the place which wasn't so difficult. The full moon in the sky was shining a bright blue hue down on the woods. Almost all the leaves have fallen and the lush fern vegetation has taken on a rust-brown color. It was very cool out causing ice crystals of frost to form just about everywhere. The frosty white color reflected the moon's radiance effectively. Within a few minutes, my eyes adjusted to the point that I could see anything and everything without the use of a headlamp. I won't forget that pale blue hue though. It seemed to just make everything glow eerily.
Jim and I also took notice that someone had traveled via our gravel road. The rock we laid down smoothly just a month ago had settled some and the surface was scarred by a half dozen thin wheel marks. They seemed far to thin for quad, automobile or wheelbarrow. I'm guessing that it was either a dirt bike or game cart pulling out a prized kill? Any trace of the wheel tracks was erased with a quick once over by the rake.
The next morning, bright and early, coffee was served, a bagel was eaten and the next installment of 10# of gravel arrived and was spread. During the course of our discussion with our local excavator contact, Jim and I made mention of some flattening that we'd like done in preparation of the Banner Camper's arrival next spring. A short while into the video, you'll see me pointing out to Steve our ideas and what we're were looking to accomplish. Steve quoted us on the spot and with a very reasonable amount. If the stars align, we may just have him back to camp with his track hoe to level things out. I had considered borrowing my buddy Greg's Kubota again, but the time and energy, gas, etc associated with it just didn't make sense. Steve told us that he'd be able to push everything down, stumps and all, level things off, smooth the drive in and out all in one day. What he'd be able to do with his heavy machinery would take me and the little tractor many trips and alot of work. It just makes sense to go with a professional. I can't tell you how happy I am that Jim and I were referred this gentleman and his abilities. He's reasonable, on time, makes special delivery accomodations (Sunday mornings) and has worked out great for TC improvements.
I shot a video of the second go round with the gravel delivery, the before and after of the full drive and a little bit of what TC looks like now that all the vegetation is pretty much dead and void of green. It is boring, but I'm sure someone will enjoy seeing our progress and speedy work in fast forward mode. I can't wait to shoot Steve down there with the track hoe pushing out the stumps, the hillside and anything else in his way. That is a "Bob the Builder Day" for sure!
Sitting on the sidelines, I've waiting patiently for the perfect moment to pounce on another great CL find. It would appear, for at least the last couple months, that every opportunity had several others waiting to make the grab as well. Almost like a broken record, either the item was sold minutes prior or would sell before I could punch out of work and make the journey to acquire it! As a matter of adaptation, my searches were broadened to include Erie, Youngstown, Akron/Canton, Ashtabula as well as Cleveland.
Finally the stars aligned and another Craig's List find made it back home with me. On Sunday, my son and I traveled to South Akron and hitched up a 1984 Coleman Newport. You might be thinking to yourself, why does Dj (don't forget Floatman too!) need another camper? And you would be correct, we really don't need another camper! LOL! But, we do need a hauling trailer and we definitely needed the four pads that complement the dinette area of the 22' Banner. Without them, let's just say sitting on 3/4" plywood and a vertical back rest is very uncomfortable! Not to mention, converting the dinette to sleeping would have all the luxuries of a foreign prison bed!
If you have ever researched upholstery padding, you know that it isn't cheap! The good stuff is a small fortune and then you have to become a seamstress to make the covers. Well, I can sew, but this isn't as simple as putting a button back on a shirt. Finding a set of seat cushions that would fit the size we needed for the Banner was a priority. Another nagging "want" was a trailer that Floatman and I could use to tow supplies up to camp as needed and facilitate trips to H.Depot when we make building additions to the property (steps coming off the deck anyone?). Plus, Floatman, Packmule and I are planning on a doing a inflatible pontoon trip down a class A stocked trout stream in late spring of 2011 and we need a way to haul the pontoons! This pop-up fulfills them all!
The Newport is slightly larger than my Columbia and comes equipped with a 9.5' long box, so naturally the pads for the dinette are longer than we need which works out great. Another benefit is the longer box makes for a longer trailer frame which is really great. The previous owner tried to convince me that all it needed was a new tree and cable hoist system, but once I pried the top off...it was evident that it needed A LOT more than that. I'm very glad that I wasn't purchasing it for camping purposes or the $200 I spent would have been waisted and my hopes at camping dashed. It was a pleasant reminder that the $250 I spent on the Columbia several years ago was money well spent and reinforced what a great deal I got on that one.
It took me and my son about 5 hours to dismantle the popup parts and remove them from the trailer. I meticulously chopped up the pieces into sizes that could be disposed of properly. I have no doubt that the aluminum and steel will be on my tree lawn for only a few minutes. The area's traveling metal recycler is quite efficient when it comes to picking through everyone's trash of valuable scrap. It is a "service" I don't mind as the trash collector usually rejects anything that can't be hidden within a can or bagged.
My hopes are that the parts that I was able to salvage through the tear down and relist on CL will sell, thus lowering the amount of my investment to the point that Floatman and I can say we got the padding and the trailer for free. We'll see, it is the end of the camping season. Many of them may sit in the garage until spring of next year, but that's ok!
Recap:
It's not free, but here is what a $250 1984 Coleman Newport Pop-up Camper gets you:
(4) perfectly matched seat/backpads for the Banner's dinette/bed area
(2) 3" foam queen size mattresses for use in the Banner.
(1) 7' X 9' long utility trailer frame w/brand new tires (I forgot to mention that!)
(1) Full set of privacy drapes for the Columbia camper (since they were removed due to age)
(1) Entrance door with door-to-canvas seals that are in perfect condition (I'll swap the door with mine and sell the door on CList) These plastic pieces sell for $30 a side at the RV store!!!!
This past Saturday, Jim and I headed out to trout camp so that we could be ready at first light on Sunday to receive what may be at least a few deliveries of gravel. Saturday night into Sunday morning brought with it some fairly cold temperatures with the dash temp. gauge reading 34 degress at one point. The sky was crystal clear for much of the evening and I was even able to catch a shooting star in the 3am hour while using "the facilities". What a jolt going from the comfortable warmth of a synthetic sleeping bag to the ice cold chill of the early morning air!
The landscape has changed considerably since my last visit only a couple weeks ago. The cooler temps have caused the leaves to turn just about every color imaginable. It truly has become a decorated canvas as the forest takes the slide into hibernation! October's cooler temperatures are great for working. The abusive gnats that left welts on the skin are now long gone along with the unbearable heat and humidity. I left camp from my previous outing soaking wet with sweat feeling as if I had been the main course for a flurry of insects.
This time around, even in full sunlight, working was almost enjoyable! ALMOST! No humidity, a cool breeze, 40-55 degree temps. Ahhhhhh, now we're talking! It was like having a personal AC unit on your back. I don't mind work, I've done my fair share and I'm always willing to help others regardless of the time and energy involved, but of all the consequences including sore joints, back, tiredness, etc...I can stand sweating my (you know what's off) the least. If I'm cool, then I'm cool to keep going until I fall over. So, experiencing a day like this was more than welcome to me.
Three videos are linked within this post. The first is video/gif file of the trail/road into camp after I moved several large boulders from the path to a better, out of the way resting point. I used a tow strap, trucker's chain, low gear and the hitch on the mountaineer to tow them from the grips of the earth to the entrance into camp. It took a few changes of direction and I had to unhook and re-hook the chain after moving the mountaineer to a better pulling spot, but the work wasn't all the difficult. Kinda fun, to be honest. I found it nice that the owner of the next camp up the road stopped down to make sure I wasn't stuck in the mud. He had heard the slow reving of the motor and the multitude of car door slams and was compelled to come down to see if everything was OK. Thankfully, I was not stuck and it was only the rocks that were temporarily. It is a comforting to know that even when you think you're alone, you're not and there is always someone within at least a 10 minute walk that is willing to lend a hand and help out if you need it. Anyway, if you look closely at the .gif images as they scroll, you wil be able to make out the dark streaks from smashed earth and ground up soil. These paths were left from dragging the two boulders. One of the stones was resting above ground and wasn't too difficult to strap and tow to the beginning of the driveway. The other one, the less flat one, the one that is darker due to dampness, was only slightly pertruding from the hole pictured near the end of the series in the .gif. I strapped it up and began to pull only to find out that the rock was way bigger than I thought. I would have left it where it was, but the way it was jetting up from the surface of the soil, it would have always been in the way and a major hazard to our suspensions when entering camp. It took a much more time to move and left a huge hole in its place. Jim and I had figured we'd have to get gravel eventually, but this hole and the nearby rocky ravine made the decision an expedited one to make.
The second video is a 5 minute condensed version of the 55 minutes it took to receive, spread and level the 10 tons of gravel!
This video is the walk from the street, through the entrance, down the drive and where we usually park our vehicles (noted by the deep ruts in the dirt). The next load of gravel will be closer to the street and come spring the next two loads will cover where the cars park at the end.
What a "banner" find thanks to the generosity of some kind hearted people from Tallmadge!
This past Sunday, the wifey, Nick and I took a drive out to Deerfield to view a "freebie" that I had gotten a call from the CL "want ad" I placed. We arrived with minimal expectations, figuring the worst that could happen is I would deliver on the promise to assist Mike in installing a new tire on the beast before they figured out a plan "B" to remove it from their private campgrounds. What I knew was that the hardside had been in the family for MANY years and had been taken care of as well as any camper that had just celebrated 44 years. Arriving and greeting Mike and Wendy and being introduced to their family's 1966 Banner Travel Trailer, I knew that THIS WAS THE ONE and plan "B" (finding another home for it) wouldn't have a chance. She was going home with us!
The camper was exactly as I pictured in my head with the exception of the extent of real wood in the interior! I can't express how delighted I am to have the "Banner" as part of our family. It needs a little work, especially a good cleaning, but for the most part this camper is PERFECT for "DaJtcha"! At 22' long, she's got more than enough room for either family. What I like most about the camper is the storage space, there is a ton of it! (2) closests, (4) full length under-seat storage boxes, (3) soffets and more drawers than I can count all made from 100% wood, not press board or cheap-o plastic. Calling this camper a "tank" is a bit of an understatement! I was also pleased to find that the undercarriage is in excellent condition and (even though the roof is in BAD shape) it does not leak! I believe Mike's diligence to re-sealing it each year and the fact that it has several layers of highly sticky flat roof sheeting on it has kept it in such good shape.
You'll notice the camper is equipped with decent sized bathroom including a sink, toilet, shower and closet! The kitchen is very nice and more than enough size to take care of the feeding frenzies that Trout Camp has been known to create. The exterior, although dirty, was repainted years ago and is in really good condition. If you're into nastalgia, you'll love the stove, it is really cool looking and it works! The pressurized water system is certainly different. In the storage locker under the bench seat for the dining area, there is stainless steel tank and an air pump. Fill the tank up from the exterior, seal the valve, turn the pump on and you've got pressurized water throughout! We don't plan on using the indoor stove, fridge or water system (due to its age), but they're present and accounted for in the event we change our minds! We also, if you can believe it, don't plan on using the indoor propane lighting! DUH!
Getting It Home
My Dad came through (again!) and allowed me to use his F250 to pull the camper the 60 miles. We took the back roads and non-highways for safety's sake. Jen escorted me by trailing me for the drive. 2 hours later and she's parked at the house getting a good scrub down (in and out).
I'd like to thank the following people:
Mike and Wendy, you two are good people!
My Dad, for the use of his truck!
My cousin Dave for getting me a good used tire for the trailer's ride home!
My Wife for her escort and helping the family with the cleaning of the Banner camper!
We plan on having the camper parked at our home until next spring. Jim and I must discuss and work on having a driveway installed at camp as there is no way that this camper will make the trek back through the woods in the trail's current condition. From a camper perspective and a tow vehicle's, it would be abusive and/or downright torturous!
Trout camp is official! An actual outing combined with trout caught on the fly (among other ways) occurred this past weekend. Hard to believe, but not nearly as difficult for Jim and I. There is not much more work to be done this year, save a few bricks to be relocated from the drive entrance to the fire pit. I toted the weed eater and cleared out some of the ferns and weeds that have been growing vigorously lately. After they were mulched up pretty good, I delivered on the promise that I made to my wife to spread wild flower seeds around camp. Does she realize this will attract bears? Ooops! Did I type that out loud?! But that is "work", let me fill you in on the "play".
Floatman and I left for Trout Camp this past Friday and arrived early afternoon. Working together we assembled camp quickly. This involved leveling the pop-up, situating the easyup screen porch/tent on the deck and placing all the other supplies and stuff in a most convenient place for relaxation and enjoyment. This was the first time that Jim had seen the deck and I believe he was impressed. I think it really improves the enjoyment factor for camp as it is clean, level, dry and an attractive addition to our plot.
After setting everything up and cracking the metal caps from the bottles of two ice cold Yeunglings, I unveiled my surprise. With the very generous help and laborous programming of my friend and neighbor Shawn and Millwork Design Solutions in Willoughby, Millwork Design Solutions Inc., I presented DaJtcha and Jim with our camp marker. Without his help, there is NO WAY that this sign could have come out looking 1/4 of what is does. THANK YOU SHAWN AND RAY! I formulated the design with a little brainstorming, internet image searching, photoshopping, sketching and some donated materials.
The finish product resembles an ancient Eygptian obelisks to a small degree. The main boards are pressure treated, stained walnut and attached to the 4X4 post with lag bolts and aluminum tube spacers. The top of the post was shaped into a pyramid with a compound mitre saw and sanded smooth with a palm sander. Using a step drilling bit, I made a 3/4" hole in the top of the post to hold a solar LED lawn light sans the mounting spike/post. This marker illuminates Trout Camp's position in the abscence of light. I was very surprised at how well the low power solar charged LED's complete this task. When star gazing, which is something to behold in our location, a hat placed overtop of the peak is a must!
Each side of the post is clad with a plank of wood CNC machined with information and images of importance to camp. Contact information, GPS coordinates and our site numbers have been smudged via photoshop to protect camp privacy. Each plank is topped with the direction it faces: North, East, South and West respectively. The location was chosen with precision and the post exists only a few feet off from the actual GPS coordinates engraved into the wood.
Jim and I were in awe of how well this post made its "mark" on our little piece of Heaven. We just kept circling it and admiring its beauty. As we sat and waited for Packmule to arrive, we couldn't help but smile and pinch ourselves. The camp was coming together nicely!
We hope, by the end of the season, to have a big jamboree at camp and celebrate its majestic qualities with our close friends. More on that to come later when we figure out the logistics.
Moving on....While we had full daylight, I ran around camp and took photos of everything as we decided to place it. Here's a gif for you to review. You'll notice the path cut through the woods leading down to the firepit. Before the forest turned a dense leafy green, this path led down to the smaller old wood deck that has since been moved. It looks pretty cool and gives an alternative route for foot traffic leading up to the beginning of our drive and out of camp.
There was a lot more to this trip. When James finally arrived, we headed down to our favorite tavern just a short drive down the mountain and up the two lane interstate. Jim and I introduced James to the regulars as we sat down for more beverage and our fill of food. We ate like kings and eventually called it a night. We had fishing to do in the morning and rest was welcomed by all.
We woke mid morning and threw our gear in the vehicle. Packmule had us flying around forest service roads in his Jeep wrangler with confidence. His conversion of this stock vehicle into a "go anywhere" trail-rated beast has been quite successful. Cruising around town with the top open was the best air conditioning you could as for-full body-and a much needed relief from the heat and humidity of the mountainous hiking on a hot sunny day.
After an exhaustive day spent driving (flying, bouncing and ripping through) ANF forest service roads, hiking up and down trails hell bent on killing you in their difficulty, fishing and flailing water...it was time to head to Cougar Bob's! Cougar Bob's may be the best kept secret that everyone that has every traveled through the ANF knows about. I've begun to appreciate that the best places to eat and hang out aren't always the prettiest from the outside. However, inside...you'll find great service, ice cold beers and awesome food!
Those small bars, taverns, dives and diners are some of the coolest places to recharge the batteries and familiarize yourself with good old fashion Americana. The spirit of the area, the surrounding towns and the people are present on the walls, the ceilings, on the faces and certainly contained within the conversations that the local patrons hold. Striking up a conversation is as easy as saying "Hello! How are you?" and in these parts...the people aren't afraid to tell you what is truly on their mind. This may not be the setting and atmosphere for some, but for me...it is exactly my idea of home. Too many times us "city folk" get wrapped up in the cover and can't find the time to really seek the value of the contents inherent in the pages of the book. Cougar Bob's is a place to remember. From the street, it looks like a stretched out barn or old fire house. Inside, the walls are adorned with the crazy antics of people who visit and are likely considered the bar's regulars. Ever see a mule, a horse or a full size bison/steer in a bar? Take a moment to inspect the photos on the walls and you will! Ever had wings with "cougar juice"...tell the waitress you want to try one! LOL! (Packmule attempted to verify if the sauce actually contained real bits of cougar and it appears by his description of the waitresses' face that this may not be the case! Nice one!) If you like wings, you'll love Cougar Bob's. I'm reluctant when ordering wings finding most places either overcook or oversalt their puny wings, but Cougar Bob's knows how to make a hell of a buffalo wing. For the heck of it, I partnered the honey mustard wings with a turkey, lettuce, tomato, bacon and cheese sub. WOW...it was good! Take a close look at the photos...Are you curious as to how the dollar bills are attached to the ceiling more than 12' off the floor and without a ladder or the use of tape? For a $1.25 they'll show you, but you won't get the dollar back! LOL! This place is a riot!
Sunday evening came way to fast. Jim and I wished Packmule a safe trip home and then sought out some food. BTW, thanks for joining us James and showing us some great places to fish...even though there isn't a chance we'll ever find them again unless you revisit! LOL!
We had to travel a good 30 minutes to find a place that was still serving food. Unfortunately it was far from the quality of Cougar Bob's or our local Tavern nearest camp...McDonald's had me tossing and turning all night with bad dreams and indigestion. I should have known better and just ate a bologna sandwich from the cooler!
Finally, I'd like to leave you with a clip of a small waterfall on a feeder to a major river that the area is appropriately named after. We found this after a 30 story descent into a canyon to fish WVa. style pocket water. Definately my cup of tea although the hike out won't ever be repeated by either Jim and I! UGGGHHH!!!
This past weekend was an adventure, to say the very least. To summarize it briefly, it involved 4" of rain in a span of 8 hours, mud, lighting strikes, tornado force winds, snakes, mud, exhaustion, bruises, mud, humidity and the creation of some new friendships with a couple of great local guys that came to our rescue.
Let's just say, that 4WD is mandatory when visiting if there is even a hint of rain in the forecast. I've vowed not elaborate because the soreness, desperation and pain of the experience is still too fresh, but I will say that if it wasn't for two local boys and a CHEVY (that's right, a Chevy!) 4X4 PU truck, Jim and I would still be camping!
Let me focus on the positives and summarize what was accomplished this past Sunday. The wood and bricks pictured previously were delivered and left at camp. There...that about does it! LOL!
Monday was a recuperation day. A day spent physically recuperation from the trauma of Sunday along with cleaning the mud off everything (tent, clothes, truck, tools, etc).
Tuesday morning had me heading back out to finish what could not be on Sunday. This time with the wifey and kids. What a big help Jen was! It was very nice to have her there, not only because of the help but because she and I don't get to spend nearly as much time together as I wish we could. Even though this was considered work, we were still in each other's presence and sometimes this is the most we can afford.
We started around 10-ish AM and were heading out around 5PM. We started with a pile of neatly stack lumber and finished with a brand new deck. What we began with was a reminder of a task left undone and in the course of 6 hours...We left trout camp with a feeling of building something sweet that undoubtedly will provide years of enjoyment for many people.
Craig's list comes through again! 400 pavers and 200 bricks free of charge! You just can't beat free! LOL!
Today was a busy, busy, busy weekend preparation day. Early in the morning, I headed out to North Royalton and then to Parma to pick up back to back loads of pavers and bricks. From there, the wife and I headed out to breakfast, then to my buddy Adam's house to pick up a generator, to Lakeland for Jen's class registration, then to Home Depot and finally Lowe's! My day was finished at 9pm when I put the last brick atop the neat stack strategically placed top-middle of my cousin's tandem axle trailer.
The plans? Saturday evening, Jim and I will head out to camp, sleep overnight, wake at dawn to begin deck construction and hopefully have enough time to pile the bricks neatly next to the firepit. If time allows, I may even throw a few down to finalize the area. I'm hoping, because there are even more pavers stacked in the truck (not pictured) that we'll have some left over for future projects.
That's all for now...updates coming Monday/Tuesday.
There was a "human convergence at trout camp this weekend with Floatman (yes, I said Floatman! LOL! A little ribbing humor there!) being the first on the scene having the advantage of Saturdays free from work. I met him early in the driveway and he departed shortly there after, leaving my driveway with a fresh load of more bricks and arriving at Trout Camp sometime around 12:30 -ish, I wondered, did he recognize her? (How's that for a way-too-long sentence?)
The scenary had changed a great deal since his last visit. An almost "grand resurrection" of the forest had occured within the past week, as signs of life had returned and the dead and barren hues of brown and black were replaced with a bright green landscape. I received a jubilant cellular phone call sometime near late afternoon from Jim. It seems that Verizon can cut through the mountaineous range and endless swaths of wilderness and provide coverage where my phone could only hope to get a single bar of signal. What's up AT&T? He seemed to be enjoying himself, the local tavern and the impromptu meet & greet with the regulars! He was quick to make me fully aware that he had arrived and was making new friends while I worked. How nice is that?! LOL!
The 6PM work whistle blew and I raced home, packed the last remaining camp items, disconnected the charging cord from the camper and loaded the family up. We were off! Ok...with that sentence it may have seemed like we got there lighting quick and the drive was over in a blink of an eye, but let me tell you that this was simply not the case! I had the other half of the load of bricks neatly stacked in the Mountaineer along with WAY too much gear! Did I not say that we were just staying overnight? We're staying a day and a half people, not to next fall! With all that mass, driving fast wasn't part of a sane driving strategy. Coming home was another story! Our arrival was announced to Floatman long before the headlights of the truck could be seen. Sound has a tendency to travel further at night, there was no surprising anyone due to our SUV's low gear screaming and the uphill struggle resonating off the mountains and valleys. I'm sure we made enough noise to notify everyone on the mountain top of our presence. Here's the best part, that is if there were ANYONE else there besides us!
Pulling in, we found we were being guided in by Jim's waving lantern. I guess we had made enough racket coming up the road that taxy-ing us into place like a plane that just landed was appropriate! After a quick game of shuffle the trucks, all the bricks were piled near the fire and it was time to pop up the camper.
I had gone over and visualized the plan of attack a dozen times. I thought I was being thorough, but it may have been a bit unfair of me to expect the 22+ year old pop-up leveling feet to elevate the camper from the current slope to a level gradient. There was a lot of travel (almost a foot and a half) that needed to be covered. I struggled and my temper got the best of me. This was a test of nerves and I was losing. One of the many inconveniences of short trips on Saturdays that I must work is that camp setup is usually performed in the dark which just makes things go that much slower. I instructed the wife and everyone to head down to the local pub and leave me to finish this task by myself. My daughter stayed behind and watched the stars. She was so quiet that I had to ask if everything was alright? It was dark and I didn't expect her to hang out on the mini-deck by herself without company. After 1.25 hours leveling the #*$&^ camper and a bunch of help from my daughter to pop up everything, we met the rest of the crew at the base of the mountain to grab some grub. Thoughtfully, my wife was nice enough to order my Bubba and I some "to-go" burgers and fries which became "dine in".
The local establishment serves some great food and beverage and, as one would expect in a small town atmosphere, they are willing to go above and beyond to take care of their patrons. Even though the kitchen was closed, we were still able to get served. Just one of many small confirmations that this ANF property was a good choice for us all. After finishing our food, we made the short drive back to camp and gathered around the fire. I had to replace some clothing layers as the nighttime temps were supposed to hit a low of 38 and seemed to be sliding there quickly! The fire was re-stoked and within only a few rootballs was throwing off some heat to warm our frontsides. Floatman and I stayed out for a little while longer and then sometime around 12:30AM called it an evening. The family was nestled into their sleeping bags with noses frozen. Did I say it was chilly? 38 degrees is not warm! LOL!
The next morning we awoke to some fire grill toasted bagels and cream cheese along with a glass or two of OJ. Jim and I worked to fill in the areas around the original bricks with more donated from a fishing friend of ours. We've got a mish-mosh of different sized bricks surrounding the fire ring now. What's those two words that drive me nuts to hear? It looks "eclectic & whimsical"! Aren't these the words that the design people throw around at a drop of dime because they can't find anything else to describe "odd, unusual, peculiar"? Anyway, it works for now and I suppose we'll be hauling a few more loads of freebies when the time arises.
Sunday was a noisey day at Trout Camp. Today was the day that I instructed my two children in the seriousness and enjoyability of marksmanship. We began with a $20 Walmart spring action BB gun and paper targets and progressed to firing (with close supervision from Jim and I) a .22 rifle. Nick enjoying himself and I was sure to remind him that he was using something that could seriously injure someone if thought of as a "toy" and not respected. He reminded me that he was paying attention when he stated on more than one occassion, "safety on, safety off, firing" when holding the rifle. He did, however, slip a little by shooting his BB gun down range but off the lane of our target when I was helping him. The penatly he paid? No more target practice until next time. Next up was my Bubba, she was hesitant, but I convinced her that she had nothing to fear as long as she followed my directions. Firing the .22 long rifle is just about as easy as a BB gun, it just commands more respect. After a quick overview of loading procedures and safety precautions...she was slamming the bull's eye on the targets. She's a great shot and took to it nicely. So much so that I found myself loading magazine after magazine to keep pace with her enthusiasm. Sweet!
I fired off a clip in my glock and reminded myself how much I love this weapon! I hadn't fired it in about 10 years, but she's been by my side for many trips into the wilderness. The kick and power reminded me that I had made the correct choice in purchasing protecting and piece of mind.
I've included some photos for your viewing pleasure.
The trip into trout camp today was fruitful. All but a few pieces of flagstone have been delivered and the tree stump / root pile has been cut down and separated. In one pile, I have burnable sized stumps and in another will be the roots. When complelety dry, they should work well for fire starting kindling.
This Saturday / Sunday, we'll organize the kindling into a neat pile and likely burn some of it! And, we'll set out the flagstone to form a path from the steps of the firepit area up to the edge of the eventual deck and if there is enough left over...maybe even a path up to the door of where the camper will be positioned. I discovered (which is obvious from the photos) that we're going to need a bunch more bricks, maybe even double the amount of what is there now to fill in the circle that was created. I really want to be able to have 6-10 people sit around the ring and enjoy themselves without feeling like they are too close to the fire or too close to one another. 200 more bricks should cure that. In the mean time, we'll have to make due with what we've got until I can score some more from the internet and haul them up!
Floatman is heading up in the morning and the family and I are heading in directly after work let's me go. We're dragging the pop-up with us on its maiden voyage of 2010. It looks like the weather is shaping up to be nice for us as well, but you know how that can change at the drop of a hat!
Trout Camp's "to do" list seems to be never ending and until recently, most of the more laborous task accomplishments resulted in only relatively small noticeable changes, most of which could not be enjoyed through relaxation or rejuvenation. This will change sooner than later! This weekend Floatman and I hope to tackle the firepit foundation by setting the brick pavers into the recently leveled soil. We'll also consider the location and needs of a couple car loads of flagstone that we'll be brought into camp by each of us.
It is also likely that I will take a trip out on Wednesday to drop off a load of stone because there is a high likelihood that tomorrow morning will have me picking up more reclaimed stone from another Craig's list find. Did I mention what a great resource this free site is?!
So, here's another list of things we'll report in the blog by next Monday afternoon:
Firepit brick pavers installed
Fire ring set in place
Fire ring stone facade installed
Flagstone paths considered and/or started
Cut and stack root/tree trunk pile
Two areas of concern direct from the "hospitality department" are the lack of running water and a place to comfortably dispose of used water once the body is through using it! I'm sure you already guessed that this particular concern did not originiate from the "male" visitorship! LOL! To meet this concern (objection) and to eleviate the additional burden that the repeated voiced concerns (complaining) represents, I've begun to explore the DIY of constructing a combination outdoor shower and latrene. Until such time, we happen to have a nylon shower/bathroom tent from the local big box camping store that will suffice. The convenience of not having to bring it into camp, set it up and then take it down at departure has led me to consider a more permanent option. I borrowed this photograph from the following link: DIY Repair Guides While this model is elaborate, my more basic design will follow their design premise and hopefully include "freebies" discovered through CL. The idea is to create a more private location that can be used for showering and using the facilities that is permanent.
I'm thinking that a modified "S" shape in a somewhat smaller setup would work for our application as seperating the latrene from the shower area is a must for obvious reasons. Here's a photoshopped overhead of my vision. Considering the toilet will be a portable insert and not a hole in the ground, I believe with would work well. Just a thought that will likely evolve to something grander when the time to build comes around.
On the road again, Saturday evening, the wife, no kids and a robust list of things to do on my mind. Two thoughts linger and almost haunt me, will my body be able to take the abuse that will come the following day and will the Grand Architect bless me with a decent day to get some work done?
In spite of the millions upon millions of dollars invested in the most modern radar and computer aided forecasting equipment, the weather cannot be forecasted with anything even remotely resembling accuracy. When you throw out a forecast that calls for 95% chance of severe thunderstorms, 39 mile/hour wind gusts and 1.34" of rain and all we receive are (2) 15 minute drizzle sessions...It is difficult not to call for them to find another profession!
The good news is there were no overnight storms and there was very little precipitation on Sunday while I slaved away on the property.
The second area of concern, the abuse of the hard labor and whether I could take it...well, let's just say I'm sore AGAIN! LOL! Nothing tylenol can't cure temporarily! I was hoping for help this trip, but my buddy Floatman got wiped out in the middle of the week with a nasty cold and is still on the recover end of things Feel better Float! When you feel 100%, I've got a enough things for you to do that you'll feel like crap again when you're done! LOL!
From my previous post, you may recall that I wanted to get quite a bit accomplished. On this trip, in a span of 6 hours, I was able to get a few of those things checked off the list. The brick pavers I picked up off Craig's List are now neatly stacked next to fire pit area only a few feet away from their soon to be permanent home. The deck zone and firepit zone have been brought to a very comfortable leveled gradient. Because I wanted to know and also enjoy using math in real work situations, I took along two posts, string, a line level and a tape measure. I sunk both posts into the hillside and then stretched a string tightly between them. Total span of the string was 18 feet. Bring the string to level revealed that the downhill post was nearly 2' off the soil. Now, using what we know...a run of 18 feet and a negative rise of 2', we can figure out the percentage of grade for the spot I was about to work on. Grade = Rise / Run * 100. So in this case, the hillside where we wish to place the deck was at a 11.1% grade. Negative or positive depending on which side of the slope you're standing on! There's your math lesson for today! That has changed drastically. The area isn't perfectly flat, because a downward slope is necessary for drainage, but quite close to it.
I wasn't able to chop the pile of root balls and trunks into a smaller and more manageable burn lot this time around. I guess that is a project for the next trip out. I also didn't have the strength to do anything with the pop up camper zone. I guess I will use blocks to prop up the down slope side when setting it up for this year's camping season. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that next year my blog posts will be entertaining you with the mechanics of setting up a 20 foot ISBU shipping container (one of two) that will replace the popup's purpose at trout camp.
The idea that I borrowed from the interenet, the one that suggested using a rototiller to level small areas with moderate slope was a good one. The land fought back hard and rejected my initial attempts to massage the gradient, but with determination and a little muscle...I won the ultimate battle (this time)!
The foliage of the forest is really starting to fill in the voids of the stands of trees. Life is returning to all of the trees and ground cover and I'm very excited to see the colors as some of the bordering trees have a vibrant red leaf sprouting on them.
I've included some photos of my work for your viewing pleasure along with a Pittsburgh Steeler's centipede! I know, I couldn't believe it myself...PHOTOS DON'T LIE! LOL!
Next trip...chop up the wood pile, lay some bricks and/or build the deck?...Hmmm, magic 8 ball says......
I apologize, blogposts won't always be this mundane and frivilious. I promise that I will make every attempt to make them content rich! However, this post had to be made as I'm familiarizing myself with the myriad of email delivery options provided by feedburner and I wanted to be sure that my selections are having the desired effect.
In the mean time, here's the important blog update: I will be picking up the flagstone tomorrow! Woo Hoo! There it is................>>>>>>>>>
If you haven't already discovered the merits of http://www.craigslist.org/ , you're one of the few still out in the dark! On more than one occasion, it has provided the means to sell items quickly and at decent profit or acquire items at pennies on the dollar (if that much)! The most notable deal was the purchase of a coleman pop-up camper for $250 (Thanks Mary!).
Today I scored a great Craiglist find for Trout Camp! Answering a post from a nice gentleman in Solon, I was lucky enough to pick up 150 brick pavers before someone else beat me to them. I'm not talking about those budget paver bricks readily available at the big box stores, but the old fashioned pavers that were city streets years ago. Some of them even have bits of asphalt left on them. They are heavy duty, weighing in at 10#'s each and in a 4" X 8" X 3.5" dimension. If my calculations are correct, I'm fairly confident (counting dirt "grout" lines) that our fire pit area should have all the coverage it needs once they are put into place. Please excuse the lame artwork, but I've included a rendering of my intended use of the bricks. A return trip is planned for Wednesday to retreive enough flagstone for an 8X8' area as well. Best part of the entire transaction...IT WAS ALL GOTTEN FREE!
Considering the location and amount of natural burnables, a fire pit arrangement as detailed is a more prudent way to enjoy ourselves and greatly reduce the risk of starting a forest fire. After all, "Only you can prevent forest fires!"
Now that PAOD-2010 (Pennsylvania Opening Day -actually week) has passed, our attention is now directed toward the short list of things to do at trout camp. Focusing on the few immediate tasks that will evolve Trout Camp's terra firma into a "turn key" camping experience when pulling in for a weekend is our top priority.
What needs to be completed?
Chopping the pile of root balls, stumps and dead wood into a more manageable and burnable lot.
Improving the grade of the deck, the camper and the fire ring areas.
Constucting a 12 X 20' elevated deck.
Constructing a more substantial backstop for the target area of the firing range.
My most pressing concern, when thinking of the projects that need attention, is not overstepping any boundaries when calling in favors. It is very likely that Trout Camp will require the return of my Father's F250 and my buddy's Kubota tractor, but I'm thinking that I'd like to put off another round of "special requests" until we determine that a future endeavor cannot be completed by any other means. So, in the mean time, I've been actively pursuing alternatives.
While surfing the net for DIY'ers cliff notes on the subjects of grading / leveling / surveying hillsides, I came across a forum that suggested the use of a roto-tiller, shovel, non-flexible metal rakes and some muscle to create areas that were on a more comfortable slope. It was an interesting suggestion and one that I will put to use although I'm not sure whether I'll till the high side and rack the soil downhill to fill or till just below the area to be improved and bring the loose soil up hill to fill to a more respectible grade. Who knows? I may use both! I also found some very easy ways of calculating slope and effectively managing the repositioned of soil over a large areas through the use of 5m long stakes, string levels and measuring tools. The good news is we don't have to purchase any of these items and it is just a matter of finding the time to get them up to the mountain and work the soil into submission.
My plans are to borrow a friend's Troybuilt Pony roto-tiller and another friend's mini-trailer to haul it and head out Saturday evening and attempt to get as much of the list completed as possible. My wifey has requested a tag along and I find that I really appreciate how much she enjoys accompanying me. She seems to long for the solitude and quietness that our little slice of ANF Heaven graces us with. I'm finding, even though much of my time there has been spent working hard, that DaJtcha has way about her, something special and almost addictive. I know that the wife and I don't want to leave when the "return to reality of city life" bell tolls.
It was "Bob the Builder" day at trout camp. I journeyed into camp the evening before just as the sunset and the evening temperatures began to chill. It was eerily quiet, save the hoots from a owl perched far off on a Northern mountain crest. I returned the calls with those of my own and naturally solicited a territorial response. Within 10 minutes the dominant male had made his way within several hundred feet of my own perched position upon the skeet deck. Completely blind because of the blanket of darkness that had settled and depending on only my hearing, I began to wonder..."He can probably see me clear as day and I bet he's wondering what I'm up to with my challenging calls!?" Before I could begin to worry that he may just swoop down and attempt to establish the heirarchy on the hill another call came off in the distance. So now there were three! Lucky for me the two real owls went at it and left me alone. I took the momentarily distraction as a call to scoot out without a scratch and set up camp for the night. I slept well even with the 29 degree temperatures. I was thankful of my decision to pack two sleeping bags and a set of fleece for the night. They kept me relatively warm regardless of how cramped it was laying across the bench seat of my Father's F250.
I awoke at 6:45 and decided to get down to work. The tractor tore through the few stumps that littered the winding road into the head of camp. I tried my best to fill and level the holes left in their removal, but I realize that this may be a job to fool with in future outings. Having 8-10 hours to accomplish a mountain of tasks had my priorites elsewhere.
In this period of time I was able to widened the parking area, rip out 30 tree stumps, back drag and flatten the deck area, the drive way, the parking area, the firepit area and remove several root ball mounds left from the 85 tornado. All in all, I would consider it a very productive day. The next trip may have Jim and I installing a 12 X 20' deck that will serve as a place for him to set up his tent, for us to enjoy good eats and an elevated area to retreat in the event things get wet and we need to get of the ground.
By the way, the stars and planets were so bright that it felt as if I could just reach out and grab them all. I've witnessed many bright starry skies, but this particular night lacked any overcast or clouds and as a consequence the stars were super white bright...a very nice treat to admire on my first overnighter on DaJtcha!
This Sunday, directly following my shift at work, I will be traveling out to Trout Camp with my buddy's Kubota tractor. Equipped with a backhoe and bucket, I intend on taking a big leap forward on the "to do" list.Our land is nice, but has a couple annoying problems. In 1985 a F5 tornado blew threw the area and level many of the old trees. See the story here: 1985 F5 Tornado Information Mother Nature always finds a way to bounce back and this was no exception, however, 7 years later...a careless fire became out of control and climbed from the bottom of the mountain and up to the summit. It erased a good portion of the regrowth and forced nature to restart once again. Fast forward to today...the area needs a good scouring of small tree stumps and 4-6" tall tree trunks that have remained from these two incidents. The goal on this trip is to remove as many of these tripping hazards as possible over the course of a full day of work. Four areas require extra attention: The 20X12' deck zone, the camper placement area, the parking area and the fire ring. All of them need to be graded since they are on enough of a decline to cause issues with camp setup and comfort.
While I have the heavy machinery out there, I will also attemtpt to flatten some of the high spots along the access driveway. And, the remaining downed trees will be chained and towed to a staging area for splitting for firewood.
I'd like to thank several individuals that have helped us greatly with their contributions and generosity:
My Father, for use of his F250 My cousin Dave, for use of his HD Trailer My Buddy Greg, for use of his tractor
Spent most of Wednesday at DaJtcha determined to have her prepped for my return on the 11th. In the process of clearing, pruning, marking, plotting and visualizing the work that I would attempt to blast out with the heavy machinery, I took out (one by one) all the little machines I had brought with me. One after another they fell victim to the land or my abuse. First up was the hand shovel, crow bars they ARE NOT! The wooden handled shorty had been a faithful work horse for me for many years, but the handle would not be able to take the prying I attempted to use it for. Crack! Second up to bat was my 30' tape measure and let's just say that I have a 25.5' tape measure that has retracted into the case like a turtle hiding in its shell. Then came the rake handle. "What's next?" I wondered! Ummm, maybe I shouldn't have wondered so much...the lawn mower was the next to die. This time, it was my fault. I had tried so hard to keep the blade from the multitude of stumps that litter the acreage and everything was going great, but in a mound of leaves...one 2" tree branch lay hidden and waiting to strike. This will be the third mower that has perished as a result of full throttle to full stop. OUCH!!! Thankfully, the rake, the tape measure, the shovel are all replaceable under the craftsman warranty. The lawn mower, unfortunately, is not. It appears that every three years, I make it an expensive habit of destroying the mower and purchasing a new one to replace it.
The good news is with the help of a fluorescent paint can I was able to plot out where I needed to move dirt, remove stumps and grade the property. I believe at the end of this next trip with the back hoe / bucket tractor...the resulting dramatic changes will be evident in photographs that I will post.
I had a little free time a couple days ago so I used it sizing the longer than required seat cushions from the Newport to fit the dinette seating of the Banner.
