My Journey
- Thread starter YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
- Start date
BigDawwg
-[Gettin-it Done]-
Hey Jerry, I've been out and about here in Alaska, just catching up with your current endeavors, looks as though you've got your hands full, and then some, but in the end,,,,, it will all be worth-it for sure,,,,, and that VIEW you've got, looks an awful lot like the Bridger Range to me,,,,, used to Hunt Elk there and in the Crazies as well, still got some good friends in Big-Timber,,,,, anyway, Best of Luck to you and the Dogs, going forward..... Murphy said to say "Hey" as well..... 
BD and Murph in Alaska.....
BD and Murph in Alaska.....
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Arjan.....I've added just a few more septic system pictures just for you.....these 3 pictures give you an idea of the system in its entirety.....thanks for the input.....
JD.....you may have something there.....time will tell.....
tgil.....the latest craze here for the dogs is chewing the bottoms of the fence posts. Typically I'm cutting off the bottom 3 to 6 inches of each fence post (the ground is nothing but rocks at about 18" and I generally give up at 21".....good enough I say).....
BigDawwg.....I have my heart set on going hiking in the Crazies for the 4th of July week. Sadly maintaining the health of my sod may keep me here near town.....I was just recently reading an article about the migration of the elk around the Bridger Foothills (& Mountains). They say that the rapid development around Bozeman is cutting off their migration routes. Apparently there's only one natural, viable route remaining.....guys like us that saw the old ways of life are fortunate I think.....
The next 3 pictures are for Arjan.....the first stage of the system.....
And the second stage of the system.....there are 3 of these lines running parallel.....
And here's a correction to my blog.....It's funny how much I forget but the pictures never tell a lie.....the floor joists were not the entire width of the house as I previously posted.....I now recall that they were 14' in length and rested on the pony wall.....
When I began this project I had no idea that I would have an unlimited supply of free sod.....but that has become my reality and as I post here this morning I have already laid 10 pallets of sod (I'm getting more today). It's definitely a love / hate kind of thing.....
There's no denying that the views are the number one attractant here.....the neighbors are an additional one as well. When I bought my beautiful house in town some few years back, within a week a neighbor complained about my dogs, my trashcan and my truck camper.....2 weeks after moving in I received the threatening HOA letter (oh those HOAs).....here there are no HOAs, no covenants nor any rules whatsoever.....most people that live on this lonely road have been here for decades.....like my hoarder buddy across the road.....he loves those Instagram poses.....
He's posing next to a birdhouse that a neighbor recently gave me.....people on this lonely road don't have much money or material wealth either.....they seem to have big hearts instead.....
Another neighbor gave me this tiny straw birdhouse to hang in one of the (20) Quaking Aspen trees that she allowed me to dig up on her property and transplant here.....and it overlooks God only knows how many Iris plants that she also gave me that I also transplanted here.....and that best explains my love of here.....
JD.....you may have something there.....time will tell.....
tgil.....the latest craze here for the dogs is chewing the bottoms of the fence posts. Typically I'm cutting off the bottom 3 to 6 inches of each fence post (the ground is nothing but rocks at about 18" and I generally give up at 21".....good enough I say).....
BigDawwg.....I have my heart set on going hiking in the Crazies for the 4th of July week. Sadly maintaining the health of my sod may keep me here near town.....I was just recently reading an article about the migration of the elk around the Bridger Foothills (& Mountains). They say that the rapid development around Bozeman is cutting off their migration routes. Apparently there's only one natural, viable route remaining.....guys like us that saw the old ways of life are fortunate I think.....
The next 3 pictures are for Arjan.....the first stage of the system.....
And the second stage of the system.....there are 3 of these lines running parallel.....
And here's a correction to my blog.....It's funny how much I forget but the pictures never tell a lie.....the floor joists were not the entire width of the house as I previously posted.....I now recall that they were 14' in length and rested on the pony wall.....
When I began this project I had no idea that I would have an unlimited supply of free sod.....but that has become my reality and as I post here this morning I have already laid 10 pallets of sod (I'm getting more today). It's definitely a love / hate kind of thing.....
There's no denying that the views are the number one attractant here.....the neighbors are an additional one as well. When I bought my beautiful house in town some few years back, within a week a neighbor complained about my dogs, my trashcan and my truck camper.....2 weeks after moving in I received the threatening HOA letter (oh those HOAs).....here there are no HOAs, no covenants nor any rules whatsoever.....most people that live on this lonely road have been here for decades.....like my hoarder buddy across the road.....he loves those Instagram poses.....
He's posing next to a birdhouse that a neighbor recently gave me.....people on this lonely road don't have much money or material wealth either.....they seem to have big hearts instead.....
Another neighbor gave me this tiny straw birdhouse to hang in one of the (20) Quaking Aspen trees that she allowed me to dig up on her property and transplant here.....and it overlooks God only knows how many Iris plants that she also gave me that I also transplanted here.....and that best explains my love of here.....
Arjan
Fossil Overlander
Thanks - i love the construction pics.
Those floor joists are made in a way I've not seen them here. Are they really strong or do you need to put them in quite close together ?
Interesting birdhouseflat !
Your street sounds like ours in many ways. Back in Holland we had a fight with many about too many Land Rovers (is that possible...), too many dogs (only 5 Goldens) and what have you.. Here, we're entertainment to the neighbourhood and when Ellen was treated, the amount of food given was really unbelievable..
Please, keep them coming !
Those floor joists are made in a way I've not seen them here. Are they really strong or do you need to put them in quite close together ?
Interesting bird
Your street sounds like ours in many ways. Back in Holland we had a fight with many about too many Land Rovers (is that possible...), too many dogs (only 5 Goldens) and what have you.. Here, we're entertainment to the neighbourhood and when Ellen was treated, the amount of food given was really unbelievable..
Please, keep them coming !
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Arjan.....I'm no builder but I'd guess that the answer would be yes. It's pretty much a standard in the U.S. That birdhouse is absolutely amazing and looks great as I've posted it out in the field. No takers yet so it's just for looks right now I'd guess.....
May 23, 2021.....to find anyone that works in the construction industry in this town that isn't overbooked is nearly impossible.....everyone, and I do mean everyone, says that they're way too busy. So we were fortunate to find a friend of the family that was once a plumber to spend a cold, snowy weekend here installing phase one of the plumbing.....
I've got to say that that was one of my worst weekends spent on this property.....as I was his gopher and ran around getting this pipe or tool.....and it was so cold and so wet.....
At some point on Sunday we'd both had enough.....we were nearly finished and we both just gave up.....there's always tomorrow I guessing.....
Another project that I've been working on is getting the fencing up.....
There's nearly 300' of fencing and I decided to install posts at 8' intervals and each one is set in concrete.....seemed like a good idea at the time.....
I had no idea how to use that wire fence stretcher so a quick 5 minute lesson on YouTube and off I went.....15 minutes later I was a fence stretching pro.....
And another task that I've been working on is to move my stuff from the storage unit into the barn.....I've paid those guys nearly $5,000 over these past years.....it felt good to stop that monthly payment.....finally.....
May 23, 2021.....to find anyone that works in the construction industry in this town that isn't overbooked is nearly impossible.....everyone, and I do mean everyone, says that they're way too busy. So we were fortunate to find a friend of the family that was once a plumber to spend a cold, snowy weekend here installing phase one of the plumbing.....
I've got to say that that was one of my worst weekends spent on this property.....as I was his gopher and ran around getting this pipe or tool.....and it was so cold and so wet.....
At some point on Sunday we'd both had enough.....we were nearly finished and we both just gave up.....there's always tomorrow I guessing.....
Another project that I've been working on is getting the fencing up.....
There's nearly 300' of fencing and I decided to install posts at 8' intervals and each one is set in concrete.....seemed like a good idea at the time.....
I had no idea how to use that wire fence stretcher so a quick 5 minute lesson on YouTube and off I went.....15 minutes later I was a fence stretching pro.....
And another task that I've been working on is to move my stuff from the storage unit into the barn.....I've paid those guys nearly $5,000 over these past years.....it felt good to stop that monthly payment.....finally.....
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
May 27, 2021.....and finally the Reveal Post.....
With the majority of the demolition completed, I began putting up the new front wall.....I built that header wall alone.....what a project that turned out to be.....that 14' long header beam only fell on my head once.....just one of many injuries I've survived during my latest "journey".....
My friend showed up to help install the new roof trusses.....that went amazingly well. In less than 3 hours we were done with that project and they were a perfect fit. I was a little nervous here.....3 roof trusses cost me $675 so I needed them to fit badly.....
This would be the last day I'd get help from my friend.....they were off to their summer home at Flathead Lake.....yep, I was envious.....
From this.....
To this.....
The views will be magnificent once the 4 panel sliding glass doors are installed.....
With the majority of the demolition completed, I began putting up the new front wall.....I built that header wall alone.....what a project that turned out to be.....that 14' long header beam only fell on my head once.....just one of many injuries I've survived during my latest "journey".....
My friend showed up to help install the new roof trusses.....that went amazingly well. In less than 3 hours we were done with that project and they were a perfect fit. I was a little nervous here.....3 roof trusses cost me $675 so I needed them to fit badly.....
This would be the last day I'd get help from my friend.....they were off to their summer home at Flathead Lake.....yep, I was envious.....
From this.....
To this.....
The views will be magnificent once the 4 panel sliding glass doors are installed.....
BajahaMontana
Active member
If you get to or towards Glacier national park in Montana.. pm us, farmhouse here with lots of room and centrally located in the valley.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
tgil.....
BajahaMontana.....thanks so much for the invite but my guess is that I'm wed to the free sod (just yesterday I put down another pallet).....I have no irrigation here and apparently the sod requires a daily watering.....maybe come fall.....
ITTOG.....I don't see any hikes anytime soon.....my goal is to finish this project by fall so I can get it rented out and then I can get back out there.....
June 1, 2021.....there's been quite a few aspects of living here that have made life nearly unbearable and one of those things has been the access to the property.....so when I received a text message from the house mover on Memorial Day asking if I'd like to borrow his Skidsteer on the following day.....I immediately changed my plans for that day and said "definitely yes".....
The following morning at 6:00 a.m. there he was dropping off his Skidsteer and at 7:00 a.m. I went right to work building myself a real driveway.....the challenge for that day turned out to be getting the loads of gravel delivered. The first outfit I called said "we're booked for the next two months"......eventually I found a hauler that worked me into their busy schedule.....
Initially when I had started the driveway construction I had no plans to build a circular driveway but the long bed crew cab truck demanded one so that's what we ended up with.....
Three truckloads later and $700 poorer, I had me a circular driveway that made our lives so much better.....no more driving through mud and horse manure to get to our little home.....
I even hauled the water heater to a neighbors house (I was pleased to see it go).....we're going with an on demand system.....
At 5:00 p.m. and on the Skidsteers very last load, the Skidsteers bucket froze up and that's yet another story to tell (I won't bore you with it but all turned out well).....
BajahaMontana.....thanks so much for the invite but my guess is that I'm wed to the free sod (just yesterday I put down another pallet).....I have no irrigation here and apparently the sod requires a daily watering.....maybe come fall.....
ITTOG.....I don't see any hikes anytime soon.....my goal is to finish this project by fall so I can get it rented out and then I can get back out there.....
June 1, 2021.....there's been quite a few aspects of living here that have made life nearly unbearable and one of those things has been the access to the property.....so when I received a text message from the house mover on Memorial Day asking if I'd like to borrow his Skidsteer on the following day.....I immediately changed my plans for that day and said "definitely yes".....
The following morning at 6:00 a.m. there he was dropping off his Skidsteer and at 7:00 a.m. I went right to work building myself a real driveway.....the challenge for that day turned out to be getting the loads of gravel delivered. The first outfit I called said "we're booked for the next two months"......eventually I found a hauler that worked me into their busy schedule.....
Initially when I had started the driveway construction I had no plans to build a circular driveway but the long bed crew cab truck demanded one so that's what we ended up with.....
Three truckloads later and $700 poorer, I had me a circular driveway that made our lives so much better.....no more driving through mud and horse manure to get to our little home.....
I even hauled the water heater to a neighbors house (I was pleased to see it go).....we're going with an on demand system.....
At 5:00 p.m. and on the Skidsteers very last load, the Skidsteers bucket froze up and that's yet another story to tell (I won't bore you with it but all turned out well).....
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Riversdad.....I've no idea right now. It's funny how anxious I was to get off the road.....not to take on a project of this magnitude but I just simply wanted a change from that wandering lifestyle. Now.....maybe 2 months later.....getting back on the road is all I seem to think about. I'm sure I'll come up with something somewhere.....
Not too long ago you had asked about the dogs' happiness level and I said that they were probably miserable.....not so anymore. The new fence was and is life changing.....they're having a blast.....Trapper spends her days under that sprinkler.....never enough.....
Arjan.....tomorrow I have to teach myself to operate a mini excavator.....I've got 30' of waterline trench to dig which is probably at 5' to 6' in depth. After that I've got 30' of gasline trench to dig which is probably at 2' in depth. I'm a little nervous on this one.....
June 1, 2021 (continued).....And here's just an assortment of pictures of the nearly completed circular driveway. Nothing fancy here but it certainly has done the job. This was once horse pasture and replacing the horse manure with stone has made quiet the difference in our quality of life.....
I've been laying a lot of sod.....that too has greatly improved our quality of life. I've now laid 17 pallets of sod.....all free.....which has covered approximately 3/4 of what I'd like to do but we're on hold now until the gas and water lines are installed.....
The roof is coming along and I'll post more pictures soon enough.....
I'll tell you.....one thing I've learned about myself while working on this project.....I clearly have no idea what I'm doing.....
The boards that extend beyond the roof line are known as Perlins.....man.....did I ever screw up the Perlins.....
Not too long ago you had asked about the dogs' happiness level and I said that they were probably miserable.....not so anymore. The new fence was and is life changing.....they're having a blast.....Trapper spends her days under that sprinkler.....never enough.....
Arjan.....tomorrow I have to teach myself to operate a mini excavator.....I've got 30' of waterline trench to dig which is probably at 5' to 6' in depth. After that I've got 30' of gasline trench to dig which is probably at 2' in depth. I'm a little nervous on this one.....
June 1, 2021 (continued).....And here's just an assortment of pictures of the nearly completed circular driveway. Nothing fancy here but it certainly has done the job. This was once horse pasture and replacing the horse manure with stone has made quiet the difference in our quality of life.....
I've been laying a lot of sod.....that too has greatly improved our quality of life. I've now laid 17 pallets of sod.....all free.....which has covered approximately 3/4 of what I'd like to do but we're on hold now until the gas and water lines are installed.....
The roof is coming along and I'll post more pictures soon enough.....
I'll tell you.....one thing I've learned about myself while working on this project.....I clearly have no idea what I'm doing.....
The boards that extend beyond the roof line are known as Perlins.....man.....did I ever screw up the Perlins.....
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