YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
June 12, 2021.....GOOD MORNING MONTANA !
My Journey
- Thread starter YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
- Start date
Arjan
Fossil Overlander
Coming along quite well !
Don't get yourself worked up about operating the mini-digger.... Patience and practise will make it easier for you.
Get it somewhere you can't destroy much - open field, beginning of the trench, don't set the RPM's too high and get a feel for it. Smooth beats speeds every time. After a while you get the hang of it and it will go easier and easier.. Put the blade down when digging - yes, they fall over easier than you think - and think ahead so you don't get yourself "boxed in". Also, get that water as deep as you can as it gets cold there you say.
IF there is the smallest of possibilities you may want electricity somewehre along that trench - this is the time to put at least the tubing with a pull rope in it.. This is behind the horse ABRI where we put during the build several tubes and hoses in the ground, as well as water because we had the digger and once in it is soo easy to put
CAT5 etc. in the ground. France has many ground strikes by lightning and this helps some to keep things going.
.
Don't get yourself worked up about operating the mini-digger.... Patience and practise will make it easier for you.
Get it somewhere you can't destroy much - open field, beginning of the trench, don't set the RPM's too high and get a feel for it. Smooth beats speeds every time. After a while you get the hang of it and it will go easier and easier.. Put the blade down when digging - yes, they fall over easier than you think - and think ahead so you don't get yourself "boxed in". Also, get that water as deep as you can as it gets cold there you say.
IF there is the smallest of possibilities you may want electricity somewehre along that trench - this is the time to put at least the tubing with a pull rope in it.. This is behind the horse ABRI where we put during the build several tubes and hoses in the ground, as well as water because we had the digger and once in it is soo easy to put
CAT5 etc. in the ground. France has many ground strikes by lightning and this helps some to keep things going.
.
ITTOG
Well-known member
Those are beautiful.
Love the old chairs by the bird houses.
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YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Halseyt..... 
.....
Arjan.....all good advice but my situation is much different than yours. I'll post about it on another day soon.....
ITTOG.....the story on the chairs.....I was driving through town one day and saw them sitting on the curb and I decided to grab them for my friends house. When she saw them she asked that I not bring others peoples trash to her property. They sat on the porch and eventually made their way into a pile of junk in the back of the barn. Her son was here recently and told me of their whereabouts.....the birds absolutely love them.....they're a great perch.....
tgil.....the sod is another awesome story.....I went to the sod farm to purchase a hundred dollars worth of seed. In conversation with the owner I mentioned my friends names and the door was opened. Seventeen pallets later and I've never paid a penney. I'm guessing I'll go for more once the waterline & gasline are installed. I did buy the crew Gatorade & donuts (not the cheap Walmart donuts.....they said don't bother) whenever I showed up.....I never came empty handed.....
On my last trip there to return their last pallet, I brought them this cake that I had made just special for them. One thing to note here, the guy on the right is not a small man (he's the owner). The guy on the left is a massive man.....tosses roles of sod around like I toss a roll of toilet paper.....
Here's some progress pictures.....working 7 days a week brings a bit of progress.....the small window is being replaced with a much larger window.....
June 9, 2021.....the roofer came by to give me an estimate.....the plan is to remove the old shingles and replace with black shingles (hopefully soon).....
The first estimate I got was $4,200.....this guy came in at $2,100 if i removed the shingles and hauled them to the dump.....well, saving $2,100 made it a no brainer.....my back I'm sure will disagree.....
Now that guy going in the doorway.....he will be the next post (I think).....
.....Arjan.....all good advice but my situation is much different than yours. I'll post about it on another day soon.....
ITTOG.....the story on the chairs.....I was driving through town one day and saw them sitting on the curb and I decided to grab them for my friends house. When she saw them she asked that I not bring others peoples trash to her property. They sat on the porch and eventually made their way into a pile of junk in the back of the barn. Her son was here recently and told me of their whereabouts.....the birds absolutely love them.....they're a great perch.....
tgil.....the sod is another awesome story.....I went to the sod farm to purchase a hundred dollars worth of seed. In conversation with the owner I mentioned my friends names and the door was opened. Seventeen pallets later and I've never paid a penney. I'm guessing I'll go for more once the waterline & gasline are installed. I did buy the crew Gatorade & donuts (not the cheap Walmart donuts.....they said don't bother) whenever I showed up.....I never came empty handed.....
On my last trip there to return their last pallet, I brought them this cake that I had made just special for them. One thing to note here, the guy on the right is not a small man (he's the owner). The guy on the left is a massive man.....tosses roles of sod around like I toss a roll of toilet paper.....
Here's some progress pictures.....working 7 days a week brings a bit of progress.....the small window is being replaced with a much larger window.....
June 9, 2021.....the roofer came by to give me an estimate.....the plan is to remove the old shingles and replace with black shingles (hopefully soon).....
The first estimate I got was $4,200.....this guy came in at $2,100 if i removed the shingles and hauled them to the dump.....well, saving $2,100 made it a no brainer.....my back I'm sure will disagree.....
Now that guy going in the doorway.....he will be the next post (I think).....
jgaz
Adventurer
Love this!
When I ran the shop at work I used to explain to the young engineers that buying donuts did not mean “gas station donuts”.
In other words, in our area, if they sold gas and donuts in the same place they aren’t real donuts!
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Just can't forget my best friend appropriately named after my most favorite state in the union.....Montana.....passed away I think it was three years ago this date.....or was it four ? Time doesn't heal.....it simply softens the lost.....amazing how much we all love our best friends.....
Jerry, Just wanted to thank you for your blog. I have followed it off and on for years. Recently went back and read the entire thread. You have a real talent with your storytelling. I share your love of dogs (especially Goldens, we are on #5), mountain climbing (15 14ers to go for completion), Montana (my brother is a wildlife photographer in Missoula) and love of travel. But what was most profound was your help with the migrants and your stewardship of public lands. I cant thank you enough for inspiring me to do more. Yukon's story brought tears to my eyes. I am a little bummed out that I have now caught up and anxiously await new tales in your journeys. I have many a pin drop on google maps of areas that I would otherwise be unaware of. Wishing you safe journeys and peace in your travels.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
jgaz.....those donuts were well worth the trip.....and well worth the price.....my favorite was priced at $2.50 each.....ouch.....
pkripper.....it always fascinates me when someone says that they've read the entire thread.....266 pages.....it also fascinates me that this has lasted for so long.....9 years. I sure do appreciate your kind words.....it means a lot. "Peace in your travels".....I love that.....
ITTOG.....I never knew how much I love dogs until my kids grew up and moved on, and then I became a divorced man, and I finally had the time to appreciate them for what they are. Yukon will always be special.....she was the first of the klan.....and at some point they all become special (although this Trapper dog pushes all my buttons).....
June 11, 2021.....after a restless night in the camper we arrived at the equipment rental agency to pick up the mini excavator.....the guy showed me all the controls and I swear I didn't remember a thing. It was a short drive to the "homestead" and now I was on my own.....trying to figure out how to back that thing off that trailer to begin my days work.....
I walked around that trailer feeling completely overwhelmed with what laid ahead.....the dogs of course joined in.....Trapper was so inquisitive.....
I couldn't get her off that damn trailer.....
Tanner on the other hand seemed to be more concerned with my well being (not sure if it was mental or physical).....
The first ditch I dug was for the gas line which would feed the 500 gallon propane tank.....
I took it slow and I took it easy and it really turned out to be not so bad.....I dug that first trench in less than 30 minutes.....
Now it was time for the real test.....I now needed to dig a trench 6 foot deep which lay in between a live electric line and a newly installed sewer line.....there was little room for error.....
So I'll tell you how that went in my next post and I still haven't forgot about that guy going in the door.....I'll get back to him as well.....just won't be for a few more days.....and then there's this guy in my truck.....he has a story as well.....
pkripper.....it always fascinates me when someone says that they've read the entire thread.....266 pages.....it also fascinates me that this has lasted for so long.....9 years. I sure do appreciate your kind words.....it means a lot. "Peace in your travels".....I love that.....
ITTOG.....I never knew how much I love dogs until my kids grew up and moved on, and then I became a divorced man, and I finally had the time to appreciate them for what they are. Yukon will always be special.....she was the first of the klan.....and at some point they all become special (although this Trapper dog pushes all my buttons).....
June 11, 2021.....after a restless night in the camper we arrived at the equipment rental agency to pick up the mini excavator.....the guy showed me all the controls and I swear I didn't remember a thing. It was a short drive to the "homestead" and now I was on my own.....trying to figure out how to back that thing off that trailer to begin my days work.....
I walked around that trailer feeling completely overwhelmed with what laid ahead.....the dogs of course joined in.....Trapper was so inquisitive.....
I couldn't get her off that damn trailer.....
Tanner on the other hand seemed to be more concerned with my well being (not sure if it was mental or physical).....
The first ditch I dug was for the gas line which would feed the 500 gallon propane tank.....
I took it slow and I took it easy and it really turned out to be not so bad.....I dug that first trench in less than 30 minutes.....
Now it was time for the real test.....I now needed to dig a trench 6 foot deep which lay in between a live electric line and a newly installed sewer line.....there was little room for error.....
So I'll tell you how that went in my next post and I still haven't forgot about that guy going in the door.....I'll get back to him as well.....just won't be for a few more days.....and then there's this guy in my truck.....he has a story as well.....
ITTOG
Well-known member
I find it funny that I usually look at the background of your pictures before I look at what you focused on. Sometimes I even have to scroll back to see what the picture was about. Those mountains are beautiful and eye catching. Looks like a lot of good work on those trenches. I am sure it became a little fun to operate that machine and take ownership in all the work you are doing. It is looking great.
Yes it is common for the pets to assume the role of the kids and/or spouse once everyone is out of the house. I tease my parents all the time that they love their dogs more than they ever did the kids. I think it is a right of passage as we age.
Yes it is common for the pets to assume the role of the kids and/or spouse once everyone is out of the house. I tease my parents all the time that they love their dogs more than they ever did the kids. I think it is a right of passage as we age.
tgil
Well-known member
Waiting for his next post is sometimes grueling!
That pic of Montana, in the wheat is one of my favorites! I've been wanting to get a similar one of Scout, but my timing is always off with the crop or the weather!
Arjan
Fossil Overlander
You got there in the end !!!!!!!
Well done !
...and as you are still with us, you did not hit the power or sewage lines.
Driving them is fun - esp if you're 180 degrees turned and you push the handles and you drive backwards....
Nice trench - nothing wrong with and much easier than digging by hand.
I don't think I forget our dogs. In fact, Hogan & Duncan with our 1st Land Rover hang on the wall right behind the screen I'm typing at (sorry for the mess) and we have pictures of them all around the house - with the Mrs. her horses.. The just change positions in your memory and pop up every now and then.. Cherish them.
Well done !
...and as you are still with us, you did not hit the power or sewage lines.
Driving them is fun - esp if you're 180 degrees turned and you push the handles and you drive backwards....
Nice trench - nothing wrong with and much easier than digging by hand.
I don't think I forget our dogs. In fact, Hogan & Duncan with our 1st Land Rover hang on the wall right behind the screen I'm typing at (sorry for the mess) and we have pictures of them all around the house - with the Mrs. her horses.. The just change positions in your memory and pop up every now and then.. Cherish them.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
tgil.....I hadn't planned to post this morning but just reading the word "grueling" made me reconsider. So here you go.....
ITTOG.....I'm much the same with pictures.....I love to see as much as I possibly can that the storyteller is writing about.....pictures make the story worthwhile to read.....
Arjan.....well, you were correct in one regard.....I was successful with digging the trench for the gasline.....the waterline trench could be debatable as you will see in this post.....
June 11, 2021 (continued) & June 12, 2021.....I have to admit that I was feeling pretty good about myself after my initial success which came after a phone call to the rental agency asking how to start the damn thing. Much like the Skidsteer, it was finicky as well. Anyhow, I moved on to new challenges.....
On my left was the live electric line and to my right was the newly installed sewer line, and of course a tiny house was positioned straight ahead.....
I had guessed that this entire digging operation would last no more than 2 to 3 hours and my rental agreement allowed me 8 hours of use. So I called the guy that was in my truck in the last post and I said "hey Dillon" (great Montana name I'd say) "do you want to use a mini excavator for 5 or 6 hours for free ?". Being a typical human being Dillon said "hell yea" and so it was that he came over to help.....
Now I'm operating the mini excavator and Dillon is operating the shovel.....life was good. Eventually we found the bottom of the water spigot which is where we planned to hook up the house service line.....
Now I thought that things went exceptionally well since we were successful but Dillon didn't see it that way.....Dillon said something like "damn you're slow with that piece of equipment.....once the plumber finishes the connection, I should operate that thing".....which of course meant that I got the shovel.....
Dillon took the mini excavator to his 10 acre spread.....he was building a pond so the timing was ideal.....I on the other hand dug an additional foot or two with a shovel cause the sides of the ditch kept falling in.....
A nice clean ditch and the plumber does his thing.....
Less than an hour it took him to hook up the waterline and run it into the house.....
Dillon returned with the mini excavator and as you can see we had traded jobs now.....
Dillon says that I was too slow which got me to thinking that this is much like "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".....what I'm saying is that it's just nothing more than an opinion.....and maybe the real question here is which job sucked more.....the shovel or the mini excavator.....
Trapper was seen doing some thinking too.....probably thinking something like "and I could have lived in Las Vegas.....what the hell happened.....
ITTOG.....I'm much the same with pictures.....I love to see as much as I possibly can that the storyteller is writing about.....pictures make the story worthwhile to read.....
Arjan.....well, you were correct in one regard.....I was successful with digging the trench for the gasline.....the waterline trench could be debatable as you will see in this post.....
June 11, 2021 (continued) & June 12, 2021.....I have to admit that I was feeling pretty good about myself after my initial success which came after a phone call to the rental agency asking how to start the damn thing. Much like the Skidsteer, it was finicky as well. Anyhow, I moved on to new challenges.....
On my left was the live electric line and to my right was the newly installed sewer line, and of course a tiny house was positioned straight ahead.....
I had guessed that this entire digging operation would last no more than 2 to 3 hours and my rental agreement allowed me 8 hours of use. So I called the guy that was in my truck in the last post and I said "hey Dillon" (great Montana name I'd say) "do you want to use a mini excavator for 5 or 6 hours for free ?". Being a typical human being Dillon said "hell yea" and so it was that he came over to help.....
Now I'm operating the mini excavator and Dillon is operating the shovel.....life was good. Eventually we found the bottom of the water spigot which is where we planned to hook up the house service line.....
Now I thought that things went exceptionally well since we were successful but Dillon didn't see it that way.....Dillon said something like "damn you're slow with that piece of equipment.....once the plumber finishes the connection, I should operate that thing".....which of course meant that I got the shovel.....
Dillon took the mini excavator to his 10 acre spread.....he was building a pond so the timing was ideal.....I on the other hand dug an additional foot or two with a shovel cause the sides of the ditch kept falling in.....
A nice clean ditch and the plumber does his thing.....
Less than an hour it took him to hook up the waterline and run it into the house.....
Dillon returned with the mini excavator and as you can see we had traded jobs now.....
Dillon says that I was too slow which got me to thinking that this is much like "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".....what I'm saying is that it's just nothing more than an opinion.....and maybe the real question here is which job sucked more.....the shovel or the mini excavator.....
Trapper was seen doing some thinking too.....probably thinking something like "and I could have lived in Las Vegas.....what the hell happened.....
