Marsh Creek

This valley is a beautiful compromise between having a mountain view and NOT having a steep, winding road to navigate during the snowy season. Yes, we own all the way down to the creek and it is fenced because there are horses an either side of us. Don't feel the need to have any myself, but it is fun to look at other people's critters. The valley is about five miles wide at our location and it opens up wider as it runs to the south. There is no real elevation change as you drive from the house into Pocatello on the interstate so Karren will have a minimal hassle with driving during the snow season - at least that's the plan!

Stay tuned for more pictorial updates from the land of the potato and beef cattle. And by the way, the steaks out here are AWESOME!!! Haven't found a single jazz group yet, though there is hope springing eternal...

New Era for Astronomy!

Yes, I have been chomping at the bit to get out and do some astronomy. The fires and smoke have begun to abate so it is gong to happen in the next few days. Here is a shot of my view facing south - stunningly open and no light domes! This spot seems like a good place to start the astronomy  trailer off. I'll probably drag it all over the place until I find the right spot for an observatory. I do know now that it will be a dome. Wind here is obviously a real problem so a roll-off roof will not be as effective at shielding equipment from wind as a dome. Local astro dudes have confirmed this as well. Look for some additions to my astro blog in a couple of weeks after this full moon is past.

Barn Boy Tim

I have always wanted an old barn to call my own. Now that I have one I'm kind of scared to go in the darn thing. It needs a good mucking out but the timbers and rafters are all solid. It is beginning to lose shingles so we will probably bite the bullet and have a metal roof done on it as well. Lots of storage in this thing and if we ever decide to sell it will make a big difference to horsey type people. Love the lean-to on the downhill side of it. Lots of old barn type crap left over too (not such a good thing), but nothing that a couple of hours with a backhoe won't cure. In the pic is the rear of the garage as well. It came with a cat and it has eaten one bowl of food so far. Haven't got a good look at it yet, just the ears. Good mouse protection.

The Man Cave!

The garage is fairly new and needs no attention other than some additional electrical updates for large stationary power tools. I'll probably update to a separate service for this building and the barn/well. One door has an opener and the middle bay is tall enough for the F350 truck. It will be nice to have all our vehicles under cover during the snow season. There is enough room in this garage for one bay to be a nice sized workshop, especially if the big tools are wheeled. Got to get some of the trees cut back though. They are in need of judicious pruning.

Refugee House

The house looks like refugees live in it because the paint is in such bad shape and the roof is furry. The siding and trim are okay but the junipers in the front have rubbed much of the paint away. We have removed them from the right side but the left side is still overgrown. That will change later this week. The roof is old cedar shakes and has needed to be replaced for the last five years at least. This roof could have been in good shape if it had been maintained. I'd still want to replace it though to get better fire resistance. I'm planning to go with metal roofing if the price is right. Shingles are not as cost effective and will not give the fire rating of metal.

Note the large fir trees on the other end of the house. They are right up on it and several are going to come down immediately so I can gain good painting and roofing access, not to mention they are a fire hazard. Hate to lose the wind/snow break but they must go. Timmmberrrrr!

We like the automatic garage door on the house and it will become the girl's garage as soon as the debris stops accumulating in there. This will be a nice feature for Karren in the cold of winter when she climbs into a warm car to go to work.

Next time you see this house it will have a dark green paint job and a light brown roof. A bright red door will be Karren's mandate I'm sure!

Some Pics from the Homestead

Our first pics from here in the land of the eternal smoke. It finally cleared enough today to warrant an attempt to photograph the house and environs.

The first is Karren and I standing in the top of the pasture with Haystack Mt. behind us. Haystack tops out at 9033 ft. and we are at 4600 ft., so there is a good bit of difference! We live in Marsh Valley which has a small creek that runs through it. It has flowing water so there is no stagnant smell or bugs. This is a very popular area for livestock, horses and abundant wildlife. Sandhill cranes call it home for the summer - their sound is unique and bizarre. Our house faces Haystack on the rear and Old Tom Mt. is directly in front of the house. Old Tom is 8700 ft. and does not translate into a good photo because it is so close.

What a difference a few days make!

We have been in camp now for a few days and it feels like a month! Trying to get all the kinks out of the house's systems has been a chore but we are making progress. I installed a new kitchen sink, a light over it, and put in a new fridge and dryer. We have a long way to go to get this place worthy of company but I feel we are up to the task. I promise some pics in the next day or two - finally got my email problem sorted out and got the internet installed here at the house.

Keep checking back!

Parked in Pocatello

Well we arrived in Pocatello today after a grueling four day drive. Taking a large truck across the country is not high on my list of fun things to do anymore, especially with no one else in the cab. The noise is loud, the truck radio was broken and the traffic was heavy, even brutal at times. I have a new-born respect for professional drivers now.

Staying in the Motel 6 in Cheyenne, WY was a big disappointment, but it was cheap. We ended up getting away later than anticipated every morning because of equipment maintenance and it was difficult to shake off the effects of the day before. Climbing out of Cheyenne I knew we were going to be hitting some mountains but had no idea we were topping out at 9000 feet until the altitude began having its way with me. I am really susceptible to altitude sickness and it hit me like a ton of bricks. The morning started with me waking at 4:30 with a giant brain stem headache, which I promptly misdiagnosed as a caffeine withdrawal. It was simply my body reacting to the elevation of Cheyenne. As we climbed out of Cheyenne we went over a range of mountains that were deceiving in terms of height - we sort of snuck up on them as the plateau slanted up, until we crested the ridge. During the last few miles I was beset with rapid heartbeat, a bit of anxiety, and felt a little dizzy. It was then I realized that I was dealing with hypoxia.

Thankfully the downgrade solved the altitude problem for the moment but I began forcing myself to drink lots of water to raise my tolerance artificially, since I knew there would be the crossing of the Rockies to come. This of course resulted in my needing to make water frequently and took its toll on our progress. Oh well, you gotta do what you gotta do!

The rest of the day ended up being fairly uneventful but was filled with the high winds and stunning scenery of Wyoming. What a desolate place! The topography is a combination of Utah and Colorado, high desert and rocky buttes, alternating with settlements that seem to appear out of nowhere. Thank goodness for the trucking industry - with out it there would be few places to stop and rest.

The road into Idaho turned out to be a two lane US highway 30 and it is gorgeous. The highest passes we encountered were only 7000 feet or so, so there was no more problem with getting sick. The truck actually had a far worse time of it in WV, where there are many more steep climbs. Seeing the setting sun with the mountain backdrop as we made our way northwest through Idaho to Pocatello was spectacular. We arrived right at dusk at a hotel to rest for the night before we unpack.

Today: the unpacking saga begins. How will the five of us get that darned wood stove off the truck?

West Virginia - Mountain Nemesis!

Whew! Yesterday was brutal at the end. We ended up with a late start (any surprise there?) and didn't get to our hotel until 12:40 AM! The gals were unbelievable in terms of their spirit, but we can't go through that again. West Virginia gave the truck a fit with the mountains. It is loaded for bear and is a real pig. the best it will do up steep grades is about 35 mph, which is not really that bad unless you are sitting in the belly of the beast. Listening to it roar is a bit disconcerting.

The vehicles are doing well so far. Our truck has no problem handling any of this, even with the load. Lauren appears to like her Uhaul mini truck. Susan and Mattison are keeping us updated with fun facts about each state while touring in the Miata chase car. I am a bit concerned about the wood we loaded on the car carrier; It kept losing its rear strap so I finally removed it. I'll need to re-do the tie downs before we leave this morning. That will be a chore. By the way, never let an ex-camp staffer tie down your loads - there were taut line hitches everywhere! (they slip)

Looks like we'll get a late start this morning as well since we arrived so late. At least we'll gain an hour on the clock today. Next stop, K.C., about 500 miles in all. I'd like to arrive there early enough for Lauren to get some useable time visiting with her old friend.

Stay tuned for day two of the adventure!

The truck didn't have working Air Conditioning! We were not about to drive across the country for four days without air so after a brief conversation with the manager at Penske, they decided it was in their best interest to have another one delivered to us here at camp late Friday night. We had already loaded my tools and cabinets from the shop so it all had to be unloaded and reloaded.

Whew! All is ready for the big packing extravaganza at our house tomorrow, starting at 9AM, so "BE THERE!!!"

Really tired of moving boxes around...