Week of August 17 to August 23, 2009

Monday, August 17, 2009
I slept well last night, that is until Zack joined me at 6 AM this morning, and then I had to fight for my half of the bed. He must have been cold downstairs and was trying to warm himself by combining our body heat. I finally covered him with the comforter and he was happy. It was 29 degrees at 5:30 this morning and things were covered with a layer of frost. It is 64 and sunny at 10:30, which is much warmer than the 40 something of yesterday.
Starting immediately, I have made a decision to only do a weekly update. I have found that I am spending too much time on the computer and not enough doing those things I need to for winter. I am also cutting back on the political things and will focus on most immediate issues.
I will attempt to summarize my week, Monday to Sunday, and send/post it on Sunday or Monday. Aside from allowing me more time to not worry about posting something everyday, it will also relieve those of you that tire from trying to keep up with reading it everyday.
If something special happens that needs attention, I will post a “special update,” but otherwise, look for my weekly updates on Sundays or Mondays.
I spent the day drilling four holes in 5/8” steel plate to put under the truck bed jack. I didn’t have a ½” drill bit sharp enough, so had to drill a smaller hole and then enlarge it so the bolts would fit. After getting the holes drilled, I needed to reinstall the jack and had to lay on the ground to tighten the nuts on the bottom. My neck and shoulders were stiff and aching before I could finish. Once that was done, I backed the truck up to the generator shed door, disconnected the Generac and used three 2 x 4s to form a bridge to the bed of the truck. I screwed them down to prevent them from slipping, which happened when I first installed the unit. I then slid the generator to the 2 x 4s and lifted one corner to get it on top of the boards. I then managed to slowly slide all 335 pounds into the bed of the truck.
I tied it down with cargo straps and parked the truck near the cabin for my departure tomorrow. Stiff and tired, I played one last time with Zack and then fed him and Zoey. I showered and sat down with a drink to rest before fixing my dinner and relaxing for the remainder of the evening.

Tuesday, August 18, 2008
It is overcast and feels like it will rain, but my barometer and NWS don’t reflect that. I have a doctor appointment in town at 12:30, so I’ll have a quick bite and then head into town.
I loaded the truck with trash to drop off at the transfer station in town, and then Zack and I headed in for my appointment. I stopped at Cowboy Harry’s to see if he had any trash I could take for him, but he had dumped all of his over the weekend. By the time I left his place in Marysville, it was noon, so I needed to go straight to the doctor’s office for my appointment.
I made it with 5 minutes to spare, signed in, waiting to be called. The air conditioner in the office was down and it was hotter inside than it was outside, which was in the 80s. Tammy, the nurse that works for my doctor, took me in, did the vitals, and told me that Dr. Brundson would be right in. The examine room was even hotter than the waiting room and the windows don’t open, so I felt like I was in a sauna.
Jennifer, my doctor, finally came in and examined my foot, agreeing that it was worse than before, but she wanted me to try one more thing before she referred me to a dermatologist. It is an antiviral and steroid cream that she hopes will clear it up. She set up an appointment for me to go back and see the gastroenterologist about my involuntary air swallowing and belching.
After that, we drove to the transfer station and dumped the trash, and then collected my mail and stopped at Safeway for a couple of items and fill the prescription for the cream and two gas cans. From there, we drove straight to Great Falls, arriving at the shop at 4:30. The owner, Greg, is a chatty fellow and we visited as he asked about where I live and did I live there year around. We transferred the generator from the back of my truck to the back of his work truck, where he could leave it there until he had a chance to work on it.
I explained my trip and that I wouldn’t be back until around the 18th of September, and he made notes to that effect on my paperwork. I was only a block away from Joe’s store, so we stopped by and I let Zack out to take a break. After a short visit, we drove home, taking the dirt road short cut, arriving home by 7 PM. Zack and I played and then I fed him, unloaded the items from the truck and sat down to relax before a shower and some dinner.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009
It is still overcast, but I can see more sky than clouds compared to yesterday. After my breakfast, I changed clothes and drove back to the dozer to finish getting the track on. The cloud cover helped keep it from getting too hot, but I was soon sweating a river.
It took about 2 hours for me to manipulate the track back onto the drive gear, reattach the tension gear, get the teeth lined up so the track was riding in the groves, having enough slack to reattach and insert the pin. I then had to adjust the tension, drive it forward and then backwards, readjust the tension again and check all of the pins. I found three pins that had lost the keeper bolts, so installed new bolts and nuts to keep the pins in place.
Once I was satisfied everything was adjusted correctly and in place, I began working the road again. In the time the dozer had been sitting there, it had rained and trucks had traveled over the area, causing the softer dirt to form mud ruts again. I worked the road until the sun started to disappear, and then parked the dozer and drove back to the cabin.
After playtime with Zack, I showered and sat down to relax before feeding him and Zoey and thinking about dinner for myself.

Thursday, August 20, 2009
A sunny and clear morning, with the temperature already in the 70s by 10 AM. After my usual morning, I changed into my work clothes and went down to where the Argo and trail mower were in the creek bed. I started both of them up and mowed on the opposite side of the creek and then crossed over and mowed most of the grass and weed growth on the cabin side of the creek. I took the trail mower to the garage and unhooked it, backing it into a spot, and then parked the Argo next to it.
I drove back to where I left the dozer, parked in the shade and then began to work the road. I finally managed to smooth out the ruts and bumps and drag it somewhat level. I moved from the area by the spring to the cattle guard that separates BLM from US Forest Service land. I parked the dozer, satisfied that I was pretty much done working on the road, and drove the truck back to the cabin. I’ll have Michele or Joe drive me to the dozer this weekend and walk it back home.
It was only 4:30, so I tackled the propane shed doors, which had been ripped from their hinges last winter. I had to deconstruct the log siding to gain access to the old hinges. I replaced the left door hinges, but didn’t realize that when I bought the new hinges, it was only one set of three, not two sets of two, as I had thought, so I’ll have to buy another set in town and finish the other door later.
I finished up, put my things away, and then played with Zack before feeding him and Zoey, showering, eating and relaxing for the evening.

Friday, August 21, 2009
It is overcast but very warm for 9 AM in the morning. By 10:30 my weather station, which is in the sun, says it is 94 degrees outside and with no breeze it feels like it.
I have a 2 O’clock follow up appointment with my allergist, so will finish my morning and get dressed for the trip to town.
Zack and I made it into town in time for my appointment and it turns out that they had scheduled me for an hour appointment, knowing Rich and I would visit and talk about ghost towns and old cabins. As things turned out his 3:30 appointment had cancelled so we spent two hours talking before we even got to my allergies. He gave me several more eye drops to help with itching and swelling, and then suggested I find the generic antihistamine that was a part of the allergy medication I have taken for almost 40 years. It is chlorpheniramine without the decongestant, which is what I need to avoid due to my high blood pressure.
Zack was waiting in the truck, which was parked in the shade, and probably thought I had abandoned him, as he smelled me all over like he was meeting me for the first time. We drove to Safeway to get a couple of things and then to fill two 100-pound propane tanks. From there we headed for home. It was hot in town, but driving kept it from feeling too hot.
We stopped at Cowboy Harry’s to see if he was going to be around this weekend and could possibly join us for a search of historic places. After I had told Rich, my allergist, about several cabins near me and showed him photos, he was convinced that he hadn’t seen them before and was anxious to have me show them to him. He had tentative plans to visit an old fort north of Great Falls, but if that fell through, he would email me and plan to come up and see the cabins this weekend.
Cowboy Harry said he was free this weekend and I emailed Joe and Michele of the possible activities as they were coming up this weekend. Michele was coming up this evening after work and Joe will come after closing the store at 3 PM Saturday afternoon.
Later in the evening, Rich emailed that his plans fell through and could I show him the cabins this Sunday. I replied that I could and we planned to meet in Marysville at 10 AM on Sunday morning.
Michele arrived around 9 PM and we visited until two in the morning before crashing for a good nights sleep.

Saturday, August 22, 2009
Michele and I both slept until almost 10 AM and then visited while having some fresh fruit, juice, toast, and coffee. The day was warm, but we had a mild breeze that helped keep it from feeling too hot.
We both enjoyed a quiet morning, with me on the computer and her reading a book. We would visit inbetween quiet times and ended up spending the entire day doing that. Joe, Michele, and I have a lot of interests in common and always manage to have stimulating conversations about one thing or another.
Joe arrived around 6 PM and brought up a couple of Papa Murphy’s pizzas for us to have for dinner. We all sat down with a drink to visit and then popped the pizza’s in the oven and enjoyed them while watching a couple of DVDs. Bedtime came earlier this evening than last night and we all went to bed at the same time.

Sunday, August 23, 2009
Joe is an early riser, so he was up and off on a hike before Michele and I even thought about getting up. I knew that I needed to get up and ready if we were going to meet Rich and Cowboy Harry in Marysville at 10 O’clock, so I got up at 8:30 and Joe had just returned from a hike up the hill to photograph the cabin from up high.
A quick bite to eat and packing fixings for sandwiches, along with water and drinks, into the cooler and we were on our way. We got to Marysville a little after 10 and met with Rich and Harry in front of the Marysville House. We all were introduced and discovered that Rich and Harry had met several years ago, so had been visiting while waiting for us. Harry had a forgotten appointment and couldn’t go with us, but told me that if we found the Indian teepee rings that Rich was sure were up on the Divide, to let him know so he could see them. Harry grew up in Marysville and knows a lot of the history and places that others have forgotten, which is why I hoped he could go with us.
Harry needed to go so we said our good-byes and then Rich followed us in his Jeep up the mountain. We didn’t even get around the corner when I decided to stop and point out the old cabin below the road that is on Guy and Mary’s place. None of us had been in it before, including me. The cabin is almost impossible to see from the road and Guy told me that a deer and her off spring were using the cabin as shelter. Sure enough, there was momma deer laying next to the cabin, but left when we came over the railing and down to the cabin.
The cabin was an old miners cabin and very low to the ground and small inside to make heating it in the winter easier. We almost had to crawl to get in the door and there are some bedsprings, a small table and a few other items, with obvious signs of deer being the inhabitants. The door is unable to be closed and I guess Guy and Mary don’t mind if the deer and small animals use it as shelter.
Our next stop was up mountain to Peggy’s property, where there is an old cabin along with much mining evidence. There are several loading chutes, an old mineshaft that had caved in, and a pond full of water. We investigated all of it and then headed to the Divide, looking for the spot that Rich remembers being shown the teepee rings some 20 years ago. From his description of the area, I narrowed it down to two possible spots and we stopped at both. He believed the second spot was where they are, but the grass is so high this year that it would take a good deal of time to locate the remains of the rings, so we drove on to the big log building and mining remains just below the Divide.
Rich was unaware of this site and we explored the area. I mentioned the old miners cabin just a little further on the same road, so we went there. It is still in fairly good shape and most of the roof is intact. When I explored these areas before, the remains were in much better shape, but the weather and inconsiderate people have caused their further decay into what will eventually be just a memory.
Rich was driving the newer of two jeeps that he has. This was his newest and he became nervous about some of the places we drove. He admitted her still had the “new car” mentality and didn’t want to go anywhere that it would be damaged. He wanted to drive his own vehicle because he had all of his camera equipment in it, and because he planned to part ways with us at Blossburg, heading home in one direction as we headed back to the cabin in another.
We continued on the same road, which ends up at the meadow area near my place, and stopped at the cabin to have lunch, rather than picnic outside somewhere. Rich had packed a lunch, but was driving so slow, careful not to scratch or damage his car, that we were at the cabin and had our sandwiches made by the time he got there. We had our lunch and visited and he presented me with two of his three published books (I already purchased one) of photography, as a thank you for spending the day taking him around the area.
After lunch we left and headed out the Dog Creek side, planning on crossing at the old woodcutters bridge and then heading to Blossburg. Rich was nervous about driving his Jeep in that area as I described the makeshift log bridge and climb up the rocky hill on the other side. I told him that it shouldn’t be a problem, but that it had been over a year since I had gone that way, so didn’t know for sure what to expect.
We slowly made our way to the bridge and I was shocked to see what poor condition it was in. The bridge had shifted down-stream even more and people had just thrown in additional logs to gap the space. Even I wasn’t comfortable trying to cross it, so I knew Rich wouldn’t want to go that way. Our other two choices were to try and ford LaSalle Creek and head out that way, or double back and drive all of the way to the Divide and go the long way around, taking at least an hour longer.
We turned around and drove the 40 or 50 yards back to the creek crossing and Joe walked it to see what condition the it was in. Most of it was gravel and Joe was convinced that crossing it wouldn’t be a problem. This is where we all found out that Rich is NOT an explorer and adventurer like us. He seems to only want nice easy roads to a location that he can hike into. I say that not just because of how protective he was of his car, but his inability to even attempt things that the rest of us take for granted when we are exploring the back areas. For him to bring his new Jeep should have been an obvious sign, but I really just met the man and didn’t know what he expected.
I took the lead and easily drove through the creek and up the other side, it took much convincing, trimming of brush, and us guiding him before he would attempt to cross. He made it without getting so much as a little mud on his mud flaps. As we continued, we came to a very muddy area that looked like vehicles had gotten stuck. I had been over this area during spring, summer and fall, so was familiar with it. I believed that if I stayed to the right, I shouldn’t have any trouble crossing the area. I was wrong. The “puddle” on my left side was about two feet deep and I became quickly stuck. To Joe, Michele, and myself, this is just part of the adventure and we knew we could get out. To Rich it was nightmare, for a second I thought he might just turn around, and bolt for the pavement home.
He carries a full size shovel with him and I had a tow strap, so Joe started digging the back wheel out, sinking to his knee in the soft mud. We connected the tow strap between the Jeeps and after a couple of tries, managed to pull my Jeep out. Rich’s Jeep has “automatic four-wheel drive,” which I am not sure how that works, but he slid sideways on the grassy area as he tried to pull me out, and I know that scared him. We were still willing to go around the mud hole as Joe had walked the area and it was firm enough to drive on, but Rich would have none of it and wanted to backtrack to the Divide and go the long way.
We understood and agreed, although if it were just the three of us, we would have gone for it without a second thought. We turned around and guided him over the creek again, after moving small rocks and little branches, and he made it without a problem.
We drove back to the cabin and then up to the Divide. Going NE on the Divide, we reached the fork in the road, and then drove down into Dog Creek and the Blossburg county road. The county hasn’t maintained the road for years and all the summer rain, mixed with travelers, has caused it to become filled with ruts and slow to drive. We made our way to the county bridge that crosses Dog Creek and then headed towards Blossburg, which is nothing more that a rail crossing with the remains of a few foundations. Rich wanted to show us some clay pits where the clay was processed into bricks and used to line the railroad tunnel through Mullin Pass.
As we traveled, we stopped along the way to share information and when we came to the summer pasture that his father had owned, we stopped and he pointed out the old homestead buildings that are still used by range riders when the cattle are grazing the area in the summer. We continued on until we were close to Blossburg and stopped to look at the first of two clay pits. If you didn’t know what you were looking at, it would go unnoticed. Rich also pointed out the wagon ruts of the original Mullin Pass Road. As you followed them with your eyes, you could clearly see them going down into the valley and off into the distance. If he hadn’t pointed them out to me, I would have just thought it was an old road that had grown over.
Rich shared a lot of information about the area with us, giving us direction to many interesting locations, but he didn’t have the time to show them to us. I was looking forward to having him show us the old train trestles that were still in place but no longer used once the tunnel was completed, along with the tunnel itself, but they are widening and making the original tunnel taller, so the area is closed to the public, with warning signs of explosions and traffic.
At this point, it was about five O’clock and he bid us goodbye and continued on to Highway 12 and home. Because it was Sunday afternoon and we saw no evidence of work or anyone at the construction site, we drove in and around the area, viewing the work on the tunnel from the car. Once finished, we headed back and talked about what to do next. This area is filled with interesting, at least to some, history. Not far from where we were is the first Masonic meeting place in Montana, along with the site where the first man flew over the Divide, landing in the area in 1911.
Neither spot spurred my interest, as I didn’t care where the Masons held their meetings nor the landing site, which is just a stone with a plaque, so we headed back towards the cabin. Joe and I had found and photographed an old car in the woods two years ago, and thought Michele might like to see it, so we headed that way. My memory failed me, and Joe wasn’t sure which road it was off of either, but we finally found the right spot. We got out to explore and take photos, but to our shock someone had actually cut down the ring of trees, that had grown around the car all these years, and took the entire frame and body. It must have value to a car buff that wants to restore it or something, because that was a lot of work for a rusty old car.
After walking the area, we continued on the same road, which follows the northwest side of Greenhorn Mountain and takes us back to the Divide just above the turn off to American Gulch. We arrived back at the cabin around 7 PM, Joe and Michele rested a bit and then loaded the rest of their stuff in their cars, and headed back to the rat race they have to exist in to make a living.
I played with Zack, showered, watched some television, and then fixed some leftovers for dinner around 9 PM. By 10:15 I was having difficulty convincing my eyelids to stay open, so I went to bed.
Post Script: My allergist, the photographer, Dr. Richard Buswell, did not take a single picture the entire day. He never even got his camera out of the case. He shoots with a 35 mm film camera and may not wish to “waste” film, but I would have thought that two or three of the places I took him would have warranted a picture. Oh well.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Saturday, August 15, 2009
It is cold, cold, cold this morning. It was 40 degrees when I got up at 9 AM, and the low was 33 degrees at 12:55 AM, and stayed that cold until sunrise. The cloud cover kept it in the mid forties and I received .04” of rain before noon. NWS is forecasting 40 to 20% chance of thunderstorms over the next several days, and because of how wet it has been this summer, I am predicting an early snow this fall.
Because of the weather, and the fact that I am getting too lazy, I managed to avoid work altogether and stayed indoors working on the computer and then watching a movie on television. I am all too aware that I will regret wasting fairly decent weather to do things that need doing. When winter hits, and I am sure it is going to HIT like never before, I’ll be whining about having to go outside to cut firewood in the subzero weather, but for right now, I am enjoying my time doing what I want instead of what I have to do.
After playing with Zack one last time, I fed him and Zoey and then baked a frozen pizza in the oven. I couldn’t afford having chili beans again tonight as I am already experiencing the end results, pun intended. They are good, but three nights in a row would probably kill Zack and Zoey, and I wouldn’t want that.
A shower and watching more pre-recorded movies on television took me until 12:20 AM, and bedtime.

Friday, August 13, 2009

Friday, August 13, 2009
It rained a few times in the night, but nothing like the short downpour of yesterday afternoon. My weather station is indicating that I have received .06” of rain in the past 24 hours, but it seemed like more than that. My barometer is currently saying rain, and cloud cover is moving across the sky as I write this at 10 AM. NWS is still predicting thunderstorms, with 80% today and 70% tonight, tapering off through the weekend. It appears that the bulldozer may sit where it is at for a couple of more days.
By 9 O’clock last, I was enjoying my homemade chill with beans and loving it. The beans actually were cooked and palatable by about 8 O’clock, so I fried up some hamburger with all my spices and other ingredients, which I normally would have added to the simmering beans, but didn’t want to waste them if the beans weren’t going to be eatable, diced half an onion and half a fresh tomato, adding them and two cans of tomato sauce to the pot. I let it cook a while longer and then over indulged on two large bowls. It was very good and worth the effort and time to make. I just wish I had some cornbread to have with it.
I am enjoying a quiet morning, watching the antics of my chipmunks as they keep me amused with their games of chasing each other around. I put a clear tube out in the woodpile, with peanuts inside, to see if they would be brave enough to climb into it for the treat. It took several days, but as soon as one figured it out, the others began to go for the treats. The learning curve for some is a little slower, and the attached pictures show one desperately trying to dig his way through the tube. He finally managed to dislodge the tube and the peanuts fell out for him to grab and run off with.
I have identified at least four different families that come to gather the nuts and sunflower seeds. One family lives under my front porch, another lives in the covered wood pile next to the cabin, a third lives under the deck, and the forth lives in the area under the willow bushes down by the creek. I watch the different chipmunks as they carry their surplus to their homes and can see all of the peanut shell debris near those locations. If family members are together, gathering nuts and seeds, they share, if another family comes, the dominant ones chase the others away. Sometimes the attacks look violent, but their contact is only for a millisecond and one always runs away.
When I purchased two more bags of raw peanuts the other day, the clerk asked me if they were for the squirrels. I told her about my chipmunks and how they will even come into the cabin looking for peanuts, if I don’t feed them every morning (I know my sister, Sharry, can identify with this as she has to feed her hummingbirds several times a day to keep them happy). The clerk said, “How neat and I’ll bet you have even named them.” I told her that I had indeed, giving her some of the names. I have one with a tail that is about a third shorter than the others, so that’s Shorty. I have one that always takes his peanut to the doormat to eat, so that’s Matt. Another has a small spot on his left hindquarter, so that’s Spot. One chipmunk is always stopping to scratch, so I named him Itchy. And then there is Humper, and you can guess what he is always trying to do.
Between Zack and Zoey, the comedic chipmunks, deer, moose, bears, wolfs, and various other visitors to my wonderland, I am kept amused and I am happy to live where I do. I just finished reading a letter of complaint in my RV magazine, that was from animal haters, or at least it seemed so, as they were complaining about dogs pooping in their space at RV Parks, and how the dogs (and children) making noise kept them from enjoying the camping experience. The responses to their letter were scathing and let them have it with both barrels. I am so glad that I don’t have to deal with such things at my cabin, and when I do travel, I can put up with almost anything, knowing I’ll be coming home to the peace and quiet of having no neighbors to complain.
I plan on working today, if not on the dozer and road, then on removing the big generator and putting it in the back of the truck for its trip to Great Falls on Monday. First, I have to reinforce the bed of the truck for the jack mount so it won’t bend over while helping me load it. I managed to get the generator into the shed and set up without any help, so I am hoping that I’ll be able to do the same to remove it. The repair shop in Great Falls told me that he wouldn’t even be able to get to it for a couple of weeks as he is the only mechanic that works on generators and has several in the shop right now. Seeings how I am leaving in a couple of weeks and will be gone for at least three weeks, it shouldn’t make a difference if I take it in Monday, or wait until I can get help from Joe and take it in after next weekend.
Speaking of Joe, and Michele too, I have asked them to cabin sit, at least on the weekends, while I am gone. I always get a good snowstorm in September, and if I leave the propane stove in the living room set to keep the inside warm, and have someone checking on things, I shouldn’t have to winterize it for the short time I’ll be gone. They have agreed and will be coming up next weekend for me to show them all the things that need to be done, like; starting the little generator to charge the batteries, working the water pump, operating the woodstove (there are a few tricks that help it produce good heat without smoking), and what to do in certain situations or if the temperatures get to freezing and below.
It will be a mini-course on how to survive short term, as I do year around. The price I pay for living off the grid, which is worth it to me, is that there are maintenance issues that need almost constant attention. Living this way certainly makes you better understand how utilities, on a small scale, work and why they seem to cost more and more each year. All in all, I would rather depend on myself to provide electricity, sewer and water, than a large company, city or state operated system. I know that if my electricity goes out, I need to start the generator and I instantly have power. No waiting or phone calls to find out when power will be restored. I know where my wastewater goes and how the system works. As long as I maintain the septic system, it will continue to work, maintenance free, for years to come. I know where my water comes from and its condition. I understand what the process is to make sure it is free of all germs (ultraviolet filter) and to have it be clean, pure water (two additional filters for sediment and taste). I test it regularly, plus have a lab test it once a year, so I know what I am getting. Can you say the same?
Now at 5 PM, and I am still watching the recap of the Presidential Town Hall in Belgrade, MT. I watched it in its entirety and thought it was a waste of time. The sweet flowery rhetoric flowing from Obama’s mouth brought nothing new to the public. At the beginning, he asked that the questions be kept short and his responses would be likewise. He couldn’t answer any of the questions in a short manner and sometimes even expanded to other areas to get his point across. Neither he, nor any of the politician’s answers cover the tough questions. They are, in many cases, rehearsed answers to dance around the plain and simple truth.
The Whitehouse team seems to think that getting Obama out to stump for the health plan is a way to win over those that have educated themselves by reading the bill, and are against it. I’d be willing to bet you that Obama himself hasn’t read the current versions of the House or Senate bills. He relies on staffers to read and report to him with Cliffs Notes of the bill. Even the Talking Heads are missing an important part of the “Death Panels.” They seem to all focus on the end of life counseling referred to in the original Senate version of the bill, when they should be looking at the “Medical Advisory Council” that is charged with making the decisions on whether or not a patient gets specific treatments. This council will be made up with a few doctors and the rest are bureaucrats.
Well, the remainder of the evening was spent lowering my blood pressure and relaxing with another bowl of beans and some television.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Thursday, August 13, 2009
It was overcast, but still warm enough to leave a sliding door open this morning. By early afternoon, the sky became dark and thunder peals rolled across the mountains. My barometer and NWS are predicting thunderstorms, with NWS giving it a 50% chance today and an 80% chance tomorrow. All of this means that I’d better get the track back on the dozer, finish smoothing out some spots and bring it home.
Here it is 4:30 in the afternoon and I haven’t gotten much accomplished. But, in my defense, I have to say that I was spending most of the time trying to put my money where my mouth has been. Let me explain. I was watching a town hall meeting on CSPAN in Texas, where by the way there was no shouting or screaming, but I am pretty sure it may have been because the congressman was a Republican, when they broke from the meeting, a banner flashed across the screen saying that Obama was going to be in Belgrade, MT on Friday for a town hall meeting on healthcare. I immediately searched the internet for a schedule to show when and where it was going to take place.
I planned to attend, as Belgrade is only 100+ miles south of me. By the time I got all of the correct information, I discovered that the meeting was tomorrow, not next Friday as I thought; it was in Bozeman, not Belgrade, which is only a few miles further. I found another web site that said it was at the Gallatin Field Airport hangar at 12:55 p.m. but once again stated it was in Belgrade. I checked two more sights and both the city hall web sites for Belgrade and Bozeman. One stated that tickets were required, but free. Another said; The general public can obtain tickets on a first come first serve basis starting Thursday morning at 9 a.m. They will be handed out at the city hall buildings in both Bozeman and Belgrade. Only two tickets are allowed per person. Yet another site said; Belgrade city officials say they have been told there are a limited number to hand out.
I attempted to find out if there was any way I could secure a ticket online, not wanting to drive 100+ miles, but there were no email contacts that would respond in a timely manner. So I jotted down the phone numbers for both city halls, hoping
that if I drove up to the Divide and was able to call, I might be able to have a ticket held, or at least get additional information. Zack and I drove up to the Divide and drove around searching for a signal, which took more time than I had hoped, but I finally got one. My first call was to Belgrade City Hall, it being closer and smaller in population. All I got was a recording that stated; “You have reached Belgrade City Hall after regular operating hours. You may leave a message at the sound of the beep.” After hours? It was only 2:15 on a weekday. Oh wait, this is a small town and I’d bet the mayor and others are serving as volunteers and not paid officials. Okay, so I try Bozeman, expecting a real person to answer, as it is a larger “city” in Montana. Nope, I got another recorded message that someone would get back to me in 72 hours.
Knowing that there were only a small number of tickets, according to the sites I researched, and that I wanted to go so I could ask Obama one question; "Mr. President, I am sure you believe your version of the health bill is good for the country. If you represent the country, why aren't you, and all government employees, subjected to the same health care as the rest of us?" Well, as you can see, I’ll be listening on the radio or watching it on CSPAN rather than being there in person. I have just heard on Fox News that 70% of the tickets for a Presidential Town Hall, is reserved for Democratic Party members, so the majority is supportive. Let’s hope that the 30%, which I am sure are screened, that get in will voice the opinion of many.
I heard another interesting item on Fox News. One of the reporters stated that those people at the town hall meetings that are FOR the health plan, have professionally printed signs, some with union logos, while the people opposed, which are supposedly organized “mobs,” have hand made and lettered signs. Interestingly enough, watching more on CSPAN town hall coverage seems to prove that to be a fact.
By the time I had exhausted my options to go, it was close to 4 O’clock and the sky had darkened, threatening rain, so I focused on things inside. I have been cooking beans for two days now, after having soaked them for two days before. I simmered them for 24 hours and then turned up the heat. They are regular pinto beans but yet they are still hard, so I will continue to cook them. I had this happen once before and ended up throwing it all out, after having cooked it for an additional day. Maybe it is the brand because beans shouldn’t go bad with age, as long as they are properly stored, which mine have been.
More play time with Zack, inbetween the heavy rain, which started as I was writing this. I had some lightning and a lot of thunder, with heavy rain for about 45 minutes and now the sun is attempting to break through, but it is hit and miss, so I’ll throw his toy and feed him and Zoey. I have been doing wash, so I’ll fold and put away my clothes before showering and determine if my beans will be eatable or if I’ll have to keep cooking them.
That’s it for today. If it stays dry tomorrow, I’ll fight with the dozer track and hopefully get the road smoothed out and the dozer home to the garage.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Wednesday, August 12, 2009
It is overcast at 9:00 this morning, but there is no rain in the forecast and my barometer is showing sunny weather. It was 74 degrees outside at 9:15, which is usually an indicator of a nice, and warm, day.
I am suffering cramps and Charlie Horses all over my old body from working hard the last two days. When I attempted to wash my hair last night, my right forearm spasm so badly that I couldn’t move my hand. Last night I had Charlie Horses in my legs, arm, side and back. It just shows me how out of shape I am and that I need to exercise more.
I was going to try and finish getting the track on the dozer today, but I think I’ll take the day off and head into town for my mail and a few items at the store. I also need to make several phone calls, so need to be where I get a good phone signal. The RV shop never responded to my email, so I need to call them and make an appointment. I need to call and make an appointment with my doctor; regarding my foot sore getting worse and to see if she has any answers to my involuntary air swallowing. The endoscopy didn’t seem to show any reason for it and stretching my esophageal ring didn’t help. I also need to confirm taking my generator up to Great Falls for warranty repairs. I’ll make those calls while I am in town today and hopefully get all of it squared away.
I am running the small generator to charge my batteries, so as soon as that is complete; Zack and I will head into town and try to accomplish everything on my list.
Zack and I ran our errands and did our shopping, including all the phone calls, returning home at 7 PM. It did get hot, at least in town, as it was 94 degrees. We didn’t leave until 2:30, so we didn’t spend all day in town, but managed to get home with plenty of light to put things away and play with Zack before feeding him and Zoey. I then showered and sat down to read my mail before having dinner and watching some television before going to bed.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Tuesday, August 11, 2009
I didn’t get up until 9:30, when I felt recuperated from yesterday’s labors. It is sunny, with some high clouds, but no sign of any storms.
I had my usual morning and then put on my work clothes and loaded tools into my truck. I played with Zack to help release some of the energy he builds up, and then he decided to stay home rather than go with me. He knows when I am going to work, verses going to town by the clothes I put on, as well as me telling him, “Work. No play.”
I drove a short ways from the cabin and stopped to cut down a beetle killed tree that I know would have blown over on the road this winter. It also had a number of droopy branches that scraped the roof and hit the radio antenna on both the Jeep and truck. I sized up the fall and made my wedge cut in the side that I wanted the tree to fall, cutting almost half way through. Now mind you, this is a very large tree, about fourteen inches across and 42” in diameter and 30 feet high, and on the uphill side of the road, so I needed to fall it so it would land mostly on the other side of the road, then I wouldn’t have to cut it into sections and move each one off the roadway.
After cutting the deep wedge, I decided to move the truck further up the road as the wind had started blowing in its direction. I moved the truck and then climbed up the hillside to make the back cut, releasing the tree. It started to make its fall precisely in the direction I wanted it to go, but then it stopped. I had to start the chainsaw again and continue to cut until it was fully cut through.
Because this tree had a lot of heavy branches, one of my concerns was that some could break off and fly back in my direction, so I shut off the chainsaw and took several steps up the steep hillside. I watched as the tree seemed to fall in slow motion, and then faster and faster until it hit the road. The lower branches had enough green wood to act as springs and as the trunk hit the road, it bounced up and went all of the way across and down the other side. A perfect fall - with little clean up required. I was tired and took a break, drinking an entire Gator Aid before pushing some debris off the road and cutting the base of the tree off so it wasn’t close to the road.
I continued driving until I reached the dozer at the spring, and positioned the truck to give me shade and be close enough to provide access to my tools. At first, I thought I might, just might, be able to get the track back on if I could move it enough to loosen the tension adjustment wheel at the front. I used the 6-foot pry bar and managed to move it enough that I could loosen the tension nut and move the wheel back, thus loosening the track. That track is very heavy and I found myself having to stop every 4 or 5 minutes to rest.
After almost 2 hours, maybe more as I don’t have a working clock in the truck and never wear a watch, I realized that I would have to break the track apart, attach it to the drive wheel, and then reattach it. I didn’t bring my hacksaw to cut off the bolt holding the links together, so had to drive back to the cabin and get it.
When I got back, it was 10 before 6, so I had been gone from the cabin for over 5 hours. I was determined to get the track back on and bring the dozer home, so grabbed some more Gator Aid and the hacksaw and drove back to the dozer.
After cutting the bolt and removing the pin that holds the sections together, I laid out the track so it was lined up and tried to back the dozer up just enough so it would allow me to pull the track up onto the drive gear. Like I said before, that track is very heavy and if I had to guess, I’d say each section weighs between 30 and 40 pounds, so collectively the track could weigh as much as 1800 pounds or more. I used the pry bar to position and lift the track but just couldn’t get it attached. I tried a different approach and with the pry bar holding the track up, I eased the dozer back, hoping the track would catch on the drive gear.
I heard a loud pop and stopped, climbing down to see what had happened. The front tension wheel had not moved back with the dozer and was now completely disconnected from the dozer, holding its section of the track in place. Being exhausted and knowing it was getting late, I decided to gather my tools and head for home, leaving the dozer for another day.
Zack was glad to see me and wanted me to play, so I did, all while sitting in a chair on the deck. Afterwards, I fed him and Zoey, made a drink, showered, and then sat down to rest. By nine O’clock, I decided to eat some dinner and fixed myself some packaged Chinese noodle with peanut sauce. It wasn’t too bad and satisfied my need for food. I watched television for about an hour and then went to bed. I haven’t worked this hard since last summer, and boy my age is catching up with me. If I had lots of money I could hire these things done and lay around, but then I’d just get fat and lazy, so as long as my body holds out, I’ll keep doing what I do.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Monday, August 10, 2009
The grass and surrounding area is heavy with dew this morning, but the deck is relatively dry, so I know it didn’t rain during the night. The sun is out and the sky only has a few broken clouds. The wind started up shortly after 9 O’clock this morning and has been gusting to over 15 mph. That keeps the temperature down, but it is 75.3 in the sun at noon. It will also help keep the bugs from being a problem.
I finished my usual morning routine and will now change into my work clothes and go out to get some manual labor done.
I hiked to the dozer with several bottles of Gator Aid and my gun, just incase that wolf is mad that I shot at it, and drove it to the cattle guard, which was a real mess. I worked that area and all the rutted and bumpy parts of the road all the way past the spring. I was loosing light, but wanted to finish so I could ride the dozer back to the cabin instead of hiking. As I made my final pass and turned the dozer towards home, I placed it in high and then second gear, which I find makes the best and fastest travel, and slowly released the clutch. I know . . . you have already determined that something went wrong, haven’t you. As you may or may not know, I bought this bulldozer new and then found out it is made in China and has a brand name used by Northern Tool, which is a huge American farm and construction catalog company. I have had nothing but problems with it since it had less than a half-hour running time, and more with the tracks now than the hydraulic system.
As I eased the clutch out, and I do mean eased it out because in high gear it jerks so hard when it starts to move that it’s hard on the dozer, not to mention my body, and I heard a loud pop and metal grinding. The entire right track simply “popped off” the drive gear. It didn’t separate it just pealed off intact. Now mind you, I had been keeping a close eye on the tension of the tracks, adjusting them religiously because I’ve had so many problems with them. I stepped down to assess the situation and not having more than a couple of wrenches, determine that it ain’t going to get fixed today. I shut it down and grabbed a bottle of Gator Aid for the mile and a quarter hike back to the cabin.
By the time I got home, it was quarter to nine and I was tired from the walk, not to mention climbing down to roll giant rocks off the road at every pass. I managed to feed Zack and Zoey and then take a shower before throwing Zack’s toy a few times. It was 10:30 before I had the energy, or desire to eat, so heated up some leftovers and watched television until going to bed at 12:30.