Building the Barn

Sorry about the delay in posting, but it's been a busy summer and fall. We managed to get the barn completed up in Idaho and I thought I'd add some construction photos to the blog. Work commenced while we were in Phoenix at work. A two week trip up to Idaho in September allowed us to be onsite for the building completion--even though we continued to work remotely.

Don and his crew of Mountain View Steel Buildings did a FABULOUS job and we were very pleased with their work. We can't say enough good things about them. We hope they'll be available for our next project!!

Soon we'll be heading to Kokopelli in Panama for the winter sailing season. Follow us there at www.sailblogs.com/member/svkokopelli.

Movin' Dirt Around

Well, we've taken the first steps toward clearing and leveling the space for the barn.

 We've been meeting with proposed pole barn builders/suppliers as well as utility reps. Our nearly empty trailer serves as a makeshift office.

Alan meets with a rep from a pole barn company.

In our spare moments, we've been hard at work unloading the treasures from the trailer into the shed.

Yikes! That's a LOT of stuff in this little shed!

A Start - House Numbers and the First Building!

Our first task was to put up some numbers so that all the folks we'll be meeting with can find us!



Alan puts up the house numbers!



On Saturday, we bought a 10 x 16 Old Hickory shed to store our "stuff" in temporarily.

And today, Tuesday, June 19, 2012, we placed the first structure on the property!

Idaho -- Home of Future Dirt Dwellers

From Minneapolis, we spent one night in Billings, Montana and then on to North Idaho. Note that it is "North Idaho" and NOT "Northern Idaho". "North Idaho" is a PLACE.
 We've spent several days trying to jam several months' worth of work to organize buildings and permits into one week.
The fields are nice and green at this time of year.

View to the Northwest from the SE corner



View to the West down the driveway from the road



View to the SSE from the "front porch" (someday)

Both of the streams on our property are running! West Fork Pine Creek can be heard even from 500' up the driveway and across the road.

 

Looking upstream - West Fork Pine Creek

Looking downstream - West Fork Pine Creek



Creek flowing into the NW corner of the field

Here is a view of the (overgrown) cart road that runs into the mountains on our property and alongside the creek leading up from the NW side of the field.

On the Road to Idaho

We left New England on 11 June with our truck and cargo trailer--heading west to Idaho. Our first night was spent in Marshfield, Ohio where we had FANTASTIC Mexican food at El Campesino. What a find in OHIO of all places!
Unlike last year, we are forced to find hotel rooms as the cargo trailer is loaded with just that--cargo. It's not nearly as nice as traveling with our travel trailer last year!


We "landed" the next day in Minneapolis for a visit with a fellow cruising friend, Dianne, that we know from Panama. She graciously hosted us in her spare room and treated us to a wonderful day of touring the city and the amazing green spaces in Minneapolis.

Liz milks the famous cow at the bakery

Alan looks out of the Foshay Tower

Dianne & Alan at a waterfall in one of Minneapolis' many parks



Loading Up the Truck for a Trek to a New Home In Idaho

This year we returned from our cruising season in Panama (www.sailblogs.com/member/svkokopelli) on 30 May. We spent about 1 week in New England visiting with Liz's family and friends and gathering up all of the treasures we have scattered with various folks. We spent time trying to consolidate everything and get it loaded up into our 20' cargo trailer for the trek cross country to a new home in Idaho.

The trailer ramp just barely fit into my parents' garage door opening! Luckily they were not home to witness the re-packing adventure!

The temperatures were VERY COLD compared with the heat and humidity of Panama! We were freezing!!

While there, we were able to also plant some new trees for my parents. We added 2 Japanese maples that my mom has always wanted.