Took a drive through the country to Abiquque, the final home of Georgia O'Keefe. Beautiful areas, typical scenes of the Southwest. I'll just let the pix tell the story!
October 11, 2009
October 4, 2009
Albuquerque BALLOON FIESTA!
We arrive early Saturday afternoon, to find a huge field right in the middle of Albuquerque dedicated to the 2009 Balloon Fiesta.First we notice there is no shortage of wonderful smelling foods available up & down vendor row.
Winds were high as moon starts to rise and the nine helium filled racing balloons prepared for launch, which was intended for 7PM but delayed until well after dark due to the high winds. These teams compete worldwide, and the object of the "race" is to see how far one can go in four days!The silver balloon in the foreground was from Houston, and their team planned to catch the jetstream at 20,000 feet running at over 100 knots. They believe they will be able to reach the coast of Newfoundland by late Thursday!
The City has done a fabulous job of transportation, utilizing hundreds of school buses departing from numerous locations on the outskirts of the City. We hop aboard just before 6AM to reach the field this morning for the "Main Ascension" at 7AM.The weather looks at bit "iffy" just at sunrise, but things seem to be proceeding well, and the winds are being much linder this morning than yesterday evening!
Excitement builds when a single balloon out of hundreds starts it's blower up, inflates, slowly, fires up the roar of a huge propane burner and prepares for a solo takeoff.We are a bit confused until it launches, with the Star Spangled Banner being played in the background, the early solo ascent is very fitting indeed!
Within minutes, I hear another loud roar to my left, it's getting started, this is it! Burners are now roaring everywhere around us!
Soon the first group of these colorful monsters lifts smoothly & slowly into the cool New Mexico morning air!
Now, we are surrounding with noise & excitement - what a great feeling! Kim & I agree, we should be up there!
As the golden morning sun tops the mountains to our east, colors enrichen, and unique shapes pop up all around us!
Walking out to catch the bus back to our hotel, a final glance upward confirms this as one of the most beautiful events we've witnessed enjoying life out here on the road!
Be sure to check out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOyoYDiLaeM
September 28, 2009
Rob Roy's Cordwood-TimberFrame-Earthen Covered Workshop
This all started months ago at the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair, where while attending a number of 2-hour workshops, we met Rob and Jaki Roy. By the second day of the Fair, Kim and I had committed to the Roy's upcoming 5-day workshop to be held in late September near Del Norte, CO. This worked out well for us, since it preceded the Earthship Internship we'd signed up for, and was on the way down to Taos, NM where we were scheduled to start on October 5th.
http://adventures-kim-sam.blogspot.com/2009/06/midwest-energy-fair-stvens-point-wi.html
Coming in from the northern part of Colorado, we expected to leave all the snow behind, and in a way we did, traveling mostly through lower altitudes, but as we approached Del Norte, we were taken by the rich fall colors topped by those dazzling white peaks at the higher elevations.
We noted that the antelope were as smart as us, staying down in these lower valleys, where the grass was still plentiful, and the long, open views afforded protection from predators.
After a couple of wrong turns while searching for the " Angel Rock Ranch" (named after all the angel pinnacles in the the rock behind the home) where Rob's Workshop was to be held, we finally enter a boxed in canyon, and get our first glimpse of Kim and Mike Cellura-Shield's fabulous hide-away here in God's country!
In short order, we set up the Alpenlite to the east of where Mike had already poured the slab for the "six-poster" (more on that later), as seen in this photo from up the hill. (Trailer left, and construction site mid-right, between the dark green tree, and the white panel truck in the distance.
Mike & Kim's home sits up near the rock shear wall that forms the rear of the canyon, nestled into an area that affords fabulous views of the property below.
The "house" is actually three separate facilities, the living room/kitchen cabin (above), the quaint hexagonal bedroom, and the ever charming "facilities", voted the finest outhouse ever seen by every participant in the workshop!
We approach the gathering living room cabin, I take note of some of the nice "toys" that Mike has collected, bringing fond memories of the bygone days of dirt-biking in Louisiana. As participants gather for an introductory supper the charm of this beautiful ranch sinks in, I feel completely comfortable and welcome in our new surroundings.
Kim had prepared some wonderful food, and combined with the excitement generated by the fifteen attendees, made for a fun first evening.
Next morning, after hot coffee overlooking the "spread" below, the workshop is officially kicked off by our first classroom session. Most mornings were spent reviewing Rob's thorough materials in class followed by a quick lunch, and "hands on" for the afternoon.
Weather deterioration threatened the next day, so class was cut short and we returned to our six posts and proceeded with positioning the "girts" that would soon form the support for the entire roof. Rob insisted on taking our time, and made sure that each and every member of the crew had the opportunity to work on and understand each step in the process.
Along with the hard work and sense of accomplishment came a good appetite, so I got my 25 quart jambalaya pot out, and cooked a large batch of "Sambalaya" my own version of one of Gonzales, Louisiana's award winning recipes.
The next morning we quickly covered the roof, except for the earthen cover of course. The foam & visqueen went on easy enough, but was a bit of a challenge to keep in place in the high winds we were experiencing...
Later that afternoon Rob explained the advantages of using the post and beam type of construction, one of which is to have a covered work area for the laying of cordwood walls, protecting them from the elements, and giving the builder a set of nice, square "forms" to lay the walls within.
A major part of cordwood masonry is getting a good mortar mix. Rob explained that along with the correct mix of components, consistency was of up most importance to quick and correct layering of the log-ends.
In addition to his favorite and proven cement mix, he prepared some "lime putty" so that the participants would experience laying logs with two slightly different masonry types (I did say this man was thorough, right?).
After a brief explanation of the facility, we're treated to a delicious organic/vegetarian platter that makes my mouth water, just looking at the pictures again!
Kim had done a skillful job of planning and sketching out each design, giving us the guidance we needed to complete these colorful creations that would carry a theme thoughout the "cottage". Along with their unique design, Kim had thought out their placement to take advantage of the wonderful morning and evening light hitting the east and west walls.
We got as far along as setting the first "windowbuck" into place on the west wall. By noon Sunday, we had three of the wall sections well along their way, including getting a few logs in around the first windowbuck. Upon formal completion of the course, Rob handed out our "diplomas", certifying each as every one of us as a Master Mortar Stuffer!
All-in-all this was a great workshop, given by two wonderful & competant instructors (Rob and Jaki) hosted by our new friends Kim and Mike in a setting of pristine beauty and remoteness. We highly recommend both the Workshop and their excellent DVDs & books:
http://adventures-kim-sam.blogspot.com/2009/06/midwest-energy-fair-stvens-point-wi.html
Coming in from the northern part of Colorado, we expected to leave all the snow behind, and in a way we did, traveling mostly through lower altitudes, but as we approached Del Norte, we were taken by the rich fall colors topped by those dazzling white peaks at the higher elevations.
We noted that the antelope were as smart as us, staying down in these lower valleys, where the grass was still plentiful, and the long, open views afforded protection from predators.
After a couple of wrong turns while searching for the " Angel Rock Ranch" (named after all the angel pinnacles in the the rock behind the home) where Rob's Workshop was to be held, we finally enter a boxed in canyon, and get our first glimpse of Kim and Mike Cellura-Shield's fabulous hide-away here in God's country!
In short order, we set up the Alpenlite to the east of where Mike had already poured the slab for the "six-poster" (more on that later), as seen in this photo from up the hill. (Trailer left, and construction site mid-right, between the dark green tree, and the white panel truck in the distance.
Mike & Kim's home sits up near the rock shear wall that forms the rear of the canyon, nestled into an area that affords fabulous views of the property below.
The "house" is actually three separate facilities, the living room/kitchen cabin (above), the quaint hexagonal bedroom, and the ever charming "facilities", voted the finest outhouse ever seen by every participant in the workshop!
We approach the gathering living room cabin, I take note of some of the nice "toys" that Mike has collected, bringing fond memories of the bygone days of dirt-biking in Louisiana. As participants gather for an introductory supper the charm of this beautiful ranch sinks in, I feel completely comfortable and welcome in our new surroundings.
Kim had prepared some wonderful food, and combined with the excitement generated by the fifteen attendees, made for a fun first evening.
Next morning, after hot coffee overlooking the "spread" below, the workshop is officially kicked off by our first classroom session. Most mornings were spent reviewing Rob's thorough materials in class followed by a quick lunch, and "hands on" for the afternoon.
As a precursor to our arrival, Mike and Kim had worked hard to prepare the slab, and gather the necessary materials for complete construction of the "Six-Poster", defined by Rob as a simple post and beam timber-frame structure roughly 12ft by 20 ft. The small enclosure is ideally suited to a "trial project" which Rob and Jaki recommend for your first attempt at a cordwood project.
The small building can be tailored to serve as a sauna, small guesthouse, or in this case, a shower/restroom facility for B and B guests that stay here at the Ranch.
Although all of the cordwood (also called "log-ends") was prepared, Rob started with a good explanation of how the log-ends are cut, debarked, and stacked and dried in anticipation of a project. Mike had built an interesting device, a chainsaw version of a chopsaw, that made cutting of the 10inch log-ends easy. This same tool was used as shown here to get a nice square cut on the six 10"x10" posts that would form the supports for the roof and cordwood infill.
Rob is a master at organization, and no detail was spared in getting off to a good start carefully setting and leveling each post in place, then adding bracing to ensure all would be ready for the next days work.
The end of the first day signaled a perfect opportunity to visit a nearby hot springs. Set against a backdrop of the distant White Sands mountain range, the spa-like facility offered a large outdoor spring-fed pool, kept around 100 degrees.
The small building can be tailored to serve as a sauna, small guesthouse, or in this case, a shower/restroom facility for B and B guests that stay here at the Ranch.
Although all of the cordwood (also called "log-ends") was prepared, Rob started with a good explanation of how the log-ends are cut, debarked, and stacked and dried in anticipation of a project. Mike had built an interesting device, a chainsaw version of a chopsaw, that made cutting of the 10inch log-ends easy. This same tool was used as shown here to get a nice square cut on the six 10"x10" posts that would form the supports for the roof and cordwood infill.
Rob is a master at organization, and no detail was spared in getting off to a good start carefully setting and leveling each post in place, then adding bracing to ensure all would be ready for the next days work.
The end of the first day signaled a perfect opportunity to visit a nearby hot springs. Set against a backdrop of the distant White Sands mountain range, the spa-like facility offered a large outdoor spring-fed pool, kept around 100 degrees.
Rob and Jaki were first to hit the warming waters, and Rob insisted I try my underwater camera as he and other students plunged below. 
Soon I found Rob and "the girls" in the much hotter pool inside, where we all enjoyed the steaming waters and a light supper before retreating back to the Angel's Rock for a good night's rest.
Soon I found Rob and "the girls" in the much hotter pool inside, where we all enjoyed the steaming waters and a light supper before retreating back to the Angel's Rock for a good night's rest.
Weather deterioration threatened the next day, so class was cut short and we returned to our six posts and proceeded with positioning the "girts" that would soon form the support for the entire roof. Rob insisted on taking our time, and made sure that each and every member of the crew had the opportunity to work on and understand each step in the process.
As the rafters went on, the "six-poster" soon took on the appearance of a real building, leaving us all with a high sense of accomplishment by the end of our second day.
Along with the hard work and sense of accomplishment came a good appetite, so I got my 25 quart jambalaya pot out, and cooked a large batch of "Sambalaya" my own version of one of Gonzales, Louisiana's award winning recipes.The next morning we quickly covered the roof, except for the earthen cover of course. The foam & visqueen went on easy enough, but was a bit of a challenge to keep in place in the high winds we were experiencing...
Later that afternoon Rob explained the advantages of using the post and beam type of construction, one of which is to have a covered work area for the laying of cordwood walls, protecting them from the elements, and giving the builder a set of nice, square "forms" to lay the walls within.
A major part of cordwood masonry is getting a good mortar mix. Rob explained that along with the correct mix of components, consistency was of up most importance to quick and correct layering of the log-ends.
In addition to his favorite and proven cement mix, he prepared some "lime putty" so that the participants would experience laying logs with two slightly different masonry types (I did say this man was thorough, right?).Speaking of thorough, I think we spent the better part of a morning on that first course of log-ends on that first wall. Rob had carefully prepped the surface, gathered tools, jigs, proper-sized chunks of wood and made sure we all understood how important it was getting organized and off to a good start on this first layer.
Let's see, mortar, spacing, insulation, logs....push into place, more mortar, insulation, logs.....and so on!
It wasn't long before master "pointer" Jaki jumped in to demonstrate the use of this odd assortment of butter and dinner knives that had been transported along with the Roy's luggage on their flight from New York earlier in the week. As we watch Jaki show her talents, each team member gets a chance to try their hand at the finishing skills. ("pointing" is the process of smoothing out the individual joints of mortar showing in between and around each log-end on both sides of the wall).
Meanwhile, the other walls get started under instructor Rob's watchful eye, so that we all have a chance to experience first-hand each and every step of the cordwood laying process.
Another hard day's work makes for another ferocious appetite, so Kim and Mike invite us to their unique Peace of Art Cafe in Del Norte.
http://www.organicpeddler.com/peace_of_art/peace_of_art.htm The cafe is part of their "Organic Peddler" complex, which features the Cafe, a store and the Casita B and B.
It becomes evident that this "six-poster" is not their first pass at this cordwood stuff, with the cafe being an elegant example of the the techniques being used on a large-scale commercial facility!
Let's see, mortar, spacing, insulation, logs....push into place, more mortar, insulation, logs.....and so on!
It wasn't long before master "pointer" Jaki jumped in to demonstrate the use of this odd assortment of butter and dinner knives that had been transported along with the Roy's luggage on their flight from New York earlier in the week. As we watch Jaki show her talents, each team member gets a chance to try their hand at the finishing skills. ("pointing" is the process of smoothing out the individual joints of mortar showing in between and around each log-end on both sides of the wall).
Meanwhile, the other walls get started under instructor Rob's watchful eye, so that we all have a chance to experience first-hand each and every step of the cordwood laying process.
Another hard day's work makes for another ferocious appetite, so Kim and Mike invite us to their unique Peace of Art Cafe in Del Norte.http://www.organicpeddler.com/peace_of_art/peace_of_art.htm The cafe is part of their "Organic Peddler" complex, which features the Cafe, a store and the Casita B and B.
It becomes evident that this "six-poster" is not their first pass at this cordwood stuff, with the cafe being an elegant example of the the techniques being used on a large-scale commercial facility!
After a brief explanation of the facility, we're treated to a delicious organic/vegetarian platter that makes my mouth water, just looking at the pictures again!
The final couple of days were spent "driving up the walls" which included the incorporation of several examples of "bottle art" into each surface. 
Kim had done a skillful job of planning and sketching out each design, giving us the guidance we needed to complete these colorful creations that would carry a theme thoughout the "cottage". Along with their unique design, Kim had thought out their placement to take advantage of the wonderful morning and evening light hitting the east and west walls.
We got as far along as setting the first "windowbuck" into place on the west wall. By noon Sunday, we had three of the wall sections well along their way, including getting a few logs in around the first windowbuck. Upon formal completion of the course, Rob handed out our "diplomas", certifying each as every one of us as a Master Mortar Stuffer!
Monday a group of us took a drive to Pagosa Springs to visit a rather unique concrete dome house, but that's the subject of the next post. Kim (my Kim) and I returned to the ranch that afternoon to find Jakie still at work on that west wall windowbuck. Turns out that Brian (one of our classmates) had stayed on to help with the mortar mixing and cordwood completing one side of the window opening with another beautiful combination of wood and bottles!
All-in-all this was a great workshop, given by two wonderful & competant instructors (Rob and Jaki) hosted by our new friends Kim and Mike in a setting of pristine beauty and remoteness. We highly recommend both the Workshop and their excellent DVDs & books:
UPDATE: as of this writing, Kim has sent these photos, showing the additional work they have completed on the project....beautiful bottle art!
September 12, 2009
A BIG SURPRISE TODAY!
We're crusing westward on Hwy 2 in North Dakota, when a lady pulls alongside frantically waving and pointing to the trailer. We stop, and discover this! WOW!
While standing there in awe, a truck with some migrant farm workers (from Brazil) pulls up to say they had left their buddy back a quarter mile to recover the tire & wheel. Of course, the wheel was destroyed, but we managed to save the tire.
So, the entire wheel sheared all eight 1/2inch lug bolts, and departed rearward, ripping and crushing the fender well/skirt on that side. Most surprising is that we never heard, felt or saw anything!
Luckily, it happened in a town that had a large tire shop across the road, and a NAPA parts store nearby. So, since everything closes at 2PM on Saturday, we rush frantically to get new bolts, nuts, new seal etc.
The parking lot repair went smoothly, and in about 2 hours we have the new wheel on, and were back on the road.
We decide to camp in a Wal-Mart tonight here in Williston, and discover another problem, when trying to get the slide out. The thick aluminum fender has been crushed around the slideout mechanism, and jammed it.
Out with the aviation metal shears, and wack the thing off! So, another trailer projects awaits when we reach a good landing spot...
While standing there in awe, a truck with some migrant farm workers (from Brazil) pulls up to say they had left their buddy back a quarter mile to recover the tire & wheel. Of course, the wheel was destroyed, but we managed to save the tire.
So, the entire wheel sheared all eight 1/2inch lug bolts, and departed rearward, ripping and crushing the fender well/skirt on that side. Most surprising is that we never heard, felt or saw anything!Luckily, it happened in a town that had a large tire shop across the road, and a NAPA parts store nearby. So, since everything closes at 2PM on Saturday, we rush frantically to get new bolts, nuts, new seal etc.
The parking lot repair went smoothly, and in about 2 hours we have the new wheel on, and were back on the road.
We decide to camp in a Wal-Mart tonight here in Williston, and discover another problem, when trying to get the slide out. The thick aluminum fender has been crushed around the slideout mechanism, and jammed it.
Out with the aviation metal shears, and wack the thing off! So, another trailer projects awaits when we reach a good landing spot...
July 31, 2009
Quick Update
Both Kim & I are back in the land of internet signals after a week of being in the boonies! Kim went on a four night paddle with her Sister & friends out of Sawbill Lake while I went up the Gunflint Trail and stayed at Flour Lake.
We both took a few pix and will try to get posts done over the weekend, so standby it's a coming!
We both took a few pix and will try to get posts done over the weekend, so standby it's a coming!
July 10, 2009
The Rylander's Incredible Journey! "Earthward"
Have you ever read "The Celestine Prophecy"? If not, perhaps you should...it basically uses a fictional story to portray the author's belief that no chance meeting in life is without meaning. Today was just one of those events, that I'm sure will lead us down new paths, and remain in contact with a couple of the earth's most wonderful folks!
When a fluke search on the internet a week or so ago regarding "cordwood masonry" homes produced a link to a book entitled "Journeying Earthward", along with the fact that it's authors, Edith and John Rylander, lived only a few hours from Duluth, I picked up the cell and gave the strangers a call. In short summary, the friendly couple was delighted to hear from us, and after a series of emails, graciously invited Kim and I to visit their unique home of twenty-plus years.
A three hour drive across some of the prettiest farmland in America, through the quaint town of Little Falls, and down a winding back country road through Swan Lake, MN led us to the doorstep of our first encounter with an "earthen-sheltered, cordwood masonry" home.
John greeted us at the driveway and walked us back towards the home???
And then, to our left, there it is, EARTHWARD!
They carefully explain the techniques and process used in the construction while we enjoy their interesting incorporation of many natural elements into the outer walls.
First step inside one comes face-to-face with a large wood stove, complete with masonry surround - the physical source of the home's warmth. That's right, the spiritual one is evident in Edith and John's pride with which they tell of this journey.
Kim loves the rounded curves and rich colors of this center support post, while I enjoy the thoughtful addition of "the library wall" which boasts an example of every type of wood used in the structure within it's picture-like frame. John points to the lamp nearby, which was a gift from a nearby friend, handmade of course from the wooden base and column to the woven basket shade.
The years of dedication to detail are evident as we sit and chat about the surrounding detail, every aspect has meaning - quite different from today's 3000 sq. ft. thrown-together, characterless boxes of pre-manufactured particle board, hard, synthetic surfaces and flat, sheetrocked walls.
Edith invites us to walk through "the trollway", a narrow path through the rear that opens at the back of the mound to reveal a large, thriving garden.
Before we left, I wrote in the Rylander's guest book "We came here this morning as strangers, we leave here this afternoon as old friends". Now loaded up with fresh greens from the garden, a bottle of John's prized, homemade pure maple syrup and a couple of copies of "Journey Earthward" we are almost reluctant to leave. We somehow know that true to the Celestine Prophecy, this acquaintance will endure and lead us to subsequent visits and perhaps a "journey earthward" of our own...only time will tell!
AFTERWARD: July 15th -----
I have now completed reading about half of "Journeying Earthward", the Rylander's personal story of a bold decision years ago to give up "the good life" of a California professor, modern family, living in a commercial driven society. I must say that it's not exactly what I expected, covering far more than just the details of their journey and home construction, both John and Edith have done a great job of reviewing Minnesota's rich history and geology, along with the numerous stories and benefits of living a simpler life in a caring community in rural America.
http://www.amazon.com/Journeying-Earthward-Minnesota-Edith-Rylander/dp/1591960843/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247664929&sr=8-1
When a fluke search on the internet a week or so ago regarding "cordwood masonry" homes produced a link to a book entitled "Journeying Earthward", along with the fact that it's authors, Edith and John Rylander, lived only a few hours from Duluth, I picked up the cell and gave the strangers a call. In short summary, the friendly couple was delighted to hear from us, and after a series of emails, graciously invited Kim and I to visit their unique home of twenty-plus years.
A three hour drive across some of the prettiest farmland in America, through the quaint town of Little Falls, and down a winding back country road through Swan Lake, MN led us to the doorstep of our first encounter with an "earthen-sheltered, cordwood masonry" home.
John greeted us at the driveway and walked us back towards the home??? At first glance it appeared to be nothing more than a large earthen mound.
Hummm..so where'd the house go John?
Down a short path, around the protruding berm a unique object comes into view. Yes, it's John and Edith's version of a "weather stone" (You know, if it bright & dry - sunshine, if it is swinging - windy, if it's dripping wet - expect rain!).
Down a short path, around the protruding berm a unique object comes into view. Yes, it's John and Edith's version of a "weather stone" (You know, if it bright & dry - sunshine, if it is swinging - windy, if it's dripping wet - expect rain!). This hundred or so pound hunk of sandstone was found on the property a few years back, complete with a "hanging hole" which was filled with ancient sea shells, reminiscent of eons past when Swan Lake was much larger than today!
And then, to our left, there it is, EARTHWARD!
They carefully explain the techniques and process used in the construction while we enjoy their interesting incorporation of many natural elements into the outer walls.
As we're welcomed through the front door, we see evidence of much love and care of the place, such as these carvings given to them by local friends.
First step inside one comes face-to-face with a large wood stove, complete with masonry surround - the physical source of the home's warmth. That's right, the spiritual one is evident in Edith and John's pride with which they tell of this journey.Gazing around the cozy, inviting dwelling, one feels immediately secure and protected, it's solid, quite earthen and wooden arms surrounding one with a feeling of both peace and strength. No detail was spared....many interesting examples of local woods, artifacts and stones are found incorporated throughout.
Kim loves the rounded curves and rich colors of this center support post, while I enjoy the thoughtful addition of "the library wall" which boasts an example of every type of wood used in the structure within it's picture-like frame. John points to the lamp nearby, which was a gift from a nearby friend, handmade of course from the wooden base and column to the woven basket shade.
The years of dedication to detail are evident as we sit and chat about the surrounding detail, every aspect has meaning - quite different from today's 3000 sq. ft. thrown-together, characterless boxes of pre-manufactured particle board, hard, synthetic surfaces and flat, sheetrocked walls.
Edith invites us to walk through "the trollway", a narrow path through the rear that opens at the back of the mound to reveal a large, thriving garden. As we walk along it's rows, they explain that almost all their food is produced on their forty acres "of heaven".
Before we left, I wrote in the Rylander's guest book "We came here this morning as strangers, we leave here this afternoon as old friends". Now loaded up with fresh greens from the garden, a bottle of John's prized, homemade pure maple syrup and a couple of copies of "Journey Earthward" we are almost reluctant to leave. We somehow know that true to the Celestine Prophecy, this acquaintance will endure and lead us to subsequent visits and perhaps a "journey earthward" of our own...only time will tell!
AFTERWARD: July 15th -----I have now completed reading about half of "Journeying Earthward", the Rylander's personal story of a bold decision years ago to give up "the good life" of a California professor, modern family, living in a commercial driven society. I must say that it's not exactly what I expected, covering far more than just the details of their journey and home construction, both John and Edith have done a great job of reviewing Minnesota's rich history and geology, along with the numerous stories and benefits of living a simpler life in a caring community in rural America.
http://www.amazon.com/Journeying-Earthward-Minnesota-Edith-Rylander/dp/1591960843/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247664929&sr=8-1
July 6, 2009
White Iron Lake Paddle
Today we visit our new friends Don and Chris on White Iron Lake, just southeast of Ely. They have just completed their new garage (with apartment upstairs!) and horse stable at the lower end of a beautiful twelve acre plot situated near the end of a long, isolated bay.Their setup is just about picture perfect, homesite looking over the bay, nice boardwalk across a deep green marshy area, and almost complete separation from the main body of the lake. It's early evening here, with the sun's golden hue shining across placid waters of the bay. As I help Kim launch and look out across the narrow waters, I know this will be a nice relaxing couple of hours.
Chris is last to launch in here Wenonah Prism, a favored solo boat here in the Boundary Waters.I'm in the front of our big Clipper tandem, a perfect spot to enjoy the scenery and take a few pix.
Once on the waters, Don and Chris glide across the ripply surface as we ease slowly along to visit their favorite spots along the opposite shore.
A mile or so down, we spot a lone deer swimming across ahead of us. "Paddle faster Kim, let's get close for a picture!" doesn't seem to produce much extra energy,Kim just laughs as I watch the large doe disappear into the thick cover.
Farther along we reach the mouth of the Kawishiwi River, noticing a series of glistening rapids a few hundred yards ahead. As we turn to float back on the gentle current, Chris waits patiently in the narrow opening back into the lake.I marvel at the pristine beauty of this part of the country, and wonder why it's taken me the better part of a lifetime to discover it's beauty.
We spend another hour or so returning, and top off a wonderful eve with a sparkling glass of Shiraz, a warm fire and interesting new friends!
ELY! - Steve's Cabin
We leave Duluth early with anticipation as we head north to Ely, a special town nestled on the edge of the Boundry Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota. The mornings rich, warm sunlight combined with nature's awesome display of wildflowers along the way made the drive a delight. Every roadside, every field brushed in colors of spring! (yes it's spring up here!)
Kim's favorite is the lupines and I enjoy the fiery colors of the Indian Paintbrush....
A couple hours drive and we arrive at our good Louisiana friend's cabin situated within the town of Ely on Miners Lake. As we exit the Dodge, our first view down the hillside confirms that the flowers abound here as well as on the highways and byways.
Steve and his family have done a wonderful job creating a charming place to enjoy our stay here in Ely. From the old canoe within the entry to the greeting of the wood stove, one feels welcome upon entering the massive stacked logs, handcrafted by "Stevo" Jr.
No detail was spared in using the big white pines to dress and frame every doorway. A quick glance at the staircase shows that an enjoyable winter was spent here just months ago.
The upstairs bunk room continues with a rustic theme, and boasts a fabulous apex through which one has a nice view of the lake.
Our favorite spot is the back deck, we spent many an hour out here just enjoying the view, warm sunshine and an interesting book or two. The property was buzzing with bees and chirping with birds, so Kim took advantage of the nice viewing area almost every morning.
And, for those who would prefer a more rustic experience, Steve moved "Old Log" over from Wolf Lake. I'm not sure of it's age, but from the looks of the fir and finish on the original logs, I'd say it's well over fifty years! June 27, 2009
Amateur Radio & Field Day!
Thanks to Kim's friend Jim, we have a beautiful "base camp" here in Duluth to locate the trailer. Since we'll be here for a few weeks, and there's plenty of room, for the first time I set up the new vertical antenna with all of it's "radial wires" for great performance. It's been a little over two years since I've gotten back into amateur radio, a hobby I've enjoyed on and off since I got my license to operate at age nine. Earlier this year while in Florida, I treated myself to this new antenna, and a "new" (actually slightly used) ham radio. It certainly has been a positive decision and experience. In these few short months, I've enjoyed talking to other "hams" all over the world! 
One of amateur radio's primary roles is to act as an emergency radio network in cases of national emergency or disaster. In fact, hams played a crucial role during Hurricane Katrina, being one of the only reliable communication systems that prevailed throughout and after the storm. In order to test the readiness of hams all over the country the ARRL (Amateur Radio Relay League http://www.wedothat-radio.org/ ) has a yearly event called "Field Day". The idea is to operate stations remotely, from a non-permanent location solely on emergency power (solar, battery, generator, etc). http://emergency-radio.org/To make the event more interesting and challenging, the ARRL sponsors a contest for a 24-hour period during the yearly weekend. The goal is to make as many "contacts" with other stations as possible. Scores are assigned to each contact depending on the type of station used and it's location.
The Duluth Amateur Radio Club actively participates in Field Day every year. So, I decided to join in the fun up on top of Thompson Hill, a great high location for temporary antennas. It was a dismal and foggy morning as local club members set up two primary stations. This nice motorhome and 60 foot crankup tower array took the better part of the morning to get set up and operating.
At the same time, other club members were stringing up wire antennas in the parking lot, and the Club's emergency "RACES" trailer was commissioned across the lot. http://www.usraces.org/
I parked the Dodge between the two, and with the help of a couple of locals, strung a temporary wire between a light pole and a small tree behind the truck. With a few minutes, I was set up and operating, and although the contest had not officially started, made the first contacts of the morning with my little low power (5 watts) rig in the truck. 
By 1PM (official contest start), the club was in action. Doug is shown here to the right, operating in the big motorhome, primarily operating CW Mode (morse code)...while a group of others man the RACES trailer on SSB (single sideband, voice mode).
I came back out the next day (Sunday) to see how things were going. The weather top the hill was much improved, and operators were still at it, having endured the night, working in shifts. The CW boys had a fantastic event, logging over 1600 contacts in the 24-hour contest period. I never found out what the final tally on the voice contacts were, but I'm sure close to a thousand! What a fun weekend, with a great groups of folks enjoying a wonderful hobby! 
June 25, 2009
UPDATED! Trailer Repairs....
While parked for weeks in the Duluth area, I decided to take care of a few "trailer chores" that I'd put off for long enough. More than a few weeks ago, the slide out mechanism quit working. We could hear the DC drive motor running, and manually crank the slide out, so I suspected there was some sort of clutch between the motor & the gearbox that had failed.
As I finished up the last wheel with new linings and fresh grease, I realized how lucky we were to have avoided a complete failure somewhere on the road!
so, if you here that bla-bla-bla big truck noise, it just may be us coming to pay a visit...
July 13th - just got in and installed the new Xantrex C60 Charge Controller which has more capability (up to 60amps) and has equalization for the batteries. The install took the better part of a day, largely due to having to snake larger solar array panel wires through the side of the trailer, and take apart most of the kitchen cabinets to run the small cable for the remote display.
While I was at it, I made the tilt brackets for the solar panels and even this early in the morning here in Duluth, the charging output went from 6 amps to 7 amps, just from tiliting the panels about 18 degrees!
I removed the gearbox easily enough, and once the box was open, the problem was obvious, there was metal residue in the grease, and the teeth on a drive gear were completely gone! It took about a week of research on the phone and internet to confirm that the 1998 Alpenlite used a mechanism manufactured by Barker. The Barker folks were great, shipping me the near gear assembly promptly at a very reasonable price, saving a few hundred dollars on a whole new mechanism and a dealer repair!
I also decided to check the brakes and repack the bearings on the trailer. Over the past couple of months, the brakes seem to have weakened, and anticipating the mountains of the southwest later this year, the timing was right.
The first couple of wheels proved my suspicions that the shoes were in bad shape, worn thin with cracking across the linings. Opening the second wheel I had a surprise---the cotter key used on the last brake job was one size too small, had broken off, and that tiny bit of weight wobbling around in the grease cap had caused it to fall off in the wheel hub cover and roll around in there for quite a while. So, impending disaster saved!
The big surprise was in the third wheel. When pulled off one of the brake shoe linings was riding inside the drum, the drum was badly scored, and the DC brake solenoid had grabbed the inner drum surface, bent it's retaining arm, and was badly worn at an angle across it's face. The local folks at Lakehead Brake and Clutch had all the parts, and were able to save the drum.
As I finished up the last wheel with new linings and fresh grease, I realized how lucky we were to have avoided a complete failure somewhere on the road!When we bought the truck last fall in Portland, the previous owner had passed along a brand new US Brake "D'Celerator" exhaust brake for the Cummings diesel. Another case of procrastination, I had put off this job too long also. So, since the brakes were done, I headed over to Bill's Muffler Shop, and Bill himself did a masterful job of cutting a section of the 4" stainless exhaust pipe out, and installing the new brake mechanism. A little wiring when I got back "home" (the trailer), and we now have a diesel exhaust brake like the big 18-wheelers!
so, if you here that bla-bla-bla big truck noise, it just may be us coming to pay a visit...
July 13th - just got in and installed the new Xantrex C60 Charge Controller which has more capability (up to 60amps) and has equalization for the batteries. The install took the better part of a day, largely due to having to snake larger solar array panel wires through the side of the trailer, and take apart most of the kitchen cabinets to run the small cable for the remote display.
While I was at it, I made the tilt brackets for the solar panels and even this early in the morning here in Duluth, the charging output went from 6 amps to 7 amps, just from tiliting the panels about 18 degrees!
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