Monday, February 25, 2013

Chapter 118...Paving And Developing Another Lot

Off Grid...Chapter 118

Today's story is about the last of our paving job and an old lot we have.


As you know we started slowly paving the driveway for the past 2 years. We have done small sections at a time so we didn't have heart failure over the price Now we are finally to the last section


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The fun begins. Today the paving crew is here to start working on our driveway. We are having it paved just until the pond/barn area. We aren't paving the rest because we don't want it torn up by the cow people when the bring in the big hay and cattle trucks.

We also got a call form Jimmy. our grader who has been occupied with a another big job this year. He is finally able to get equipment onto our lot to start working. Of course we have both different crews working at the same time so Mike and I will have to oversee 2 jobs in 2 different locations at the same time.


The graders start out by tearing up our old gravel and getting down to the base of our road. Mike asked them to make sure "this" time that our drive is slightly sloped towards one side of the road so the water run off will go into the spouts and not wash out the end of our drive.

They are here for the day just prepping the drive. The drive is marked and ready for asphalt which will happen tomorrow.

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The paving crew is here and waiting for the asphalt truck. Mike and I go to the lot to check on the progress. The lot is lower than the road so we are having Randy cut into the back hill and make the front part the same height as the road. Unfortunately we have to take down a lot of trees....more firewood for others. We have plenty


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Randy pushing a tree down with the track hoe. The power of these machines amazes me.


Moving a tree down the hill.


Lot is getting cleared.



OK..time to get back home. I see the asphalt truck


First truck of asphalt is down.

They go back to get another truck load.


Back at the farm the guys are ready. The asphalt is unloaded from the truck and onto the paver.


The father is on the paver and steering while the 2 guys on the back of the paver control the depth and width of the asphalt being dumped out.


Moving right along and almost done with laying out the asphalt.


Then one of the guys tamp down the edges.

They make it to the end with an extra 40 feet of paving...we'll take any extra Once they are at the end they have to hand roll that part of the drive.

While they were finishing up the cows came down to cool off, lol.


They let the pavement cool down a bit and then roll out the rest of it.


The paving is done

Now we just have to wait for them to come back to do the curbs.


The lot is taking much longer to do but it is almost cleared.



The big logs being loaded up.


We also got some cool boulders to bring back home..unfortunatley one of them fell in the middle of the driveway. The good thing is it wasn't on the fresh pavement


Mike's new boulders in place. He is very happy about them.


The lot is done being graded.

Mike and I put down 150 pounds of grass seed and we installed some gates.



That's all for now. We now have some smaller jobs to accomplish for the rest of the Summer and Fall. Then it's time to hibernate I hope you enjoyed our story.


Lisa

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7 comments:

  1. Love the one picture of the asphalt crew and their equipment with the reflection in the pond. I LOVE reflection pictures. I go out of my way to find and take reflection pictures. They are so cool.

    I think I must have lost something along the way. What is the plan for the lot you just cleared? Are you planning to put a cabin there? Maybe I missed a chapter. LOL :)

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    1. I'm glad you like the picture..pure luck on my part, lol.

      The lot across from us will be a big part if this year's stories. We have plans to build a store on it. Mike wants to sell barely used things that we have around and also solar panels. I want to sell some local items like honey, jams and maybe some chicken eggs. My stepdaughter is very talented and she makes her own soaps and beauty items. We will also sell those products...oh and books. I love books and I have a lot I can sell:)

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  3. That will be cool. If you see a Winnebago ERA with Ontario plates pull up to the store ... be ready ... I'll be wanting to talk your ear off. LOL

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    1. We are also talkers. Could you guess, lol?

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  4. Fascinating! Do you guys own most of that county?! LOL you go on nonchalauntly about the "lot across the road" :-)

    I know, I'm so jealous it's destroying my good manners!

    The extra pavement will be sweet... I can't wait to see what kind of a store you two will congure up! From eggs to eye glasses, I wouldn't put it past ya! :-)

    Good luck and have fun!

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    1. We aren't the only ones. Some of our very good friends here also own different parcels of land. Land rarely goes up for sale here.

      We are very exited about the store. We just spoke with our concrete man for the foundation:)

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