Category: Uncategorized

Yesterday was a valuable lesson in looking around my environment before leaving the home. I’ve been shown footage of mountain lions and bears and neighboring lots, but opening the storm door yesterday to discover only said door’s glass as a barrier between me and a brown bear a mere three feet away? A bit unnerving to say the least.

He was not scared of me at all, merely curious and attempted to follow me into the house as I closed first the storm door and then the heavy main door. Yelling at him had not phased him in the least. Still undeterred, this fellow strolled around my wood pile, onto the covered deck and peered in the south facing bay window, continuing to circumnavigate the house.

He headed to the south deck, peering in the windows until he smelled the grill, for which he bee-lined. I grabbed some pots and pans and started banging, which he did not like and finally left. My pan lid is dented, but at least he left.

Next time? Look before you leave!

The newest machine arrived this week. It is a monster, but seemingly necessary to prevent shoveling the same snow out of the same path daily. The Erickson’s left a log splitter (Honda) that has started on the very first pull every time I’ve used it. As a result, my second Honda is here.

There are so many motors to maintain – the back up generator, the back up to the back up generator, the log splitter, the snow blower, the four wheeler, the side by side (AKA Moon Bug), the Jeep, the Truck, the chainsaws, etc. I’m going to create a “maintenance month” and tune them all as they go into or out of seasonal service.

The body too needs maintaining and too needs new equipment in need of breaking in. Hiking, snowshoeing, traveling.

It is all worth it. My little mountain top paradise is starting to feel like home.

I spent the evening with the Ortega’s last night who graciously invited me to dinner after having dropped in unannounced. Beer turned to Whiskey which turned to bottle two. A fun night, full of laughter and learning.

I’ve learned mountain lions share the lot where I am collecting firewood, watching a video of a mom with two youngsters. Beautiful, but quite real and why I have been armed every trip; there can be no one for miles, and you are on your own in such ways.

Met a great guy named Andy who shared the evening with us, and learned much about snow, drifts, and many things not to do. There is much to learn, and many realizations to gather.

The side by side is working, but with tracks may not suffice. Staying put simply might be my best and safest choice, notably after watching web cam footage of Andy crawling to his house, snowshoes strapped to his hands in waist deep strangeness.

Closing with a shot of the homestead, taken from Brophy. It looks close, but you can’t just get there from here.

The Defender was finally ready for pick up. Six foot plow, snow tracks, and a winch on both the front and rear of the unit. It’s a beast, but quite fun to drive.

The plow comes off by removing two standard receiver pins and disconnecting the winch. It’s quite a bit shorter sans plow.

The tracks are monstrous. The smaller front tracks fit in the bed, the large rear units had to ride home in the truck.

It has a recommended break in period of 200 miles/10 hours, so it’s off to explore the park!

Exercise is easy to come by out here. Firewood, mountain ranges to hike, prepping for winter, there is a myriad of ways to move the body. What do I do in the winter, besides schlep snow? (Granted, that might be plenty). But over the winter I need to be able to be fit enough to hike out, and in, in case of emergencies or getting stuck. Exercise ropes are great. You can climb them, lift yourself, stretch yourself, push the core.

This twenty five footer is now hanging from the vaulted ceiling. I can get up two pulls, we’ll hope for more over time.