AZ ranch

BoFuller · Jul 15, 2012

With the primary entrance totally under water, and the secondary entrance washed out, I took the third way out today. On the way I got a call from a neighbor that needed help as she got washed downstream last night. A little side trip and we got her winched out.

bcp · Jul 15, 2012

Not much you can do if the road is public, but if it is private, the occasional dips in it need to be developed as drains, and side ditches graded and maintained. I've seen many years old mining claim roads in the desert that were still in decent shape if they went mostly across the terrain so they drained every so often.

The worst ones were those that mostly followed the low spots with no exit for the water. That looks kind of like yours in the second photo.

Bruce

BoFuller · Jul 16, 2012

bcp said:
Not much you can do if the road is public, but if it is private, the occasional dips in it need to be developed as drains, and side ditches graded and maintained. I've seen many years old mining claim roads in the desert that were still in decent shape if they went mostly across the terrain so they drained every so often.

The worst ones were those that mostly followed the low spots with no exit for the water. That looks kind of like yours in the second photo.

Bruce

It's semi-private, as the home-owners association is responsible for maintenance. Normally they do a good job but the company that has done it for several years has gone out of business, and nobody has done the normal May maintenance. Actually I'm on the Road Committee but we haven't found anyone as a replacement yet. Looks like our Urgency level just jumped.

Ken · Jul 16, 2012

Mr. Fuller Hearing the news of the rain I looked up this forum and sure enough The rain season has started
Just to East of Seligman about 5 miles off the road I was traveling to a micro wave site and crossing a small creek and the truck settled in the muck and the more I spun the tires the deeper it sank Hooked the winch cable to a tree and tightened then the cable snapped and poped overhead the cab like a whip. My fellow employee drove from Kingman (This was before the interstate) When he arrived chained his Dodge truck to a tree tied a winch to my 3/4 ton chev. pulled me backwards as I was backing up and got free.the mud was filling the powers body type bed by this time. Used fire hose to clean the truck and it was dropping mud clods for months after.
Memorys are made of nights like this.
Bo keep up the building the rain it to will pass and the sun will shine.
The church group of six just returned from the mission trip close to Lake Victoria. They said they enjoyed but glad to be back.

ken

BoFuller · Jul 18, 2012

rdpecken said:
Hi Bo.
It seems we are neighbors x2 !
We also have 40 acres in Sierra Verde, and live in Mesa most of the time.
Our land is about 5 miles north of I40 in the Markham Pass area.
Yes, we have seen rattlesnakes, packrats, javalina, elk, deer, and antelope.
I look forward to following your thread. I haven't started one here because I don't have a tractor yet! (Bummer...)
Anyway, you can see what we've been up to at our blog at ArizonaRanch.org - Building a Homestead Ranch in Northern Arizona
Here is the cabin we've been building for the last 3 years or so...
Good luck, and have fun!

I have been through Markham Pass a few times in the last month hauling gravel. What side road are you near?

rdpecken · Jul 19, 2012

BoFuller said:
I have been through Markham Pass a few times in the last month hauling gravel. What side road are you near?

We are between Bullet Road and Gunners Mate Road, just north of where the old well #5 stood (up until a month or so ago).

BoFuller · Jul 22, 2012

My draftsman sent me the corrected plans yesterday. I just need the engineer to stamp them. There is hope yet!

Ken · Jul 22, 2012

Mr. Fuller did you get the correct door seal this time.?
Seems like a year in getting this approvial for a building permit.
Guess the cutting of the logs and preparing to be installed made sure you haven't been rushed and cut in the wrong area.
The logs at least should be dry so will settlle less when finally get stacked in the wall.

News says Phoenix is getting dust storms now .
And with this rain you know where the low spots are.
se'ya ken

BoFuller · Aug 4, 2012

Engineer says I should get stamped plans by Tuesday! Woo Hoo. Then we will see what the county comes up with this time.

Today I borrowed my neighbor's grader and redid all my driveway ditches. I will get some pictures tomorrow.

Ken · Aug 4, 2012

BoFuller said:
Engineer says I should get stamped plans by Tuesday! Woo Hoo. Then we will see what the county comes up with this time.

Today I borrowed my neighbor's grader and redid all my driveway ditches. I will get some pictures tomorrow.

Mr. Fuller How are you protecting the logs from bugs during this wait for the plans.I am assuming there Ponderosa Pine from the Williams area?
Are you going to use a method to trim to same thickness to stack easier.
and what type of seam insulation going to use. Taking the bark off or retaining for the looks.

Did the well get dug if so how did the water test. Know the water East Seligman was liquid mineral very hard.
Other than the heat wind dust and then rain how has the weather been.
I would expect the camper is getting crowded by now waiting for some one else to finally do there part.
Wife still talking to you or throwing rocks.
ken

BoFuller · Aug 4, 2012

Ken, actually my logs are Douglas Fir out of Utah. I couldn't find anything big enough in AZ. I have a borate solution to protect from bugs but I haven't gotten to that yet. I do have them debarked.

No trimming or notching. Just stacking them as they are. I did an inventory on sizes so I can get it to come out relatively even over a number of courses.

I passed on the well for now. I'm going to rely on a combination of rain water and hauling, with the goal to get totally on rainwater.

We still live and work in Phoenix for now, so no, we are not tired of the trailer yet.

I had hoped to be under roof by September, but with the delay of the plans, this building season is pretty well shot. I still hope to get my foundation done, and maybe a couple of courses of logs. For doing the logs, I had a half dozen high school kids lined up for muscle, but now they will be back in school before I get to stacking. Bummer.

BoFuller · Aug 4, 2012

And actually I think the weather has been great. We had some monsoons but we needed them. I have a Road Committee meeting in a couple hours to figure out how to fix the road damage, but that's part of living out here in heaven.

Ken · Aug 4, 2012

Mr. Fuller The school kids foot ball team maybe would have developed muscles.
Only problem of waiting until next year just put everything a year later.
Thanks for the update.
Our weather here is dry. grass gone ,pond water gone. the cattleman leasing our property had to start feeding hay in June. so hauled to his property.
Comments of trees chasing the dogs and how to put tick collars on the catfish is common
If catch a fish do you remove the dust first.
There is a chance of change soon hope so.
ken

MotorSeven · Aug 4, 2012

Under roof in Sept.....of ...........12????? Good grief, I have been working on mine since June.....OF '11! You better get the football team and cheerleader squad out there......uhhhmmm, scratch that, then nothing would get done.

BoFuller · Aug 5, 2012

Under roof for me is the four walls and the roof. No floors, no doors, no windows. They come later. But I could work on all those in colder weather if I was under roof.

Ken · Sep 2, 2012

BoFuller said:
Under roof for me is the four walls and the roof. No floors, no doors, no windows. They come later. But I could work on all those in colder weather if I was under roof.

Good Day Mr. Fuller It has been about a month since your last post of the building Just wondering if have started placing the base walls .
We have received rain the grass is growing . All's well.
ken

BoFuller · Sep 2, 2012

Ken, I just picked up my plans from the county again. More corrections! I'm thinking that they just don't want me to build it and are hoping I will give up. I need to get my logs graded, and more detail for the roof. And a Blaze King wood stove is not acceptable for heat. I need to get a thermostat controlled propane furnace. I'm thinking about contacting an attorney that specializes in permits.
Other than that it has been raining, raining, and raining. The roads are all washed out and it is constantly a challenge to get in and out. I was trying to rotate my logs this weekend but I gave up after I slipped and fell in the mud.

Other than that, not much happening.