Great quote

ingenio patet campus -- the field lies open to the intellect

Finishing the Bridge Over Maple Creek

Been a while since posting, but still working towards our goal of making it out to our land.

I presented all plans to our bank and have gotten approval to proceed. I'll post floor plan views and perspectives in another post soon. For now, we are working to finish to the road and bridge across Maple Creek. I want to get as much done as possible in this area with leaves off and get the brush cleared from the power line clearing.

I have to get sides put on the bridge to retain the top fill gravel, but we have to build it to last (hopefully) forever. We have formed side walls to retain a monolithic rebar-reinforced concrete pour as a foundation for side walls of dry stack lightweight concrete block sides -- I will rebar reinforce the block and put grout inside the cavities.

Plywood forms to retain concrete footings

Rebar placed horizontally and vertical rebar to into blocks above. 4-inch PVC chase pipe integrated for utility runs through the bridge -- like gas line, maybe water line, electric lines at later dates.

The top surface will be filled with 1" gravel for driving surface.

Rebar drilled and set into concrete pipe below with horizontal counter-footing to limit side-ward heave. This whole void will be filled with concrete when poured to tie all together.

Rustic Exteriors

Maybe something like...

Traditional Exterior design by Minneapolis General Contractor Lands End Development - Designers & Builders

OR this...

Traditional Exterior design by Portland Architect Richard Brown Architect AIA

OR this...

Traditional Exterior design by Boston Design-build Timberpeg Timber Frame

OR this...

Traditional Exterior design by Boston Photographer Carl Vernlund

We Have Power

We have FINALLY been able to run power to the land. It has been quite the saga in getting this part of the construction done.

We have essentially two power runs:  one to the main house area to the north and one for the cottage near the creek. The well is closer to the creek so we have placed the temporary power pole to the well site.

Next will be to finish picking up the brush and trees downed by the power company and burn all of our brush piles. We have five very large ones to burn.

Toby Hemenway

<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8nLKHYHmPbo?version=3&feature=player_detailpage"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8nLKHYHmPbo?version=3&feature=player_detailpage" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></object>

Planning for Foundations

We're planning to do some more clearing this weekend to open up the underbrush where the cottage will go. The plans for the roads and drives are pretty solid at this point, but given some of the land's features with substantial organic matter in the soil, it will need to be stripped with compacted fill put in place for the road bed and foundation at the cottage.

I also have decided to pace the workshop just to the east of one of the larger trees in the cleared upper area (see photo). This site is already nearly level, but we will need to strip the organic ,matter and back fill with compacted fill.

I have contacted TG again and we will try to go this weekend to see what he thinks. I'll post some before and after photos.

Bunyip Basics

I think I'll use this to determine contour lines for now. The laser level will come later.