Not much happening here. I've been cleaning up the garage and barn. Specifically, trips to the dump and rearranging the stored lumber in the barn. Scraps have been cut up for firewood, fast burning and/or kindling. I had a bunch of 12"x20' TJI floor joists that I listed on the Argyle FB page and they were snapped up. They are a) worth a lot of money and b) in short supply these pandemic days. "Free to a good home" was an offer that a fellow from Port Loring couldn't pass by.
He arrived in his SUV, sans trailer. On the way here his trailer tire blew and he left it at the ESS Narrows. You can only imagine how 8x20' (plus some smaller sections) sticking out the back of his SUV looked. They were piled on top of a spare tire to get them elevated a little but still, I heard them scrape the driveway as he went out. I should have had my phone and taken a picture. I should have also had him sign a waiver ... ridiculous.
Nice guy, he had his son and grandson with him. He asked how long I'd had them ... 15 years, says I. Yikes, time does fly.
Part of what got me going on this project was the mouse-mess. When I had piled all this lumber originally, including stacks and stacks of siding, it had all been nicely spaced out for breathing which provided wonderful spaces for mice to build nests. Stinking, wet, yuck. I still have a pile of siding, 2x4's, 2x6's, 1.25"x14"x12' (3) rough cut from building the barn, one 2x12x20', a bunch of plywood scraps etc etc. The siding is in bundles the way that it came with each piece separated from its brethren by plastic.
Yesterday I knocked off a couple of prep-before-trip projects - changed the oil in the X5 and moved the big dock. It's early for the dock move but the MNR has removed some of the logs from the dam and the water level is dropping rapidly. Yesterday was probably the last day that I could simply float the dock into its winter position without a lot of winching. All summer, the dock has mostly floated clear or gently positioned on its concrete step. All summer, we haven't seen the rocks in the cove. They are protruding now and the beach is growing.
We've had some cool nights with the temp in the 30's (F). The next could of days are going to be warmer and I'm hoping to get out for a ride.
Speaking of which, I had been deliberating as to which trailer to take to Florida. The reason for the deliberation is that the tires on the X5 will last much of the winter but probably not get me back in the spring. Since I had purchased a second set last summer and stored in the barn, I was hoping that the swap would take place here, vs Florida. They take up a huge amount of space in the little 4x6 trailer but I think that I have that licked - I'll have one bike on the fork mount and the other simply lying on top of the tires. I did some tinkering yesterday to secure the tires. We shall see. I should probably pull the trailer to Port Loring and back just to see what a bumpy road might do. Are they really secure ? Bouncing around in the trailer, they could damage the bikes. The bikes are worth a lot more than the tires ... just sayin'.
Onward.
No comments:
Post a Comment