Okanogan 14x24 by a lurker :)

[JavaMan]

yeah, your place looks pretty good.... checked the map again tonight when I got home (a few minutes ago) and it's back on top of me again.  Seems to pick up in the late afternoon/early evening.  Apparently the inversion almost puts it out during the day, but fails to extinguish it completely

[OlJarhead]

Not so fast it seems....sheesh can we catch a break?

[OlJarhead]

Winds out of the south and south west today with gusts as high as 25mph and low humidity with high heat....shat!    No break, no rest for the weary.  We need that bloody rain.

[SkagitDrifter]

Hang in there Erik- good things happen to good people.
Prayers sent for you, your neighbors and the fire crews.

[JavaMan]

yeah, I wish they'd get this knocked down.  I know they are doing a great job, and it's got to be frustrating for them, too.  It's just really hard sitting here 6 hours away and not being able to do much or see much. (which is why I really appreciated you driving up Buzzard Lake road, OJH - I owe you a few brews for that - or their equivalent in whatever liquid currency you enjoy  )

[OlJarhead]

Work has kept me busy lately and the Level3 Evac and massive smoke kept me from the cabin (where I usually stay when working up there) but I managed to get by yesterday and all was well.  Heck, even the sun was out

Fire activity seems to be very minimal at the moment and we've had some rain and cooler weather so here's hoping it continues to get better

[Redoverfarm]

Eric it sounds as if you dodged the bullet on this one.  Hopefully you will have plenty of time to prepare for the next (hoping there isn't) one.  Always think you are prepared and then you have one of those "I should have done this or that" moments.  Well now you know exactly what can be done.  Hope the smoke clears.

[OlJarhead]

Thanks and yes!  Much to do but I'm hopeful we don't go through this again for a while!!!  Sheesh two years in a row!  Yikes.

[OlJarhead]

And now for something completely different


I recently purchased this off Amazon for my generator.  My plan is to install it so I can easily and quickly disconnect the generator when I won't be around and don't want its battery to die because the power is off and not charging.


It's a simple disco switch


I just have to flip it up and the battery will be disconnected.  Then when I return I flip it down to reconnect the battery and the generator will be back in action and available for backup power.

No more dead battery!

Can't wait to install.

[MountainDon]

   On negative terminal, right.

[OlJarhead]

  On negative terminal, right.

ah yup

[JavaMan]

I noticed there was still some area burning out your way ... at least the satellite map was showing it.  How are things up your way?  I've not been up yet, the home front is a bit wacky lately

[OlJarhead]

Just heard that we are now level 1   I'm going up Friday if all goes well and will report but so far so good!

[Aeneas_Valley]

Hello folks. I'm getting ready to close on some property just off Aeneas Valley Rd. Was bummed to find out that 200 sq ft was the "max" size of a detached bldg, with 1 floor and you can't sleep in it. Planned on building a 16 x 24 shed/cabin for starters. Said you need plans and have it inspected too. There aren't any buildings on any of the surrounding properties, so I'm thinking it might be easier to ask for forgiveness, rather than permission? Was going with composting toilet, water storage and a generator and solar for starters. Thoughts please?

[nailit69]

Hello folks. I'm getting ready to close on some property just off Aeneas Valley Rd. Was bummed to find out that 200 sq ft was the "max" size of a detached bldg, with 1 floor and you can't sleep in it. Planned on building a 16 x 24 shed/cabin for starters. Said you need plans and have it inspected too. There aren't any buildings on any of the surrounding properties, so I'm thinking it might be easier to ask for forgiveness, rather than permission? Was going with composting toilet, water storage and a generator and solar for starters. Thoughts please?

Aeneas, you should start your own build thread... that way we can follow your project, cuz trust me... we all love to follow along.

I've also got property out that way... near Loomis.  I had a short conversation with my "neighbor" about permitted vs. non permitted and he suggested we just build and ask for forgiveness if it ever becomes an issue.  There aren't many "permitted" structures out near me.  If you're remote, I wouldn't worry about it... if you've got unfriendly neighbors you might want to weigh your options a little more carefully.  Not sure how it works but I believe you can get a 30 day cabin permit but if you don't get one and they don't know you're there who's to say how long you've been there?  If you start installing septic or drilling a well... they're probably gonna want to talk to you.  Mine is zoned Agricultural so i'm building a "Barn"... for my horse ... pack it in, pack it out.

I'm building an unpermitted (to code) 14'x24' w/full basement and loft, 1200 gals. of stored water, composting toilet, genny/solar powered, woodstove heat, etc..  I'm a professional carpenter and I know what i'm doing so i'm not too worried about being up to code but I also circumnavigated the permit process.  I just didn't have the time to go through the process or the extra money to be honest.  I've got the foundation in and ready to build on but i'm putting my project on hold until spring rather than building half of it and leaving it exposed to the winter elements... i'll hit it hard about April or May next year and should have a cabin about July 4 2016... that was the plan this year but other things happened.

Everything you need can be found locally for pretty reasonable prices, friendly and helpful folks in town, great place it seems...  all I think about when I have to leave is how soon I can get back.

Good luck and looking forward to following your project.

[OlJarhead]

Thanks Nailit -- good post.

As someone said to me once "don't worry, the tax man will come, re-asses and raise your taxes" which is exactly what happened.

[OlJarhead]

Finally after entirely too long I got around to installing (mostly) the fresh air intake on my woodstove).

Trying to drill the hole through the hardy board dulled my cheap holesaw....so I finished it with a razor knife.


Installed the air box which I got a LOT cheaper on ebay


Dryer vent installed through the wall and secured with a roofing screw since I could see no other way to secure it to the box.


Simple vent which should help keep most bugs out (it is screened on the inside) and those that make it in will be incinerated so to heck with them.  It's louvred to keep the water out and sealed with Trempro.  I'll trim it at some point.

This took me a lot longer becasue of the dulled hole saw causing me to finally give up and cut the outside hole with a sawsall (which worked well since I had the grooves cut by the holesaw.  Now I just need some high temp sealer for the inside and maybe, just maybe 'll get to installing the brick soon!

[OlJarhead]

Busy day at the cabin today. Managed to get a lot of wood stacked in the back of the truck after squaring up a bunch of it on the mill. Watered the orchard (what's left of it) and set the timer to water it every 72 hours again now that I'm not as worried about the fires) and got tools put back in the shed. Then washed off the deck (after cleaning it and sweeping off most of the ash the bear dumped on it) and generally just cleaned up etc. Then had a shower and shave to feel human again and did the dishes too

Now I'll read for a bit then will visit with the neighbors on the deck and watch for wildlife 

[JavaMan]

Wish I could make it up there myself ... being out of work has once more put a financial crimp in my style.

Hopefully I can save up a few extra $$ and gas will drop a bit further and I'll make it up. If I do, and you're up, we'll have to have coffee to somthing

[Yonderosa]

Glad your place escaped the fire OJH. 

It just missed us too.  Burned halfway through the 20 acre parcel next to me. The little bit of rain we had came just in time and been able to keep the lid on for the most part since.

NOT what you want to see anywhere near your cabin.


A few of my neighbors were not so lucky.





I'm not sure what the number actually was but I now for a fact it was higher than what the officials were reporting.

We didn't have much of an official response on our side of the hill initially. Ranchers did their best to save their places and stock with irrigation equipment they had.  Two members of our community had purchased fire trucks and we did the best we could with them.





Not fun.

[OlJarhead]

Yonderosa!  I've been thinking of you and wondering how you faired as you were in the eastern side of the Tunk fire if you are where I think you are.  I kept thinking "I sure hope Yonderosa's place survived!"

SO I'm very glad it did!  Now we just have to hope Jeff's place made it through and I suspect there are others out there in CP Forum that are in the area too.

Crazy stuff!

[Yonderosa]

I've got two friends that are your neighbors in the valley that (so far) have escaped the flames.  Larry came pretty close and they are still doing back fires in his local, and Rob is actually moving stuff back in. Dang scary for a while, he squirted so much water on his place the door swelled to the point there weren't no opening it.

I heard the Forest Service road between us was closed to fire suppression activity and fallen timber. It was a big one.  Already screwed up hunting, though I do have a concentration of Whitetail Does and fawns on my place.  What was shaping up to be a stellar Grouse year looks like maybe not now.  Already seen quite a few Bears taken, unfortunately it's been because of fenders. I don't think I've ever seen so many road killed bears before.

[OlJarhead]

I've seen more bears this year on my side of the valley and figure the fires might be pushing more animals my way.

You spending more time up at the cabin this year?

[Yonderosa]

We've been up every month for at least four days at a time.

Haven't seen many living Bears this year.  Got a few on trail camera.  Kept the baby Moose streak going. This is the last picture I got before the fire.



Got one of these hanging around again.



He's real tough on the Turkeys.

Lots of Deer, both Mulie and Whitetails. Plenty of Coyotes of course.

[JavaMan]

  Already seen quite a few Bears taken, unfortunately it's been because of fenders. I don't think I've ever seen so many road killed bears before.

That must take some skill!  I'm not sure I could kill a bear with a guitar... Although I think I'd prefer Ibinez instead