Propane: please correct me if I'm wrong!!!

I just returned from a week in Montello. It was relaxing and productive and a great time with friends. Thanks for hanging out everybody. I thoroughly enjoyed it!!!

I have a few logs out there that need to be cut up for firewood, but I'm hesitant to use the chainsaw when I'm alone in case of accident. So, when I ran out of chopped wood on day three, I decided to fire up the propane Mr. Heater "buddy". After the end of the day I realized the buddy heater had kept the container very comfortable all day and into the evening running on the low setting (4,000 BTU). Then, I started doing the math and making inquiries. Russ mentioned he only uses propane because it's easy and relatively cheap. When you take account of a 45 minute drive up the canyon to secure firewood, the cost of fuel to get there, and the risk factors involved, propane appears to make a compelling case for itself. I'll paraphrase the lasting comment made by Russ, "one rock punctures your tire and you could have just bought a whole bunch of propane!" There is still a heavy case to be made for firewood when you think about the romantic side of cutting, splitting, and stacking your own wood....something real manly about that that speaks to me!

The math. The math of propane, given the limited data collected from my place, seems to trump the romance of firewood. The data is as follows. I ran the Buddy heater for approximately 16 hours per day on the low (4,000) BTU setting when it was overcast. A side caveat here is that on clear days the container requires no additional heat source besides the sun! Despite the buddy heater having a low oxygen shut off sensor, the last thing I want to do is not wake up in the morning from oxygen deprevation. So, while sleeping for 8 hours I threw on an extra blanket and turned off the heater. The mornings were mildly chilling, but nothing a fleece and firing up the heater didn't cure in 15 minutes. More math. The heater buddy will run on the low setting for 110 hours on a 20 pound propane tank. There are 4.24 pounds of propane in one gallon. One gallon of propane is currently priced at 2.09 per gallon at Amerigas in Tremonton, UT....(rates are usually lower in the spring, summer, or fall, which is the best time to fill up). I calculated the heating season at 180 days and placed a value of 50% on those days as propane augmented heating days, which means 90 solid 16 hours days of running the heater.

The result. 62 gallons of propane per year to heat at a cost of $130!!!! Again, please correct me if the math is wrong....and don't get to excited unless you like the idea of living in 160 square feet (which I do).

In case you're wondering, one tire on my Jeep (and likely your vehicle too) is priced at $120. All this discovery will not result in my removing the wood stove. I think wood and propane are like wind and solar in Montello...either one is pretty good, but having both allow for redundancy and a predictable quality of life!

P.S. Montello is GOOD!!!!!

http://www.city-data.com/city/Montello-Nevada.html

www.mrheater.com/upload/newsletter/MH9BX_SpecSheet.pdf

Wind Generator: AIR X 400 Watt

The Air X Wind Generator is pretty sweet! This 12 volt unit tops out at 400 watts and is very simple to install. It has an on board charge controller built into it so you simply connect the batteries and you're done (lightening surge protector-$30, circuit breakers-$12, and an ammeter-$30 is recommended). I went five days running LED lights, minimal laptop use, cell phone charging, and listening to music off of two 6 volt golf cart batteries (from Sam's Club) before we had any wind. On the fifth night I came home to the generator spinning like hell and charging the batteries. I'm not sure how long the wind blew, but when I awoke in the morning it had stopped and the batteries had gone from 70% charge to 100%.

The noise profile of the unit at top speed is amazingly low. I would mount it outside my bedroom window without reservation and sleep like a baby. That said, I've learned the hard way that you should not weld mount your tower to the top of your shipping container if you enjoy peace and quiet in said shipping container. The steel acts as a great conductor of sound and conveys the inner noise workings of the generator down into the container very effectively. You might even mistake it for a freight train in your living room!..hahahahaha. Lesson learned! That said, a shipping container is an ideal platform for your tower if you aren't living in it.

Assembling the unit (after reading the directions) requires about five minutes. Mounting the generator to the pole another five minutes, and wiring up the connections another five. Easy setup and easy breakdown!

Thanks again to Guy for putting me onto this unit and scoring a great deal on it for me. Amazon is also a good place to get a great deal on this unit.

Pics from a hike...

A few pics from this trip...

Gas Cache - thanks again Augie!

A blizzard was in the forecast and seems to be just the thing to get me off my ass. My to do list has had a small gas cache on it for about six months. Today, it was scratched off. 30 gallons of gas, 12 ounces of Sta-Bil, and peace of mind. Plenty of gas to get me to Montello or run the generator here for a long, long time! (Need one for Montello too) Thanks again Augie for hooking me up with the barrels. My research indicates it is made of the same plastic as 5 gallon gas cans....we'll see I guess!!!

I hesitated to fill the barrel with 30 gallons out of fear I couldn't move it on my own. It was filled with 20 gallons and was very easy to tip sideways and roll along...wishing I would have topped it off at the gas station.

Hope everyone in Utah and Nevada are braving the storm well. It's a good one!

360 video of the sunset

Same sunset as the pics in the previous post. This really was spectacular and never seemed to end. It constantly changed before our eyes with each scene as impressive as the previous one...enjoy.....


And a pic of Kristian and Brad who enjoyed it with me!



We spent a few nights in Wendover enjoying the gambling, the buffets, and the plush accomodations. But, I had to get out to Montello for at least a few hours. Bill and Curt joined us for some construction (moved the wood stove), target practice, conversation, and gentle relaxation. The sunset was filmed as we left the property...it was so impressive we had to stop and enjoy! Thank you Montello. Thank you!

Montello Sunset Tonight

Solar Panel Update - angle adjustment / grounded

The solar panel installation is complete. The grounding wires and lightening arrestor were wired today and the angle of the panel was adjusted to soak up more of the sun's energy.



By adjusting the solar panel's angle from the above pic to the pic below, it resulted in a 21% increase in power output, which is where it will remain for the winter. I'm hoping this angle will be significant enough to help any snow buildup sluf off without my assistance.


Below is the addition of the grounding wire and the lightening arrestor and a few more pics of the panel.











Have a great weekend!

Solar Panel / Power Center Pics and Video

So, I'm still getting familiar with my phones video capabilities and more often than not I forget to hold the camera the right way. So, just turn your monitor on end 90 degrees to get the intended effect. I didn't think the viewpoint was that bad, so I choose to have you guys deal with it instead of making another trip to the roof to re-shoot - I am not in love with heights!!!

This is a 230 watt Canadian Solar panel. It measures 65" x 39" and is a beast to manage alone.






The two bus bars in the video where the lights and cigarette lighter are wired into are the main hubs that distribute electricity to appliances. This is also where the inverters will tie into the system to power the occasional AC appliance. I am trying to purchase 12 Volt DC appliances to reduce power loss associated with the inverters and keep the system as small as possible. By selecting the proper 12 Volt DC energy efficient appliances up front you can save many dollars in the end by requiring fewer solar panels.

Case in point, the LED lights in the video use 1.2 watts per hour each. They will run for 50 hours on the same amount of energy one incandescent will require for one hour. To be transparent, it will probably take about six of the LED units to equal one incandescent from a brightness factor, so apples to apples you're looking at about 8 times more efficient. That said, in the evenings I have come to enjoy the softer light of one or two LED units running compared to a bulb that replicates lighting conditions at high noon.

Running 8 LED lights for five hours in the evening, 5 hours of laptop usage, cell phone charging, and cooking dinner in the crock pot for six hours (on an inverter), I require about 800 watts of power. I'm planning on the panel supplying around 1000 watts per day. The snap shot shows the panel kicking out 260 watts per hour (see pic below....volts x amps = watts), which is 30 watts above its rating....which I LIKE!!! Thus, with four hours of direct sunlight I have met and exceeded my quota.


Solar systems are interesting beasts. Batteries don't like the cold so much, but solar panels are most productive in the cold, as is evidenced above. And, the panel is probably 15 to 20 degrees off from facing the sun directly. I think it's time to build the brackets that will allow the solar panels to tilt and face the sun at the best angle at all times of the year! Did I say I'm loving this project????

a few more pics of the panel mounting...

Keep Going?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cakm2nIQWo&feature=player_embedded

this video is worth the time....well worth the time.

Thanks to Koda for putting me onto this!

Solar Panel Angle

We've been under rain, snow, and cloud cover for the last few days, which has prevented the solar panel installation on the roof in Logan. Today there was a couple hour break in the weather and it was game on! Pics will follow once the snow / rain stops again, making a return to the roof more safe and pleasant (I very much dislike heights).

Here's a useful link for determining the proper angle for your panels....

http://solarelectricityhandbook.com/solar-angle-calculator.html

The power center (charge controller, inverters, breakers, bus bars, etc) construction will take place over the next few days. This project has been a sweet learning process and I have a feeling it's only just beginning!

Montello today.  Thanks for the pic Augie!

FREEDOM....

....go down the Jeep trail, turn right next Thursday.

Wendover - Montello - Augie (and family)

We returned yesterday from a three day journey through Wendover and Montello. Day one included an overnight stay in Wendover at the Montego Bay Hotel and Casino. I've only stayed at the Montego Bay and Rainbow. I highly recommend either property for their hotel rooms as they are equally as nice. However, the Montego Bay has larger rooms with king size beds! I happen to enjoy playing Craps and have come to love the entertainment value in Wendover. When in Wendover, swing into the Montego Bay and get a "Players Club Card". I picked one up in June on my first visit to Wendover. Since then they have sent me many offers for free rooms, meals, drinks, and tournament entries. Between these offers and gambling comps I have enjoyed rooms on multiple nights and many meals free of charge....and the Craps is always wonderful. The offers are usually for Sunday and Monday nights (when their traffic is usually low), but not always! The Montego has an outdoor pool and three hot tubs, which we all enjoyed. The Rainbow has an indoor pool and hot tub. Pets aren't welcome inside at either, but kids are. The weather was favorable so the dog spent the night in the truck. Both properties have restaurants that offer $5 all you can eat spaghetti with garlic bread and a $5 breakfast (two eggs, hash browns, bacon (or sausage or ham) and toast. I have dreams of living the off grid Montello life style 28 days a month with 2 days of pampering in Wendover for free!

Day two began with the $5 breakfast at Montego Bay's Paradise Grill, a quick visit with Mike of Hollerback Ostrich Ranch at the Family Dollar where he is assistant manager, a grocery stop at Smith's, and then the pleasant hour drive to Montello. After checking the post office for mail we ran into Curt and "Pee Wee Jr.". Cute new puppy! From Bill's directions I was able to find his new winter house in town. Nice place Bill!!! Next we filled up on water at the park and headed to the property for an afternoon of relaxing work. This days work included installing a couple of vent holes and a bit of electrical wiring. We grilled hot dogs for a quick and easy dinner and streamed some easy evening listening via Pandora.


Turns out Augie came out later that night, so we awoke in the morning and headed up to see him and his family after breakfast. Augie, we enjoyed hanging out with you guys on your property. It was great getting to know you and your family better while enjoying the view from a little higher up overlooking the valley. We look forward to more good times spent together!



Sorry we didn't have time to see everyone this trip. Perhaps we should plan another BBQ or something of the like so we can all get together, meet, and hang out over good food?

While writing this post and listening to Pandora the song "Lucky Man" by Montgomery Gentry came on....feels pretty appropriate today.....have a listen.

Good Times! Until next time Montello....

P.S. one of my buddies and I are headed to Wendover for a couple days in mid November. Let me know if your interested in grabbing dinner and/or some Craps!

DANGER CAVE! - 40°44'56.65"N 114° 1'4.67"W

DANGER CAVE ENTRANCE

Last week my daughter heard us discussing Wendover and excitedly shared a few details surrounding Danger Cave one mile outside of Wendover. A quick phone call to the Montego Bay Hotel and Casino in Wendover yielded a free room for the evening, so we packed up our gear and headed west to see the sight. There are no road signs for the site from the direction we approached, so use the following GPS coordinates as a bread crumb trail beginning with EXIT #1 off I-80. This jeep trail gets a little hairy in one spot, so you may want to bring your higher clearance vehicle...using 4 low will make the ride less bumpy, but 4x4 is not necessary.

#1
40°44'18.02"N
114°02'35.06"W

#2
40°44'57.13"N
114°02'04.05"W

#3
40°44'58.79"N
114°01'32.25"W

#4
40°44'45.46"N
114°01'13.41"W

#5
40°44'56.65"N
114°01'4.67"W

The second link below gives directions to approach the site from the other side and it appears to be more car friendly, albeit less adventureous.

I personally wouldn't travel to far to see this cave, but if you're in Wendover any way it is definitely worth the diversion. With school being almost exclusively textbook oriented learning, it was certainly worth the time investment for us to take a field trip and physically grasp DANGER CAVE with our own eyes!

More DANGER CAVE info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_Cave

http://www.frankstehno.com/sagemesa/destinations/utah/dangercave/dcnotes.htm

The view looking out of DANGER CAVE!

Solar panel acquired...Charge Controller input needed...

This 230 watt panel made by Canadian Solar was added to the collection over the weekend....it is HUGE at 39" x 66". The other pics are of my energy storage system...two 6 volt golf cart batteries made by Energizer (great price at Sam's Club), battery charger, LED lighting, 80 and 200 watt inverters, digital multimeter...all from Harbor Freight. And, the 12 volt splitter is from Radio Shack.

I've been playing with the batteries, charger, lights and inverter for the past few weeks to get a feel for the setup. At night my home office is brightened using three of the yellow LED lights. It does not compare in brightness to a standard 60 watt incandescent bulb, but it is very good lighting when you consider how little energy they use. The cell phone is charged using the pictured car charger (plugged into the splitter with the blue light illuminated), and after the laptop gets occasional use its battery is topped off using the 80 watt inverter. I'm pleased with the 200 watt inverters performance, but it has a noisy fan that comes on as soon as you place a load on it. The 80 watt inverter has no fan and functions without noise pollution, a definite bonus (both inverters have a USB charging port as well). I was planning to log detailed data on the batteries capabilities, but after the first three nights of usage I quickly realized this small battery bank is everything I need for now. My office currently has the ability to keep running during prolonged power outages and this setup will make life in Montello civilized during multiple days of cloud cover, without running the backup generator.

Last April we spent four days and three nights in Montello. The entire trip was largely cloud covered due to a storm front...Solution: AIR X wind generator (http://www.windenergy.com/products/air_x.htm) Accompanying the storm front was persistent and high speed winds. I'm expecting this combination of solar and wind generation will be ideal for keeping our electrical needs supplied year round in Montello. (Thanks again to Guy for the AIR X sourcing!)

The AIR X is a sweet little unit because it comes complete with an on board charge controller. Simply add a pole for mounting and a battery and you're off-grid. On the other hand, the solar panel did not come complete with a charge controller and I am open to any input towards product selection before I place the order later this week. With the higher voltage solar panel I feel it necessary to utilize a charge controller with the MPPT technology to harvest every bit of energy produced. The question comes down to which one. I'm leaning towards the Outback FM60. This unit has the ability to handle 900 watts of solar panel input and is extremely oversized for my setup, but it will allow for future expansion if needed. The only downside is the cost...$508 plus $40 for shipping. I've looked into the Morning Star MPPT units and BlueSky as well. While I'm leaning towards the Outback model, I'd love to hear any input on the subject, especially if you have a less expensive MPPT unit that works well for you.

I'm very excited to get all the pieces connected in a portable system that will allow dual site usage at my home and Montello.

The dream is being fulfilled!!!

On the road to Montello....somewhere between Snowville and Montello on highway 30.

Test of text and photo upload via mobile....

New Blog

Hey guys,

I came across a new Montello blog today....

http://montellosurvival.blogspot.com/

Have a great weekend.

Big Berkey: new filter system modification....a try at video!

There isn't much elbow room in a shipping container or a teardrop trailer. But, who needs elbow room when you have the great outdoors as your living room? That said, when it comes to mobility, space becomes a commodity that rapidly vanishes. In looking at the 5 gallon bucket system I currently use for water filtration / storage, I believed the setup could be made with a significantly smaller footprint and more portable at the same time. The following videos illustrate what I came up with. Yes, the videos suck, but you'll get the idea.

I currently use the 3" one gallon model for batch production in my home. I completed the smaller 2.5" one liter model today and plan to use it as a travel / camping / Montello filter setup.

(Note to self: hold the camera the other way)

The Big Berkey carbon filter....


The two new systems side by side....








The 2.5" model self supporting on top of a one liter bottle....

Heimo's Arctic Refuge

I spent an hour today living my life. I spent an hour today sharing a friend's life over lunch. I spent an hour today sharing my families life at home. I spent an hour today with Heimo in his Arctic Refuge.

http://www.vbs.tv/newsroom/heimo-s-arctic-refuge-full-length--2

In 1980, Jimmy Carter established the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the Alaskan Interior, cutting off 19 million acres of prime boreal wilderness from the mitts of fur trappers, oil tycoons, and would-be lodge owners alike. Only six families of white settlers were grandfathered in and allowed to keep cabins in the refuge—of them, only one still stays there year-round living off the land. His name is Heimo Korth, and he is basically the Omega Man of America’s Final Frontier.

Raised in suburban Wisconsin, Heimo set off in his teens to the Alaskan Bush to pursue the Davy Crockett lifestyle in more or less the only place it was still possible. Amid numerous setbacks and misadventures, Heimo gradually learned how to master his terrain, provide for his Eskimo wife, and rear children in one of the most inhospitable environments in North America.

In this premiere edition of Far Out, we take a bush plane to the middle of nowhere, Alaska, to catch up with Heimo and his wife, Edna—now reaching their golden years. Over the course of our ten-day stay, the Korths show us everything you need to know about fur-trapping, caribou-hunting, caribou-eating, river-crossing, boredom-staving, bear-avoidance, and bear-defense to live happily over 100 miles from the nearest neighbors. Vegans, you have been warned. Heimo’s epic journey and adventures have been documented in the critically acclaimed book, THE FINAL FRONTIERSMAN, written by Heimo’s cousin, James Campbell.

http://www.vbs.tv/newsroom/heimo-s-arctic-refuge-full-length--2

Enjoy!

Cell Tower: DATA!!!!

The cell tower in Montello streams data!!!!! I was able to surf the net and check email yesterday on my Sprint phone from the property. I haven't been so excited by a surprise in a very, very long time. As I pulled into the valley and powered up the phone, I was ecstatic to see the signal strength light up to five bars. I sent a text message to my wife to confirm that it worked with Sprint, and it did. Shortly thereafter I heard the phone chirp to indicate I had a new email. I thought surely I was seeing things. I jumped on the net and confirmed it to be so....data in Montello!!!!

The four mile drive from there to the property included frequent verification that I still had data services. Admittedly, on my property the data service comes and goes, but it is mostly very reliable. Furthermore, I transacted a couple business deals all in the palm of my hand from the property, the Cowboy, the jeep, the highway.....technology truly is amazing!!!

I later found out that I was roaming. A quick call to Sprint to inquire about roaming data prices made me smile. They said as long as less than 50% of my data was roaming, then there is no extra charge. This works out for me because I'm not out there full time. My buddies Verizon phone was pulling data without roaming. I may switch over to Verizon, but for now I'm still so excited to be able to work in Montello (extended vacations) that I could care less who is providing the service.

Kristian, thanks for the great company! Cruising jeep trails (above Augie's place), shooting rifles and handguns in the mountains, lounging at the Cowboy with Bill and Curt and the usual crowd of comfortable faces, sitting out under the stars, and of course CRAPS in Wendover! Good trip brother, good trip. Bill, may the CRAPS bug bite you more softly than it did me....good luck with that!

See you all in Montello! (and Wendover)


P.S. the Montego Bay in Wendover is an excellent hotel and an ample casino. they gave us the best social and financial Craps experience to date!!!

Koda, thank you for the quote!

This quote from a fellow bloggers website made me laugh, and then not laugh.....good stuff! Thanks Koda!

"If you can't stand solitude, perhaps others find you boring as well"......Mark Twain

12 volt Vizio Flat Panel TV

I was in Sam's Club the other day for some reason other than looking at huge TV's, but their product placement right by the front door suckers me in every time. I found a nice selection of Vizio flat screens in the under $300 range. The TV's in this range were between 19" and 26". I flipped more than a few of them around to see how many watts they were going to gobble up from the off grid solar / wind setup. It turns out that these TV's run on almost nothing, with the average being around 60 watts per hour. But the fun doesn't stop there. The input voltage was 12 volt DC, not 110 AC!!! The power cord plugged into your standard 110 volt outlet, but it had an inline inverter to convert AC to DC and to the magical number of 12 volts, which my system will be engineered to run on. Thus, I will not experience energy loss by having to run the TV off of an inverter. I will have to cut the cord and rewire it or buy a new plug from Radio Shack, but that beats the crap out of paying many times more for an out of the box 12 volt TV that I can only buy online.

Now the question remains, do I really want a TV in Montello?

Almost forgot, the 19" TV was around $170!!!!

The Wild Wild West

Another reason to love Montello: reduced police presence.

Nobody loves to see flashing cherries in their rearview mirror. It is perhaps the most interrupting and disturbing thing that can happen to anyone at anytime without notice. Just seeing a policeman on the side of the road is enough for me. Whenever I see a policeman I inevitably feel like I should slow down or stop doing what I'm doing. Most of the time I'm not speeding and I'm rarely ever doing something to infract the law. So, where does this mindset come from?

I can trace the mindset all the way back to high school. I was 15 years old hanging out in my buddies car outside a movie theater waiting for the guys who went to the other show to get out. A policeman rolled up on us, started asking questions, and then searched the car. My buddy gave consent for the search, but to this day I have never forgotten how that felt. It wasn't my car and he didn't search anything of mine, but it still felt like a violation perpetrated upon me. In the weeks following, I educated myself about my rights and more specifically the power of saying "NO"!

I watched the video below yesterday and was again reminded of a few reasons as to why the founders left England/Europe and fought to the death for freedom.

http://revolutionarypolitics.com/?p=4198

I don't know where our country is headed, but it feels like the police state is increasing. I don't hate the police, but in the few encounters I've had with them I have seen and felt the interrogation tactics that are used in the video. If you don't have time for the video, the take home points are simply: be polite, keep your mouth shut, and if you must open your mouth...say NO!

I have heard the authorities come out to Montello on occasion, but I have yet to see them. I do find the police to be useful, but I certainly appreciate knowing they won't be there for me in Montello for at least an hour, if at all. Like most other aspects of life in Montello, you better be able and willing to take care of yourself! Enjoy the video. Enjoy the Wild Wild West. Enjoy Montello!

Cell Phone / Cricket

Does anyone know if Cricket (www.mycricket.com) cell phones work in Montello? They definitely run on the CDMA technology and have excellent pricing for unlimited calling ($30) and web access via laptop ($35). Any feedback is appreciated!

A few more pics....of heaven!

Still loving Montello. Great to see you again Bill. Let me know when you're heading that way again and thanks again for the Cinnamon roll. The Cowboy, on occasion, makes the largest cinnamon rolls I have ever eaten....and, they're damn good!

I met a guy out there this time with my name. There aren't too many Preston's around so I take special notice when one comes along. Hell of a guy that I look forward to getting to know better. And, his girlfriend Joan makes the best goolosh (sp?) I have ever tasted. Thanks guys for the good food and the great conversation, it was a pleasure!

Ah, Montello...where it's easy to be yourself!!!

some pics...

Above is the view looking south from the State line on 233. You can see the snow topped Pilot peak far off in the background....what a beautiful day!

You gotta love the redneck gas tank tethered to the grill guard. I grew up in a one stop light town in central Florida that may as well have been called Redneck'ville, so I don't worry about being stereotypical when I'm talking about my own!

I forgot to take pics of the shower pan and toilet exhaust fan that are new additions. I ran short on couplings so the shower will be functional after a trip to home depot and the exhaust fan will be operational in the next few trips after the electrical infrastructure is setup! Did I mention I'm still loving Montello?

Cell Tower Info Confirmed

Thanks Zach for the heads up! Cell towers run on one of two technologies....CDMA or GSM. The tower in Montello operates on CDMA. This is a hardware issue, so make sure you purchase a phone that operates on CDMA. Both Tracfone and Net10 offer phones that run on this technology. I spoke with someone earlier this week who mentioned he bought a $10 NET10 from from the dollar store in Wells. Again, make sure it's CDMA and you'll be good to go.

I'd love feedback from anyone who has used the Verizon internet service from the tower on their laptop or home computer!!!

Another Container Landing!

A few weeks ago my father finally caved and decided to put a roof over his head while in Montello. So, we rounded up another container and headed West! Once again, Paul did an excellent job with the container delivery from SLC and as always set my heart (OCD) at ease in making the deal happen. Curt proved yet again to be invaluable with his mad excavation skills. The hole was excavated and prepped for the container in record time. Paul placed the container in the hole within one inch of the desired location and Curt chained it up to the backhoe for final tweaking. One more retaining wall for me to build and I think the shell of this project will be in coast mode for a good long while.

This trip was a three day / two night excursion and we had a great time. Mid-way through the second day a hellacious storm front came through and brought with it extreme winds. On the bright side, we had completed all of our mission critical work, which made pulling up a chair in the container and watching the storm all the more enjoyable. The other bright note is that I am now convinced a wind generator will be a wise investment for power production.

As always, we enjoyed ourselves at the Cowboy and met a couple new people in the process. Here's a few pics of the project, myself, Curt, and my father Win. Thanks for the good times dad. There's nothing like three dust filled days to make you appreciate a long hot shower!!! Curt and Paul, your efforts are very much appreciated....THANK YOU!!!