In the fall of 2009, while browsing the sporting goods section at an Anchorage based Fred Meyer store, REPEL’s Lemon Eucalyptus insect repellent jumped out at me. Having used more than my fair share of DEET in the past, and aware of it’s ill effects, I have long been interested to find an alternative chemical [...]
Tags: bug spray, insect repellent, lemon eucalyptus, mosquito spray, repel
The cabin building tip of the day is…
Two ladders are better than one. Nothing wastes time quite like moving a twenty-foot extension ladder all over God’s your creation.
I haven’t taken the time to build stairs into the cabin for two reasons. First, I don’t have a door or windows, so why make it any easier [...]
In the late afternoon, after doing a bit of web design and then building for most the day, I went for a walk. It was sunny and warm as I made my way to a nearby pond in the middle of a meadow to get cleaned up. I was already without shirt, and I left [...]
Tags: alaska, brown beear, calf, cow, grizzly bear, moose
My first order of business, before moving up towards the roof and other VERY important aspects of any dwelling, was to reinforce the foundation. I must admit, bracing my underlying posts is something I should have done prior to working on my first floor, let alone the first floor walls, second floor walls, second floor, [...]
Tags: alaska, cabin, coleman, concrete, construction, foundation, grouse, lumber, sonotube, stove
For months I’ve been talking about spending the summer at the cabin so that I could push the building process along at a much faster rate. And here I am, updating my website from the comfort of my four walls with no roof. How am I updating my site you might ask. Well, a summer-long [...]
Tags: alaska, atv, brown bear, cabin, grizzly bear, lumber, sandhill crane, trail
What a great weekend at the cabin! The weather was warm and sunny, and the terrain was a bit dry, which made for easy travel. Also, being springtime, when I did come to tough areas I was able to easily spot alternate routes through the low vegetation. It’s amazing how different things look without all [...]
Dee and I planned to hike out to the property on May 1, 2010. It would allow for one last excursion together before she left for the summer, and serve to get moving on my upstairs walls. We weren’t sure what to expect, whether or not there would be much snow, whether or not we [...]
Tags: alaska, backpack, Building, cabin, hike, ice, snow, trapper creek, walls, winter, wood stove
On March 27-28 I was on a mission. First, the snow was melting fast under the growing daylight hours and warmth, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to return to the property until spring unless I hiked in. Second, I couldn’t stand the thought of that wall that had been pushed out by the [...]
Tags: alaska, Building, cabin, construction, ratchet, top plate, walls, winch, winter
Mar 21
The day after Scott and I hauled windows out, it was another beautifully sunny day. I still had George’s old snowmachine, and knew quite well that a trip out to the cabin would be a breeze. I was also interested to show Dee how fast we could get out there in the winter, and thought [...]
Tags: alaska, cabin, collapse, denali, mt. mckinley, roof, snow, winter
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The cabin building tip of the day is…
Two ladders are better than one. Nothing wastes time quite like moving a twenty-foot extension ladder all over God’s your creation.
I haven’t taken the time to build stairs into the cabin for two reasons. First, I don’t have a door or windows, so why make it any easier [...] more »
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