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Nobadays
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# Posted: 30 Apr 2023 21:17
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Just got tired of sitting in AZ waiting on my shoulder surgery date... May 17th... so loaded up a full Xterra load of "stuff" and food for a week or so and made the 9 hour drive. Left at 3:30am this morning... yawn!
Kicked on the breakers and the inverter fired right up and 3 months sitting never affected the LiFePo4 at all, 52.9 when we shut it off, 52.9 when I turned it back on. Nice! Temp Guage on the batteries were at 53* so kicked on the panels and dropped some juice in them.
Hauled 250 gallons of water for the cistern then turned on the pump. Went into the cabin to check faucets and no air or anything. I had pumped out all the rv antifreeze that was in the pump and lines to the cabin so I knew I was pumping water. Came back out and looked through the hatch to the valves and water was pouring out from a line we had fixed last year. Crap!
The PO must have had a split in that 1/2" pipe so he cut it and put a copper compression fitting to reconnect it. That was leaking last year. We cut it out and used Shark Bite fittings to splice in a section of PEX. Held great all last byers, not sure what happened but I'm guessing that section is a little low and held water and froze, pushing the fitting off. I'll craw under tomorrow and assess the damage and what is needed to repair. At least they are Shark Bite fittings that can be released andvre-used.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 30 Apr 2023 21:41
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Well, other than that, How Does It Feel To Be There?
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ICC
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# Posted: 30 Apr 2023 22:59 - Edited by: ICC
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We went to our cabin yesterday for the first time since early December. Our mtns had 4 to 5 times the historical average snowfall this past winter That made lots of runoff which coupled with last years wildfire carnage resulted in some very serious forest road damages. I've never seen erosion like this in this area in my lifetime. Still a little wet and muddy in places. I took the rock crawler FJ40 as I was forewarned. The 35's and f&r lockers were handy.
Everything at the cabin was fine but getting there is a challenge for now with anything but a well equipped 4x4, or a dozer or the Bearhawk after the meadow dries out. I need to talk with the FS as the biggest issues are on their roads
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Brettny
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# Posted: 1 May 2023 06:14
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Could you put a Tee in that section of line and run it to a galv valve that's easier to get to? Have you though about just blowing the system out?
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 1 May 2023 09:34 - Edited by: Nobadays
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Gcrank1... Yeah, really nice to be back up here! Sat on the porch yesterday evening after a really long day and enjoyed a beer! Weather is nice, even at 6pm yesterday it was still 60*... 32* this am.
ICC.... yep, just over the hill, kinda sorta... from you and yes the snow totals were incredible this winter. Lily Pond Snotel is just over the ridge on the other side of the canyon from us. It registered 200% of normal at the crest of snowpack, as of today still 34" of snow and 165% 9f normal! And yes, road washings here as well. A culvert plugged on the main FS road and washed a huge area. Fortunately/ unfortunately there was a big rock slide not too far from that wash so the county came in with a grader and cleared the rocks and kind of smoothed out the wash area. The mile long climb up to our cabin is mostly free of snow, two big drifts, one of which required 4x4 yesterday to get through. The upper middle section is it's usual river running down the road. Washes the fines away and ruts it up but passable. I'll take the tractor down sometime this week and try to get the water running off at the waterbar that is now filled in and deal with the drift.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 1 May 2023 09:49
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Quoting: Brettny Could you put a Tee in that section of line and run it to a galv valve that's easier to get to? Have you though about just blowing the system out?
I think I can just put it back together and maybe tie it up so it doesn't droop there and retain water.... yes good idea to blow out that line as well. It is a small 1/2" copper line that cuts halfway across the cabin to feed the washing machine. Who ever originally plumbed this cabin... I saw a receipt from a plumbing company.... did a great job sloping all the water lines to a central set of valves, hot and cold, that will drain the system dry. This pipe I'm having trouble with apparently was the exception, it is nearly flat and with the joint in the middle, it's retaining water.
To add insult to injury, when I went to the access hatch I found it open.... so cold air was getting under the cabin during the winter....my bad. That line is only about 5' back inside. The worst thing is all the water that will be on the ground cover... that and only about 2' clearance where it's at, and a jumble of drain lines in that area. It really sucks to work in that area under the cabin! I'll try to get the water drained today then put a dry tarp over the area before my friend comes up to help. Bad thing about having one arm.... I can't pull two pipes together...
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 1 May 2023 14:33
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Our place is 'dry', no well or septic.
My season prep 'plumbing' amounts to turning the rain barrel over (cleaned last fall), setting the filter top on and hooking up the overflow hose (other end flows to our mini-rain garden).
Rain barrel is our utility water.
Diy compost toilet, outside. Thunder-pot inside for bad weather.
Simple small french drain for grey water (1x day dump the collection bucket), a posthole filled with river rock topped with some straw as a primary filter and a 2.5gal bucket with holes in bottom (set 2/3rds into the ground) 'inlet' with a lid; just pour it in and done.
We bring potable.
We do not mind at all not having plumbing there but we are not full-timing it either.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 1 May 2023 15:30
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Quoting: gcrank1 We do not mind at all not having plumbing there but we are not full-timing it either.
Yeah we spend 8-9 months a year here, it is our permanent address - domicile. Our home in AZ is really our "cabin!"
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FishHog
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# Posted: 2 May 2023 08:35
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Glad your back and everything is mostly OK. I always figure there will be a few pop up projects when I get back. I guess it keeps me from getting bored.
I haven't gotten back up to mine but really getting the itch. Problem is the walleye run is hot and heavy at home right now and I'm having a hard time leaving home for a bit.
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 2 May 2023 09:05
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I got it fixed.... by myself! Found the trick to getting Sharbite fittings off, new to me but many of you probably knew it. I had just been putting the little horseshoe release tool behind the collar on the fitting and pulling like heck. Wouldn't budge. Looked up tricks to remove Sharkbite fittings on YouTube and though I watched 3-4 videos only one said how to get the teeth to release. Most of the videos were how to use various tools to depress the collar.
The trick is, push the fitting back toward the release tool, as you pull the tool against the collar... I wiggled it as I pushed. This takes the teeth back a bit and allows them to release. Piece of cake even for a one armed guy!
FishHog.... wife bought me an electric reel two years ago, hadn't been able to fish for 30 years. Been fishing local streams and a nearby lake when friends with boats invite... not much action from the bank, I've tried with only a little success. This lake has rainbows, cutthroat and a lot of kokanee. Anyway got a great deal on a 19' Spectrum deep-V last fall. Hoping to broaden my fishing to some other lakes here in Southern Colorado. Will be targeting Walleye, Pike and Catfish, the problem is I have never fished for these guys.... any tips on baits, lures, etc. I have none right now and don't want to go spend a lot of money on stuff that doesn't catch fish! My email is nobadays@yahoo.com if you'd rather not share in a public forum. Thanks!
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FishHog
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# Posted: 2 May 2023 09:26
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honestly if your just starting out and have a boat, keep it simple. Buy a few body baits, rapalas and the like and flat line troll.
Different times of the year will have fish at different depths of water, but typically early is near shore, later a bit deeper.
Some people hate trolling, but I love it. Just a nice slow boat ride with some fish thrown in. Watch the lure beside the boat to make sure it has good action adjust speed as necessary and troll away.
You can buy different depth running body baits, so a few different one and go fishing.
Walleye and pike will both hit those baits. Cant say I have any input for catfish, but usually its a stinky bait sitting on bottom while your anchored. Chicken livers are popular.
Good luck
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 2 May 2023 15:47
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Thanks for the help! I'll look at getting some of these lures. I've done some reading and Rapals and Bandits keep coming up.
We troll for Kokanee exclusively, they are not easy to catch from the shore... no opposition to trolling! The boat came with a really nice Lowrance fish finder and a 70 pound thrust trolling motor... bow mounted. I was able to pick up some pole holders at a yard sale. I'll mount them on the boat when we figure out where we will want them.
Thanks again!
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