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DRP
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2026 01:53pm
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I had to renew a bunch of stuff this month. Got the DOT physical outta the way, renewed the 2 year class A Residential/Commercial contractor's license for the 17th time and brought several vehicles registrations up to speed. I was changing oil today on one, sort of cursing access to the filter, realizing it is that way on most of ours, because of a decision I made 40 years ago. Our driveway requires 4x4. Think about that as you develop a new place. Our buildings are also up and down the mountain. As I've payed attention over the years, the old timers would put the buildings along the same countour band as much as possible.
Random thoughts of the day.
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DRP
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2026 09:50pm
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Last winter was unusual, we had a serious icing followed by snow and more ice. We spent about a month walking up and down. Because of the slope, I think I repaired tire chains 7 times. I dug out a couple more sets for this winter the other day. I've been tempted to weld up a bulletproof set out of logging chain.
How far out do you want to be?
I'm pretty far out, apologies to John Denver 
After a few years of camping here, we forgot to go back down the mountain after one weekend, never missed it. It took some doing at first and we worked all over, literally all over. We were working out west for a gentleman who, when he described the location, said he was centrally located, "It's 4 hours to anywhere from here". While on that job I was talking to a client who was saying their site was remote. When we arrived there, it was an old family mink farm. I could look across the valley and see the clocktower on Cornell's campus. Everything is relative.
It has seemed that my work here is always 45 minutes away and I pass carpenters from that side of the county heading my way as I am heading into their neck of the woods. Such is life. I used to top off with $20 a couple of times a week, now it is several $50 stops a week. Although the forest service did a good job after Helene, they haven't gotten much for upkeep since, the FS roads are showing neglect. We are 30 minutes to 3 small towns and 2 hours from 3 cities. 2 of the small towns have rural hospitals, one is in trouble. Major medical is 2 hours away. Our vehicles are so old now, we shunpiked last week, closer to 2.5 hrs. Encountered a little road rage, but it is the rut, we just stopped and let him cross in front.
More random thoughts.
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gcrank1
Moderator
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# Posted: 25 Oct 2026 08:45am
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Well, we bought our place 40 years ago....a late 1800s one room small school with a wing addition 'living room' put on in the '50's for a total 940sf. To us it was 'the country' after 'the city', now it's built up and the state highway out front is...... The upside is it gets snow-plowed so we have access to the world (major med 45 min away S but small town hospital 10min N., Ive needed both). The snow berm does end up at the end of driveway though. We have good tires and never needed chains. At our age and heath we cant be too far from 'help'.
Cabin is only 45min N but more remote from emergency care and hospital, and the township has named many roads with the same name followed by 'road', 'avenue', 'court', etc.; Id hate to be an ambulance driver!
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philpom
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# Posted: 25 Oct 2026 02:24pm
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Good random thoughts, I think about the age thing often. We only vacation to the cabin at this point and live in a large town where I work. The plan is to move out to the land and live full time at retirement. Plans are evolving all the time but the overall premise remains the same.
The cabin is about 20 minutes from an emergency helipad, 15 minutes from pavement, 30 minutes from a small town, it has a lumber store, Ace hardware, and a Walmart neighborhood market. Basics covered, another 15 minutes from there and we're in a large city with all the pros and cons that come with one. Location is pretty good but if we had an urgent life threatening situation it's a little rough.
I retire in about 5 years, I'll spend that time getting the land setup for permanent residence and older age. Honestly I think I'll build another house that is single story and relegate the cabin to guests, man cave, special project, and the like. Maybe I'll change my mind but I'm guessing at 80 I won't feel like tackling the stairs 20 times a day.
Considering location relative to important services and the long-term plans for your place is great advice before you buy. Growth of the area also was mentioned, it can shock you what can happen near you ovre time. We are well isolated for how close we are to civilization but even around us the neighbors have changed over time from owners that describe themselves as outlaws to folks building modern homes. Our place is a sort of subdivision if you will, but with "yards" that are all 20 and 40 acres in size. Each having only a few good building spots so no threat of anyone subdiving and putting rows of houses in but it is slowly building out in the area, not hard to notice coming up the road a new place being carved out of the forest. At least for now they all have the same idea we do, a little homestead and escape.
Random rambling thought of the day
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paulz
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# Posted: 26 Oct 2026 11:17am
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good thoughts
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travellerw
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2026 08:16pm
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Also important to think about plowing when picking a property. Our property is only accessible by a grass road that is 1/2 mile long. Originally, the county did not plow it until I complained that its a registered range road and I pay taxes. If that argument had not worked, I would be snowed out for the winter, or required a snow mobile to access it.
Even then, last year was crazy. We got about 4ft of snow and I couldn't keep up with my little skidsteer for the 500 yards I have to plow.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2026 06:51am - Edited by: Brettny
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Our cabin is on a seasonal rd in lake effect snow area. We snowmobile in every winter. Its actualy quite enjoyable. I have walked in before too as its only about 1/4mi.
I should note too that this is exactly the acess we wanted. Seasonal rd means less traffic all year. Less prying eyes and less worry.
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DRP
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2026 07:48pm
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The first time we visited one site in the Black Hills was on skis, it was a couple of miles beyond the end of maintenance sign. That spring we sat on site for 30 days waiting for it to dry up enough to bring in concrete. We read the whole cave bear series and cleared out the groundhogs while waiting. Drop dead gorgeous views, we nearly bought beside them. He called the next winter. I had bought his plow truck so he could get a larger new one with a western V plow. He had thrown snow over 10' high and was hoping it would quit. That was an unusually hard winter there. They did end up moving out though, too much work in the winter for a full timer.
This will be a tough one for us. I go in Monday for a kidney and tumor removal. We are stocked up, getting all those renewals done is hope. I had not done a good job of putting the genny to bed after Helene and spent today cleaning out the carb and getting it going again. I'll chain up the farm truck tomorrow. I'll be of no help to her in the worst weather, one of the things that started me thinking along these lines recently. There are several houses with better access we can winter in if needed. Winter before last was open the whole time, a few skiffs was it. Last winter was tough, we seem to be moving more into the icing belt. At some point we will probably have to move closer in despite what I said in my younger years, hopefully that is a long ways off still. Although, gotta be strong enough to get it set up before the rocking chair years. Life sure gets tedious don't it .
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travellerw
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# Posted: 29 Oct 2026 07:40pm
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Quoting: DRP This will be a tough one for us. I go in Monday for a kidney and tumor removal.
Good luck fella. I hope it all goes smooth for you. Many in my family have had kidney removal and say its not that bad!
I go for an MRI next week to find out if I'm in the same boat. They have been monitoring "cysts" on my kidneys for years. Last MRI showed one had advanced beyond the "cyst" stage. If its stabilized, then I will continue to be monitored, if its advanced, then under the knife I go.
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DRP
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2026 03:17pm
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Well that's good to hear on the "not too bad". Good luck with the MRI. My last one the doc asked if I had been doing any metal cutting or grinding without safety glasses recently. I said "uhh, yeah". "You just earned an eye xray first". Something to keep in mind if you've been playing with steel. I've been welding up tire chains and trying to get everything ready for winter here. For some reason Willin has been playing in the jukebox in my head. We were running on fumes late one night trying to make Tonopah, talking to a truck somewhere ahead in the same boat, very happy when we saw the lights. She had waited to make sure we made it.
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Aklogcabin
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2026 03:46pm
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Access to our cabin takes a bit. Beautiful wife n me n grandson flew out for a couple weeks for hunting season. Charter a bush plane get dropped off on an unnamed lake. This year got a bit more complicated. The bears tore up the wheelers. I keep 6x6 polaris and a suzuki 4x4 stashed near the lake. They tore all the plastics off the front half ripped up wiring n ate the seat. I had flown out a couple weekends earlier and both machines were ready n waiting. Now neither would run. Had to hotwire the 6x6, again they have taken the key out of them,.
The cabin had a bit of damage. Evidently a brown bear tried to get into the cabin, stepped on the bear boards n got angry. Ripped one of the posts off the deck. It left his finger prints. 4 claw marks on corner foundation posts. 14" diameter utility pole. Claw marks were better than 2" apart. Over 8" wide and deep. It even rubbed on the cabin one night while we were sleeping leaving a bunch of bear hair behind. Came back again n stole a tackle box off the front deck. That's 4' high n 4' deep. I can't reach back that far. Big bear. The trail he would leave would be the undergrowth nocked down 2' wide n smashed to the ground. Never crossed paths though, smart bear.
The board of game has declared this area for emergency hunting regulations. 1 legal moose, 2 brown bear n 3 black bear n 10 wolves per year. They're kinda hard on the moose numbers.
Emergency situations. That would include getting the pilot to fly out. If he isn't busy flying out someone's moose n such and he can actually fly because of the weather. And whoever needed aid to the lake 2 miles away.
Winter much easier. Load up the snogos and drive north twards the base of Mt McKinley. Off load snogos n rip . At the cabin in no time. If there hasn't been any ice storms, wind storms, 4' of snow storms. Open water to jump across or fall into because it's covered in snow. Nothing too serious. Kinda sucks at times when the snow is chest deep, ice covered trees blocking the trail n such. Just takes a little extra sometimes.
Other than that. It's great. Actually it's just what we wanted. A beautiful log cabin in the middle of nowhere Alaska
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travellerw
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2026 04:14pm
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Quoting: DRP I said "uhh, yeah". "You just earned an eye xray first". Something to keep in mind if you've been playing with steel.
Par for the course. I get an MRI every 6-9 months (about 4 years of that) and the "orbit" xray always comes first.
Do you know if you are a candidate for "robotic" surgery, or is the traditional route. Robotic is a much faster recovery as they don't blow you up with CO2 as much. Traditional involves lots of CO2 in your cavities that causes strange pains for days after (everyone complains of shoulder pain).
Man, you and Alkocabin are hard core. I thought getting to my cabin was tough. Both of yours sound much more challenging.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2026 05:34pm
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Quoting: DRP This will be a tough one for us. I go in Monday for a kidney and tumor removal
Oh wow! Karen & I send you all our best wishes for a good outcome. One of my sisters had her right kidney removed td past spring. She's doing well now. I/we hope you do well too.
As for winter cabin access we've been able to drive in many of the past ten winters if we watch the snowfalls and thae cycles. 4x4 required but without chains. This winter may be a challenge with the El Nino forecasts indicating more precipitation than normal and also warmer
Will it be snow or mud? I hate mud a little more than I hate snow.
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DRP
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2026 05:53pm
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Ours is not bad unless its a bad winter, her flatland Dutch relatives aside . I was in my 20's when I followed a lost cow up the mountain and decided it was a great spot for a solar homesite. I'm happy we just have black bears. I remember, roughly, a quote from Meriwether Lewis "The men's curiosity regarding grizzly bears has been satisfied". I have no desire to ever meet a brown bear!
A friend had an MRI in the Navy and they didn't check his eyes (that was the 1st time they checked mine). It did pull a small chip out of an eye, luckily straight up thru the lid. He was lucky, it could be very bad.
They will do it robotically, he's hoping to save the adrenal if possible. With the lay of the baseball on top of the kidney a human hand wouldn't have a chance of keeping it. He will bang up the liver a bit, its shoving on it now. It does look benign so far, hopefully one and done.
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DRP
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# Posted: 4 Nov 2026 08:26am
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Thanks for the well wishes. We got home around dark last night. Beautiful fall colors along the way. The surgery went well, he saved the adrenal gland. I've been up and down the stairs no problem. From waist down and chest up I'm fine, the core feels like I've been run over by a bus but improving. I've been on just tylenol since a few hours after surgery hoping to avoid an opioid crisis and it handles it pretty well. You weren't kidding about the shoulder. When I rolled into bed at home it hit 11 for a minute but quickly passed.
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gcrank1
Moderator
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# Posted: 4 Nov 2026 09:41am
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Pls DO follow the doctor's orders and do the rehab like your future depends upon it ('cause it does  )
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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 5 Nov 2026 04:09pm
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Great to hear about your surgery and I'm glad your recovery seems to be going well. You will be back to your old self and at the cabin in no time!
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