We Have a Ranch Again - New Ranch - Follow Along

[cehorn]

3-20

I'm not sure where to start this post/update. What an emotional weekend. The weekend started with my dad and son heading up to start work on Thursday morning. Thursday evening I started hearing about the fires and got in contact with them. They were fine at that time and I continued to monitor the fires. About 11 it started looking rough and I called my son. He was sitting on one of the mountains watching to the north for the glow and smoke. I told him they needed to get out with the wind shifting given there is really only one way in and one way out. He was agreeable but for some reason it took some convincing to get my dad to move. Finally they evacuated. Luckily I have a friend with a place outside Zephyr and they were able to go there and spend the night. Friday morning looked better so they headed back out to the ranch to start working. Around 11 our cattle guy called and said he was hauling *** out there to start getting his cows together as it was looking bad for us again. So, I called my dad and son again and told them they needed to evacuate again. They didn't this time as they were talking to neighbors, etc. and the fire shifted paths so we were safe. Around 1:00 on Friday I hit the road heading up there. We got lucky and my prayers go out to those that weren't as lucky.

The wind died down and shifted from the south again so we didn't have too much to worry about with the fires after about noon on Friday. So the work started. As I mentioned last week the electric was turned on Monday. We finally have electricity!!



What a difference having electric is vs generators!! With the electric hooked up that meant we also have water. So the first task was to run a water line from the well to the cabin. That was done pretty quick and we had a faucet for water.



Then the septic work started. We are installing 2 750 gallon tanks with one on each side of the building. The holes were already dug so we started putting the tanks in. We got both about 75% installed. We need a bigger tractor to get the lines in the ground thru the rock. That will happen in a couple of weeks.



And finally we installed our sign from the old place.

[cehorn]

My youngest son wanted to go hunting Saturday night. With a couple of things left to do I let him hunt alone. He has sat by himself a couple of times but was never successful. Saturday night pigs came in and he was able to connect on his first solo kill with nobody else in the blind with him. Congrats Dylan, I'm proud of you!!

[Sippy]

Glad you were spared Sir. You have a great looking place.

[cehorn]

Glad you were spared Sir. You have a great looking place.

Thanks. Yes, we were extremely lucky!! How did y'all come out? I know it got close but I think the last I saw you were ok.

[Sippy]

Thanks. Yes, we were extremely lucky!! How did y'all come out? I know it got close but I think the last I saw you were ok.

We are good. They were able to hold it 600 yds to the west of us.

[cehorn]

We are good. They were able to hold it 600 yds to the west of us.

Good deal. I feel guilty know how much others lost but it is good to hear from some that were spared.

[Sippy]

Good deal. I feel guilty know how much others lost but it is good to hear from some that were spared.

Same here. I was physically sick being out there.

[cehorn]

It has been a while since I have updated. Before I get into the details, I wanted to brag on my kids a little. They have been working their tails off helping the trades with all tasks from shoveling dirt for water lines and electrical conduit, etc. to helping run plumbing to helping wire bedrooms, etc. They have been up to the task and if pay is mentioned they all say they will get to stay in the cabin and hunt, no pay needed. They are truly learning the value of hard work and values. You can see them in a lot of the pictures and I can't thank them enough for their hard work and contributions.

We are still making progress on the cabin and having some fun. As before I'll post pics as separate replies.

As far as updates on the cabin the framing is done until we can install sheet rock/plywood. The plumbing is done until we can install sheet rock/plywood. The septic is done. The electrical conduit from the pole to the cabin and from the the pole to the well is in the ground and covered up. The wire still needs to be pulled for both. Wiring for bedrooms, etc. has been started. The AC guy also came out and installed a few things in the attic. I'm not an AC person and I didn't crawl up there to look but progress has been made there. So, looking forward we are waiting on the electricians to finish wiring before we can proceed any farther. So far it has all been 2 guys (with help from the kids) doing weekend work but in the next couple of weeks they will bring a 4 man crew up for 3-4 days and knock out some work. We are pretty much done with the work we can personally do except dirt work outside. Once the electricians finish wiring then the framer can come back and start hanging plywood/sheetrock and then start installing plumbing, AC and light fixtures. We still have a ways to go but we will get there. I'm hoping this summer but I think worst case is before hunting season we will be done.

As far as fun goes we have done a little hunting and fishing (I haven't actually had time to fish yet). The dogs have also done some playing, exploring and napping as well.

Fingers crossed we continue to make progress!!

[cehorn]

Cabin Pics

Here are framing and plumbing inside the cabin




Here are some of the electrical shots. Again, my boys are working their tails off!




And here you can see everything is covered up including water lines, septic systems and electrical conduit

[cehorn]

Fun Time

As I mentioned we have done a little hunting and fishing. I am still trying to wet my first line but the kids have caught a few. I have killed a couple of pigs and I called in my youngest son's first spring gobbler last weekend which was **** cool.

Gobbler Pic


Our electrician's son has been wearing them out on topwater.


And finally, I think the dogs have been having the most fun. Without having to work, they are reaping the benefits...lol



I didn't get a pic of my pig from last weekend but he did run about 20 yards up the hill. I took Tracker out to see how he would do. He didn't get on the blood trail like I hoped but he did wind the blood where the pig fell and went straight to it. I am increasing the difficulty of his tracks with deer parts at the end and he continues to find them so I am still very optimistic on his abilities to find deer!

[kmack]

I wanted to brag on my kids a little. They have been working their tails off helping the trades with all tasks from shoveling dirt for water lines and electrical conduit, etc. to helping run plumbing to helping wire bedrooms, etc. They have been up to the task and if pay is mentioned they all say they will get to stay in the cabin and hunt, no pay needed. They are truly learning the value of hard work and values.

That's awesome! Building up "sweat-equity" in the ranch is a lesson well taught. And it sounds like they have the best attitude towards it! You must be crazy proud of them!

[cehorn]

That's awesome! Building up "sweat-equity" in the ranch is a lesson well taught. And it sounds like they have the best attitude towards it! You must be crazy proud of them!

Man, words can't describe it. They have worked long, hard hours with no complaining. It hasn't been too hot but there have been several miserably cold weekends. It wasn't long ago that my youngest would complain about having to go even during hunting season because of xbox, etc. I told him he didn't have to go last weekend if he didn't want to as we didn't have a lot of work to do. He looked at me like I was crazy for even suggesting he didn't go. And he was rewarded with an awesome turkey hunt. My oldest is taking construction classes in high school so this has been a great experience for him to see what they have done on a real scale, schedule, etc. They grow up too fast but in this case it is awesome to see them mature, work and care about what they are doing.

[Firefyter]

Congrats, I was in May a couple of weeks ago. Took some hay and feed and fencing materials to the fire victims.

[DUKFVR]

Fabulous! Great looking place you have & making memories!!

[cehorn]

I haven't updated in a while as there hasn't been a whole lot that has visibly changed with the cabin. There has been progress though. All framing is done on the cabin. Electric on the inside is about 75% wired so we could sheet rock my sister's side and finish the walls in what we are calling the common area. My side has the remaining 25% and it will be a couple of weeks before the electrician makes it out again. I'm hopeful that he can finish the inside and be ready for walls next time he is out. But, progress is progress. The a/c guy has also made it out there a couple of times and he says as far as he is concerned he is ready for walls (sheet rock, plywood, etc.). We also bought all appliances, bathroom fixtures, fans, etc so we are ready on that front. I'm still hopeful we will be set up or at least "livable" by hunting season. I'll try to take a couple pics this weekend of the cabin.

As far as the rest of the ranch we continue to put out corn and protein. The tanks are starting to get low so last weekend we set up 2 water stations at the protein feeders just in case. We are heading out there again this weekend so I'll see if they have drank any. We also set up a bow stand we have been needing to get put out. Pics will be in the next post.

I put out a trail camera at each water station so I can start to see what the deer look like. I typically don't worry about trail cameras until middle of July but that has been down south (Uvalde). I'm curious to see if the deer are ahead of where they typically were in Uvalde due to being farther north (different rut, etc.). I will probably put out more trail cameras in mid July to really see what the deer are looking like at all feeders.