Chili Festival Time

Last weekend we went to the Pueblo Chili Festival again to stock up for the winter. Chili's at this festival are chili peppers that are being roasted, putting a wonderful smell in the air...and of course they can make you eyes start to water. The roasting is done by the various farms that grow the chili's. There are a pretty good assortment, we cam home with Peublo's, Atheims and Big Jim's. Each is different and can come in severals hotness ratings. The roasting removes the outer hide and can be done at home on the grill, but just roasted still warm is the way Marlys likes them.

Chilis are vry big in this area as represented by the purchase sizes, e.g. bushel and half-bushel.

24 hours after returning Marlys mentioned that she could still smell them in the truck.

Is this a great shop or what?

Since the first time I saw this shop earlier this year, it has always struck me as one of the greats.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25343016@N05/3766866053/sizes/l/in/set-72157611228190548/

It just seems to have so much character. Someday after numerous projects have gone through it, the shop at Pinon Rock will start to have this kind of feel.

Pat

Reverse Osmosis, But First....

First an update. We are over 50% done with the OSB lining of the shop and installation of the fluorescent lighting. We will get a little done this coming weekend, as Saturday we are off to the Pueblo Chili Roasting Festival and Sunday there is a ACPOA Board meeting.



On to reverse osmosis water treatment project.

We have had our water tested every 6 months over the last 18 months as part of the BRM CUP requirements. Our water has come back well within the acceptable range on all reading except for sodium (salt) where is has been at the high end of the range. This along with the number of plastic drinking water bottles that pile up awaiting recycling has resulted in us looking at RO systems.

As we thought about the RO system, we focused on supplying water to the refrigerator for drinking and ice making. Other uses like washing, showering, etc. would not need a lower sodium feed.

So off I went as always looking at systems, how they worked and what would be needed to put one in.



As my research started something jumped out of the numbers right away and that was there efficiency rating, or how much of the water pumped into the system actually made it past the RO membrane and how much went down the drain. Household systems tend to be in the 5-15% range. This means that on a 15% efficient system, for every 15 gallons of filtered water 85 gallons went down the drain.

To understand this here is a simple explanation of a household RO system. There is a small pressure tank from which the filtered water is dispensed to the faucet, etc. When the system detects a drop in pressure beyond a certain preset limit from this tank a pump kicks in on the water supply side pushing water against the reverse osmosis filter. Water is essentially not compressible so not all of the water pumped against the RO filter makes it trough to replenish the pressure tank reserve, so it has to go somewhere and that somewhere is usually down the drain.

Now if you have access to unlimited cheap/free water this would probably not be a big thing, but when on a well it is, because water is not free or unlimited.

So armed with this, the search was on for a system that did not send the 85%-95% down the drain, but back into the supply circuit.

As chance would have it, I received my weekly email notification from Costco (we aren't members) on their specials. Listed was a "zero-waste" RO system. As I looked at how this worked, it appeared fairly simple in that instead of plumbing the waste side of the RO system into the drain, it put it back into the warm water supply line of a sink. I noticed in looking at other manufacturers of ZX systems (household size systems), they also used this builders components.

This was what we were looking for, a RO that didn't waste the water. But I still needed to check this out, and after looking at forum after forum of comments the biggest "con" found, was that the RO filter may need to be replaced sooner, but in the trade off between that and pumping (not pouring) water down the drain it was a easy choice.

If the system was to be installed in a base cabinet near the refrigerator the installation would be pretty straightforward, but as with most things this was not to be. Although there is a great cabinet next to the refrigerator, it was deemed by the LOML that this was part of her territory and the border would not be breached for this "thing".

It took a little bit to re-group, but the answer lay in the room behind the wall, on which the refrigerator was located...the laundry room. Even though this was not with in the "kitchen" boundaries it was still with in a sensitive area and annexing space was not something done lightly.

The only untouched/unclaimed space in the laundry room is located above the washer and dryer. This was the spot, so now what to do with it. Needed would be:

• Electrical
• Water supply
• Water return
• Access to the refrigerator water inlet

Obviously, this called for a cabinet, one that would hide the waterworks.

So, another cabinet is going to be build and hung above the washer and dryer. It will have a flip-up faux front of doors to provide access. Water lines will be run from the utility sink beside the W/D and the water will be delivered through a hole through the wall behind the washer to the back of the refrigerator. The unit will be plugged into the duplex washer outlet.

I don't want to jinx this by saying it is an elegant answer to the problem until it is done, and the results are known. Beyond not buying bottled water or having plastic bags full of them in the garage waiting for Derek to haul back to Gunnison for re-cycling, the flawless integration of the cabinet into the laundry room will be the measure of success.

Marlys' Shop Stool

Some of you may remember the shop stool built a while ago from cut off scraps. It has been a handy addition to the shop.

Marlys decided she needed something to paint, after seeing some items at a neighbors and the stool was volunteered.

She has spent a couple of weekends on it and it is really too nice for the shop...

...but it is the shop step stool and that is where is will remain...if I have anything to say about it.

Summer is over. Fall is in the air

The hummingbird community is down to about half a dozen and the feeders lasted all week (vs. a day in August).

This weekend the faux flowers will be pulled to encourage the stragglers to head for Mexico.

The leaves on the Aspen's have started their turn and the showers no longer take the heat out of the day, but bring a chill to the hills.

Summer is over.

For this year.

Doings Last Weekend

Even though there is a full slate of projects, e.g. zero-waste reverse osmosis cabinet, bedroom furniture, etc. The securing of the lights and OSB for what was to be a two part project for winter and next summer has turned into the current work priority, mainly due to the pile of both sitting in the shop.

Labor Day weekend saw the first major push to begin this work and my thinking was that since I was going to cut the 4x8 sheets to 4x6 sheets the weight would drop (52#vs.35#) and I could manage holding them against the ceiling truss' and stringers then screwing them in place...by myself.

My first attempt at this was using the green step ladder (shown in one of the pictures). The ceiling is ten feet high so I was pretty close to the top, balancing the sheet on my head, trying to align it, then getting a screw to stay on the bit and screwing it in.

Believe it or not I actually got a few sheets up using this method, without falling off the ladder or destroying any sheets. But over the course of the four day weekend I only got done what is in the pic to the left.

My next method of work was to utilize the shelving/scaffolding Marlys used in sealing the deck this summer. In this method the sheet was put on the top of the shelving (see same picture as ladder, it is in the background). Then clamps were used to "hang" one end, while I aligned the other, dropped at least a few screws getting them on the driver, while holding the sheet with my head and screwing it to the ceiling. Although this worked better it was still comical and as with the ladder my production lagged.

At the rate I was going to get the 90 sheets installed would take something like 9 months of weekends in birthing the project. And this didn't even include the wiring and installation of the 14 fluorescent fixtures also taking up floorspace.

During this time I had been looking at drywall lifts, as they were the tool of choice for professionals in putting sheet rock on ceilings, even real big sheets (4x12). In researching this option; the day rental looked to be expensive based on the period of time it would be needed. Purchasing one would be in the range of $200, but I don't know where the quality-price point drop off would be, or build one (Fine Homebuilding has plans).

Not being a big borrower of tools (much to Marlys' chagrin), and not really knowing who to ask, a major threshold was crossed when I posted on the ACPOA Forum to see if anyone had one.

Afterward in talking with Herb (see 14er stories) about the dilemma, he called someone he knew and next thing you know a drywall lift was delivered (This is the way to borrow, I didn't even have to go get it.) and set up in the shop.

Saturday was scheduled to start with lending a hand to Herb installing a horse wash bay in his barn (it is a true barn). Then I would try the lift out in the afternoon. But as my luck would have it, Herb got the work done during the week and Saturday looked to be rainy, giving me a choice; get going with the lift or burn the slash pile behind the shop.

Since there are so few days like this the slash pile took precedence.

The pile was gone by 11am and the lift was waiting.

I decided to tackle a wall sheet first. In that regard my plans had taken a different direction based on my lack of production. The original plan was to cut all sheets to 6' lengths to match the bays size of the shop as I did not want to put in faux studs for nailers, when an end didn't land on a post. In looking at the issues of the 6' sheet, namely the number of cuts and sheets that would be needed. I reverted to the full 8' length and installed nailers where needed.

Using the lift to place the sheet whether on the ceiling or wall was too easy. It allowed for movement to align and saved my back. This was a good thing since I think I pulled some muscles in my side balancing a board on a ladder then having the whole thing turn to LS on me.

By the end of the day, yesterday I had just about completed one side of the shop and even installed a shelf.

The biggest chore is moving stuff around to get to a new area. Marlys also has a couple of projects going in the shop. One is still in progress and will need to finish up before a picture is posted, but the other turned out real nice.

This is the step stool built last spring from shop scraps and although the wood is all poplar the sap and heart colors did not match. Marlys grabbed her(actually Derek's) wood burner and really finished the piece.

This weekend we both hope to make some headway with these projects, as fall is definitely in the air and the number of hummingbirds at the feeders are dwindling.

Next time I hope to focus on the cabinetry for the RO water treatment.

Guess Who Showed Up Again

A Few More Observations from Saturday's Four 14er Day.

• There did not seem to be any unprepared hikers out on Saturday, which surprised me. Often (every time) when hiking a 14er I seem to run into people; starting way to late, ill prepared in that they have one bottle of water, and/or are in less then sturdy shoes and seem to be out for a walk to the local ice cream shop. I applaud them for getting out, but these mountains should not be taken lightly. Last weekend a 44 year old man from Wyoming died hiking up Quandry.
• The leaves are turning already. Last weekend we didn't see a hint of yellow in thew aspens. This weekend not only did we see yellow on the way up Kenosha Pass, but around Kite Lake the leaves are in full transition.
• Do remember the movie "Karate Kid"? There was a scene in the movie where Ralph Macciho is standing on a piling on beach doing a "Preying Mantis" pose ( http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4188380416/tt0087538 ). In this pose his arms were out to his side and while standing on one leg the other was drawn up in front. Keep this picture in your minds eye for a minute. While going up Mt. Democrat we were in a series of steps that were about knee high. Herb was in the lead, and as is my norm, I am focused on the ground ahead of me looking for my next step. Herb comes in to my cone of consciousness and as I look up, what do I see...Herb doing the "Praying Mantis" on the step ahead/above me. I of course was frozen thinking it was a possible touch with fame (Ralph Macchio?), when Herb regains his balance and moves a head. So close to greatness, yet so far.
• As we were finishing the hike coming off the "Trail of Misery" a number of people were behind us on the trail. We offerred to let them pass a couple of time, but they responded that the pace was nice and they were OK following. Herb was in the lead and as we arrived back at the Kite Lake parking area he turned around and we had a Minnesota moment as he did the hockey post game handshake with each person behind us in our conga line. The last guy's name was Scott and may have been from Nevada who was hiking by himself. Turns out that he and his 4 month pregnant wife had attempted it the day before, but since she was not feeling good half way up they decided to turn around...go figure.
• Most/many of the conversations during the hike were about food. Herb waxed, almost poetically, on the virtues of lamb burgers and me on the nuances (Yes there are!) of sloppy Joe's.

A Four 14er Day

I mentioned back in July that we may try a collection of 14ers on Labor Day Weekend...and we did.

The four mountains were Mt. Democrat, Mt Cameron, Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Bross. Some may question Mt. Cameron due to the 300' prominence rule, but hiking up from Mt. Democrat (the more then 300' side) I will count this on my list.

Marlys did not go on this hike because of the exposure mentioned on the route info and from some of the pictures that had been posted. This was a good choice because there was exposure beyond what she would appreciate on the way up to Cameron, Lincoln and the sucker punch would/was the walk/slid down from Bross to Kite Lake, which was pretty brutal. Plus we were snowed for a couple of hours.

Herb and I left PR at 5am arriving to a full lot at Kite Lake about 6:30. There was even a line at the restrooms (which I would come to envy later in the day). We were on the trail at 6:50am. The sun wasn't up in the valley yet, but it was light enough.

The upper sections of Bross had a dusting of snow and there was frost on rocks making for some slippery steps. The trail though was well identified...from the number of people a head of us.

We even ran in to a few coming down from Democrat, which they had climbed the night before, benefiting from a full moon.

The pace was good and I was using trekking poles for the first time, which of the course of the day I appreciated more and more. These will be coming along next time.

The temp was pretty cool and gloves were needed. In fact when we got back to the truck in early afternoon the temp was only 37 degrees and even though I took off my gloves for a while I had them back on by mid trip and for the remainder of the hike.

The way this works is that Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln and Bross are laid out like a "T" with Dem, Cam and Lin across the top ant Bross at the bottom. The trail takes you up to the right arm between Dem and Cam, at that point you turn left and go up Democrat. After summitting it is back the way you came across to Cam, then continue on to Lincoln then back around the face of Cameron to Bross, then heading down. The vertical hiked during the course of summitting all four is ~3700' over the course of just over 7 miles.

Democrat was the first and longest up hill stretch, which after close to 2 hours into the climb the sanity of going up the other three is questioned. But after summitting and passing a blind climber being lead up by the person leading her ringing a jingle bell and describing the trail, the though of just going all the way back down exits quickly.

We got to the Mt. Democrat summit 2 hours in (8:50).

If you remember from July, Herb made a sign that was the hit of the Mt. Sherman summit group as it was passed around. THIS time Herb made 4, which as his faithful gun bear I schlepted up and down all four mountain's. Herb's signs though were a hit and people who had used them on one peak asked for them on the next one. We got out of it a fairly consistent group of folks that knew how to use our cameras and snap our pics.

It started to cloud up as we were heading up Cameron and was pretty much over developed once the summit was reached, in fact it looked like only the Lincoln summit was still in sunshine. We could also get a pretty view of Mt. Quandry which we had gone up two years ago this weekend. We got to the top of Cameron at 10:30. So again I will classify this as a 14er in my book.

This is looking back at Democrat from Cameron.

The hike over to Lincoln looked short and was, it only took us 30 minutes to get from the Cameron to Lincoln summit. The short hike was not without some interesting views which of course the pictures cannot do justice to.

We topped Lincoln at 11am.

I also had the rumblings of a possible GI tract episode. Thinking it my be from dehydration I drank some water, but no by the time we got to the top at Lincoln I needed to find a Men's Rock, even before the pictures we snapped. It seemed like I hiked down the north side of the mountain a long way before getting out of site and I would have to go all the way back up once the session was finalized. But I knew that there would be a chapter 2 before this story was complete.

The pictures from Lincoln pretty much had snow in them in every direction except east. By the time we started for Bross it was with us.

The hike to Bross is a little over a mile across the face of Cameron to the bottom of the "T". Chapter 2 decided that about half way there in the middle of a vast scree field was where it would throw back the curtains...if only that had been some curtains some place. I tried to get in a low spot where the full white moon would not cause any disruptions to the hikers on the trail above, but even there I would not be invisible. I just hoped no would trip and take a fall if they looked the wrong way. Luckily this would be the last chapter.

Herb not wanting to be associated with this act no matter how natural (yes I can rationalize it), decide to keep going and told me to catch up. This didn't happen until starting up Bross. Although we tried to stay in the correct areas, since the summit of Bross is officially closed for trail restoration, somehow we ended up at the top anyway...along with about 20 other folks. We should have had a GPS, oh damn I just remembered my phone has one. Well next time.

Speaking of cell phone there is nothing that says outdoors more then the sound of some idiots ringtone half way up Democrat. Hopefully the phone was accidentally dropped while being answered breaking into many unusable pieces. Cell phone can be very help in emergencies or taking pics (the July hike) but put them on vibrate after all this is natures theater.

We started down right just after noon, think it would be a nice hike on the trail we could see meandering down the side of Bross to Kite Lake.

The sucker punch was that the next 1:20 was filled with a steep, on the edge, slippery descent. We could see the truck, but it never seemed to get any closer. We both planted our asses on the trail a number of times and what had been a strenuous but relaxing hike, turned into a death march.

We made it back to the lot at 1:20pm for a circuit time of 6:30 minutes. Pretty good.

We are going to wait until next spring for the next hike.