The view from the outhouse.
Easter Sunday April 4
Good morning and Happy Easter to everyone from Silty Slough. The boys wanted to take me out to potty at 8. I missed the white sunrise at 7:12. We have about an inch of fresh snow and it is still falling. 27 degrees now forecast to go to 37 later today then cool off for a week or so. Sunset is at 9:01, the days are getting longer fast.
I reviewed my last post to see what untruths I had written so I can keep my story straight. The last post ended with the adventure on March 19. I was going to start today with “Don’t pay the ransom, l have escaped” A band of gypsies or maybe President by cheating Biden supporters captured me down by Scary Tree and held me hostage. There is no cell service there so I couldn’t post “The view from the outhouse”. I had quite a yarn spun up.
Actually Kari and I have been running up and down the river hauling material for the cabin addition.
Saturday 20
We unloaded the sleds from the trip up the river yesterday and fueled the machines for a trip in tomorrow.
Sunday 21
Kari and I had a good run on the ice road. This time we took it on past the Deshka River 11 miles and made a right turn down the Su to come into the landing from the north. It is 5 miles longer but a little smoother. It was warm and sunny again so it made for a nice trip. Warm meaning in the high teens low twenties.
The boys stayed with Roger and Myra to play with there buddy Mister.
Monday 22
Tuesday 23
Our trip to the cabin today is to haul the rest of the bathroom fixtures. My responsibility is the shower door. In the past I’ve had bad luck with doors, so today the pressure is on. Trying to remember, I think Kari has a couple barrels of fuel and beer. We got intel from snow command that two snow cats were broken down on the ice road and had it blocked so we took the river trail. The first 16 miles is bumpy to Scary Tree then it is fairly smooth the rest of the way home. We stopped by to pick up the boys and continued on to Silty Slough. I was relieved when we stood the box with the shower door in it up and didn’t hear any broken glass. It was a successful trip.
Wednesday 24
I’m heading in solo today to get another load. I’m tired but the trail and weather is so good I can’t pass it up. I’ve made enough trips in flat light and snow storms. Roger and Myra are coming in tomorrow. Myra is going to stay a couple days to get supplies for breakup and Roger and I are going back.
Thursday 25
I’m up early so I made a trip to Palmer to the Sunrise Grill. I need some fuel for today’s trip.
Then I’m off to Houston, AK to get 105 gallons of heating oil at $2.39 a gallon to haul up the river today along with a couple bottles of propane, bathroom sinks, and an antique trunk that still has Railway Express Agency labels on it. I almost said old antique trunk just to aggravate you. I got everything loaded and tied down. Roger was finishing up with his 300 gal fuel load and soon we were on the road again. Reminds me of a song. The light is good, trail is fair, soon Roger is peeling off left at about mile 33 1/3 to make his fuel delivery. I continue on unsupervised and soon I’m passing mile 45. I think those are both records. 9 miles to go to the asylum. Sure glad I don’t have to go to mile 78. The boys were coming down the trail through the woods to meet me when I topped the hill by Al’s place. Kari and I got the sinks and trunk unloaded. I’m planning on dropping the fuel in the morning and heading back in with Roger. Kari is going to stay home and keep Roger and Myra’s dog Mister.
Friday 26
I woke up at 4:40 the electricity was off so my CPAP wasn’t C-papping. I got up and looked at the solar system control panel and it showed a fault. The generator did not auto start. I went outside to the generator shed in my underwear and slippers and tried a manual start. It started but the speed was low only putting out 45 cycles instead of 60. It shut down after 30 seconds or so. I guess I’ll have to change the fuel filter. Rounded up the tools and a pan and a filter from the Alaska division of the North Judson NAPA store. I Changed the filter getting diesel all over me. This is why I don’t wear clothes. Too hard to get the diesel smell out. Still the same speed low. Ok change the filter at the tank. Same drill diesel all over me again. Started for another try. Good, speed is up, putting out 60 cycles. I go in and clear the fault on the inverter/charger. It won’t hook up to the generator, AC volts too high. I get my meter out. 330 volts when it should be 240. I went back out to the generator house and could see and smell a bit of electrical smoke. Shut it down. Rig for backup Honda 2000 generator. It is only 120 volt so I have to tie the two legs together to power all the cabin. Inverter in bypass, charger off, flipped the breaker from the generator. Wella lights are back on at the asylum. I let Roger know I won’t be going but will bring the 2 drums of fuel to drop off at his neighbors. We got that done and he talked me into leaving Kari in charge of the Silty Slew Electric Co-op while we go to town. I’m only going to be gone for 2 nights. I went home to get my trail clothes on and get Kari checked out on the system. Keep fuel in the generator. If anything goes wrong call me. But if something goes wrong the cellphone booster won’t be powered, so run a cord from the second Honda generator and plug it in. Don’t call while I’m sleeping because I won’t hear it anyway. You’ve got this, I will see you Sunday. Before I left I got on Amazon and found a replacement voltage regulator $39 send me two. Only problem they won’t be here until April11. Roger and I made a fast trip in hitting 40 mph once in a while. I got on the phone to look for a voltage regulator locally. The 3rd place I called would have one at 4pm today $440……I’ll call you back. 4th place can get one for $339 but will have to check if it will fit. It may be a little bigger. He thinks he may have some used ones he will make me a deal on. Will call tomorrow after he looks in his shop.
No calls from Kari so all is well. There is about 8” of fresh snow in the driveway so I got the Kubota out and cleared it. I will clear the ramp tomorrow so we can get the hangar door open and load the boiler to go to the cabin. Time to get something to eat and have a nap.
Saturday 27
Saturday’s outing is into the big city with Roger. I dropped off my right hearing aid to get sent in for repair so now I’m on a single ear operation. Went to Cabelas and couldn’t find what we wanted so we swung by Duluth Trading. Roger found a pair of slippers he couldn’t live without. I found a shirt in the clearance section. It was a large, I need an XL so Roger bought it for himself. I found a pair of Alaska Outdoor Gear pants for less than half. When we got to the checkout. My shirt that Roger bought had been marked down a second time $16. Let me try that on again I can wear a large, for 16 bucks I can wear a medium or maybe even a small. So we left Duluth, Roger with my shirt. Made a low pass at Burrito Heaven on Boniface Parkway, then to Home Depot Wasilla for 12 sheets of Hardie Backer after a stop at Fred Meyer for a $400 gift card. I was 79 cents short with the gift card when I checked out at Home Depot so a nice lady behind me paid it and offered to help me load it in Rogers pickup. He was in the restroom changing into his new shirt I think. The generator repair guy called back and he didn’t have a used regulator. I asked why there was 10 times the difference in price between his and Amazon. He said that he had looked at those and they wouldn’t ship to Alaska. I didn’t tell him that I had two on order to ship to Skwentna. I went back on Amazon and found another one that would ship quicker and had it sent to Wolf Lake for delivery on Wednesday. Now I will have one replacement and two spares.
Sunday 28
We want to leave the landing at 1pm. I got up and moved the trailer and blew the snow off the ramp. Roger helped me load the boiler and tie it down. We stopped for breakfast and I stopped to top off my diesel transfer tank in the back of the pickup with heating oil. 32 gallons filled it. I figure I may as well keep everything full because it is only going to go up in price. Please don’t get me started.
We got all the sleds loaded and on our way. Roger and Myra broke away at mile 52 and I headed the last two miles home. I was really tired so I ate and was in bed at 7pm.
Monday 29
I went to the post office today with Roger to deliver fuel. Roger has to get the supply there now to last until he can deliver again in December when the river freezes back up. I groomed a little bit along the runway and the trails around the cabin. The snow is holding up good so we should be able to get a few more freight trips in. I rigged up a bigger tank on the Honda generator so we don’t have to fill it so often. We are making solar power now that the roof has shed so we can turn the generator off most of the day.
Tuesday 30
Today was a do nothing day. Made some phone calls to take care of business. Rested most of the day. Left a lot of messages. Not many people call back.
Wednesday 31
Today was another slow day. Kari and I loaded and fueled the sleds to go to town tomorrow. I am looking at the weather closely. We have 5500 pounds of spray foam insulation to haul out. It is very expensive and cannot freeze.
Roger is meeting us at the landing Friday at noon.
Thursday 1
We are up early and ready to head into town at 9. Dropped the boys off with Roger and Myra. It is early. In the snow covered river I can see black silhouettes of moose, snow machines, and tent camps. As I get closer they look like stumps that have floated down the river in the summer and lodged on sandbars. As I get even closer they look a lot more like stumps. The trail is good so we were at the landing well before noon. I got about 3 mIles down the road and had to return to get the tote of ratchet straps I left on my machine. We will need these tomorrow to strap the barrels to the trailer. Kari’s car was at the landing so she headed on home. I have one propane bottle to fill. The price has gone up 20 cents to $3 a gallon. I think it is time for a root beer float at A and W. Root beer is $9.99 a gallon. Glad I’m not trying to heat the cabin with that.
Friday 2
I woke up early stressing about the temperature. It is about zero at the cabin forecast to be 25 after noon. It is 6 degrees here and forecast to be 18 by 11am. I text Roger to delay an hour until 1pm. Kari and I went to South Anchorage to Uresco the place that sells the spray foam. It is 18 degrees now and sunny. Decision time. It can’t freeze, today is the only day Roger can haul. Once it is on the trailer I don’t have a good place to keep it warm. The 10 barrels weigh 550 pounds each so I can’t unload it and reload it later if something goes sideways like in the Suez Canal. I have a generator, tarps, and a bullet heater if we break down. Last resort is to take it to the hangar, pull the airplane out, and back the trailer load of foam in. I used to get paid a lot of money to make good decisions. Today is getting me down. I have about $13k riding on it. The guys at Uresco loaded the 10 barrels on the trailer 2 pallets of 4 drums and one of 2. Kari and I put moving blankets and tarps over the drums, then strapped them down. 2 straps around all the drums and several straps over the top. Barrels standing up are hard to strap. I see why we haul them on the sleds laying down. I cranked the straps as tight as I could. I planned to stop at the scale house about 10 miles away on the north side of Anchorage. We are out on the New Seward Highway, the temp is going up, we are cruising, only about an hour later than last planned. We had travelled 2 or 3 miles and a couple people went around waving at me. Wow Im getting famous like Marty Rainey. People are recognizing me from “The view from the outhouse”. Kari then says she can see a strap dragging in her mirror. I got off at the next exit and found a lot to stop in. The barrels scooted together and the straps got loose. The ratchet on the strap I was dragging is toast. I tightened everything up. They won’t move now. Under way again only lost about 15 minutes. Kari reported another loose strap so I exited at Arctic Valley Road and tightened things up again. Back on the Glen Highway cruising again. Crossing the Knik River a truck pulled up beside me and waved. I gave him the thumbs up and he went on. I don’t think he has been reading the view so I pulled over at the next wide spot. Check the straps, everything is tight. Maybe he had been reading the view. I just get going again and my phone rings. Hey this is Joel the spray foam guy. Just waved at you on the bridge. Looks like you have a good day for hauling foam. I have only talked to Joel on the phone and texted. What are the chances he would see the tarped barrels on my truck and figure out it was me? On through Wasilla and on to the landing without further delay. Roger is waiting with 3 snow machines and 4 sleds. Roger is pulling 2 sleds with 2 barrels each. Kari and I are each pulling a sled with 3 barrels on each one. We strapped the generator, propane, heater, and clean laundry wherever it would fit. The barrels are heavy for Roger and the old guy but we were able to lay them down and roll them off the trailer onto the sled. Last barrel is on and everything tied. Rogers starter decides to give up the ghost. Murphy is alive and well. Roger tried wrapping a rope around the primary clutch and pull starting it. Then we both tried to pull. Then we backed my machine up to the front of his and hooked the rope to it. I took off. Still no workey. If all else fails get a bigger rope. This time I took off and it started. Once again MacGyver kicks Murphy’s arse. Now Roger needs to get going so his machine doesn’t overheat. Kari and I need to get suited up so he takes off slow. We caught him at about mile 4. The temp is about 27 now and still rising. We made good time and were in Silty Slough before 7. Roger split his sleds and took them on to the cabin one at a time. Kari towed me with a short strap up the hill with each of our sleds. We rolled the barrels off the sleds and into the shop. It was a long day. I’m sure glad to have the barrels in the warm shop. It was great to have Roger and Kari on this adventure. We will worry about standing the barrels up and arranging them tomorrow. Right now Myra has dinner ready and we are ready to eat. Dinner was wonderful, after we finished eating we loaded up the boys and headed for the asylum.
Saturday 3
The cabin has been running on solar since Thursday when we left. The voltage regulator arrived in the mail at Wolf Lake Thursday. It was easy to change out and adjust the voltage and frequency. Kari went over and got Roger’s barrel stander upper tool. I think this had a lot to do with getting the barrels arranged so she could take a shower. It was about all I could do to stand them up with an extra push from her.
That’s enough excitement for one post. I’ll pick it up again starting with Easter Sunday in my next post.
Thank you all for reading and sending your encouraging comments. Stay safe and healthy my friends. I hope you had a happy Easter.
Thank you Lord for your many blessings!
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!!
The View from the Outhouse 