Hey All!
Lots of new news on the BOB. I have been making several trips by car up to my new BOL in Northern Maine, about 90 minutes from my home. Awesome spot, 7.5 acres with 1600ft abutting 15,000 acres of timberland. Wooded, stream, hillside with several level areas, water well already on-site, a freaking crap-load of wildlife and very remote. I needed to have a pad put in for the bus to reside.
Well, it's in and I took the bus on it's maiden voyage and spent a long weekend. I had to get a few CRITICAL things done first, number ONE.... window screening on all windows. Very key here in the North-woods. The black flies will absolutely carry you away. With that done, we ventured off.
Here's a few cabin pics to catch you up. There is still a TON to go. I'd say I'm 50-60% done. Just for inquiring minds... I'm just under 12K at this point, including original purchase price with about 3K more to go. I'm running a bit higher than I wanted, but it's gonna be worth it. That figure also includes solar panels and all related hardware/wiring, water supply hardware (pumps/compression tanks/line/etc.) that is already paid for but not installed. I'm hoping for good weather this week to paint the roof with rubberized aluminum paint, then the panels (4) go in. As you can see, wood stove is not needed, giving us more room to relax. It's now stowed away in back.
Rear bunk area...
Desk area...
Master/Desk inverter. It's a small one to handle smaller loads like my computer and such. I have a 2600 watt inverter up front to handle the other loads. I also have another small inverter under the driver seat. Oh yea... one more small one in the engine compartment to help if I need light, tools or whatever in there. I also have a small 3500 watt generator on-board but NOT installed in it's final resting spot.
OK... now onto the pad I had excavated on the property. I had all the soil taken from a gravel laden area about 150 yards from this spot on my property. So all it cost me was 20 yards of gravel I gave to the operator to haul off and use on another job. I had already cleared a small area that had several old stone walls and foundations from the old homestead. I decided to use these in the creation of our outdoor sitting and party area. There is also an old access road that runs down the middle of the property, very helpful and solid enough to drive the bus down if I ever get the nerve.
From the gravel road looking into pad area. You can sort of see down the older road to the left.
From the rear... that's one of our pups. A female boxer. You can see down the old access road better here. There is a couple old apple trees just out of sight, berries everywhere and a ridiculous amount of moose and deer sign everywhere. Lots of turkey too. Havent seen any yet, but I hear them everywhere.
Other angles of the pad...
Kicking back in the common area... the other pup is my lab/English bulldog mix.
Our first meal on the property... kabobs.
And the final installment for now... so we're walking around the property and come across and old bridge and pond area that the stream fills into below a nice trout pool. Just as I'm talking to my girlfriend about foraging in Maine. I say "that this time of year, mother nature delivers almost anything you may need".
I glance down and wedged in the corner of a run-off area, under a couple feet of water is this 9/10ths full half gallon bottle of Jack D! I shit you not. We laughed so hard. We spent the rest of the day foraging for the elusive "ice" tree and "mixer" bush! I'm not a big drinker, but we'll take a haul off it every once and awhile and laugh again. I'm guessing it was a last seasons fisherman's loss from up stream... and our gain. Foraging in Maine... simply the best! Later all.
