Dec
2009 Starting the cleanup
The first order of business (even before
power was restored) was to clear the 3/4 mile dirt road (our driveway) of
fallen debris in order to get to the paved road. We were able to put the
tractor, with the fork lift attachment, to good use. For a lot of the large
fallen branches, we were able to pick them up and move them to the side - to be
chopped up and chipped at a later (and warmer) time.
Some of the larger trees still had to be chopped in to smaller chunks before they could be moved. Even with the tractor and chain saw, it took two days of work before we could drive the car out to the paved road!
Some of the larger trees still had to be chopped in to smaller chunks before they could be moved. Even with the tractor and chain saw, it took two days of work before we could drive the car out to the paved road!
Getting the tractor to the front of the house
required a bit of debris moving before we could even start on the road
out.
Then we moved the bigger pieces in the front
yard out of the way.
Once that was done, we could begin the work on
the main dirt road.
Some of the more limber grey pines required a
bit of disassembly before they could be moved out of the way.
Once they were 'detached', we were able to pick
the pieces up.....
And shove them off the side of the
road.
Closer to the paved road were a lot of live
oaks that had to be chunked and moved. We decided to tackle the 'really big'
grey pine that was resting on the hill later, since we could drive the car
under it.
That just left a few more big oaks that were
barring our path to the outside world.
Just a few more and we'll be free.
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Assessing the damage
Although the weather forecast for that
night was for snow down to 1,000', no one knew that this would be a once in 25
year event. At the farm (elevation 1,500'), we got an average of 8" of wet,
heavy snow --- more than anyone in the area could ever recall.
Unfortunately, the live oaks that cover half the property don't know how to deal with that much weight in the crown of the tree. The weight of the snow on the leaves eventually exceeded the structural limit of the trunk (or branch), and they hit the ground!
Although the storm knocked out the power and phones for 5 days, we had lived here long enough to be reasonably well prepared. Since we heat the house with wood anyway, we were toasty warm and the wood burning stove provided a place to cook. With the generator, we kept the water flowing (although only cold, since the water heater is electric) and the food in the refrigerator and freezers from spoiling. We also were able to navigate the house at night with the oil lamps we have about.
Unfortunately, the live oaks that cover half the property don't know how to deal with that much weight in the crown of the tree. The weight of the snow on the leaves eventually exceeded the structural limit of the trunk (or branch), and they hit the ground!
Although the storm knocked out the power and phones for 5 days, we had lived here long enough to be reasonably well prepared. Since we heat the house with wood anyway, we were toasty warm and the wood burning stove provided a place to cook. With the generator, we kept the water flowing (although only cold, since the water heater is electric) and the food in the refrigerator and freezers from spoiling. We also were able to navigate the house at night with the oil lamps we have about.
An old oak tree in the front yard split and hit
the ground.
Just missed the 'portable' tractor
shed.
Another near miss of the pole barn.
One of the many road blocks next to the
lake.
No easy way around this fallen oak.
Still more obstacles.
This one near the spillway.
More resting on the road.
Walking around this one.
Another huge old oak bites the dust, this one
in the spillway meadow.
Typical result of too much weight in the
crown.
One of the grey pines on the main
road.
This really blocked the main road.
In the front driveway.
Another large pine mostly missed the water
tank.