Category Archives: Cabin

Tahquamenon Upper Falls Boardwalk

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Yesterday, I escaped the cabin and fled to Tahquamenon. Not this time to look at the falls, but to see the new boardwalk that had been installed at the upper falls. This ADA compliant walkway now makes the upper falls wheelchair accessible. Measuring 1100′ in length and 22′ in height, it snakes its way down the hillside from the overlook above, down to the viewing platform adjacent to the falls. This boardwalk replaces the old staircase that has been removed. I find it amazing that all of this construction work was completed last winter. Especially since nearby Seney has yet to finish their new visitor’s center and it has been four years and counting.

Descending its ramp, I kept wondering if anyone has used it for skateboarding yet? Some of its corners are tight, but any skater worth their salt should be able to shred the course. I found a ranger asked him about this subject. Initially he said that they do not allow skateboards but eventually admitted that there are no regulation prohibiting anyone from doing this, unless their board is motorized, which would greatly help with the return trip.

Big Dipper

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Sunset Stars

Last night, there was a chance that the aurora would be out, but that did not pan out. Also, there was a lunar eclipse, last night, but I couldn’t stay up late enough to view it. So, all I got was this picture of the Big Dipper. Which is sort of interesting, since today I find myself having played the role of the big spoon, either last night or maybe today.

Last night, Bill and I infuriated both Anne and Jay by discussing future plans for repairing the outhouse. It has been forty years since the cabin got indoor plumbing and in all of those years, the outhouse has been allowed to deteriorate. Bill and I were making Nice-And-Gentle suggestions that admittedly grew more and more outlandish, to eventually include renting a Kubota digger from Parker Hardware, but I was only joking, but not everyone found it funny.

Cabin Projects

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Prospective Contractors

Today, was a day of construction projects. Three to be specific. First up, as follow-up to yesterday’s spelunking adventure two contractors appeared, Dillion and Joe. Like the day before, they crawled beneath the cabin and then they climbed the roof. All to fix water damage in the kitchen. Pro bono they even attempted to fix the roof leak around the stove. I like them. I think that they are hungry. The other three contractors that we called have not responded positively.

Our second biggest project was prep for tomorrow’s visit by Bob the Bug Guy. Under Jay’s tutelage, he will be spraying our cabin for the second time this summer for powder-post beetles. His first spraying did a yeoman’s job but did not completely eradicate these pests. Jay led a massive effort to prep for this next spraying, which will hopefully payoff in the end.

The third project that was worked today, was my pet project. Earlier this summer Declan ably pointed out the disrepair of the sleeping porch’s stairs. I’ve worked this project for several days. Today, with Bill’s help, I was able to finish the job. It turned out great!

Climbing and Crawling

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Coal Miner’s Daughters

I’ll build a stairway to Heaven
With a new step every day!
I’m going to get there at any price
Stand aside, I’m on my way!

The girls are seen here preparing to go beneath the cabin. Doing some spelunking! They were crawling beneath the cabin seeking knowledge as to the extent of the kitchen porch’s water damage. Long story short its bad, black mold bad. Jay has begun the process of calling contractors. The rest of their day was spent preparing for Friday’s visit from Bob the bug guy. You should see what we have done with the place, and we are not done yet.

After a visit to town for groceries and a haircut, I worked on the sleeping porch steps. I have successfully replaced three steps and only have two more to do. Maybe by tomorrow. Mr. Bill aided me greatly today by imparting some knowledge that he had originally garnered from a comic book. His idea was to put soap on the nails that I was pounding. It worked like a champ!