This weekend was the official kickoff of the serious wood cutting season. Ya I have already cut a few weekends this year but this time I hooked up the 16 foot trailer and dusted off the log splitter too.
The first target is a bunch of Oak trunks that were piled behind a co-workers house. They live about 60 miles South of us and generally speaking I wouldn't go that far for firewood but they begged me. I was told they couldn't find anyone to remove them which I can understand why after I saw where they were at.
These trunks were up a steep hill and not easy to get to as the owner has been adding in raised beds, horse shoe pits and trellis all over the yard. Still cured Oak already felled for free isn't a bad deal and it only took about 15 bucks in gas to get there and back.
The real problem was getting the truck and trailer back down that hill while negotiating all the stuff. I backed the trailer up the hill which is an experience in and of itself but coming down with somewhere between a ton and a half and two tons of firewood was exciting. It got really exciting when the brake line popped on my truck too.
Luckily I was in 4WD low so I managed to negotiate all the stuff and had some brakes left to stop at the bottom before shooting out into the road.
So now the truck is in the shop once again.
I think I can finish that job up with one more trip but it has now ended up costing me a lot more than 15 bucks.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!!
Well, you would have had to fix the brakes anyway. Just as well they went there than on the downgrade on the way home. I wish someone would gift me a pile of oak already cut up & seasoned. I haven't started cutting firewood & it's getting down to the wire.
ReplyDeleteMV - Well I don't think I have seen a paved road with that steep a grade since going to Phoenix from Flagstaff. Certainly nothing that steep in my part of Missouri. We have a lot of steep hills but when they build roads they knock em down. I guess the limestone makes it more affordable.
DeleteYa I needed to get them fixed. It looked like one of the metal hoses that exploded though. It might have been rusting out anyway.
You must have been standing on those brakes! Now you know why I use wheelbarrows.
ReplyDeleteThat oak will be good wood when January rolls around. Just another adventure is about all you can say.
SF - LOL I was standing, pumping em and screaming like a girl. If I hadn't been in 4WD low and in first gear I would have been in real trouble.
DeleteIt is good wood. I got to split it all now though but not having to drop the trunks myself is always a bonus I can't refuse.
how about 'next time' the wood is brought down in stages, unloaded, and reloaded when all of it is down?
ReplyDeletetoo much trouble ?
DH - well it would have been a long haul but possible. I did think about losing the trailer on the flat ground and just going up and down with the truck. My cutting buddy, also known as my Dad, convinced me that was too much work. Not the first time he has almost gotten me killed :)
Deleteevery week end hubby is logging a the moment, we have our winter wood sorted but now he is trying to get ahead for next year ideally we would like a two year supply of logs.
ReplyDeleteGood breaks are essential here we have lots of steep mountain roads :-)
Dawn - I had what I thought was about a 2 year supply. Then we got that Winter of 2012-13 and I burned everything I could find it was so cold. I am starting to get a good reserve built up once again now but my long term estimates have changed needless to say.
DeletePP,
ReplyDeleteEven though the wood is free, in the long run it cost you gas and maintenance on the truck. Sometimes it's not worth being free however, doing this identified you had a problem with the truck.
Sandy - Ya. It took about $300.00 to fix it but I also got the small exhaust leak fixed too. Now I just need to get the cracked leaf spring fixed that I broke :(
Delete