Benjamin Scribner's Blog, page 19

If things get any crazier up here. Or, why I’m starting to think about Alaska.

Well it’s been an interesting week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

More snow has fallen, leaving me with close to two feet up here. I’ve been keeping trails packed as has Allen.

There is a bit of a mystery going on up here and I have no explanation for it.

Two nights ago, somebody plowed the road from the bottom to somewhere past my road. I am a mile and a half from the bottom and the road runs another almost two miles beyond me.

So someone took all night to plow almost four miles of road, and with a bobcat on tracks no less.

So far there’s no evidence of use by anyone but myself and Allen. There are no fresh tracks past my road.

Now I believe there are two families living above me, though I have seen no sign of one of the families, the other has a 5th wheel trailer and two pickups on their lot, and Allen has heard a genorator running from time to time.

There is also someone living below me near the spring a little more than halfway down.

None of these folks have proper equipment to get up and down this mountain this time of year. So this whole plowing thing has us baffled. In some places the road was plowed just wide enough for me to get my UTV through, no way a truck could get through that.

Other than that, things have fallen into the normal winter pattern up here, shovel off the shed roofs, haul in snow to melt in the rain barrel to use for showers and dishes, and bring in the days firewood. Maintain the machines and pack trails, vist Allen, or he comes by here.

I’ve been doing a bit of wiring on my 12 volt system, hoping to have it finished so I won’t have to run the genorator quite as often as I do now. Only firing it up to charge the batteries when there’s not enough sun or wind to do the job. I’m also working on the bathroom. I want it finished by spring. Then I can start on another room.

Got word yesterday that the guy we refer to as Teepee guy will be coming back up later this month once again.

Yes, he really does live in a Teepee when he’s here. I have no idea what goes on in some people’s heads.

So that will be three of four families that have no clue about survival in a hostile environment. Yes, my winter will be interesting if nothing else.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

A little fun this morning. Or how to use a moose as a snowmobile jump.

I decided to head over to Allen’s cabin early this morning. it was just after sunrise and I wasn’t thinking.

I got my old snowmobile fired up. I should mention here that something is wrong with the carborator or the fuel pump I  have to spray gas into the carborator, then try and start it. Once it starts, I have to spray gas in from time to time until it decides to run on it’s own.

Anyway, it’s cold, and I’m in a hurry to get the mile or so to Allen’s cabin, and not really paying much attention to anything bUT the trail right in front of me.

I came around a blind corner only to damn near run over a cow moose that had bedded down right in the middle of the road!

I wasn’t sure if she would get out of the way before I collided with her.

I must say, I have never seen a moose jump that high, or move that fast.

Once she got moving, I backed off the throttle until she figured out where she wanted to go. The whole time she was making up her mind, I had my hand on my .45, ready to pull it and fire above her head should she decide to come at me.

Luckily,  she wasn’t too keen on charging me and headed off the road. I gunned the motor and flew past her before she could change her mind.

The weeks news Allen and the twins.

Well it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

Bitter cold these last few days. I’ve had quite a time keeping the cabin warm.

The last storm that was forecast to hit us, left only about four inches after it was all over. The next storm is heading in later today and is supposed to last until sometime Saturday.

Allen was on his way here Tuesday when he was almost run over by the twins. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and looked to see both running beside him, keeping up with his snowmobile. He braked just as they turned to cross the road in front of him.

I myself have had a cow moose nearby yesterday looking for something to eat. This time of the year, forage is hard to find and they will eat bark or even twigs.

My snowmobile broke the drive belt yesterday evening as I was going down the mountain. I had to wait until this morning so I had some light to be able to change the belt. Up and running again, though I think the carborator is now leaking fuel. I have another one that I ned to take to town to get rebuilt and will be doing that next week.

I haven’t been into town lately and don’t know what the old loggers are up to these days. I should take time to stop by and visit soon.

Not much really going on these days, winter has everything up here at almost a standstill. But that’s life on the mountain. Winter is a time for old dogs and old men to sit by the fire and reminisce.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

Winter Wilderness Survival

Winter Wilderness Survival Video

This is my latest video on winter wilderness survival.  I will be making a couple more when I have more snow accumulation up here on the mountain.  I hope you find this informative and useful.  Bye for now.

The holiday season is upon us.

Well, it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

It’s the first of December, a time we all think of peace on earth and good will towards men.

Even though the calendar says fall, winter is in full swing up here. Twelve inches of snow and more on the way.

Down at Larry and Moe’s, Moe is now in full baking mode, pies, cookies and other holiday treats fill her kitchen, and trying to get through her kitchen is like trying to get through a maze. Her two dogs wait patiently by the kitchen door for anything that might fall on the floor.

Down at Always Grounded, Christmas lights and a tree fill every corner. Everywhere in town has their decorations up and most have Christmas music playing.

I haven’t been into My Kitchen lately as I have been busy, but I imagine the old loggers are in talking about the weather.

I had twin moose checking out my cabin the other day. I was shocked when I stepped out to find one of them right at the end of my driveway, and not seeming the least bit concerned when I walked up to around a hundred feet from her. It wasn’t until then that I realized her twin sister was down on my lower lot. They touched noses and walked off down the hill.

Allen is once again getting used to riding a snowmobile.  As a southern boy, this isn’t a skill he has had to ever learn until now, while anyone born in the northern climes practically grew up on one.

Well, that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

Water troubles

Winter, up here, is at that point where I can no longer use my water trailer. Yet there’s not enough snow to fill the water barrel in the bathroom. This means many trips into town to fill my 7 gal water jugs. The joys of off grid living.

Overnight snow and a vist from twin moose.

About six inches of snow fell early this morning. There’s fresh snowshoe hare tracks all around the cabin. Winter, it seems, is finally here.

I had a visit from twin moose the other day. Went out and started the generator, and then was about to step off the porch when I saw one of them standing at the end of my driveway.

She stood there looking towards the cabin and didn’t move when I walked towards her. I was about a hundred feet away when I realized that her twin sister was just down out of site in my lower lot. She came up and touched noses with her sister, then they both headed down through the woods. Quite a sight in the afternoon.

I talk to any moose that gets close, often walking up to them while I talk. Most will let me get close before running the other way.

 

Thanksgiving week

Well It’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

Tomorrow is thanksgiving. A time to reflect on everything we are thankful for.

As you go about your day, take a moment and be thankful for the men and women who came home from the last war.

Be thankful for your family and friends, those people who understand you and except you as you are.

Be thankful for the roof over your head, and the food on your table, many aren’t so lucky.

Take the time to be thankful for those that are working this day, the doctors, nurse. The police officer and the fire, rescue folks that are standing by in case of an emergency.

The thanks shouldn’t end with the meal, or the day. We should be thankful every day that we live where we do.

I have been to many countries, and though we have our troubles here at home. I would much rather live here than any country I have had the pleasure of visiting.

If you’re near a truck stop, and are so inclined, go by and ask a professional driver to dinner.

Those men and women stay away from home for weeks at a time, hauling the things that make our lives better, and most don’t get this time with their families while they make sure yours has everything you need.

This is the beginning of the season for good will towards men.

I believe this should last all year, no matter ones faith, color, creed, gender, or sexual orientation.

I will be enjoying the company of Larry and Moe tomorrow, along with Allen, though I will probably have to go by his cabin and drag him out.

Down in town at the local market, Steve was busy checking out those last minute folks rushing in looking for the ingredients for tomorrow’s meal. He always has a kind word or a joke for those he knows, and of course, I like giving him a hard time. But he gives as good as he gets, and is always good for a laugh.

I would like to wish everyone a safe,peaceful and happy thanksgiving tomorrow.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

Thoughts under the milky way.

I don’t know if I’ve talked about this in the past, but it bears repeating.

There is no light pollution up here at night. So on a clear night such as tonight, when I step outside, I can see every star in the sky. Including the milky way.

It’s these kind of nights when you realize just how small and insignificant the human race really is.

Compared to the vastness of space, how can we believe we are the greatest creation ever?

When our own milky way is just a small spec in an infinite universe, how can we think we are all powerful?

Standing out under the stars, one begins to know true peace.

One understands just how insufficient we really are, and just how short life really is.

Under the stars, one can forgive others as no one can elsewhere.

Life is fragile, the universe is great. Live, love and ,above all, laugh and don’t take yourself too seriously.

That’s my thoughts by the evening fire and under the milky way.

Bye for now.

Things.

With winter here, though it has rained yesterday and again last night, it’s time to finish up some of the things I unfortunately had to put off.

The other day I started my UTV, it ran fine. Until I tried to move it, then it would stall. Today I finally got it moving without trouble, even taking it over to Allen’s cabin for a visit.

Later this week I hope to have at least one of the snowmobiles up and running.

These are 70’s machines, old but reliable. One needs all new gas lines, which would have been replaced by now, except the shop that ordered me the new line, can’t find it. So I will have it soon and get it installed. The other machine needs a new seat. That will be something I tackle in the spring.

Keeping my fingers crossed that I don’t have any trouble this year with any of my machines.