Our House In Colorado

Gus Dering

You are welcome.
I am glad you have those memories of your own. I have a lot of respect for someone that takes on a project like your dad's.

You are right, very close relative. Lets call it the big brother.

The ones that I used had no outriggers. I can't tell from the photo how it gains or loses 15' of reach.
I always thought they could just bend in the middle to change the reach but there was some reason it had to stay straight. May have to do with belt tension, not sure. Many cocktails ago.

Thanks for posting that picture. I have been all over the country and am amazed at the different redimix trucks. One of my favorites to work with is the front off loaders. The driver can see real well and control the chute right and left, up and down. So much control over the rear end trucks. No one lost to man the chute, although that was always my favorite position.

PA woodbutcher

A good driver with a front ender can save a whole lot of work....especially pouring footers....dumping, running in reverse and keeping the chute over the forms, all at the same time.

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'The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.' - Ronald Reagan

JamesKB2

Gus, that's one great site and project.

I'm too old now, but as a younger man, that was EXACTLY my dream. A far away cabin style in a stand of pines on the mountain.

So glad to see somebody lived it for a time .

Redi mix, I have only, ever, seen front dumps. It's all we have here. I agree, a good driver is like another man or two on the pour. The company I favor using here the driver gets out of the truck and helps pull mud once in awhile...

Never seen a conveyor though, pump trucks only.

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I will build you whatever you want, just draw it on the back of a big enough check.

Gus Dering

I do feel fortunate that I was able to live that life. It was great in many ways.

But there is a flip side to every coin and this was no different. Life is hard on a mountain top. Don't kid yourself into thinking it is a simple way of life.

The money you send off to the power company every month is a bargain. Tending to and paying for a solar array, generator and battery bank is complicated and expensive. When your power goes out, you are the power company so figure it out and get to work.

I had the privilege of digging the worlds deepest post hole in search of water. 320' we hit a "damp spot". 1 gallon an HOUR. I had to haul water from town 300 gallons at a time and dump it in an underground cistern. Needed a minimum of 600 gals a week for 5 of us including laundry. That is water conservation gentlemen.

And god bless my wife for all the effort into making this work. She literally went from shopping at Macys and Nordstrom to K-Mart as that was the only dept store in Durango at the time and that was a solid 45 min drive from the hill. There is something to be said for living in an abundant area where there is everything you may want or need within a short drive.

She missed the diversity that the SF bay area has to offer. Not to mention a life long list of friends and family. The lack of variety in people and culture was one of many things we didn't realize we value until it was gone.

And in my case it really went south when the ex wife moved in down the hill and was hell bent on making my life a living hell. The perverbial straw.

I just felt I should come clean with the a little piece of the big picture.

But I would still be there if I was willing too be single.

Fyrzowt

Gus,
Thanks for sharing this string of posts and photos. I just stumbled across them.
I really like the Durango area, but wouldn't want to have to work out in the cold. Maybe after retirement...

nEighter

that foundation.. is that ICF?

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Olathe house Painting and Remodeling Overland Park Interior House Painting Leawood Exterior House Painting Shawnee Wood Rot Repair Lenexa Drywall Repair

galla35

like this?

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Willie T

This is how they fold for travel on the Hiway.

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"True eloquence consists in saying all that is necessary, and only that which is."
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Bill Everett - St. Petersburg, FL

tuffplay

Vey nice, you have done a good job!

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PaulAndSon