Good morning! Got at it, again, yesterday! Worked on the PORT gunwales, early-on. I started at the bow, and worked my way to the stern, cleaning-up the top half of the gunwales. I took care of two knots... one little one, and the BIG one, that was hanging on, at the top.
The ROT seems more pervasive than I had hoped. Though the BOW showed promise, the farther back I go, the more questionable it becomes. I'm bringing in the STERN, on both sides, now. It ain't pretty. Well, YES, she is. But the ROT may be teaching me a very hard lesson. I'm NOT giving up on her, yet.
I continued to the STARBOARD, choppin' out a good portion of the top of the gunwales there, as well. Transitioning into the STERN, I smoothed her out. Problem is... I'm still looking for "good wood."
The humps that I took out, the other day, were a big step, but she has to come down a bit more. That's what I'll do today. I'm holding onto "hope," as I continue to look for her STERN, and continue the painful chopping.
I'm struggling a bit, here. I've got a wonderful canoe waiting in Montana, ready to take me on the Missouri... Knotty The Dugout Canoe. I really want to be out there! At the same time, I have a tree, RIGHT HERE, that called to me. Tesla is a tough one, and has already put me through some challenging times. I've been helping the people around me... yesterday put a serpentine belt on Jeff's van, with Randy. I'm giving everything I've GOT, any chance I get. I believe that's a lesson, here. I just hope I have a CANOE, when it's all over!
Last year, I learned a LOT, working on several trees! However, it took several FAILURES to do so. Though I try to let it flow away, I DO, in fact, get upset about this! Last year I lost TWO canoes that I put many weeks of hard choppin', into. One, to vandals... the other... to somebody else's "issues." Each one, however, led me to another beautiful tree. I proceeded on.
The pains I go through, while chopping, are not what upsets me, when I lose a tree. I'm more upset that I lost the TREE! I'm still seeing a canoe, here. If I'm wrong, and she's teaching me to pick my trees more carefully, I will learn this. She MAY just be teaching me how to deal with the rot. We'll see. If it's the former, she may just be leading me back, to another tree... Knotty. I'm "O.K." with that.
Canoe! Canoe!
Good morning! Well, the snow SHOULD melt away, today! Either way, I'm CHOPPIN'! Ususally, there isn't much of a Spring or Fall, out here. This is as close as you get to Springtime. We've had 70 and 80 degree days, rain, and snow. Nutty.
Anyway... looking forward to seeing Tess! I expect I'll get a bit done, today. I'll be looking at the top of the canoe, as I clean it up, before I dig DOWN and DIRTY! There's a possibility that it's, actually, the BOTTOM. By the end of the day, today, it should be clear, which end is up. I really want to get down INTO this canoe! I think Brian Duncan is putting in today, at Three Forks. I'm slackin'! Not used to putting a "time-frame" on my canoe projects! Better go get ready to CHOP!
Canoe! Canoe!
Good morning! Took the day off, yesterday, for Mother's Day, to spend time with Mom. It snowed, anyway! Well, it's still snowing, and very wet and cold. I won't be choppin' today, either. I really didn't want the day off. Oh well.
Canoe! Canoe!
Good morning! Made a little progress, today! It was a beautiful day, in Colorado. I got motivated, as I wanted to see Tesla's lines. My goal was to get rid of the BIG humps on the top of the canoe. I'm trying to make it easier to see her lines, so I stop looking at her with my head half-cocked! This is habit, now, from working on her bottom for so long.
As I dug in, I learned more about her. The biggest bulge, towards the stern, had already shown some rot. As I dug down, her beautiful grain was revealed! Burls appeared, then disappeared, as I kept hackin' at it. Slowly, a BIG, beautiful knot presented itself. This, once again, has me thinking. It seems to be the HEART of the canoe.
The only way I can KEEP this, if it IS, indeed, the heart, is to make the top... the bottom! Remember... as I worked on the other side, I left the door "open," to make IT the top. Now that I've evened-out the bottom(?), and exposed her heart, I'll have to make that decision... once and for all!
The answer will have to wait, until Monday. It's Mother's Day, and I will be spending it with my Mom. She's been very supportive of this project, in particular! I came to visit, over the Winter holidays, and wound-up staying... because Tesla found me! It's been wonderful, to be able to spend time with her, as I've been out in Cali for a couple of years, now. I'll be bouncing back out of here, soon, to paddle the Missouri,,, AFTER I finish Tess. In the meantime, I will enjoy the home-cooked meals! Love is here.
See ya, tomorrow! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
Canoe! Canoe!
Good morning! Got a ride to Canoe Camp, yesterday, so we could transport the saw back across town. After gathering up chips for my Mom, I forgot to give her the SAW! I just started CHOPPIN'! We're gonna try again, today...
Anyway, I continued finding the canoe's "lines," bringing out the bow and stern, and exposing the gunwales some more. To my surprise, the big section on top of the starboard gunwales, once exposed, showed good wood, underneath! THAT'S a load off, let me tell ya!
I was able to start knocking down the huge hump, on the top of the canoe. I really beat myself silly, yesterday! I'm happy to see her lines becoming more obvious, as I know the passers-by can see it now, too! After a little more progress, I'll be reaching out to the school, down the street. I want them to come chop, but I didn't have the time to set-up a "program" for the school to actually create this canoe. Maybe next time...
Canoe! Canoe!
Good morning! Kelly brought over some more electrical cord, yesterday, so I could give the chainsaw a whirl! After running about 200 feet of cord... I got cuttin'...
The first thing I noticed was a lack of power. It worked, but felt more like a big razor, than a chainsaw! The other, bigger problem, was the length of the bar. It's only about 18 inches, I'm guessing. I had to take smaller chunks out, in reality. I kept making cuts in the stern, and across the tops of the gunwales. I had much difficulty cutting all the way through, because of the short bar. It was very slow-going.
A new face showed-up in Canoe Camp, in the afternoon. I can't remember his name, but he's a very gifted singer/musician, according to him! He chimed in, right away, about the project. He questioned the length of the cord, as I had. The owner of the saw told me that he ran that much, regularly, and it would be fine. It was working... that's all I know. Well, this musician guy brought FEAR to Wheat Ridge Canoe Camp, and Miss Ellie succumbed to it. I had to put the chainsaw away! I had all these cuts... HALF-done... and couldn't FINISH them! This was more than a little disappointing. It pissed me OFF!
As they walked away, I let my anger flow through me... via the ADZE. I chopped hard, and I chopped long... through rain and hail (again), until I was just too wet, and cold. The rot is extensive, in the stern, and on the starboard side, where the lightning scar is. It's still unclear, whether there's good wood there, or not! I'm planning on cleaning up her top, today, if Tess lets me. By the end of the day, hopefully, I realize the size of my canoe!
Canoe! Canoe!
Good morning! Yesterday was interesting, but not as productive as I would have liked. A friend, Kelly, came through with a chainsaw... an ELECTRIC one! Although it MIGHT work on Tesla, I can't reach a power outlet, where we are! I'm holding out hope for a generator to come, today...
If not, someone else will, likely, come through for me. Renting one is a last resort, that I'm considering. Until then, I'm still going... with my sweet adze!
I continued defining her lines, particularly on the port side. I'm attempting to rid myself of the illusion that she's STILL leaning! I looked at her, tilted, for a month! Once I even-out the gunwales, it will be easier.
Rain and hail, yesterday, with more rain overnight. More coming, throughout the day, but I'm still figuring on getting out there. It would also be a good day to transplant the three trees I brought to Canoe Camp...
Canoe! Canoe!
