Saloon update -- floors

 I've been putting in the floor joists, bracing, and boards; I think they've come out pretty nicely!

Chicoma Mountain

There is a large triangular peak along the mountains we can see to the west from our house.  Chicoma Mountain is the highest peak along the edge of the Caldera and I wanted to go.

This should be easy, as there is nominally a trail to the top.  Trail reports indicated there was some significant windfall, so we weren't sure what to expect -- so we loaded the nominal trail into the GPS and headed up to scout.

Another fine day in the mountains!

Evidence of past elk in the region.

We did eventually hit the deadfall.  We fought our way through the maze of downed trees across the thicket of wild roses (wearing shorts, no less!) until the wind picked up and it seemed like a bad idea to be there under the creaking trees that were only sort of still standing.  So, alas, we turned back, still a few hundred feet short of the summit.

On the way down, we enjoyed seeing the mountain dandelions and butterflies.

I am not deterred -- we Must Go Back.  After I look at the satellite images of the area to pick a route, since the "trail" is now gone, and on a day without wind.

Saloon update -- siding progess

 The walls continue to go up. Every board needs several cuts -- length, an angle on the bottom for water to drip off of, maybe a slope on the top to match the angle of the roof... and the battens need to be ripped from the 1x10 boards. Much sawing is being done! The battens are a two-person job, it would be much harder to do it solo.

Need to install battens to close up the gaps, but it's starting to feel like there are walls!

Ready to rip some more battens...

Hamilton Mesa

The snow has melted out of the high country, so we took a hike out to Hamilton Mesa today.  It's gorgeous...and covered in irises and other flowers this time of year.

 

Buildup like this is a sign it is time to descend.  Still, it was lovely, and we have vowed to get up into the mountains more this year.

Saloon update -- more wood

 Our recent trip to Hansen's Lumber resulted in a nice pile in the yard.

The lumber was rather a lot longer than the trailer! And pretty much maxed out the springs, too.

Now we can start putting on the siding and floors!

Saloon update -- supplies!

 We visited Hansen's Lumber to pick up boards for siding and floors. Such a friendly and helpful family-run business, since 1926! The "warehouse" was built from large logs, it's hard to capture the scale in a photo.

We had to make two trips with our small trailer, one to get a load of 1x10 for the siding, and another to pick up the tongue-and-groove flooring. All milled locally, from New Mexico pine, on an old-school circular saw blade; just beautiful lumber. 

Gilman Tunnels ride

They finally reopened the dirt road going through the Gilman Tunnels up in the Jemez mountains after a large rock management safety project.  I've been waiting for this, as I've been wanting to ride it since I found it on a map, around the time it was closed.  I didn't get a picture of the very picturesque tunnels as I was enjoying the pleasant dirt road climb so much, but here is what the terrain in the canyon above looks like.  We rounded out the ride by climbing all the way up to where the dirt road ends on 126 and then around to 4 for a long descent to end the 40-ish mile loop.  It was a lovely day, despite maybe not quite being in shape for that long a ride...

Cats again

 So sweet...but actually plotting.

You can tell which is the smart one.

Saloon update -- gravel and patio floor

 Making continued progress despite spring wetness... got the patio floor done.