New addition to the property coming soon!

Those of you who follow our regular blog, 2 Taking a 5th, know that we are planning to spend some time in Ecuador the next few years. We have opted to keep the RV, at least for the first year (unless someone contacts us that is seriously interested in buying our toy hauler and Freightliner).

We wanted to better protect the rig so we have contracted with Walt's Buildings in Lafayette, TN to build an open pole barn. It will be wide enough to park the Freightliner and the RV side-by-side (with the slides pulled in).

This example photo is close to what we are getting, Stu will take pictures during construction. We will move the RV to our favorite Jamestown RV park, Maple Hill while they are building it.

The biggest difference is the front will be finished, similar to this photo.

Out time in Ecuador will be spent having a grand adventure AND saving enough money to pay cash for our cabin when we return.

Slowly rolling,
Stu & Donna

We Come and We Go

Now that Fire Lily Base Camp is all set up for us, we will come and go twice a year - spring and fall will be our seasons there until we decide to stop full-timing. All the utilities are in, including a landline so we could get DSL. That is the only utility that we have put on vacation mode, saves us quite a bit of money. The others have hefty fees so we just locked up the access points. I haven't updated our cost spreadsheet but hope to soon and will post the results for those interested.

I have uploaded a lot of photos to our SmugMug Albums, feel free to browse around. Here are a few I took as we left...compared to our setup photo.

We will be back on the property in November, staying till some time in December. We loved staying there and look forward to visiting again. 

Still rolling,
Stu and Donna

Water, Power, Phone lines in the ground!

Yup, all the major utility lines are in and, except for the phone, are operational. We won't connect the phone until we come back in November since there is a $25 disconnect/reconnect fee (each instance)...at least that is what we took away from the last conversation. We will verify that this week and if it turns out to be $25 total, I think we'll hook it up now. Why? Because we can get DSL and won't have to worry about an Internet connection.

Here are some photos of the utility line installations. The water was run behind the shed and the power/telephone in front.

We had another truck load of crush run gravel brought in and put on the back half of the drive. Once we have moved in, we'll get another load brought in for the front half. The one thing we would do differently next time, get the utilities run first!

 

The last photo shows how we have blocked off access to the property (thinking ATVs) until it grows back up.

We are moving to the property in the morning!!! Can you say excited? The only downside will be lack of cell and Internet service. But for five weeks, we can deal.


Still rolling,
Stu and Donna

Utility installation started

Stu headed out to the property around 10 am yesterday to meet with the excavator who is putting in our water and electric lines. The contractor had initially planned on taking the shortest route from the pole at the end of the driveway, back to the other side of our shed.

Well, that didn't happen thanks to a huge rock just under the surface, close to the pole. After discussions about going aerial, he and Stu determined that they would trench across the end of the driveway and then up the shed side.

Not a problem...until they hit the water line.


Two hours later, repairs done, they continued work.

The water line was done and the freeze-proof hydrant installed. The trench for the power is done. Tomorrow they plan to put in the conduit, electric line, post with 30/50 amp plugs and then get it all inspected. We're not clear on when the inspections get done, time-wise, so it looks like we'll book our last week here at Maple Hill RV Park.

Stu took a lot more photos but they're on the camera in the truck...and it's pouring. More later!

Still rolling,
Stu and Donna

Video of our shed install

Stu put together this almost 5 minute video of the shed installation. He added a little music to try to drown out the constant noise of the hydraulics on the trailer. LOL!

Still rolling,
Stu and Donna

MANLY prep for our shed

Stu has spent the last two days clearing a spot for our shed. If you remember, we were originally looking small, say 10x12. I think we ended up with 20x24? I'll post the actual dimensions with the final photo. Here are some shots of the property as he cleared it by hand with his chain saw and a little help from Scooby (our pickup) for the stumps.

This was at the end of the first day of clearing with the chain saw.



This was the day of the final clearing.






And here is the fully cleared lot, ready for concrete blocks and our new shed!


Stu is on the property as I type, taking delivery of the shed. He'll bring home new photos of the delivery and the shed. Watch for another post in the next day or two!


Still rolling,
Stu and Donna

Seven months?

Wow, guess I haven't had much to post here but that has changed. We are back in TN and actively working on the property. In fact, you can see how our rig looked when we first got here and Stu parked it temporarily while he unloaded some things.

We have found another contractor to install the underground lines for power and water, that starts next Tuesday. This Friday the same contractor will be delivering our shed which will provide us a good spot to park the bikes while we are on the property.

This is not our exact shed....ours will be natural, double doors, barn style roof but with no windows and a dark green metal roof. We'll take more photos once it's delivered.

If all goes as planned, we should move to the property late next week and will stay till the end of summer. The last thing to work on will be the septic. We already have the tank in, just need to check the drainage field and get the final approval.

Can you say EXCITED!!!


Still rolling,
Stu and Donna

Following a friend's footsteps...

Fellow RVing friends of ours have recently purchased a house and are putting in a full hookup RV pad. I thought some of our followers might be interested in seeing what they've done so far, so here are the pertinent blog links.

• Sewer
• Power
• Driveway, act 1
• Driveway, act 2

A lot of progress in a very short time! We plan to spend the summer on our property, arriving in TN in early June and staying at Maple Hill RV Campground initially. We have to get power and water dug in and hooked up.

Our current thought it to place a shed about halfway down the driveway. It will be used for our motorcycles as well as replacing the storage unit we are paying for. We will bring the power and water to there and run our hookups down to the shed from the other direction.

Time will tell how this works out. LOL!

Still rolling,
Stu and Donna

Update - Fall 2011

We've been back in TN for three weeks but have been "vacationing" elsewhere for two of those. We did stop one late afternoon to check out the property. Everything was in good shape. The main driveway had some leaves and pine needles but was in good shape.



The rough cut driveway to the eventual pole barn only had one layer of gravel and needless to say, the weeds were a popping! LOL!

We won't be doing any work on the property this fall but plan to be back sometime in June next year. We'll get the power and water put in so we can get on property. The septic will be next, even if we have to get a portable macerator. We plan to spend June, July and August on the property. If we can manage, we will get the shed built so we can use it for both storage (and close out our storage unit) and the bikes (while on property).

Our thoughts are to possibly target 2014-2015 for the pole barn build. My hope is that our cabin will follow a year after that. So hope you hang around for a bit....

Still rolling,
Stu and Donna

Soon to be back in Tennessee...

Just a short note, we plan to be back in Tennessee around the 19th of October and stay till around Thanksgiving time. Not sure if we will get any work done on the property this time around. We have two full weeks already booked in timeshares over in the Smokies. We also have a few doctor appointments to take care of and friends to visit. Then factor in the weather...LOL!

Regardless, we will post new photos of the property and any updates on what is going on there.

Still rolling,
Stu and Donna

Gate is fully hung....

We kind of left you hanging last time with the gate half hung. Today we went back out and Stu put the other post in the ground. No more post hole digger in the ground support post....LOL!

Here are a few photos I snapped, including some of the azaleas now popping out all over (still not rhododendron blossoms though).

We still aren't sure when our contractor is going to get us in his schedule but it looks like the shed build will wait till next fall. The main thing now is to get the water and power completely done so we can go directly to the property when we arrive. Then we'll work on the septic and shed.

Still rolling,
Stu and Donna

We now can live in our own GATED community....

Stu headed out early this morning to work on getting the gate we bought yesterday at Tractor Supply put in place. He had already utilized an old utility pole for the supports. All he needed to do was dig the holes and mount the gate.



Now keep in mind, he is doing this with a handheld post hole digger that we bought at a yard sale last fall.

Looking from the road into our property....


Looking from our property out to the road....


Note said post hole digger is the current post on one side. He still has one pole to go as well as adding guy wires for support...

Here is our latest financial status....

Stu will be gone for two+ days this week, we hope to have the electric/water work set up to start by the time he returns.

Still rolling,
Stu and Donna 

And so it begins.....

The day started off at Tractor Supply....

Rake...check. Shovel...check. Lopper/Pruner....check. Hand saw....check.



The final item was the gate for the driveway....16' should do it!



Time to unload it all...oops, Sadie has to get out to visit Keta first!



Time to work on leveling the spot for the 12x16 shed Stu plans to build...note the rocks flying in mid-air...



Pretty level now...stakes driven for front measurements....



Gate unloaded and chained to tree....



Logs cut to hold the gate....eventually....



Heading out....



Trash pile has been disturbed...why?



Ah, the water company has been here...



A good couple of hours work....more tomorrow! Still waiting for final electrical estimate but gave the contractor the go-ahead to start trenching for water and electric.

Still rolling,
Stu and Donna