Day 3 Was a Looonnnnggg Day But We Are Done With Paving

[smoke665]

Got out of the twisting and turning of the landings, and hit the drive proper. Amazing how quickly they can lay down asphalt when they don't have to stop. Unfortunately hit a snag mid-day when the trucks couldn't get asphalt because the plant shut down completely for lunch, then had to wait once they came back for them to mix more. By the time they got back the remainder in the spreader had cooled to much, and shut down the crew for another hour while they worked to clean it. Thankfully by days end, our 11 year savings were spent! Now comes the laborious landscaping, erosion control, and entrance. We feel like city folks now, but we still have our house in the woods.

They finished the relatively level upper drive, and turned the corner of the 12% slope. Driver loved this part.
Paving09072017_928.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

Felt sorry for the guys, as they tried to deal with the slope and slippery rocks.
Paving09072017_001.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

Last curve into the home stretch
Paving09072017_993.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

End of the line
Paving09072017_981.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

Our pathway to the top. First two curves of the switch back up to the top.
Paving09072017_972.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

 

[Gary A.]

Looking good! Congrats.

 

[smoke665]

Looking good! Congrats.

Don't guess Gary wants to move to Alabama and help me with the landscaping???

 

[zombiesniper]

help me with the landscaping

As long as you like the all natural look, I'm an excellent landscaper

 

[smoke665]

help me with the landscaping

As long as you like the all natural look, I'm an excellent landscaper

I like natural!

 

[terri]

Looks great! You must be tickled pink with the end result.

Landscaping is definitely the fun part. Have fun with it!

 

[smoke665]

Some of it is. Still have a lot grading and excavation to do, then another 80-100 tons of Riprap to control erosion before we really get to the fun part

 

[tirediron]

...Landscaping is definitely the fun part..

QUICK... someone get Terri her meds... she's hallucinating!!!

 

[Gary A.]

Looking good! Congrats.

Don't guess Gary wants to move to Alabama and help me with the landscaping???

Grapes! lol

 

[terri]

...Landscaping is definitely the fun part..

QUICK... someone get Terri her meds... she's hallucinating!!!

Who are you, nice boy? Did you bring chocolate?

 

[smoke665]

Grapes! lol

You know I have a couple areas that I've thought about starting a vineyard. The only problem is the soil. Don't think they would like the heavy clay soil. We have a couple of vineyards and a small winery 5 or 6 miles from us. They grow all Muscadines (must be the only thing that will grow on this soil). It's okay, but I'm not a big fan of Muscadines.

 

[Gary A.]

Grapes will grow in any soil, but a loam is best. If it has good drainage, then grapes will grow. I have highly expansive soil (clay) here, the grapes do very well. The Pinot, which is a very particular grape, has gone nuts, so has the Cabernet and Merlot. The Zins and the Chardonnay are doing okay.

There are a lot of Garden Tours out here. They're used mainly as fundraisers. Mary Lou and I attended many of them every year getting ideas for our yard.

 

[smoke665]

highly expansive soil (clay)

Let me rephrase the term heavy clay soil here - We refer to it as "Cherty clay", a mixture of heavy clay, chert, and misc assorted rocks. Every time it rains we seem to grow a fresh crop of rocks.

 

[Gary A.]

mmmmhhh maybe some French Drains in the vineyards ...