Based on the time of this post (9:20 am), I'm obviously not on the river, as predicted in the previous post. Unfortunately projects have taken presidence over fishing. I've finally got the opportunity (after 7 years) to get my shop wired. I've been running off an extension cord and a plug strip since the shop was built.
Technically the shop is wired, but the part from the breaker box on the house to the shop is where in the problem lies. I can do electric (plumbing is the bane of my existance), but not of this caliber.
This past Sunday, Ken stopped over (did I mention he's the Northern California Maintenance Manager for In-N-Out Burger? He knows this kind of stuff.) and we worked up a plan to get the shop wired this coming Sunday. To do so, requires a trench from the house to the shop to bury the conduit. Yesterday, I spent most of the morning chasing pieces-parts and started the trench.
The trench is not very long, maybe 20 feet, but the first 6 inches down, is like hardpan. Not sure if all of you are familiar with hardpan. It's dirt, compressed over thousands of years. OK, maybe a couple of decades, but it's like concrete. A pick doesn't get through it and the local government has no sense of humor about using dynamite. So you have to use a pointed pry bar to get through. Once that is done, then it's just hard packed dirt. Two days and I'm about 1/2 way through.
Figured I'd better forgo fishing, today, and take advantage of this once in a life time opportunity. Oh, did I mention that my arms and shoulders are already sore? Seems my "get up and go", "got up and went". Guess it comes with age.
I guess the Steelhead will just have to wait. Since I gave them my best last year (over 1000 casts, I think) and they just turned up their noses (can a fish turn up his nose?) at me, that's the way it'll have to be. I'll get there sooner or later.
Till next time, remember: Wear gloves when working in the yard. I've already lost one knuckle and I've been wearing gloves. Anyone want to help? Just kidding.
Mark (Shoreman)
Dynamite. California. Are you sure they won't let you lay some down?:)
ReplyDeleteyou need to rent some power equipment
ReplyDeleteI can relate. Two days ago, at the end of a perfect rainy day I thought, "Man I should of went fishing!"
ReplyDeleteThe Avereage Joe Fisherman
http://averagejoefisherman.blogspot.com/
Yeah but its Steelhead Mark...
ReplyDeleteI don't envy having to give up fishing for hard work, but, I bet you will be pleased in the end to have real "juice" in your shop. Don't overdo the physical stuff, though!
ReplyDeleteAlan - Nope, no matter how hard I want to.
ReplyDeleteClif - Really not that big of job.
David - Sometimes we just have to make sacrifices.
Mel - Finally I can recharge my drill battery without leaving the lights on. And no, I won't overdo.
Thanks Guys.
Mark
I sure don't envy you with all that digging to do. Hope it goes quickly and you get after those Steelhead soon.
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure but this kindof work is what young boys are for. Well worth the dollars to watch someone else do the digging.
ReplyDeleteI say this as an ex-contractor, after 24yrs of digging and such I now let the young bucks do it while I supervise.
Cheers
Funny thing--the is the exact situation my brother was in last year--he had a shop and no electricity, except through an extension crod. He finally got a guy to wire the shop a couple of months ago. Everytime I would go down there he was saying he had to get this shop wired but he said fising was getting in the way. So I can relate even if it is not my shop.
ReplyDeleteNext time Bigfoot is in the area leave him a map and shovel ;)
ReplyDelete