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Posted by: swizz Feb 16 2010, 08:09 PM

For real.
Since my business caters to a niche market (log home industry), I get to see, bid, and work on some very interesting properties. Today I was looking at an extremely remote ranch complex owned by some of the rich and famous to which I'm not at liberty to mention (or even hint). Followed the guy about 40 miles, got out of the Jeep and into this thing for another 6 miles of unplowed FR, then a sketchy private 2-track road for about another mile to access the ranch. Safe to say no paparazzi are going to find this one. The property has great lore... originally a mining camp in the late 1800s, it gained enough traffic to earn a Post Office for a short time. Later as the mining fizzled out a party purchased the property and owned it for many years running it as a private lodge of sorts. The new owners (whom I am bidding for) have very elaborate restoration plans. Cool little ghost town, maybe 6 log structures operational and in very good condition, one modern and another in the works. I'm bidding on chinking restoration for three of the structures, wish me luck! This is a biggun.

Posted by: Hawkewind Feb 16 2010, 08:56 PM

That is really cool and I personally wish you good luck on the bid!

Posted by: Mrs.CP Feb 17 2010, 06:21 AM

Hope you get the bid Swizz, and what a fantastic place to work! A winter wonderland.

Reminds me....I need to get a truck like that.

Posted by: russau Feb 17 2010, 06:25 AM

good luck on the bid! we are keeping track of you with overhead imiging from space! we see your tracks in the snow! tell them if you dont get the bid, these pictures/location will be publicized in all the papers!haha

Posted by: jim Feb 17 2010, 07:25 AM

Very cool Swizz!!! I recon you will have to get your truck fixed up like that just so you can go do the job. I know all about hoping on those bids coming in . I'm waiting waiting on one myself. Good luck!! I hope you get it. Maybe you can get the owner interested in the site here. We can all go to his place for a dig.

Posted by: ColoradoProspector Feb 18 2010, 11:52 AM

Very cool Swizz and best of luck getting the bid. That will sure make for some nice peaceful lunch breaks on the job!

Nice ride, I've always wondered how well those track set ups work on pick ups and what kinda top speed they are rated for?

Thanks for sharing the pics, reminds of when I was building log homes in Michigan and had to ride the katamaran and horse carraiges to work everyday. Fun commute!

Posted by: swizz Feb 18 2010, 01:18 PM

QUOTE (ColoradoProspector @ Feb 18 2010, 10:52 AM)

Posted by: ColoradoProspector Feb 18 2010, 01:40 PM

It's a small world "EH?" We sure are former yoopers!
Iron Mountain eh, boy there are some spiffy copper nuggets from around that area. Although I was raised here in Colorful Colorado, as a young man I took an adventure trip to Michigan (Newberry) with the intention of a 2-4 week stay. As things worked out, I liked it so much there, I got a job, stayed for 2 years (first time) and met the wonderful Mrs.CP there.
During the 8 years we lived there I worked building the Hiawatha log homes before moving onto Louisianna Pacific press board plant and Connor Forest lumber mill.
Sure a different environment between the mountains and the U.P. isn't it? Used to really irk me in Michigan tryin' to build a fire pit lookin' for rocks, some places you'll be lookin' long time to find any.

Posted by: swizz Feb 18 2010, 02:22 PM

Wow, what a small world.
I'm from Ironwood (Gogebic County), so I definitely know where Iron Mountain is... not very far away. My parents still live there in our family home. They also own a nice cottage on a chain of lakes (near Watersmeet) and a small hunting camp near Lake Superior.
Half of my friends' Dads worked for the copper mine (can't remember the name of it) when I was growing up.
I spent a good many hours as a kid on the shore of Lake Superior agate hunting, it's popular there (as is driftwood). All of the agates are dang-near polished from the great lakes. Some great rock shops along the shore there as a result.
Man, that's pretty cool, I don't meet too many Yoopers or people who even know about the U.P. for that matter.
Great to know that I am in good company! It's a nice place to learn how to drink and fight.... although I've forgotten how to do either.

Posted by: marntson Feb 19 2010, 12:30 AM

its funny how many people from that area are now in colorado. i was born in extreme northern minnesota near bemidji. but have lived in colorado most of my life. nice to see i'm not the only upper mid-westerner thats in to prospecting.

Posted by: swizz Feb 19 2010, 03:32 PM

Nice! Bemidji definitely qualifies as the same neck of the woods. Great fishing up that way.
I just remembered the name of the copper mine where most of my friends' Dads worked: "White Pine".... wonder if they are still operational.

Posted by: Coalbunny Feb 24 2010, 12:44 AM

People actually live in Michigan?

Posted by: Persistence May 31 2010, 08:55 PM

No way! A bunch of Yoopers here? Even better!

I grew up near Munising.

Posted by: Mrs.CP Jun 3 2010, 06:15 AM

QUOTE (Coalbunny @ Feb 24 2010, 12:44 AM)

QUOTE (Persistence @ May 31 2010, 08:55 PM)

Posted by: swizz Jun 3 2010, 08:55 PM

Holy jeez, another yooper.
Denise,
oh yeah... I nailed the bid and got the job, second week so far - plugging away
So far/so good on the ranch chinking restoration. My crick runs right through the massive property so I've been looking at it from the corner of my eye while I work. Since this was an old mining camp there are many really interesting buildings including an old Post Office, bunk house, trappers outpost, and some structures of unknown use. Turns out they weren't mining gold there but something else (which I'd rather not disclose as to respect the privacy of my client and project location). I may sneak some pics of the historic structures and post them. The road there is totally private and remote so I don't think I'll catch any "oh, I've seen that building... I know exactly where that is". It's very well hidden.
anyway... no water, no power, and no cell service have made things interesting, I swear it's haunted but I'm cool with that. GB has been helping me on occasion and will attest that this is a dream property for outdoorsy folk. The property is well off the grid so they create their own power by use of massive solar panels and some kinda high-tech hydrogen conversion dealy-bob?? I'm not sure but it's supposed to be some cutting-edge green technology. It's not working now because a power inverter thingy failed (plus ghosts) and a replacement part is on the way (fingers crossed).
all in all... I like it!

Posted by: Persistence Jun 3 2010, 10:39 PM

Wonder if they would let you run a metal detector around those buildings? Might be some nice coins laying around.

I saw an Astro van with those tracks on it today. I laughed at first, but that thing would probably go anywhere. I'll try to get a pic of it.

Posted by: Mrs.CP Jun 7 2010, 05:33 AM

Thats great Swizz! Except for the haunted part.....

Quick test guys..........A true Yooper knows what "smelt dipping" is.
What a fun time!!!

Posted by: swizz Jun 7 2010, 07:02 AM

OMG... I have many all-nighter smelting stories, most involving drunk finlanders.

Posted by: Persistence Jun 9 2010, 05:04 PM

It's been years since I've gone smelting. Was always a good time too.

Posted by: swizz Jun 9 2010, 10:24 PM

QUOTE (Persistence @ Jun 9 2010, 06:04 PM)

Posted by: Mrs.CP Jun 10 2010, 05:24 AM

So did you do the old tradition with your first smelt caught? That was the part I always passed up.

Posted by: swizz Jun 10 2010, 06:33 AM

lol... not me, I can't even eat lutefisk.

Posted by: Mrs.CP Jun 12 2010, 07:09 AM

I was going to put the puking face in also for that, but I thought that wasnt so lady like.

Posted by: swizz Jul 12 2010, 02:56 PM

Here are some pics of my recent work. There are about a dozen or more structures on the Ranch, I'm working on 4 of them. Most of them are very old and rustic. These pics were taken from the inside of the only modern cabin on the ranch.
I have been installing chinking to the interior logs of this cabin. Chinking is the product that seals the logs together... as well as trim and structural beam penetration seals.










As you can see here, the trim voids were about fist-sized
You can kinda tell by this pic that the product has a rich texture, rough to the touch as it has granular silica mixed in.
I use a large pressurized gun to install it and finish it off with hand trowels and foam brush.

Posted by: ColoradoProspector Jul 13 2010, 10:44 AM

Looks very nice Swizz, good work!

Posted by: rollcenter May 20 2015, 07:08 PM

QUOTE (swizz @ Feb 18 2010, 02:18 PM)

Posted by: Mrs.CP May 21 2015, 06:11 AM

The U.P! Truly home in my heart.