Josh Dagg carved us a troll last winter and all we now need is a bridge to stick him under. With this in mind, I had pulled four hemlock logs from the yurt site down to the bridge site. My stepson, Josh and some friends set about pulling rocks out of the creek and building the bridge abutments.
A couple of weeks later Josh S and I started building the bridge. The creek is about ten feet across but with the banks and setbacks I cut the logs to 30 feet. With such a big span we decided to build a support crib in the middle. Using Zac, a pulley and cables, Josh lassoed some enormous boulders (one at a time) and I pulled them into place. Are you sure Zac can pulled these things? Josh asked. I should have bet him some money cause Zac didn’t even notice them on the line as I backed up and pulled them into place. We cut an 8 foot section of cedar to go ontop at the same height of the abutments.
Zac dragged the trees down towards the creek and using a tree and a pulley system across the creek, Zac dragged the logs into place. It took some time. The first log got pulled across at an angle and we had to reconfigure the pulley and use a board as a ramp to get the far end lined up. This was to be our far right log.We lost the cedar log center support but got it back later. The first day we got the crib built and the first log across, not bad.
The second day saw us get a second log across on the far left but managed to move the rocks in the center crib. We got the farmjack out, jacked up the center cedar support on the low side and rebuilt the crib to its proper height. It’s pretty impressive what you can do with the right tools.
With the third log we changed our technique to pushing the logs right across instead of using the pulley on the far shore to pull them. This worked very well until we got the log to the center crib where it usually was a foot below the crib due to the log going downhill to the creek. Once we pushed the log here I would drive Zac to the creek, Josh would put a chain around the log attached to the loader bucket and I would lift the log and drive it forward to clear. Once done I would go back and push the log to the far shore. Often we would need a plank to skid the log up. Once there we were able to roll the log left or right into position.
So far, 4 logs in position. Looking at them we decided that a fifth log would be needed. Now to find the time to cut down a tree, limb it and drag it into place.
Next, get the fifth log into place, peel the bark on the logs, level the top of the logs, get lumber sawn for the bridge road, nail down the boards, build railings (so we don’t fall off) and build a gate that you can walk around but not drive. Oh yes, and check out under the bridge to see if any trolls have moved in.
Hopefully it will be completed by winter and hopefully, hopefully it wont get washed out in the spring!
A couple of weeks later Josh S and I started building the bridge. The creek is about ten feet across but with the banks and setbacks I cut the logs to 30 feet. With such a big span we decided to build a support crib in the middle. Using Zac, a pulley and cables, Josh lassoed some enormous boulders (one at a time) and I pulled them into place. Are you sure Zac can pulled these things? Josh asked. I should have bet him some money cause Zac didn’t even notice them on the line as I backed up and pulled them into place. We cut an 8 foot section of cedar to go ontop at the same height of the abutments.
Zac dragged the trees down towards the creek and using a tree and a pulley system across the creek, Zac dragged the logs into place. It took some time. The first log got pulled across at an angle and we had to reconfigure the pulley and use a board as a ramp to get the far end lined up. This was to be our far right log.We lost the cedar log center support but got it back later. The first day we got the crib built and the first log across, not bad.
The second day saw us get a second log across on the far left but managed to move the rocks in the center crib. We got the farmjack out, jacked up the center cedar support on the low side and rebuilt the crib to its proper height. It’s pretty impressive what you can do with the right tools.
With the third log we changed our technique to pushing the logs right across instead of using the pulley on the far shore to pull them. This worked very well until we got the log to the center crib where it usually was a foot below the crib due to the log going downhill to the creek. Once we pushed the log here I would drive Zac to the creek, Josh would put a chain around the log attached to the loader bucket and I would lift the log and drive it forward to clear. Once done I would go back and push the log to the far shore. Often we would need a plank to skid the log up. Once there we were able to roll the log left or right into position.
So far, 4 logs in position. Looking at them we decided that a fifth log would be needed. Now to find the time to cut down a tree, limb it and drag it into place.
Next, get the fifth log into place, peel the bark on the logs, level the top of the logs, get lumber sawn for the bridge road, nail down the boards, build railings (so we don’t fall off) and build a gate that you can walk around but not drive. Oh yes, and check out under the bridge to see if any trolls have moved in.
Hopefully it will be completed by winter and hopefully, hopefully it wont get washed out in the spring!
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