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The stage was set for a big Saturday gathering material for the camp. I was to meet Chuck and 007 in Tiki at 8:30am. A community member had given me permission to take some boards that washed up. There were lots of great boards, but the real gems were a couple of 2X14s. You can't get 2X14s at just any lumber place. That's special stuff. To beat it all, one of them measured in at 21 feet long and the other is 18 feet long. I've never even touched lumber like this.
By the time Chuck and 007 got close, the Ugly Mudda's trailer springs were already quite taxed and I had all the usable wood I could get without launching the boat, which I wasn't even sure would float at that point So I met them at the Valero station and followed them to our next destination.
We arrived near Jamaica Beach and stopped at Beach Bum Bailey's house for some lumber he had saved for us. Bailey fired up a bobcat and loaded the pilings and planks he had saved for us onto the trailer. At first I tried to stop him, saying we could get it, but 007 just told me, "Sandy, work smarter, not harder." Sage advice.
Soon we were on the way to Kenny's. Kenny was out fishing, so I knocked on the door and met his wife, Terri (Hope I spelled that right). What a delightful lady. She pointed out not only the pile of stuff Kenny was good enough to save for us, but also darn near every gem to be found at the surrounding houses that they had gotten permission for us to take. There was one particular 6X6 that was so very cherry it still had the tag on it! Bailey and Coe helped us pick out more gems.
Kenny soon arrived and we had a short visit before he had a chili cheese dog attack. He'd had a good morning on the trout and was a very happy man. He actually called later apologizing for not hanging out longer, explaining his chili cheese dog mania. No apologies necessary Kenny! Thanks to you we got plenty of great lumber. (Hopefully Kenny will be joining us here on this site soon.)
We said our goodbyes and headed off to the optional part of the trip. I had this in mind when I brought the boat with me and it was such a beautiful day, we had to give this a try. We were going to take all the lumber to the camp. With the blue water highway washed out, we have been forced to make the long boat ride from Bastrop Bayou to get to there. Since we were so close, I decided we should give it a try. We made it over the pass bridge with no issues and launched at the county park. Chuck and 007 made short work of loading the boat even more than it already was, and we headed out. In all we made 3 trips, stacking all the loot on a rack beneath the camp. I'm surprised it didn't collapse!
Funny part was, as they got out of the boat and unloaded the lumber, I was stuck in the back. I wasn't totally useless as I pushed when they pulled, but there were some good jabs thrown about how I never left the cockpit while they were in the water hauling lumber. I guess being the captain has its advantages After the last load, I briefly thought about going up the ladder to clean the place up some more, but Mike had brought a fishing pole and I thought we could all use some peace and quiet rather than the continuous movement we've all had since Ike hit. I cranked up the Mudda and we headed to my little redfish spot. Chuck and I had a snack as Mike tried his darndest with artificials (not something I really believe in for reds). He had a bunch of what I called "guide strikes" though The water was so clear, even in the bayou, that I could see my prop spinning. It was an exceedingly beautiful day and the relaxation was much enjoyed. By 4:30 I had to call it, and we struck out for the ramp. On the way back, we found some stair frames in a trash pile. Score!
A HUGE thanks to Chuck and Mike. Without friends like this, I'd be up a creek. Luckily I got to repay them in a small way. As we got back to the Jamaica Beach area, we decided we needed to eat. We hit the Blue Water Grill for burgers and man was it good. None of them wanted me to pay for it, but I won the argument. My dad had sent me $100 to be used for the camp. I couldn't think of letting these guys pay for their meal when they had done so much for the place. I couldn't think of a better way to spend Dad's dough.
From there we headed off the island and home. I thought I might see those guys again today, but it wasn't in the cards.
Hah, you thought this story was over? Y'all don't know me well enough yet. That was just Saturday!
This morning I slept luxuriously late, rising at 7:30. Gosh did that feel good. The honcho, Glenn came to my house and we headed out. We had planned to launch at Bastrop Bayou again, but with the east wind again today, I reckoned it best to go all the way around Galveston as we had the previous day. It was worth it as the wind was kicking up all day.
Glenn and I got to the camp around 10am. He was astonished at all the lumber awaiting us there. He said, "Y'all got all this down here in one day?" Well, we got right to work. We cleaned out the living room pretty good, only to mess it up again pulling down the vistiges of the ceiling. We bagged up all the debris and tossed it in the boat. Glenn got up on the roof and prepared it for some tin while I sealed the opening from the missing room. I then boarded up some broken windows. Time got too short to get the roof finished, but it's ready to seal up next weekend. Last but not least, we hung the front door back on. It's temporary and the whole north side is out of true, so it doesn't fit right, but it does open and close. On our way back we hit the Blue Water Grill, but much to our chagrin, it was closed, despite the sign saying they were open until 8pm on Sunday
Next weekend we get tin on the roof and seal up the rest of the broken windows and the place will be roughly live-able. If we have some help, we'll be able to sink some 4X4s and start a little dock.
I don't think I have to tell y'all I'm freakin' TIRED, but it's a great tired.
Thanks to Chuck, Mike, Derek, Kenny & Terri, Coe, and Bailey for giving this dream of rebuilding a stellar start.
Blockade Runners is rising!- Sandy
By the time Chuck and 007 got close, the Ugly Mudda's trailer springs were already quite taxed and I had all the usable wood I could get without launching the boat, which I wasn't even sure would float at that point So I met them at the Valero station and followed them to our next destination.
We arrived near Jamaica Beach and stopped at Beach Bum Bailey's house for some lumber he had saved for us. Bailey fired up a bobcat and loaded the pilings and planks he had saved for us onto the trailer. At first I tried to stop him, saying we could get it, but 007 just told me, "Sandy, work smarter, not harder." Sage advice.
Soon we were on the way to Kenny's. Kenny was out fishing, so I knocked on the door and met his wife, Terri (Hope I spelled that right). What a delightful lady. She pointed out not only the pile of stuff Kenny was good enough to save for us, but also darn near every gem to be found at the surrounding houses that they had gotten permission for us to take. There was one particular 6X6 that was so very cherry it still had the tag on it! Bailey and Coe helped us pick out more gems.
Kenny soon arrived and we had a short visit before he had a chili cheese dog attack. He'd had a good morning on the trout and was a very happy man. He actually called later apologizing for not hanging out longer, explaining his chili cheese dog mania. No apologies necessary Kenny! Thanks to you we got plenty of great lumber. (Hopefully Kenny will be joining us here on this site soon.)
We said our goodbyes and headed off to the optional part of the trip. I had this in mind when I brought the boat with me and it was such a beautiful day, we had to give this a try. We were going to take all the lumber to the camp. With the blue water highway washed out, we have been forced to make the long boat ride from Bastrop Bayou to get to there. Since we were so close, I decided we should give it a try. We made it over the pass bridge with no issues and launched at the county park. Chuck and 007 made short work of loading the boat even more than it already was, and we headed out. In all we made 3 trips, stacking all the loot on a rack beneath the camp. I'm surprised it didn't collapse!
Funny part was, as they got out of the boat and unloaded the lumber, I was stuck in the back. I wasn't totally useless as I pushed when they pulled, but there were some good jabs thrown about how I never left the cockpit while they were in the water hauling lumber. I guess being the captain has its advantages After the last load, I briefly thought about going up the ladder to clean the place up some more, but Mike had brought a fishing pole and I thought we could all use some peace and quiet rather than the continuous movement we've all had since Ike hit. I cranked up the Mudda and we headed to my little redfish spot. Chuck and I had a snack as Mike tried his darndest with artificials (not something I really believe in for reds). He had a bunch of what I called "guide strikes" though The water was so clear, even in the bayou, that I could see my prop spinning. It was an exceedingly beautiful day and the relaxation was much enjoyed. By 4:30 I had to call it, and we struck out for the ramp. On the way back, we found some stair frames in a trash pile. Score!
A HUGE thanks to Chuck and Mike. Without friends like this, I'd be up a creek. Luckily I got to repay them in a small way. As we got back to the Jamaica Beach area, we decided we needed to eat. We hit the Blue Water Grill for burgers and man was it good. None of them wanted me to pay for it, but I won the argument. My dad had sent me $100 to be used for the camp. I couldn't think of letting these guys pay for their meal when they had done so much for the place. I couldn't think of a better way to spend Dad's dough.
From there we headed off the island and home. I thought I might see those guys again today, but it wasn't in the cards.
Hah, you thought this story was over? Y'all don't know me well enough yet. That was just Saturday!
This morning I slept luxuriously late, rising at 7:30. Gosh did that feel good. The honcho, Glenn came to my house and we headed out. We had planned to launch at Bastrop Bayou again, but with the east wind again today, I reckoned it best to go all the way around Galveston as we had the previous day. It was worth it as the wind was kicking up all day.
Glenn and I got to the camp around 10am. He was astonished at all the lumber awaiting us there. He said, "Y'all got all this down here in one day?" Well, we got right to work. We cleaned out the living room pretty good, only to mess it up again pulling down the vistiges of the ceiling. We bagged up all the debris and tossed it in the boat. Glenn got up on the roof and prepared it for some tin while I sealed the opening from the missing room. I then boarded up some broken windows. Time got too short to get the roof finished, but it's ready to seal up next weekend. Last but not least, we hung the front door back on. It's temporary and the whole north side is out of true, so it doesn't fit right, but it does open and close. On our way back we hit the Blue Water Grill, but much to our chagrin, it was closed, despite the sign saying they were open until 8pm on Sunday
Next weekend we get tin on the roof and seal up the rest of the broken windows and the place will be roughly live-able. If we have some help, we'll be able to sink some 4X4s and start a little dock.
I don't think I have to tell y'all I'm freakin' TIRED, but it's a great tired.
Thanks to Chuck, Mike, Derek, Kenny & Terri, Coe, and Bailey for giving this dream of rebuilding a stellar start.
Blockade Runners is rising!- Sandy
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