Part of the nostalgia of being on the road is thinking of home. I do in the quiet moments, when people aren’t shouting and demanding, or when the waiter doesn’t tip somebody else’s food in my lap while navigating tables placed too close together. Or when I’m rushing for the airport in a taxi and being stuck in Hong Kong traffic – or Los Angeles traffic, which is much the same.
International Scout circa 1961 – in Arizona
In those moments, I often reflect on past moments, and in this case, as a boy growing up in Arizona. We had an International Scout and used to go to different lakes and reservoirs in Arizona to fish. Fishing should be part of every boy’s life because it requires you to be patient, quiet, to learn to tie knots and to clean your catch. If every boy did that, I think that the world in general would be a better place.  You have to focus on the cast placement while insuring that there is no loop on the spool of fishing line that can lead to a tangle.
As with my grandfather and his Scout and canoe, I have a canoe that travels with me for fishing purposes. Continuity and context is important for myself and for my grandchildren.
The road (less traveled) to the White Wolf Mine:
The road going south
The road going north, with more wear on it
The road in context with the shack. Because EVERY mine needs a shack.
So does every ambitious miner.

Somebody e-mailed me with a concept picture. A gnome holding an M18A1 Claymore, directional anti-personnel mine. Usually they are command detonated (wire out the back) but there is a booby trap option to signal the mine to explode too.
If you’re going to use a Claymore around fixed fortifications, you should consider putting sand bags behind it because it’s only “generally” directional.
The presence of a gnome holding a Claymore mine might give pause to somebody walking up on the place? But who knows. I don’t think that there will be a lot of uninvited guests out at the White Wolf Mine.
The garage – as seen from the door that leads into the house.
The garage as viewed from the front of the house. The roll-up garage door
has not been installed. It will allow for higher clearance vehicles and there 
will be a two-post lift sited on the right. The garage ceiling back there is
higher. You can see that in the photo, below.
The delay from the forest fire has now past and the crew is on the build again. I asked some of the workers who are building the hovel what they thought of North Korea. They said, “Nuke the cities, drive them before us and listen to the lamentation of the women.” That’s rural Arizona. They didn’t vote for Hillary.

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23 COMMENTS

  1. Love the gnome! I suspect most who come upon it and know what it's holding will bust out laughing. Those who don't will be baffled as to why a gnome would be holding a bent sign.

    Fishing, indeed. I grew up fishing streams in the California gold rush country and lakes up in the Sierras. I have literally fished with some line tied to a willow branch (as an expedient) so I'm not a gear snob. That said, during my college days I decided to buy myself a decent rig. I bought a Fenwick pole and a Quick 220 reel. I still have both, and I carry the pole in my father's old pole case.

  2. I wonder if anybody under 30 would even know what a Claymore is. And I was raised on the Chattahoochee River in NW Atlanta. I fished from the bank or waded out in the more shallow spots. Not bad once the legs get numb from the cold water.

  3. The good old IH Scout. Rugged and reliable and came with the biggest four banger out there. Years ago an uncle of mine had a wooden canoe. It was heavy and required regular maintenance. It was fun out on the lake however. That south road looks like the kind I like to walk on.

  4. The south road takes you to a gorge about a quarter mile away that drops down to East Clear Creek. The rimrock is home to eagles, cougars (four legged variety), mountain sheep, etc. It's a nice place to sit and contemplate. And if you want to make your way down about 1000 feet, there are (native) Navajo Trout in the creek.

  6. Don't they still use Claymores? If not, why not?

    I'm with you on fishing as a kid in cold rivers. Some of my fondest memories.

  8. Excellent fishing point — I take my boys out as often as possible. It sure beats staring at video games/youtube and getting up to mischief.

    Neat gnome concept, might work with a monkey too, come to think of it.

  9. As a youth trout provided a lot of protein for our family. While I enjoyed fishing, it was a means to an end.

  11. There's nothing wrong with growing, catching or shooting supper. The next phase of building will be a greenhouse. Primarily because I prefer fresh food – but if the goods at the grocery store runs out, it's nice to not care. I'd also like to raise chickens, but as with all animals, they tie you down. Maybe in 10 or 15 years if I live that long? Fresh meat and eggs.

  13. The garage (and the restroom) are the most important components of the house. Everything else is ancillary to that central room. Since it's fully heated, I can work out there all winter without seeing my breath in front of my face.

  15. We have a gnome out front holding an SKS and saying "Say Hello To My Little Friend". I have a sneaking suspicion a lot of people around here know what a Claymore is, and how to use it effectively.

    And I can say with High Confidence that rural Colorado didn't vote for the Hildebeast, either. Most would gladly provide a tall tree and a short rope. And they have backhoes. And know how to use them.

    Have you decided on a lift vendor yet? How flat is your garage floor? Here in CO the building codes require them to be pitched towards the door so any melted snow can run out. The installation crew can compensate for that if need be.

  16. I hadn't thought about worrying about a building code when I install it. It's not a commercial operation. Just me in the garage.

    At this point in the progression of things, I just want to get into the place. The selection of a vendor and installation of the lift will come in time. I'm having people book a trip to Thailand for me later in the month right now and have specified that they DO NOT put me in a hotel in Soi Cowboy. Some people I know have active practical joking habits.

  18. There is and some final decisions have to be made on some of the internal items – like by tomorrow, so that the cabinets can be ordered and manufactured. The problem with a custom home is that there are TOO MANY OPTIONS. You can go as exotic as you like and as your wallet will allow.

  21. Yeah, the Mine is progressing very nicely. I was just wondering how things were going with all the latest fires in the Zone and in NM.

  22. "My" fire is out. But the area is very dry and the whole region is closed to camping because of severe fire danger. Monsoon should begin sometime next month and that should calm things down.

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