So, anyway, I thought I'd give you a peek - although full disclosure, the days ARE somewhat different when both Jeff and I are here. Not necessarily EASIER, but different.
At 5:45, I arose with a decided lack of enthusiasm to make sure Jeff got off to Montana with no issues, for a quick visit to Ben and to bring Ben's truck back with him. Just before he headed out, the power went out (6:15am)... so fortunately it worked out for me that Jeff was going out the door & said he'd go turn on the generator so I didn't have to toddle down to the generator building myself in the cold, 15 degree, dark morning.
Once he took off, I drank a couple more cups of starter fluid then fired up my internal engine & got my day going about 7am. First thing was to haul wood so I could start a fire... so I bundled up in wool sweater, boots, coat, hat & gloves and hauled a wheelbarrow full of wood from the woodshed down the driveway to the lodge, where I then hauled it all in & dumped it in the wood box. This takes a little time, because while my little engine CAN, it only really can haul 2 pieces at a time (they're heavy!) so it's multiple trips.
Then, UN-bundle, start the fire & head to the kitchen to make breakfast for our guests. Their little girl loves fun breakfasts, so I whip up some chocolate-chip laced Christmas Tree pancakes for them along with eggs, fruit & sausage.
While they eat, I head out & attempt to start the side-by-side so I can use it to haul more wood and do some cabin chores. I know the filter has been acting up, so I pump, pump, pump, pump - while the engine turns turns, turns... and this goes on for 15 minutes at which point I concede that it is NOT going to cooperate in the cold. So, I switch to the snowmobile ... but no dice there either. It's pull start so when it's really cold, I'm not strong enough to start it. (I couldn't even pull the stupid cable out.. let alone fast enough to start it)
SOOO...new plan. Back inside, I coordinate with our guests who actually came up on a vintage Tucker SnoCat that they will be storing over on our mine property for the winter. We need to coordinate how to get them down the hill. (check out the great pic of their 66 Tucker SnoCat sitting in front of the lodge here)
After breakfast, my guest heads out to get the snowmobile started for me, and I quickly clear the table. While they head down the hill in the SnoCat so he can drop the family at the truck before bringing the Cat back up for storage, I bundle BACK up, this time adding my overalls to the outfit, jump on the now warmed-up snowmobile and check cabins. Three are frozen up so I turn up heat, turn on water more and hope for the best.
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| checking cabins w/ Pickett |
Back at the lodge, I haul another load of wood, UN-Bundle again, and check emails that have come in, responding as needed.
At this point, I figure he's getting close to bottom of hill and so I bundle up AGAIN, jump on snowmobile with Pickett and head down hill, where I find that I've timed it perfectly so that I don't have to pass him anywhere on road & we arrive at cars at the same time. I switch snowmobiles so I can bring the bigger key-start BearCat back up the hill to make sure I have one that is more likely to cooperate while Jeff's gone.
Once back home, I head to the generator building where I add "tabs" on the timer for the generator to ensure it comes on for a short run in the night to keep it from getting so cold because it doesn't start well in the very cold.
Then, on to the cabin the guests had vacated, to strip beds and get garbage, bringing it all back to the lodge with me on the snowmobile. There, I eat a handful of nuts and a few sips of coffee before my guest arrives back to lodge, ready to go stow the Tucker. He heads over to the mine while I RE-dress for another trip down the hill. I throw another piece of wood on the fire, go to shut the screen safety door for the fireplace and it falls off.... SOOO... I stop to fix that then head out with Pickett in tow to go pick him up at mine shop where he's stored his SnoCat.
Helmets on, Pickett on the far back of snowmobile, guest behind me, we head back down the hill with nothing eventful to report. Once he's safely down, my co-pilot and I head back to lodge, where I (hopefully) strip off all my winter gear for the last time today.
As darkness closes in (ridiculously early)... I am ready to sit down and share some pictures and my day with you! Tomorrow will be a repeat, with the exception of the trips up & down the road. Instead - let the Christmas decorating frenzy begin!! (in between checking cabins, hauling wood, watching generator... and whatever else comes up!
Happy Winter to All!!
