CAV BUILD
Troy, Montana
June 11-26
SUNDAY JUNE 11
Rick has been up in Montana for three weeks already, as he built with the first Troy CAV build. So it took a little coordination to figure out how I would get up here, where to leave the car if the boys brought me up (which they did). I left Baker right around 7:30, arriving at the Harris house a few minutes before 9:30. Jed and Luke pulled up at 9:45 and we piled all my stuff into Jed's car. The boys had made their arrangments back in early May to join us on this adventure for the week! Luke's flight from ABQ got cancelled yesterday morning, but he managed to get on an earlier flight that arrived in Portland an hour or two earlier. They drove to The Dalles Saturday night. We dropped the key to the car off with Margie at the Dollar Tree.
A beautiful drive up 395, then 95 to Bonner's Ferry and over to Hwy 2. Jed drives the whole way. We stopped in Post Falls for a quick bite at MacDonald's and arrive in Troy at Kootenai River Campground at 5. The boys check into their cabin, which actually will sleep 6-7. A small couch, a table, fridge, its fully equipped. Just no bathroom!!
The Meet and Greet dinner is at the park in town at 6pm. A pretty park with ponds, ball parks, even a pickleball court! It is a small group for the dinner - just the homeowner Missy and her daughter Chloe, plus Erick one of the board members, in addition to our group of 6 and Pete and Darnell. I had never met Darnell who married Pete several years ago. Hadn't seen Pete since 2015 when we built in Libby. Enjoyed watching a blue heron soar over the pond while we enjoyed burgers and sides.
It stays light until after 10pm!! Got some rain during the night.
MONDAY June 12
We have the day off as the build doesn't officially start until Tuesday. Which gives us time to explore a little with the boys, neither of which have been to northwestern Montana before. A relative late start waiting for Jed to get up and moving! Time to explore with boys – late start waiting for Jed to get up and moving!
At 11am we head up the Yaak to the falls. Spend time climbing down toward the river and falls with their amazing colors of slanted cut rocks. There is a tremendous volume of water flowing right now. Wander downstream briefly to see the second higher drop of water, pillars for an old bridge, and a few wildflowers.
Back past the campground and through Troy toward Libby and Kootenai Falls. Lots more people! We take the trail down to the swinging bridge, going over the railroad tracks on another high bridge. Another section of trail heads down to viewpoints over the main falls.
Into Libby where we grab lunch at Cabinet View Brewery. We find Pete, Darnell, and Tom there after their golf date. They have finished eating, but stick around visiting with us while we eat! Plenty of laughter goes around the table.
Back to the campground for an evening of games with Jed and Luke. PS. I won the cribbage game 121 to 118 to 119. It was CLOSE!!
TUESDAY June 13
8am start. Rick led devotions, then Pete broke into groups. Tom, Rick, and Luke joined Pete up on roof and working on some bracing for sheathing and roofing. Eventually they got three rows of sheathing up. Joined by Board member Chris at 81 years young. Jed and I worked on the front porch – finishing sheathing, putting in truss screws, and then doing the wrap. It took us all day! Visit during lunch from newspaper gal – drumming up info for an article that will h9pefully bring in a few more volunteers.
After work? Went to R House for ice cream cones. It had been a hot muggy day! Tom joined us. Jed paid! Happy Hour at Jed and Luke’s place. Gave out mugs to all. Darnell had us say our favorite and least favorite jobs on a Habitat site. Made for some great conversation!
Pizzaburger dinner. Cribbage. I won again! Walk down to river with boys. Early to bed!
WEDNESDAY June 14 FLAG DAY!
Raindrops have been falling! Check with Pete around 7:15 and we are a go! The sun will shine – pretty sure he looked at a different forecast because WU said rain all day! Message sent out to all and we get moving a little quicker!
And we DID get a productive half morning in…..while we got wet the whole time! Luke, Jed, and Rick helped Tom and Darnell get the gable sheathing up on the rear of the house plus wrap. Luke got to practice his circular saw skills! I teamed with Dienske and we put up truss supports in the rafters inside. Lots of ladder moving around. Went better when my drill battery died and I replaced with a driver unit! Eventually replaced Dienske’s as well! But….by 10:30 there was little else we could do in the rain. However….
Yesterday Darnell ran into someone who needed help moving slash tree trimming into a dump trailer. The older gal had a husband doing poorly and they were moving into assisted living, trying to sell the house. A great job when you are already damp! So we drove the 5 miles or so east of town and spent 45 minutes working….there was more to move, but no more room in the trailer. Luke spent 30 minutes stomping down in the trailer. Amazingly he never fell because it would have HURT with all the sharp sticks.
We tried to hit the R Place for a cheap burger, but they were closed, so over to the grocery store to pick up something for boys and marshmallows for tonight’s Happy Hour!
Afternoon spent catching up with pictures which finally transferred from phone, playing games in boys’ cabin while Rick napped, and then pesto pasta for dinner!
HH at 7 at cabin firepit and it lasted until 9:30!! Too much laughter listening to Tom and Darnell give play by play announcing of the marshmallow roasting competition, Pete saying we needed more wood on the fire, and diversions to love Dienske’s dogs! A good time!
Into bed to read my chapter of book and sleep!
THURSDAY June 15
Build Day #3
A beautiful morning! A bit cooler, but great. We gather for opening devotions, to be led this morning by Luke! An oh, what a devotion! He has written new words to ‘Sweet Caroline’ (Neil Diamond). To quote Pete at the end, “Best devotion ever!” So good, when the board chair arrived to work around break time, we did it again so we could film it! (Minus the reluctant Dad and Tom who agreed to be the filmers!)
Luke is up on roof with Tom, Dad, and Pete, while the rest of the crew attacks moving the scaffolding from the back of the house to the side. That job takes us until break and just beyond!! A lot of scaffolding!! And to be honest, Darnell is pretty precise on it being level in every way (with a level!) and SAFE! Then … Dienske and I are tasked with putting in blocker boards for the kitchen cabinets. We finally get ONE board in and it is lunch time!
After lunch, Dienske and I are transferred to the roof! Helping Darnell and Luke who were installing tar paper on lower edge and then some kind of wrap on the rest. It was warm up there and awkward, but we got halfway up by quitting time. And…. Dienske found she could work on a roof comfortably! It is only a 4/12 pitch, so not too bad.
Jed and Rick were on the other side of the roof all afternoon nailing in sheathing, but by day’s end the roof is completely covered! Not waterproof yet, but much better! Tom and others had been working on installing the porch gable over the side door to the house.
Another campfire tonight, only at 4:30, so an imprompty hot dog cook is scheduled. We stop at Watson’s to pick up dogs and buns and more chocolate for s’mores. Everyone throws in something else and we enjoyed a great 2 ½ hours around the fire at the cabin. Darnell and Pete have a great presentation for Jed and Luke with a TON of candy bars given as Darnell talked about our “Sugar Babies”, one a good “Look”er and the other a “Big Hunk”. Eventually ending with their ‘PayDay’! It was great. But Pete gave them a pink slip (literally) with a cute drawing on each. Fun!
Jed, Luke, and I play some more games until our 930 bedtime, while Luke is doing laundry as well. We’ll say goodbye in the morning.
FRIDAY June 16
Build Day 4
Up early once again, but get sidetracked finding my Las Cruces and Libby 15 blogposts to send to Darnell! Jed and Luke manage a goodbye to everyone in the group before we leave, boys to follow shortly heading back towards Portland/Salem. As usual, mom gets a little teary whenever she says goodbye!
But….we have a job to do today! Pete gives a great devotion reminder on the impacts we can make on others unknowingly, and then time to work. The three guys tackle the porch overhang redo (it was installed yesterday too low) while Darnell, Dienske, and I finish papering the east side of the roof. Then Dienske and I are tasked with papering the upper 12” of the east and west outer walls which were still raw sheathing. We NEARLY finished that job prior to break time, and had the other side done by lunch! It took the guys all morning and a little time after lunch to get the mini porch roof reworked (a creative bit of problem solving took place and their brains were getting fried!) and then we were all (except Darnell) on the roof getting the west side ice shield and wrap in place. Lots of nailing with button nails going on at once. Was it hot? Yes, especially after lunch! Were we getting tired? Yes! Did Missy show up at 2 to work? Yes! Did Chris show up with another rhubarb cake? YES!!!
We rallied around the rhubarb cake at the end of the day, having worked until 3 pm.
Rest of day quiet! We opted not to hold a Happy Hour – folks are tired! Spent afternoon reading my book and evening catching up (sorta) on pictures, blogs, etc. Pickup dinner of stuff in fridge.
SATURDAY June 17
Build Day #5
We are a smaller crew today indeed. Darnell is having MS issues and exhausted. Stayed back at the campground. So just the five of us plus homeowner Missy! I did a devotion (and read Luke’s prayer) and we got to work! Our goal today is to completely seal up the house. So...Windows and Doors. We all get a lesson on windows and then break up to install the remaining five. A couple are tricky as the scaffolding is close! After break, while Rick, Dienske, and I install the last window, Missy and Tom get a lesson from Pete on installing doors (Tom later says Pete’s method is much easier!) They are instructed on the side door and then after lunch tackle the front door themselves. Success!
Then it is lots of little jobs...Rick finishes the OSB on the porch gable sides and front, after we completely check all the wrap and tape the seams still exposed. Dienske and I got up on the roof to put the black ice shield on the little porch gable. It was very warm up there and the shield is sticky black goo! AND I made my boner move for the day and put in about 10 nails on the first sheet before I realized I forgot to remove the backing to allow it to bond to the wood. Pulling out button nails is NOT EASY! But Rick helped us and we got them out, pulled off the backing and started nailing again! The second sheet to install was easier! (And much quicker!)
We left today feeling good...the house is closed in and weather tight. The plumber can come in. The interior floor can dry out and be painted before sheetrock. Missy was thrilled to have installed her front door (she is a hard worker). Tom said other than helping with the heavy lifting parts, Missy did it all herself.
The campground has filled up! It’s the weekend! Tom, Dienske, Rick and I gather around our table at 4:30 and visit for two hours! The wind is swaying the trees and pine cones are dropping! I have gotten wrapped up in my book, Northern Lights, and do very little the rest of the night but read!
And now...the Puzzle Collage I put together for a mini devotion...
SUNDAY June 18
Rest Day! Laundry!
What a beautiful lazy morning! I didn’t get up until 6:30 (sleeping in for me!) and then read, worked on pictures, etc. Until nearly 10am. By 10:30 we had made plans...laundry and meal in Libby, then a drive on a backroad over to Yaak Falls and back to campground. I was immersed in my Nora Roberts mystery – had to find out who done it by days end (and I did! Who would have suspected the banker?)
Laundry went smoothly – two loads and fast. We were done in just over an hour and I read the whole time!
We grabbed our meal at Burger Express – a busy place on a Sunday afternoon. Good burgers. Then up Hwy 37 toward the border to turn off on MT 567 toward Yaak. Near Turner Mt. Ski area we headed west on Mile Seventeen Road toward Loon Lake CG. It is a gravel/dirt road for nearly 18 miles! But we find wildflowers, a lilypad covered lake, meadows, and thick forests with lots of blow down – prime fire fodder. Not a fast road, but pretty.
Back to the trailer around 3:15. Finish the book. Catch as catch can dinner! Raindrops fell for awhile late afternoon.
MONDAY June 19
Rest Day #2!!
Ah, it is a blessing that we only work 5 days of the week (although Rick thinks drop-ins might be in order for the future, as most affiliates only work 3 days a week!) Another day to have a relaxing morning and then a little adventure is welcome!
The road south takes off about 4 miles east of Troy, just before Kootenai Falls. We went this way last Wednesday when we loaded debris for Rainey to the trailer. But today we go past Rainey’s place and on to the shores of Bull Lake – a sizeable lake! Tom was going to canoe there, but the wind was blowing way too hard. We ran into him at the boat dock when we were exploring Big Medicine Campground. So...Tom went to the Cedar Grove with us!
The grove is up and over a ridge from the lake – you enter a dense old growth forest with trees 500 plus years old. Ferns, devil’s club, thimbleberry and queen’s cup cover the forest floor. Old cedars are split, down, grown together, and all over. The nature trail winds around and through – we wander for about an hour. A perfect day to explore as it is cooler with a breeze, so the mosquitos are NOT out and about! There are so many pools of standing water they can be horrible in warmer weather.
Stopped for a few groceries on the way back, a few good conversations with Dienske and Darnell, pizzaburger dinner, then play time on computer, drawing pad, and photos.
TUESDAY, June 20
CAV Build Day #6
We are ‘back at it’ again, hoping to get some roofing done inspite of potential rain on the horizon! I forgot my devotions, so I pulled up Building Blocks of Change off my phone! It worked! Small crowd today, once again, altho Chris showed up around 9 and Nancy, another local volunteer came at 10. Both stayed the rest of the day.
First on the agenda is drip guards and starter shingles. Rick and Tom tackle the difficult, and very perplexing, job of cutting the drip strips around the porch gable. They worked hard to figure out all the cuts, with Dienske patiently waiting to nail down. In the meantime, Pete grabbed me to help install drip edges on the gable peaks, and then work down the far side which was a straight shot! Eventually Dienske came over to work on our side! As did Nancy! Pete did have Nancy and I finish the house wrap on the porch protrusion that Rick built last week. That was done when we had a very light rain fall and Pete pulled us off the roof.
After lunch we got started on the shingles themselves. Rick and Tom still working on the porch gable, while Nancy and I went to the other side. Pete got us started laying down shingles, and we got into the swing of it. Dienske and Darnell had been painting the floor of the house and completed it, so Dienske then came up and nailed down shingles as well. But….at 1:45 the sprinkles came again and Pete gave the order to come off the roof once more. So we ALMOST got three layers done on the one side!
So...back at the trailer shortly after 2 pm!! Rick’s knee is bothering him today, so he didn’t go up on the roof, but rather did scaffolding level work all day. An early day will be good for him to rest it.
Happy Hour at Tom’s – it is cool outside! I cut up my loaf of bread and used up the rest of the pizza burger mix, plus a little bruschetta.
We have made arrangments to meet Steve and Kaeleen in Bonner’s Ferry Thursday night for dinner. Should be good, as we haven’t seen them in 10 some years!
WEDNESDAY June 21
Build Day 7
Uh oh! Got behind on my journal and now, three days later, struggling to remember stuff!
Wednesday morning was foggy and damp! Hence, no roof work! Lots of inside was begun as Rick and Dienske built a tub wall for the bathroom (a baby wall!) and then did some flashing wrap work in the bathrooms. I got the layout from Darnell for the kitchen and was able to spend the day continuing to work on the blocking. When Missy arrived, she cut for me briefly, but we still have 5 blocks to put in. Pete said that can wait until another ‘appropriate day’!
Lunch today was provided by the United Methodist Church...and we will be fed for the rest of the week. I guess all the lunch providers were told to bring enough for 20! A mountain of cut fruit (melons plus!), veggies and dip, egg salad sandwiches and roast beef sandwiches, chips, drinks, cookies. My gosh!!
Because….today is Tie Dye day! Just Missy and daughter Chloe and Dienske stayed to dye, but Darnell got everything out and ready for us. Dienske and I were dying the old, off white Team Leader shirts that Brenda Sawyer had given Rick last build. Done within an hour!
Another informal HH in Tom’s rig with just Dienske, Tom, Rick and I. Quiet evening.
Well, kinda of quiet. A family pulled in and at one point there were 9 kids playing in the playground!
THURSDAY June 22
Build Day 8
What a beautiful morning!! And we have a new volunteer! Board member Chris recruited Gene at church last Sunday! And a ‘young’ 51 with boundless energy. Gene is sent to the roof with Pete to work on our unfinished shingles, Tom and Rick back ‘figuring’ on routing out some boards for the soffit fascia, and Dienske and I set up the paint racks and get started on all the trim painting. Later Rick and Tom started siding the back of the house.
Ate more on the mountain of food in the fridge and got back to work! Back at the campground, Dienske and I washed out our tie dye in a bucket in the woods (4x in bucket), then in the wash tub in laundry room, and THEN into the washing machine!they came out GREAT! She is so excited! We opted not to dry and just hung them off the back of the trailer.
Rick and I left for Bonners Ferry around 4:40 – only a half hour drive back into Pacific Time – to meet Steve and Kaeleen at the Pizza Factory. Great little place with a salad bar! Kaeleen had to leave to go back to sleep (working a night shift!) after an hour or so, but we stayed and talked with Steve for another hour. Checked up on each other’s families and extended siblings! A good visit and we are back to the campground by 8:15 or so. Unfortunately...I forgot to take any pictures!
FRIDAY June 23
Build Day 9
It is going to be a beautiful day in the valley! Warm! Big puffy clouds! And Gene came back …. with a devotion for the day! (Pete got ‘saved’!) Tom and Gene teamed up to start window trim, Rick and Darnell on siding, Pete tinkering here and there, and Dienske and I on the paint!! First in line was to get a second coat on more of the window trim so we didn’t hold them up. Then we painted the fascia trim – tomorrow the soffits!
We stopped work at noon today to eat and then head back out to Rainey’s house to finish the debris pile. It was hot and rough work with all the sticks and branches everywhere. But….we cleared the pile into the trailer with an hour’s labor! She is so grateful, she told Darnell when the house sells she will make a good donation to Habitat!
We all headed to R Place for our “end of the build’ dinner together. By tomorrow night everyone will be focused on packing up to leave! And Rick is ready to GO HOME! He missed his house and his dog!!
SATURDAY June 24
Build Day 10
A great day! Beautiful WARM weather (too warm at times, but….) Started out with my tie dye devotion, then Dienske led us in the Habitat hands up not out in Dutch! She and I continued our paint projects, Rick and Missy worked on siding on the east side, while Tom and Gene finished up the window trim.
At break time, the guys put on the 4 extra Tie Dye shirts I had brought, and we took a very colorful group picture! They indulged me! A great shot!
Tom and Gene worked on Wind Wash for the front and side porches – blocking that prevents the ceiling insulation from shifting over into the uninsulated spots – they used sheets of FREE 2” foam board rather than wood. Darnell did a great job cutting out all the niches to make it fit perfectly.
Rick took a break during lunch to call Jed about the house he had visited yesterday.
At day’s end ALL the painting was done and cleaned up, Missy and Rick got over a third of the northwest wall sided, and lots of detail stuff done by Tom and Gene! It was warm! We had a house blessing inside to conclude the build, and Darnell presented Gene with a CAV build shirt. Hopefully he’ll be back more during the summer!
Popsicles from the freezer and we take a few end of the build photos and are on our way! But first, we had a House Blessing inside as most of us won't be present for the home dedication. Darnell also presented Gene with his honorary Troy CAV shirt - in hopes he comes back often during the summer!
We don’t gather for Happy Hour until 6:30 for a campfire at the cabin behind Pete and Darnell’s, courtesy of Chris and Marcie. Rick brings wood over and declines to stay. If I had known that Pete and Darnell were going to make some presentations, he would have lingered for a bit! We got our Payday candy bars with 100Grand payment and our ‘pink slip’ from Pete, with drawing. Rick’s had a “You Got This” banner of encouragement for his teaching and patience, and I got a colorful rainbow unicorn for bringing smiles to all. Fun. Then we sat and talked life until after 9pm!
I finally left campfire when I realized Jed had texted another house to look at on the Zillow website. After a great deal of chat texting, we finally called and talked until 11:15! Good thing we aren’t working tomorrow and it is a short drive!
The 'drawing' collage ....
SUNDAY June 25
Kootenai River CG to Tucannon RV Park
Palouse Falls side trip
248 miles
A rather lazy morning after our late night conversation with Jed – I didn’t get up until 6:30!! And had been listening to some racous crows/ravens for an hour prior! Goodbyes to Tom and Dienske (and Marcie who came by for a hug!) and we are on our way by 9:30, which quickly became 8:30 as we crossed over into Idaho 12 miles up the road!
Smooth sailing down through Bonner’s Ferry and Sandpoint, and we found our cutoff road to bypass Couer’d’Alene and into Post Falls. Fill up the tank on “cheaper’ gas at 4.09 (which for some reason dropped price wise down to 3.79! Not sure why but we’ll take it!) Got to gas up before hitting Washington because it now has higher gas prices than California! Grabbed Subway sandwiches in Post Falls as well. Rick drove all day today.
We stopped in Colfax to grab a few more gallons of gas (at $4.79!) to get us across the border into Oregon, and allow us the gas to drive up to Palouse Falls. Back on the road quickly and we are into Tucannon River RV Park shortly before 2. Un hitch and Rick takes a little nap before we head over to Palouse Falls State Park, just 18 miles away.
The park sits amidst basalt wastelands – cliffs, canyons, and columns – all remnants of an old Ice Age flood that carved out the rocks. We pay our $10 Day Pass fee and wander the trails for about an hour. The cliffs are amazing and there is still plenty of water coming over the brink to drop nearly 200’ into the pool before the river winds its way on down to the Snake. A basalt fin of rocks looked like a little city on the cliff above the falls. Well worth the drive! And we saw a marmot and a big fat prairie dog like ground squirrel.
Back to the trailer to relax and then clean up abit. Will finished cleaning in the morning. Took showers in the trailer since we have sewer!
Earlier to bed! Home tomorrow!!
MONDAY June 26
Tucannon RV to High Country, via Hermiston!
219 miles
We are up and rarin' to go - Rick especially is ready to GET HOME!! Clean out the water/sewer lines and are on our way around 8:30! Smooth sailing through Dayton and Waitsburg and then new road driving over US12 to the Columbia River and hwy730. We find our shortcut down to Midge's house (with only one wrong turn!) and arrive right at 10:30am. Midge had texted me Sunday to let me know we would miss each other - they decided they really did need to be the ones to take Kristen to the PDX airport on Monday. So...we find a little red car parked in front of their house and the key waiting in the box by the door!
We stop at the Pilot in Stanfield - Rick filling up (I don't need gas) while I fix a little snack in the trailer for both of us. Then he takes off and I head into the store to get a drink/restroom. I thought I would catch up with him somewhere on Cabbage Hill - no, it was on the curves heading into LaGrande!! A good tail wind was helping him along! We hit a sudden and intense cloudburst right after I passed the trailer, but it didn't last long.
Home around12:30/12:45 and we quickly get the trailer unloaded before another storm rolls in! Then no hurry other than to pull forward enough that we can get the car out in the morning!
Good to be home and check out the garden....dead leaves on many plants, but no DEAD PLANTS! Everything seems to have survived the three nights of freezing temps. And it certainly didn't hurt the poppies!! They are thriving and taking over (as well as the dill weed!) I pulled all the radishes - they were huge!! The last two colors of iris were in bloom - all else past. But shasta daisies and rudbekia coming on!
