When it rains, it pours!

[Tourmeister]

Howdy,

:tab So I sat at work all day bored out of my mind and watching the rain come down... and down... and down... Thoughts of building an Ark start to drift into my head. I get a call from my neighbor across the street from our house informing me that there is a huge branch down in our yard. Hmmm... So I cut out from work a few minutes early, swing by the town house to pick up Beth and head over to the house.

:tab The whole freaking tree is down in the yard!!! :eek: This tree was completely covering our entire front yard. It was not looking in the best of health so I was expecting a few problems. But it seems the combination of heavy wet leaves and branches, loose wet soil, and the fact that most of the branches are on one side of the tree, was just more than the roots could handle. The ground gave way and many of the roots seem to have snapped. It looks like it came down fairly slow and gently because there is absolutely no visible damage to the roof of the house. There are branches laying over the roof, but they did not even bend the metal flashing on the edge of the roofing. Fortunately, neither of the cars were parked in the driveway or the front end and left side would have been toast. It looks like my weekend just got planned for me :? Chainsaw city baby!! *insert tool man grunting here* :P

:tab Oh yeah, and we hope to start the rebuild process on our house's bathrooms, master bedroom, main hallway and my office. All the mold stuff is long since done and it just seems to be taking forever to get the actual rebuild started. We hope to be back in the house before Christmas.

:tab I swear if all this nonsense quit happening to us I wouldn't know what to do with myself?!

Adios,

[Tourmeister]

Howdy,

:tab Well, Friday evening is spent with my friendly machette, a powered longpole pruning saw, and several chainsaws :twisted: It is a great way to work out stress, hehe. I do get a few blisters for my efforts though. Upon arriving, it looks a little overwhelming. The tree is so big.

Tree 1 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00851.JPG) / Tree 2 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00852.JPG) / Tree 3 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00853.JPG) / Tree 4 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00854.JPG)
Tree 5 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00855.JPG) / Tree on roof (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00856.JPG) / Tree on roof 2 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00858.JPG)

:tab Amazingly, there is absolutely no damage to the roof or house. The paint on the trim did not even get scratched! Also, since we are not living in the house right now because of the water damage/mold issues, our car was not parked where it would normally be, under many of the branches! So all in all, this is not so bad a deal except for the fact that we lost a big tree that shaded the entire front yard. On the plus side, maybe my grass will actually grow now?! There are strange little clusters of mushrooms sprouting out of the runner roots from the tree.

Shrooms 1 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00859.JPG) / Shrooms 2 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00860.JPG)

:tab I'm thinking the tree already had some serious health issues. There is a bad spot on the trunk (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00861.JPG) where the bark has peeled away and the exposed wood is infested with various molds and fungii. The main trunk branches (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00862.JPG) are not much better. Even the upper branches (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00864.JPG) have strange things (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00866.JPG) growing from them. We had been considering having some work done on the tree but now the point is moot. Apparently, rotting roots, loose wet ground and the added weight from the rain were just more than the tree could handle all at once.

:tab I grab the machette and just wade in, hacking off any branches smaller than about 1-1/2" in diameter. Then I fire up the polesaw and go after anything under about 3" in diameter that I can reach. There is still a LOT of branches that are just to high off the ground for me to get (Pic 1 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00868.JPG) / Pic 2 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00869.JPG) / Pic 3 (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00870.JPG)). I am a little leery of the whole mess shifting while I am climbing around in it :|

:tab I leave a lot of the thicker branches in place in the hopes that it will keep the pile stable. Then I start trying to remove some of the upper branches by cutting the main trunk branches supporting them. Keeping the chainsaw from getting bound is tough. Sure enough, I eventually get it stuck and can't get it free. Right about that time my parents drive up and Dad helps me free it. Then we go about taking out the upper sections. Finally I cut the section that is laying over on the roof. After some huffing and puffing, we get it off the roof. It is getting dark and we call it quits, then head off for Mexican food!

:tab Saturday morning (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00890.JPG) we get back to work about 10:00am. Dad brings over his Troy Bilt chipper/shredder. Beth and my nephew start hauling stuff over to the shredder and making a huge pile. I wade back into the main mess (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00891.JPG) with the chainsaw in hand. While I am chopping away, Paul "Scratch" Massie shows up ready to work! Let me go on record as saying he does good work and works cheap ;-)

Dad manning the shredder (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00892.JPG)
A minor but cool distraction (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00895.JPG)

:tab Shortly after Paul arrives, Steve "Desmo" Tanner shows up with his truck and a chainsaw ready to work. He gets in the thick of the mess with me and we make quick work of the remaining branches and sections of the trunk. Then we all start picking up the mess, stacking the good wood and piling up the stuff to be shredded.

Steve picking up free firewood and Paul playing with the machette (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00897.JPG).
We are making progress! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00898.JPG)
Dad and Paul, It is hot and sweaty work... (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00899.JPG)
The stuff Steve could not get in his truck (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00900.JPG).
Steve and Paul finishing up (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00901.JPG).
Steve's truck loaded with wet and heavy wood! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00902.JPG)
It's nice to have a Dad with cool toys! (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00903.JPG)
Steve feeding the beastie (http://www.twtex.com/linkfiles/tree/DSC00904.JPG).

:tab We get most everything cleaned up, Steve's truck loaded down, and take a break. From running the chainsaws all morning and having the shredder running all morning, my node id compledely clogged wid sawdut, mode, bits of fungii, you nabe it! I can hardy breade! :? When my Mom finally shows up, we load up and head for McKenzie's BBQ for lunch. Afterwards, it is back to our townhouse so we can balance Steve's tires, and mount and balance a new rear tire for Paul.

:tab It is great having folks willing to lend a hand! We'll get the rest taken care of later after all the branches have had a chance to dry out a bit so the shredder doesn't clog so bad. With the tree gone, I can now get busy ripping out the runner roots that are all over the yard and I can go about regrading the yard for better drainage. The fun has only just begun!

Adios,

[mrcleanvfr]

Dang,

I was in H on Sat. If I had known, or checked TWT, I would have stopped by to help. Guys in need always need two Pauls!!! Glad there was no damage to the roof. It's better to be lucky, I guess. I was taking the long way back from 3090. Ran it Sat, Sun, and today with Charlie (R6). I just noticed one of my welded plasic tabs broke. I'm still waiting for Dynamohumm to send the tail section (ordered July 25!) I think they forgot to order it originally and ordered it when I followed up on 9/11/03. Oh well, can't complain but I will anyway!

Later,

Paul
the other white meat

[AggieVFR]

Paul,

Were you on HWY90 headed towards Navasota from Anderson on Sunday around 10:00-10:30am? My sister and I were cruising in the truck to the Bazaar at my grandparent's church and we saw the VFR headed towards us. I figured it was you since it wasn't red. :)