Bridge for ATV

[txdon]

It was trimmed up and hauled to the bridge.

 

[txdon]

The tree was sanded and mounted on post on the side of the rock stairs.

 

[txdon]

The wagon wheel rail was picked up with the backhoe and lowered to the bridge. There is a tree which we call the goat head tree, and it was keeping the rail from being level.

 

[txdon]

After failed attempts to move the culvert, the rail was mounted anyways and because the knob of the tree landed right in the middle of the rail end loop the level was only off by 3/4".

 

[txdon]

The rail was bolted to the base.

 

[txdon]

The other rail will have to wait till next week. This is the view from upstream. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[txdon]

New week. The second rail is moved to be set in place with the BH.

(note- these are different photos from the ones in the meetings and get together section. The snake pictures are omitted here.) /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[txdon]

The rail is set in place.

 

[txdon]

The level is checked, again, and the lower left side needs to be raised as this photo shows.

 

[txdon]

The BH is utilized again and the bridge is leveled.
The rock ends on three edges up to the base of the bridge need to be rebuilt - moved a foot out and up to the bridge base and wings. These rock footings were put in place before the metal bridge idea was formulated. The corner rocks are in the process of being dug out and re-stacked.

 

[txdon]

The fill dirt is dug up and piled ready for next week when the culvert is covered and the bridge base is filled.

 

[txdon]

View of bridge from upstream

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Doggone Don, you do good work!

 

[MF1455v]

You sure are making good progress. Looking good!!!!

Where are the cows? Haven't see them in a picture in a while?
Are they still happy with the progress? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[txdon]

mf1455v, Good observation. The cows are being rotated and are presently in the front field. They tend to rub and move things. When they come back the bridge will be secure and the grass will be greener. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[txdon]

WEEK 7

(note: These and many more are below in the meetings and get together section for members)

At last, the part of the bridge project that requires a lot of tractor work.

It is a beautiful day in central Texas. Mikim volunteers to help and his 5' loader is desperately needed to fill in the 68' wide bridge (my 6' loader would dump too much sand in the gully). Mike is about an hour away and I'm all smiles as he pull up with his big blue.

 

[txdon]

We travel to the back 40 and position for the ceremonial first scoops!

 

[txdon]

Since Mike's tractor is the perfect size I get two scoops for the front of the bridge and Mike gets about 20 for the rest of the fill.

 

[txdon]

Before Mike arrived I finished re-stacking the rock at the base of the bridge.

While Mike is busy shuttling loads of fill dirt I'm quickly tamping the dirt tight. This continues for four hours. I am envious of all the seat time Mike is getting but....he had the right size tractor and was operating it flawlessly with only inches clearance. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[txdon]

We finally finish. The last loads were taken from the other side of the creek where the soil is very sandy and will be easy to work with when laying the rock.

(notice wife - the goat head was not destroyed, just a little sandy.) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif