The 1st photo is at the house, that I once owned, in Fort Collins. (sold it May 25th 2007)

12/04/05 Fired up a small (320watts) photovoltaic system to power the computer equipment & charge my cell fone and digital camera. Spending time at the Sustainable Living Fair in 2005 got my renewable energy juices flowing!

A guy has to stay hydrated while building a house in the mountains! (ok, I did take in lots of water too!) FAT TIRE being my beverage of choice, thought I’d toss a little ad in here as to where the good stuff is brewed! (CLICK PICTURE to take a peek at their website!)

3/15/06 Put in the drive so I can actually get onto the property. (I'm going to NEED something "4-wheel drive" come this winter!)

Doug, my new bestfriend with a bobcat!

Lots of ponderosa pine trees! Have to take out a few of them to build. Makes good firewood at the same time!

Check out this 1967 Rancho El Rae 14ft trailer! Thought I'd pick up something old (and kind-a COOL) to leave up at the lot while the building is going on.

"Gene's eye view" from up a 50' tall ponderosa pine tree! What has been cut out is where the garage will go.

Lots of wild critters!

... and I mean WILD!!

Quick sketch of what I hope to build.

5/17/06 Excavator Art Sweazy

Hit some rock and had to hammer. ($$ - ouch!)

Rick w/ SUN Enterprises, down in Thornton Colorado, hooked me up with a Honda EM7000is inverter generator! (SUN is a motorcycle/generator store)

I'll use the generator to build the house, fire up the 220v well pump, and be "back-up" to the wind & solar system.

6/06/06 Start the septic system today! My brah-da Jerry and Art lowering the 1000gal septic tank in the hole.

INFILTRATOR Quick4 leachfield system (6 - rows of 12) CLICK PHOTO to learn more about this system.

Installing the inlet pipe.

On Monday JUNE 12th, I'll have this inspected and get it covered up.

6/09/06 Hersh & Son drillling the well. Went down 600 feet, came back the next morning to find water 80ft from the surface. Could be a good well... LORD willing, we'll see!

Dropping in liner casing.

6/19/06 Started the footings today, and had to drill every rebar stake! Gotta love the rocky mountains!

Scribed the 2x10 forms to fit around the rock.

Tree-top view of the footing forms. The lower area is the garage with the upper being the main floor of the house.

Pouring the footings. O'Brien Concrete Pumping - we had a bit of trouble getting the pump truck up the drive because the soil was way too dry & soft! Luckily...we had just enuff hose, & the use of a wheelbarrow, to get'r done!

BESTWAY Concrete supplied, well... the concrete. We used about 22 1/2 cubic yards for the footings. (you would not believe just how heavy that hose is!!)

ARXX WALLS icf forms (took about a week and 1/2 to construct all this w/ a few days of help) CLICK THIS PHOTO to be taken to the ARXX website

7/31/06 Used 2 pump trucks (pump truck to pump truck) to pour the walls. The drive is too steep to get any concrete trucks up it!

Do Not wear anything you want to keep while handling concrete this way!

After the walls were poured, I had the damp proof guy come and spray before backfill. The lumber pack arrived AUG 4th. This view is looking a bit toward the SouthWest.

The Whisper 100 turbine I'll be getting. Lots more info and photos on the tower/turbine stuff coming soon! (CLICK PHOTO to check out their website)