I leave the Wiss with BIG MACHINES...

Today was an amazing testament to what a large machine is capable of. We knocked out something in a day I thought would take three. A local contractor became part of the game today and send us an ACE crew. Joe and Scott ruled it. Check out all of the work. The joy of a large machine is it can sit in the road and bench cut a trail no problem. Something else? It was able to move SIX rocks that the Bobcat excavator would have trembled at a ONCE. That is a six times increase in productivity, do that math. Granted you Rarely will have the opportunity or need to work with one of these machines on a trail project, but today we got an extra two days for FREE...kinda. Well you get it. It is stuff like this that keeps my days interesting. Also, Scott built this cool retaining wall that is just gorgeous.






Finally, this is my goodbye from the Wiss for the season, so I hope to come back, but I hope it is next year.

Wissa Wind-down...

Okay, this Wiss is winding down for old Benny Boy. Here are a few photos from today and hopefully I will have some SUPER CHOICE ones tomorrow night. We will be using a big machine, I like BIG MACHINES, to move a lot of work in a very little time. Check out the truck dumping the rocks below and all of us talking about what is left to do on the site.




Finally, just a couple pics of the crazy things that go on in a day at the office. Using a dump bucket to lift very heavy objects and Ray having some creative freedom putting the "choke hold" on the trail.

Ben Blitch Bossman Builder..... Another B4

Well, I am the man in charge for a couple of days while Chris B. is out of town. Just me and Ray from the Fairmont Park Commission are working our way through another set of terraces. Below is a step by step of the rock installation process. Measuring the grade and rise for each step, then creating the foundation with rocks ready to go, finally putting fill in over top of the rocks. Look at the size of the rock in this one. Tomorrow is more of the same and finishing a little rolling grade dip action. Just a few days left before I get to sleep in my own bed. I can't wait.

How THE Philly Rolls...

Okay, these people are awesome to work with. I really enjoyed working with them back in 2006 on Demo 1 and working with them now that they are organized and have some experienced is even better. Today we had a volunteer workday to take care of the last little section we have worked on all week. There was a bit of stone pitching.




Some folks built a really cool bench/rock ride




But, most importantly it seemed everyone had a good time.

Moving Dirt is Moving Dirt....

What beautiful trail over the last two days. We have been working on a terraced section that is to accommodate a number of different uses and it has also been choking down the existing, Gravel, yeah gravel, road. Can you believe it?

Here are some photos of the work thus far. Hope you enjoy, the terraces are 9" tall with a 9% rise between them and a rolling dip in the middle, so it is like a 10% then a positive 2% to the next rock step. We have used a laser level and a plethora of other tools to achieve something I am personally and professionally very proud of.

A day at work...AH...

What a great day at work, I have really enjoyed working with my old boss Chris Burnhardt, I wish we would have had a chance to actually work together under IMBA it has been a pleasure to do it this week.

Here are a few photos for your enjoyment. We have been building terraces for the last couple of days and have been using a laser level"ish" thing to try and dial in the risers. It worked great today and hopefully we will continue to have luck with it tomorrow. Check out Chris lining things up for the next terrace. 8% with a 9" rise. the dot tells you where to dig, the machine arm is my view for eight hours of the day. And the guy sitting down, well that is Ray, he's a city worker, but this is the only time you could catch him sitting down all day. He is actually a real kick butt worker.





Tomorrow will be a walk through with local landscape companies, then a volunteer day, should have some good photos for you tomorrow, so check back.

Wissa Revisited...

Today was a reintroduction to the Wiss. I am going to be operating a mini-x for the next few weeks building terraces and doing some bench cuts too. This is a great experience as I get to work with my old BOSSMAN Chris. Here are a few photos shot with the new camera. Enjoy...I get to check out mentally a bit this week. YEAH!