DanS HJ-45
SILVER Star
Well, as a lifelong New Mexican it ALMOST hurts to do it. But, with my job, Kate's job, and global warming taking all of the snow away from New Mexico we're moving....
To Idaho Springs, Colorado.
Of course, some of you know the pace I tend to work, so this move will, I predict take about 5 years, give or take. Not only do I have to finish Dad's 40 (which is roughly six months behind schedule), but I need to get my 45 running after that. So really, I'll be back in NM about the same amount as my commuting schedule allows me now--about a week a month. On top of that, it will be a long, long time before I will have a shop comparable to ours in NM, so all of the important stuff is staying down here (I don't even want to think about how much work it'll be to move parts, tools and machines
), and obviously I've got the folks and a lot of friends still in New Mexico--so it's a safe bet that I'll be around about the same as I am now.
The biggest difference most of you might notice is that I have a new phone number. (970)281-2445.
But now, the real reason we're moving: we found property that we are pretty sure we'll end up owning by the end of the year. It's OUT THERE. Seriously. 9,000+ feet. Absolutely no public utilities. It's a patented mining claim (that was never actively mined). First and last sun--year round. It's far enough out there that financing is basically not an option. And of course the price is right: cheap. By the end of the year Kate and I should be able to pay cash for it outright--if not sooner (fingers crossed...).
Without further ado: just to prove I'm not TOO crazy...
The meadow (yes, those are aspens, and yes there is a stream at the bottom of the meadow.
The view to the west. That is the Continental Divide.
The faux lux with what would end up as the driveway.
It's really a little gem. The road to get up there looks scary (so no developer would ever be dumb enough to try and subdivide it), but it's in a little banana bowl that gets amazing sun (these pictures are from the first week of April, at about 6PM), and keeps the steep part of the road dry. I've actually driven up there during, and after big snow storms just to make sure it's not going to be a problem (there are maybe three other year round residences up there--but none within earshot).
So, after we buy the land (it has been on the market for a while, and the current owners refuse to do anything but simple cash--and they haven't had ANY other interest--so we're 99% sure we'll win this one), we'll basically save out money for another year, to put in an electric system and septic, and the year after that we'll be pretty close to building a house. I'll build it, and it'll be tiny (like 600 square feet). So, if all goes according to plan, in just under four years we'll own a good chunk of land (mining claims are roughly 5 acres, depending on how senior the claim is--and this one is the senior claim in the area) without ever paying a mortgage. That's assuming that our pay stays the same (which is HIGHLY unlikely--the only way to be paid less than I am on the equipment I fly is to be junior to me at our company, and our pay is roughly 40% of the next compensation package on earth for this equipment--thanks RLA!), and a hefty raise (or back pay, for those of us who have been working under an amenable CBA for 3+ years) will accelerate this schedule a bit.
In the meantime, we're renting a little place (on 19 acres, I might add) in Idaho Springs so that I can do more productive trips (if I'm not forced to commute to each and every trip), and never have to pay for a hotel just to get to and from work, plus it's about 20 minutes to drive up to the land we're trying to buy so that when the time comes to do work, we're close enough that we can still sleep in a bed at the end of the day.
(more...)
To Idaho Springs, Colorado.
Of course, some of you know the pace I tend to work, so this move will, I predict take about 5 years, give or take. Not only do I have to finish Dad's 40 (which is roughly six months behind schedule), but I need to get my 45 running after that. So really, I'll be back in NM about the same amount as my commuting schedule allows me now--about a week a month. On top of that, it will be a long, long time before I will have a shop comparable to ours in NM, so all of the important stuff is staying down here (I don't even want to think about how much work it'll be to move parts, tools and machines
), and obviously I've got the folks and a lot of friends still in New Mexico--so it's a safe bet that I'll be around about the same as I am now.The biggest difference most of you might notice is that I have a new phone number. (970)281-2445.
But now, the real reason we're moving: we found property that we are pretty sure we'll end up owning by the end of the year. It's OUT THERE. Seriously. 9,000+ feet. Absolutely no public utilities. It's a patented mining claim (that was never actively mined). First and last sun--year round. It's far enough out there that financing is basically not an option. And of course the price is right: cheap. By the end of the year Kate and I should be able to pay cash for it outright--if not sooner (fingers crossed...).
Without further ado: just to prove I'm not TOO crazy...
The meadow (yes, those are aspens, and yes there is a stream at the bottom of the meadow.
The view to the west. That is the Continental Divide.
The faux lux with what would end up as the driveway.
It's really a little gem. The road to get up there looks scary (so no developer would ever be dumb enough to try and subdivide it), but it's in a little banana bowl that gets amazing sun (these pictures are from the first week of April, at about 6PM), and keeps the steep part of the road dry. I've actually driven up there during, and after big snow storms just to make sure it's not going to be a problem (there are maybe three other year round residences up there--but none within earshot).
So, after we buy the land (it has been on the market for a while, and the current owners refuse to do anything but simple cash--and they haven't had ANY other interest--so we're 99% sure we'll win this one), we'll basically save out money for another year, to put in an electric system and septic, and the year after that we'll be pretty close to building a house. I'll build it, and it'll be tiny (like 600 square feet). So, if all goes according to plan, in just under four years we'll own a good chunk of land (mining claims are roughly 5 acres, depending on how senior the claim is--and this one is the senior claim in the area) without ever paying a mortgage. That's assuming that our pay stays the same (which is HIGHLY unlikely--the only way to be paid less than I am on the equipment I fly is to be junior to me at our company, and our pay is roughly 40% of the next compensation package on earth for this equipment--thanks RLA!), and a hefty raise (or back pay, for those of us who have been working under an amenable CBA for 3+ years) will accelerate this schedule a bit.
In the meantime, we're renting a little place (on 19 acres, I might add) in Idaho Springs so that I can do more productive trips (if I'm not forced to commute to each and every trip), and never have to pay for a hotel just to get to and from work, plus it's about 20 minutes to drive up to the land we're trying to buy so that when the time comes to do work, we're close enough that we can still sleep in a bed at the end of the day.
(more...)
).
Wish I'd be able to have my place paid off before retirement, but since I found a bass-ackwards route to a public safety career, I'll be working overtime/ 2nd job every year, and not for toys. :whoops:
