Setting the Bridge

Well we got the bridge set today with no problems. It took about 4 hours. First, each section had to be stood upright and moved closer to the creek. This was a little tricky because they tended to want to roll over during this lift. Here is the first one.
And the second:
And here is the last piece going into place over the creek.
It looks nice. Now we just have to backfill and build the driveway.

Crane

Took the day off to get ready for the big day tomorrow. We're giving the old bridge away to someone who answered an ad in the paper. He is supposed to bring a trailer and the crane should be able to load it for him easily.

I dug out around the old bridge, hoping that the crane will also be able to lift out at least one of the old bridge foundations. It looks like it's about ready to fall over.

They dropped the crane off this afternoon. It's rated to lift 25 tons. The heaviest bridge section weighs 8 tons.The creek is really high now and after almost washing downstream a couple of times, Pepper learned to cross the foot bridge.

28th - Good bye old bridge

Fred removed all the dirt and gravel from the old bridge. It was a railcar.

Here is the footbridge that we will be crossing over for then next couple of days.
Hopefully the creek won't rise anymore than it has or we will have to swim across.

27th - Our 1st Anniversary

Today was our anniversary. We had a nice picnic lunch beside the creek.

After lunch we worked on stripping the third and final form. Here are the two sides of the bridge. We did not get the form totally stripped but we will have tomorrow to work on it.
We rented the excavator again and Fred began moving the pile of dirt and trees away from the forms so the crane will be able to get to them Thursday.
We will be walking across the creek on a foot bridge for the next couple of days until the bridge is put into place.

Chico

This weekend, Fred and I went to Chico Hot Springs Resort for our 1st anniversary ( a week early). We swam in the hot springs which are around 94 degrees. They also have other things to do such as horseback riding and rafting trips.

Final Concrete Pour

Here is the form, set up one last time. We put the date (2007) in the form using plastic numbers from Home Depot. There is also a conduit in the form so that I can run electric wire through the bridge and install an outlet at each end.


I was too busy to take any pictures during the pour, but it went well.

We have some nice lilacs in the front yard.

14th - very nice day

No pictures of the bridge project today. Fred is out of town so bridge work will continue tomorrow or Wednesday.

I got Brandon signed up for Baseball and Day camps for the summer. I am including a schedule of the first week of camp. I wish I could take the summer off and go on these trips and activities with him. I think he will have an enjoyable summer. Baseball tryouts are June 18th and games start July 9th.

Happy Mother's Day

Fred had a helper to assist him on Saturday. He is trying to get the form ready for the third and final pour this coming Friday. Looks like it will probably be a go.

Top view of the second pour where Fred and Joe laid the stones in the concrete.
Here Kevin and Fred are tying the steel together.
Here is what I got to do for Mother's Day...fish plastic out the creek.

10th - Isolated Thunderstorms

Fred and I came home at lunch today. Fred worked on stripping the form and I caught up on some sleep.

Bridge Pour

Friday, Joe and I poured the second arch.

In this picture, we have just finished pouring the concrete and are starting to place the decorative stone in the wet concrete. This goes really fast and easy since there is no mortar to mix or apply.

It looks like river rock.
After the form is removed, I will finish covering the edges with "corners" that wrap around the edges.


One more to go.