# Blowdown and Earthquake



## slowp (Nov 16, 2010)

We had a wind event last night. I woke up around 11PM hearing the wind blasting outside. We came through OK, The Used Dog's bed blew off and got wet. Our power stayed on, no trees were lost.

So, I went to work and we had an earthquake. I didn't feel it, but others did. It was a 4.2 and I guess it knocked loose a chimney 15 miles west of here.

We had reports of trees across roads, a lot of roads, and hunters stuck behind the trees. Twinkle and my presence were requested. We ended up working with a road crew guy on a main forest road--two land paved. 

I was in the midst of cutting a bigger tree that had broken partially through and was on a cutbank. Twinkle got pinched and I uttered the :censored: word. (this has happened before). I turned around and an older man and woman were standing right behind me. I turned off Twinkle. They said, "We never seen a woman running a saw before." and proceeded to question me. 

Finally, my partner arrived. He is running a truck with a blade and shoving the chunks off the road. Also cutting when he catches up. They left. Soon Twinkle was spitting out dust, so I filed the chain. It looked like I had hit the pavement, which I'm sure I did.

I was climbing up a cutbank to cut an end off, and along comes a familiar pickup and stops, It is one of the better fallers around here, and he yells, "I'm gonna watch YOU cut that." I'm always watching them cut. So he did and everything went well. He commented on how sharp my chain was, I didn't show him the burrs and chips on it.  Earlier I had pinched the Stihl bar, and the chain wouldn't go around so I pulled out a brand new Oregon bar and slapped it on. I asked the faller if the Stihl bar was bent. It wasn't but the sprocket was stuck. So, he did a "delicate adjustment" ran it along on the pavement until it started to turn. I guess I need to do a bit more adjusting on it. By then, it was starting to get dark. Twinkle and I have been asked to work again tomorrow, and we will. 

The firewood cutters are failing us, and staying home. I don't think Twinkle looks as stylish with the Oregon bar on, but I'll have to live with that for a while. 

No pictures, it was dark today and we had to push to try to get work done.


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## Cedarkerf (Nov 16, 2010)

An eventful day for ya. Our power went out about 9:30 last nite came on around 10 this morning. Glad I thinned the branches on our biggest Doug fir a few weeks ago. Had to check a couple things out side solid wall of watr instead of rain drops looked like a classic movie storm scene.


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## bitzer (Nov 16, 2010)

Sounds like a good time to me. How come you didn't just winch em off the road? ha. ha. 

You may have pinched your rails a bit. Pounding and prying with a scrench in the right places might do the trick. Just make sure you stop at true. If its the sprocket you might get it to go with the chain sagging a little and a few blips on the trigger.


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## madhatte (Nov 16, 2010)

Power went out at 8:30 PM here. Blowdowns most of the way from here to civilization, and then everywhere at work. 'Course, it's mostly big, rotten hulks, so it's just a sloppy mess and no fun at all to cut. Lots of work left to do.


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## Gologit (Nov 16, 2010)

Slowp...sounds like you kept busy. For a while anyway.. What did you do _after_ lunch?


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## 2dogs (Nov 16, 2010)

I'm glad everything went OK. I hit the pavement with my saw today too but mine was my own dern fault.

I helped mill up some pretty big Giant Sequoia today in a blacktop parking lot. I hope to figure out my new camera so I can post pics.


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## Hddnis (Nov 16, 2010)

Blew like mad here. In town the gusts reached 80mph. Out on the mountain where we live the neighbors weather station recorded a gust of 97mph.

Our power flickered and cut out for a few seconds all night, but never went out. All around us was out of power. The local Home Depot had a line on the generator aisle.

I spent most of the day patching roofs. We had fourteen repairs lined up by noon. Several missing four or more squares.

Trees down on and through houses everywhere. One tall dead poplar was literally laying up over a guys house in pieces. It shattered without slicing through. He had a 30" log on one side, just sitting on the roof.



Mr. HE


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## Humptulips (Nov 17, 2010)

Odd, hardly blowed at all here on the west side of the Olympics. I didn't feel the quake either.


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## slowp (Nov 17, 2010)

Humptulips said:


> Odd, hardly blowed at all here on the west side of the Olympics. I didn't feel the quake either.



That's because the weather forecasters predicted it for you, and not us.

The timber faller and family spent a nervous night in what they figured was the safest part of their house. He said they could hear the trees going down nearby. We have not heard of any campers getting hit, although I saw one close call.


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## slowp (Nov 17, 2010)

Another day, no M&Ms, just coffee and a sandwich. The weather is wintery--miserable and we covered ground. Here's the big tree of the day. I only ran and got wedges. I videoed this, hoping to get the deep chunking noises that such trees make, but the noise can't be heard. The tree was talking even when the saw was out. Up where he cut, the wood was clear of the rot that was in the butt. My guess was a 4'8" diameter where he made the first cut.
Boy did that tree smell good and the pitch was running out pretty good.









He's using an old saw (044) that he found tucked away in a corner of the shop. It has the standard 32 inch bar on it.
I found out that I don't get very sore when there's equipment to push the trees off the road. All I had to do was cut and do a bit of limbing, and sometimes climb a cutbank with Twinkle. We called in the backhoe for this road.




This was scary. We heard that a pickup was smashed and nobody had checked to see if anybody was inside. Nobody was. This is at a hunting camp that was left vacant. The tree is a cedar.




Finally, Twinkle's new look.




I sure enjoyed doing something productive, away from the paperwork, computers and phone, even if I did get wet and cold. I think it is back to my normal job tomorrow....


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## turnkey4099 (Nov 18, 2010)

Wx report official weather station gust 85 mph only 13 miles S of me. They reported it as a force 4 hurricane power. Power out at 1 a.m. back on about 11. My area ws reported as steady 40 gusts into the 60s.

Not many trees down. Mayor of Albion (very small town) got wiped out by two trees, one big one down in my town, a couple in Pullman. Very lucky that all the leaves were off the trees. Had they been leafed out there would have been bunches down. I found only on 2ft tip of a branch from a big Birch at my house. 

Bad Karma for one family in Spokane. Big tree blew down during the night but went away from the house. Then a gust came through this afternoon and put its companion down on the house. House "officially not habitable at this time". 

Harry K


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## RandyMac (Nov 18, 2010)

We have had mild and sunny California weather over the last few days, a little rain at the moment, a bit breezy. I'm sure we will have our turn, we always do. 194% of normal, got a good start.


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## Gologit (Nov 18, 2010)

RandyMac said:


> We have had mild and sunny California weather over the last few days, a little rain at the moment, a bit breezy. I'm sure we will have our turn, we always do. 194% of normal, got a good start.



Same over on this side of the hill...sunshine and mild all week. That changes Friday. Two big storms headed our way, lots of rain, wind, and the snow level will be down to 3000 feet.

The woodshed is full, the freezer is full, we're stocked up on books, popcorn, and gas. Bring it on.


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## slowp (Nov 18, 2010)

Snoqualimie Pass (I90) closed on the westbound section last night. Right now the TV is showing whiny truck drivers putting chains on. 

I like my house, but the driveway is treacherous. It can get your heart rate up when the Subaru slides a bit on the outslope section. I may be parking at the bottom if things get bad. I have a sled and a big dog.

Just looked out and there is slush on the deck.


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## Gologit (Nov 18, 2010)

slowp said:


> Snoqualimie Pass (I90) closed on the westbound section last night. Right now the TV is showing whiny truck drivers putting chains on.
> 
> I like my house, but the driveway is treacherous. It can get your heart rate up when the Subaru slides a bit on the outslope section. I may be parking at the bottom if things get bad. I have a sled and a big dog.
> 
> Just looked out and there is slush on the deck.



Might be a good time to get that Toyota 4x4 pickup you've been wanting. Any pictures of the Used Dog pulling the sled?


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## 2dogs (Nov 18, 2010)

slowp said:


> Snoqualimie Pass (I90) closed on the westbound section last night. Right now the TV is showing whiny truck drivers putting chains on.
> 
> I like my house, but the driveway is treacherous. It can get your heart rate up when the Subaru slides a bit on the outslope section. I may be parking at the bottom if things get bad. I have a sled and a big dog.
> 
> Just looked out and there is slush on the deck.



Is the Subaru all wheel drive? I am looking around for a used Suby, prices are so low it's funny.


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## slowp (Nov 18, 2010)

2dogs said:


> Is the Subaru all wheel drive? I am looking around for a used Suby, prices are so low it's funny.



Yes, and I'm taking it to the doctor on Monday. I'm hoping to get through another winter with it. It needs to be ski hill worthy.


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## Hddnis (Nov 18, 2010)

Woke up to an inch of snow and it was coming down heavy. No problem I thought, I'll take the truck down the mountain to work. Well, two hours later when it was time to leave there were four inches of very heavy snow. It was just the right temp to make it pack under the tires and be slick. There was just enough on the ground to keep the tires from contacting the gravel. Our hill is very steep, so I put the chains on, drove a couple of miles to the paved road and then took them off. 

Once I got to town I stocked up on 12" rubber load straps to tension the chains. I never seem to have enough of them.



Mr. HE


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## Greystoke (Nov 19, 2010)

Nice old growth fir!


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## flushcut (Nov 19, 2010)

You PNW guys have all the fun!


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## Hddnis (Nov 20, 2010)

flushcut said:


> You PNW guys have all the fun!





We just write it up that way to make ya' jealous.:biggrinbounce2:


Truth is, around here you have to make what you're dealt fun or it will get pretty gloomy real fast. People from California move up here and there is so little sunlight they go nuts and shoot themselves.



Mr. HE


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## RandyMac (Nov 20, 2010)

Not all of California is sunny.
I gotta admit, Seattle winters are no fun, it can be cold, there can be snow, it can take a week to get an inch of rain, with no let up.


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## slowp (Nov 20, 2010)

We get more drizzle than Seattle. Also more snow. There is no snow this morning. 

Since cutting blowdown is not our usual job, there were some moments of, Ruh Roh. I found out I can still sprint and not rip my leg up. Lugging a saw up a steep cutbank to get one tree can get old. But it was a nice break from paperwork and politics. 

We left one. It was a gnarly old Doug, which had fallen across the road and was hung up good in trees on the other side of the road. It would have been a soft wood version of that tree in the chainsaw forum, that the guys were trying to get down. We figured if we whacked away on it, all it would do would be to stand up and be more of a danger. We had no winch, and the backhoe got sent away to a higher priority area. People can easily drive under it.


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## 056 kid (Nov 20, 2010)

2dogs said:


> Is the Subaru all wheel drive? I am looking around for a used Suby, prices are so low it's funny.



I had a 90s model wagon. MAN that thing would drag itself up crazy inclines. I could go places that jeep wranglers would spin without momentum. It would get high centered and seemingly extend its wheels and claw its way on up!


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## Joe46 (Nov 20, 2010)

2dogs said:


> Is the Subaru all wheel drive? I am looking around for a used Suby, prices are so low it's funny.



The new ones are. I owned an "85" wagon. It had a 2spd transfer case. Normal front wheel drive till you engaged the transfer case. Great car. Got better mileage than my "04" Forester. I bought the Forester with a 5spd, and they came with a limited slip rearend.


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## Humptulips (Nov 21, 2010)

RandyMac said:


> Not all of California is sunny.
> I gotta admit, Seattle winters are no fun, it can be cold, there can be snow, it can take a week to get an inch of rain, with no let up.



Ah, the myth of the wet Seattle. Pretty dry actually compared to the rain forest I live in.
Don't try and fool me. I've seen those happy cow commercials. Must be nice working on your tan in between trees.:rockn:


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## floyd (Nov 21, 2010)

It mists alot in Seattle. There is a reason it's called the Emerald City. It is hard for me to appreciate the place but it is nice on a sunny day when everyone takes off work to play in the sun.


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## Cedarkerf (Nov 21, 2010)

Humptulips said:


> Ah, the myth of the wet Seattle. Pretty dry actually compared to the rain forest I live in.
> Don't try and fool me. I've seen those happy cow commercials. Must be nice working on your tan in between trees.:rockn:



Yea Seattle aint that wet annual rainfall around 40 inches. I live 35 miles South east of seattle and we average 87" a year. You must get close to Forks 120".

Hey Patty its all white up here this mornin. You get any down there in the southern Banana belt


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## slowp (Nov 21, 2010)

The banana belt has no snow in the lowlands. Just some frost. It was a clear night and nice sunrise, but is now clouding up. I'm thinking rain. The windshields are melting.


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## Humptulips (Nov 21, 2010)

Cedarkerf said:


> Yea Seattle aint that wet annual rainfall around 40 inches. I live 35 miles South east of seattle and we average 87" a year. You must get close to Forks 120".



Actually about 140, not as wet as up the valley though where it will go about 180
My address is Humptulips but I live in the Quinault valley.

About an inch of snow here.


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## Hddnis (Nov 22, 2010)

Six inches here, of the white stuff.

Wind has picked up a little, driveway will probably have drifts three feet deep by morning.



Mr. HE


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## slowp (Nov 22, 2010)

Maybe a quarter of an inch here? And the snowflakes are fluttering down in a very sparse manner.


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## Cedarkerf (Nov 22, 2010)

Were up to 4 inches


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## slowp (Nov 22, 2010)

*And Snowstorm*

8 inches so far. The two wheel drive Chevy got me to the hill to the hill to my house. It did well on the highway, which is washboardy snow. I couldn't get over 30 mph. The 4x4 that was tailgating me turned off. My Chevy is parked at a neighbor's house and I'll have to make him some cookies. 

The Subaru will live. It will get alternator number 4, which is free because number 3 was guaranteed for life, and a new catylitic (how do you spell it?) converter. Then some new belts and should be good. I had to do a brodie in that parking lot to get out. Wasn't too worried because a friend owns the place and has road building equipment all over.

Well, it looks like the power has tried to go off so I better fill up the wood box and get out the campstoves. 

It is still coming down hard.


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## billmartin (Nov 22, 2010)

Well I hope you don't get the wind were having in Bellingham. BRRR. Blowing hard and gusting harder out of the N.E.

Good old arctic blast. Only got 3" of snow here and it might all blow your way if the wind keeps up.

Good luck with the snow down there

Bill


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## slowp (Nov 22, 2010)

It is blowing here. Enough that my watching of the panic in Seattle is affected. The satellite dish must be getting blasted by snow blowing off the cedars. 

The covered porch is getting snow on it. I do expect our power to go off. It usually does under these conditions.


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## slowp (Nov 23, 2010)

*The Aftermath*


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## Cedarkerf (Nov 23, 2010)

*A few of ours*

Upper flat of driveway






Hill behind us





Road to the driveway





Went over to Sumner had 35 abandoned cars a7 the bottom of Eli hill on highway 410


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## RandyMac (Nov 23, 2010)

About noon here, we had a sudden snow flurry, it whipped through in ten minutes, then the Sun came out, nice enough to BBQ.


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## slowp (Nov 23, 2010)

RandyMac said:


> About noon here, we had a sudden snow flurry, it whipped through in ten minutes, then the Sun came out, nice enough to BBQ.



We'll come to your house for Turkey Day. Start barbecuing the turkey.

We're now supposed to hit Zero degrees tonight. 

Ever put your longjohns away for the year and then can't remember where when cold weather starts up again?


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## Cedarkerf (Nov 23, 2010)

We could BBQ but 13 degrees is gettin chilly for us west coasters, supposed to bottum out at 3 degrees.


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## RandyMac (Nov 23, 2010)

Being thin blooded, my "winter wear" is never far. It might not get very cold here, we have a heavy damp cold, usually with a 20 knot breeze.

They are talking mid 20s for here, I'm tossing a blanket over the artichokes


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## billmartin (Nov 23, 2010)

Cedarkerf said:


> We could BBQ but 13 degrees is gettin chilly for us west coasters, supposed to bottum out at 3 degrees.



I hear ya there! I thought we had a rainforest in this state... Snow forest now probly 

Gonna be some chilly fingers tomorrow. 

@ slowp. I called to order parts/merchandise out of seattle this afternoon fom my main supplier(locks and such, being I'm a locksmith) took me three tries to realise that nobody went to work today there... Bunch of weinies! 

Bill


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## GASoline71 (Nov 24, 2010)

Bill... we got down to about 14 last night here on Whidbey Island. But with the wind it was -3. Did you guys get much wind up there in B'ham?

Also have had 2 earthquakes in 3 days here... 

Gary


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## slowp (Nov 24, 2010)

billmartin said:


> I hear ya there! I thought we had a rainforest in this state... Snow forest now probly
> 
> Gonna be some chilly fingers tomorrow.
> 
> ...



Add me to the weinie list. The alternator for the Subaru was late so it didn't get done, I'm thinking my pickup won't make it up to the county road. I spent a while snow scooping the long driveway and will do that again today.

The house was too warm so I cracked a window in the bedroom. The house was 47 indoors when I got up. 

It is 9 here. But nothing like Wisconsin. Or the Methow Valley. I had the urge to go ski in the moonlight last night. It was so bright and pretty. There isn't enough snow to do that. 

Now where is the heavy duty longjohn stash? I'll find it in July. Maybe that's why the oldtimers supposedly wore it all year?


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## Gologit (Nov 24, 2010)

22 degrees and clear. No snow at our place, 2200 MSL, but up the road a few miles there's plenty. Think Donner Party. We're headed up the hill later to scout some roads...I'll try to get pictures.

In the meantime it's power on, power off, power on, power off. Lots of trees down across power lines and the PGE crews are working around the clock. Last we heard about 4000 homes in our area were still without electricity.


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## RandyMac (Nov 24, 2010)

It dropped to 32, then clouds came in it's 38 now, artichokes made it.


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## Greystoke (Nov 24, 2010)

Winter is here! Glad I did not have to climb trees this week. High of -3 here today, about 10 inches of powder on the ground. Supposed to stay cold for a bit. Glad to hear your artichokes made it Randy. Stay warm everyone!


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## slowp (Nov 24, 2010)

I threw a mulch of snow around the rose bush. I'll have to mosey out and see if the Grapple Cat is running. He was going well yesterday. I fueled him up with an extra big helping of Meow Mix.


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## Hddnis (Nov 24, 2010)

We hit -7 last night, bit of a breeze, but not too bad. It is blowing tonight, I can hear it whooshing by the house.

About a foot+ of the white stuff on the ground, it squeaks when you walk on it. 

Women are cooking for Thanksgiving. I'm going to start with putting the new engine in one of my project trucks. Should be able to drive it to work on Monday if I don't need any parts.



Mr. HE


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## floyd (Nov 25, 2010)

We got some of that stick to vertical surface snow.

Wish the ground had frozen first.


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## Steve NW WI (Nov 27, 2010)

slowp said:


> It is 9 here. But nothing like Wisconsin.



Heh - my thermometer has only had a low of 8 so far this year, but I'm certain it's coming. About 4" of snow on the ground, hay and bean fields are sheets of ice, makes hunting a pain when ya gotta slipslide across an 80 to check one more brush and rock pile for deer.



> Now where is the heavy duty longjohn stash? I'll find it in July. Maybe that's why the oldtimers supposedly wore it all year?



Don't own 'em. Got a couple pairs of insulated jeans for outside work in the winter, Carhartt arctic bibs for real frickin cold, or sitting on a bucket on a frozen lake drinking beer and telling lies about fish...

BTW, 180" of rain here, and I'd have a 16x70 Ice Fishin Castle, with basement pool! I can't imagine the type of ground that would soak up anywhere near that.

Deer hunt ends tomorrow, and with a little more snow, the sled trails will open next weekend. If ya can't control the weather, ya just gotta be crazy enough to enjoy it.


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## slowp (Nov 27, 2010)

We hit 40 today. It rained but the sun almost came out. It melted enough snow so I was able to drive my pickup up the hill and it is home again.


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## Meadow Beaver (Nov 27, 2010)

Got up to 30 here today with a 1/2" of snow.


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## Hddnis (Nov 27, 2010)

Hit 27 here today. About six inches of new snow. Blowing lightly so it is drifting a bit. Gonna' hafta plow the driveway tomorrow.:rockn:



Mr. HE


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## Cedarkerf (Nov 29, 2010)

Saturday night on the way out to the real toolies had snow flakes so big you could see shadows on window from them they were huge. Got about 8 inches in 4-5 hours.


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