Words&Dirt

Anyone who has visited the Raymers knows the gravel road that spans the two acres between the main road and our house. The road is in generally poor condition, with grass growing in a strip down the center and a number of sizable potholes that hold standing water in the wet season. We’ve been wanting to get the road fixed up for a few years now, and next summer’s wedding gave us the perfect excuse to do it this year.

Fortunately, our building project in summer 2014 introduced us to Larry Cardoza, a local tractor driver and all-around useful guy when it comes to moving earth and rock. Larry came out in September, took a look at the road, and quoted us a much lower price than we’d anticipated to do the job. Then we waited a couple months for enough rain to loosen up the ground, and finally got around to doing the job last Friday.

Here was our starting point:

Road heading down to the house

Road heading up toward the barn

Road bending around the barn

Potholes in front of barn

More potholes going out to the main road

When Larry arrived, he began grading the road with his tractor. This minimizes the risk of potholes coming back after we put new rock down.

Graded road section with sod scraped off

In the section with big potholes, Larry used the backhoe to dig trenches to drain the holes, and then scraped them out so they’d be less likely to reform in the same spots.

Potholes be gone!

Another angle

After scraping out the holes, Larry then graded the road using first his tractor, and then a small roller that we rented.

Tractor and roller

Using the roller to flatten the road

Around 10:00, our first load of rock arrived. The driver was a short, friendly fellow with arms almost as big as his smile. It’s been a while since I’ve worked on a project like this, and I was pleasantly reminded of the rapport these working men have with each other. They engage in a uniquely masculine dance––part teasing, part complaining about the world going to hell, and part sizing up problems and finding solutions. Every moment is suffused with a mutual affection I doubt either man would readily admit to. Regardless of the veracity of this belief, these men seem to think they are the last generation who really know how to work hard. Their pride, indefatigable pep, and respect for one another are infectious.

Another great quality possessed by Larry and his ilk is a love of teaching. They’re not teachers in the traditional sense, but they relish the opportunity to show an interested person how to accomplish something on his or her own, especially if the job involves heavy machinery. These fellows are true individualists who believe everyone can get what they want if they just work hard enough; they are always eager to help someone strive for independence. As a person who’s constantly aware of my dependence on systems beyond my control, such men amaze and inspire me. But I also interact with them knowing I will never be cut from the same cloth. I’ve learned to talk the talk, but internally I’m just grateful there’s someone there to educate and instruct me. I’m no autodidact.

Larry showed me how to use the roller, and I was happy to finally make use of myself instead of just standing around taking pictures. Driving the roller was simple, and Larry instructed me on how and when to toggle the vibrating feature that helps the roller pack the rock down as it passes over. I started at the bottom of the road the worked my way up.

Roller start point

Road section, half rolled, half unrolled

For me, the trickiest part of driving the roller was learning how to keep it in a straight line. Since it has front and rear rollers instead of regular wheels, the roller turns itself by bending in the middle. Even a slight movement of the steering wheel turned the front roller at a sharper angle than I expected. This took a while to get accustomed to, but I eventually got the hang of it. Strangely, I found it easier to drive in a straight line while backing up. I had plenty of practice, going over each section a couple times with the vibration going, and then once or twice more without vibration.

Though I tried not to be careless, I had a couple close calls, including almost running the roller into the barn’s overhanging roof and a near sideswipe of Jessie’s truck. Fortunately, and with Larry’s help, I was able to save myself from my own incompetence without causing any lasting damage. As usual, Larry was imperturbable and encouraging.

After four truckloads of rock and a lot of rolling, we were in great shape:

Road down to house

Road up toward barn

Pothole-free corner

Last section

As we were finishing, Larry noticed that one of the spots where there used to be a pothole was still wetter and softer than he’d anticipated. It might be a spot where the water table is particularly high, or even the termination of an old drain buried under the road. Larry said I should keep an eye on it and fill in with more rock if a new pothole starts to form. If I fill in any nascent potholes once a year, he said, I should be able to prevent the big ones from reforming.

We are really happy with the new road, although we have to remind ourselves to drive slowly now that the ride is so smooth!

Clean slate

Update: Water catchment project

Since returning from the road trip in August, I’ve been making steady progress toward completing our water catchment project. The project has turned into a major headache in some respects, with a few misunderstandings and several setbacks. Additionally, I discovered a few days ago that our existing irrigation system has a problem I haven’t been able to solve on my own. I’m looking to get all of this resolved before the New Year, after which time I’ll be able to write up the whole story. For now, I wish all my readers a fun and relaxing Thanksgiving! I’m very thankful for everyone who takes the time to read my blog.

That means you!