Thursday, May 6, 2010

Kind of a Trail Work Press Release - sorta


Fairbanks Industries, Designers and General Contractors of Exquisite, High-End North Country Trail Backpacking Shelters, announced today that phase one of the current project has been completed (cutting the floor frame lumber and nailing it together) and the firm is on schedule for phase two (lugging the frame into the woods, assembling it, and attaching it to the foundation stones) scheduled for Sunday afternoon, May 9th, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Watt's Mill site.



Lee Fairbanks, Owner and Chief Engineer (not to mention main nail-pounder-in-er) on this ultra-sophisticated project credited the firm's success to an excellent set of plans (provided by the ANF Chapter and then super-modified by Eleanor), being able to use the manufacturing resources of the Garrett Bridge Construction Company of Darlington, PA (Dennis's two-shelter or three-bridge garage and all his tools), cheap, unskilled, out-of-town labor (I drove over from Canfield to help this morning), and Cathy Garrett keeping the crew in sandwiches and coffee for the duration of the work (thanks Ma!).



***Editor's Note - Hope to see you at Watt's Mill this Sunday afternoon at 4:00 for a couple of hours of trail work. Bring Mom along - it'll be her best Mother's Day EVER. And keep next Saturday, the 15th open for our shelter raising party/picnic in conjuction with the Americorps volunteers. Details coming very soon.






Dave Brewer

2 comments:

  1. Hello to All -

    Yes, this is an actual, factual account of all the fine, crafted detail that is going on with the Shelter construction that will be going up at Watts Mill...just being in close proximity to all this construction by the General Contractors, the Construction Engineers, and their proteges is quite an experience! Fairbanks Industries was certainly a wise choice!!

    Lee and Eleanor Fairbanks have worked out the Shelter plans exquisitely and have been able to partner with the Garrett Bridge Construction Company in Darlington to work together on this awesome construction.

    Dave Brewer has been the laborer along with Lee Fairbanks! Just as an observer during several hours of the construction, I was amazed how a pile of lumber could turn into a floor base and turn out perfectly in reference to every piece fitting in place exactly. Talk about knowing what you're doing...well, Dave and Lee do!!!

    We here at Garrett Bridge Construction Company have an in-house restaurant with made-to-order sandwiches, I tell you what I have and you decide if you want it, and fresh coffee and other refreshments of your choice. You can even have pepper corn ranch potato-chips with that if you want...Maa Garrett, that'd be me, has had many, many years of cooking experience and just gets happy as all get out when she can whip up something for one of the workers or management folks. Here, we call it the "personal touch."

    Yes, can't think of a much better or more memorable way to spend Mother's Day than out at Watts Mill getting things for the Shelter crankin', the main floor frame and the shelter walls main frame all ready for the "big stick up" next Saturday when we are going out to partner with the AmeriCorps folks and really have it to get the Shelter a reality!!! I've said it before with certain things that were "BIG" like in the ad for Fios..."this is big!"...yep that's what they say, well, move over Fios because we have something BIG also and maybe even bigger!!! So, hope to see you there...and to all the Mother's who read this...Happy Mother's Day and God bless you.

    As ever -
    Maa Garrett and Paa, too!

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  2. Good Evening Fellow NCTr's:

    Really nothing I can add to the email below, except, here are some photos from the last couple of days of activity - http://community.webshots.com/album/577334854UNgKrW?start=48 Yesterday's start on the bottom row.

    See you Saturday afternoon/evening at Watt's Mill.

    Dave Brewer

    --- On Mon, 5/10/10, Cathy Garrett wrote:


    From: Cathy Garrett
    Subject: Oh yeah!!!!
    To: "Lee Fairbanks" , "Turner Household" , "david brewer" , "Wampum Chapter" , "Julie Elkins" , "Julie Elkins"
    Date: Monday, May 10, 2010, 4:50 PM


    Hi Lee, Eleanor, and Doug, Daphne, and Dave - and Everyone Else -

    Yesterday was quite the Mother's Day! Spending time with you all down at Watts Mill and working on the installation of the floor frame of the soon-to-be Hiker Shelter is just a wonderful experience for me, really for both Dennis and me! I have dreamed about how we would "revive" our once "quite frequented" camping place and the NCT has been the answer and now with the Hiking Shelter...seems like we hit the jackpot. Oh yeah!!! The best part is the camaraderie and friendships we have made with everyone. Anyway, sorry about those "slip and slide" Rhubarb Bars, but some things are just out of my control!! :-] (They were delicious)

    Hoping our Shelter Raising on Saturday will be all that! . . . .

    Lee and Dave haved at it today inside and out on the concrete to get the sides of the Shelter ready! It really looks nice and very professional I might add. I am so amazed at the "part" everyone has to play in this entire venture. Couldn't make it happen without each bit of individual help and group help...so thanks and kudos and atta a boy or girl, and oh...gee...wow - aren't you all something!

    Hope to see you on Saturday...

    As ever -
    Cathy and Dennis Garrett - Watts Mill Landowners - and we're also known as Maa and Paa!

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