For lack of anything else to post I figured I'd pass on some local news. First off I talked to Jerry at the Grub Shack last week and asked him if there was any good news on it opening back up. He said no, but he's still plugging along trying to get everything done so it can open back up. No time set since I guess he doesn't have a clue.
Speaking of Roofs I spied a HUGE disassembled satellite dish in Alpine the other day and boy would I love to have it for some sort of roof. Its a huge commercial dish and I know it is at least 20 feet in diameter. (Maybe even larger) It would take a semi to get it here though and would take a crane to set it on top of what ever it was going to become the roof for. I don't think its for sale though and it would probably cost more than I could afford even if it was.
This is good for cell phone users and will probably also open up internet to all in this area that are too far out to have cable run to their place. Not real good for me though because at one time when they were putting in my DSL and phone I got the impression that they might want to put a tower up here and of course if they had I'd have gotten paid for it. This is pretty near the highest point for miles all the way around except for 9 Points and Black Hill. Oh well...
As for the 48 LED lights I posted about a couple of blogs back I rode in to Alpine with my neighbor Wednesday and we checked on those lights while we were at AutoZone. They only had one and it was on sale for $7.95 and my neighbor said he had to pay $21 for the one I posted on the blog. I snatched the only one they had and asked if I could order more. They ordered the only ones left in their stores for miles around and said they would be in yesterday (Friday). I ordered one more and my neighbor ordered three more. I made a ride share back to Alpine yesterday for groceries and such and picked up the other lights. I'd used the first one for several hours Wednesday night and again Thursday night and I noticed when I had it and the new one side beside last night that the first one had gotten much dimmer than the new one. Evidently they put a pretty heavy drain on the AA cell batteries in them so I suspect that may be why AutoZone had them on sale and are probably dropping them from their merchandise line? I plan to convert my two to run off of the battery bank and solar panels on this trailer so the lights eating the small batteries won't really effect me and the two lights really help the lighting situation in here.
Good deal on the lights, especially if you can get them wired to your 12volts :)
ReplyDeleteAny idea on how many people are working on the sandbag house? And where are they getting their sand from - shipping it in, or using what's on their land?
Damn, wish they'd get the hassles with grub shack sorted - ruddy bureaucracy!!! Can't be easy for any of you (especially in winter) without that source of regular nourishment.
The dirt for the house comes from the site. We are building what will be our guesthouse when we are all said and done. The dirt used to build the guesthouse is coming from where we are digging out the living room for what will become the main house.
DeleteThere is two of us working on it when we can
If you search "earthbag terlingua" on you tube you can find some videos that explain what we are doing.
DeleteDani, I don't know the people building it or anything about it really. I've heard the woman is the daughter of Mike the guy that runs the Family Outreach Center and that she is a teacher, but that's hear say.
ReplyDeleteI guess all anyone can do about the GS is just sit back and wait and wait and wait. :(
I'm pretty sure that Clay Drinkard and his young wife (I forget her name) Diane at the Study Butte store's daughter are the builders and owners of the sandbag house. P.S. Mike is Clay's dad.
ReplyDeleteIt is Thomas and Carmen Drinkard
DeleteWell BKid, that's information I didn't have. You make the third person to add to what little info I've gotten about it.
ReplyDeleteMan I just hate to hear about all the BS that Jerry and Eva have had to endure. I hope they receive social security to make ends meet.
ReplyDeleteThat is good news to the locals on the cell phone towers even though it might not be for you. A little income always comes in handy.
MsB, I think its about time for cell phone reception in this area. If you have vehicle trouble between here and Alpine you have to wait for someone to stop and HOPE they stop to give a hand. A cell phone in that area would sure help in that case.
ReplyDeleteYes I hope Jerry and Eva can weather out the storm!!!
You think this new, out of nowhere, cellphone coverage is due to the Pres visit coming up someday?...or the Border Patrol increased presence that's always ramping up down that way?
ReplyDeleteseems curious....not like they can sell a bunch of new cellphone svc down there nowadays...and it's all about PROFIT or Govt needs..hmmm?
just saying.
BF, the gov wants the all of the US wired or radioed as it might be. Its been coming for a while. If you want to spend time in your secret canyon or man cave without anyone knowing where you are then I suggest not having a cell phone. Not even one that's turned off.
ReplyDeleteGood and interesting news from out your way.
ReplyDeleteI was hiking in Big Bend National Park a couple years ago, about a half mile up into Santa Elena Canyon (on the Rio Grande/Mexican border), and had great cell phone reception. I was sending dispatches out via Twitter, and had 'four bars' reception on the cell phone. Pretty phenomenal, if ya aks me....
Allen, some places out here do get cell phone reception, but not very good. Occasionally I could receive calls here and make calls, but they usually cut out before the conversation ended. The two towers should give good bars all along 118 to Alpine I'd guess.
ReplyDeleteLast time I was down there, I used lack of cell service as the excuss for not calling my wife to tell her I was going to be late. Dang, guess next time I will have to have a dead battery (grin).
ReplyDeleteSounds like a plan to me DD. Hope she doesn't read this blog!
ReplyDeleteThere is a murder case in San Antonio right now where the prominent suspect apparently lied about being asleep when cell phone tracking had him wandering over to the victims house and over to another location where the noisy dog was dumped...
DeleteA little off topic...my husband and I want to pack up our two children and leave our lives of stability and chaos (if that even makes sense) to move to Terlingua. Trying to figure out if I should shelve this dream or work to make it a reality.
ReplyDeleterj, if I'm not mistaken modern cell phones can be turned on remotely by authorities. That's why I say if you don't want to be found then don't have one with you. The cell phone I had before the last one had a mind of its own and would just come on for no reason at all. Of course it had been dropped a time or two.
ReplyDeleteNadia, only you can make that decision. Just keep in mind that this place can be a REAL CHALLENGE at times and that needs to be weighed against the really great times. Personally I think there are a lot more tough times (Mainly heat, cold, wind and sand related) than there are good times.
Oh yeah... I forgot harmful insects, pesky insects, snakes, some undesirable animals and road conditions to and from your property. I'm probably forgetting a few more to.
DeleteNadia, don't do it, not there. But if you insist I have 20 acres with a decent single wide trailer and a brand new septic system and a 1750 gallon water catchment tank just up the road from tffnguy, it could be 4 sale.
ReplyDeleteSorry for hijacking your site tffnguy.
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ReplyDeleteVery cool that a cell tower has finally been installed there. Cell towers are a real convenience to far-flung areas which may have been set aside by geography, but is nonetheless integrated by ever-tightening communication grids. Better to have a lead-in to that, as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteJen @ Tower Point