Snow Camping in a Quinzhee

One of the activities I really enjoy is volunteering as a Boy Scouts of America Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM) ... I will avoid ALL negative comments about the scouting program, because having been involved for over 10 years, and seeing how many outstanding young scouts became real men before even turning 18, and achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, I know like any other program the outcome is a direct result of the inputs.

I'm fortunate to have a son who is an Eagle Scout, and being involved with him made me aware how much the program provided him a fundamental base no one can ever take from him ... he's an absolutely wonderful human being, honest, kind, sincere, and resourceful; the kind of person you want your children to have as a friend, if not your own child.

So, part of being an ASM is on-going training in all sorts of areas including scout safety, emergency preparedness, troop management, and some fun stuff like wilderness training ;)

This past weekend, our Scoutmaster and I attended High Altitude Training (HAT) with the Bay Area Council at Meiss Meadow, right next to Kirkwood Ski Resort off Cailfornia Highway 88. The weather was perfect for the occassion with highs of 23F and an overnight low of 3F (one of those "never got above freezing" kind of days !

Fun stuff ... and the exact reason the Boy Scouts motto is "Be Prepared!"

We decided to opt out of setting up a tent (brrr!!!) because it wasn't going to provide enough heat retention, and decided instead to build a quinzhee, which is a cross between an igloo and a snow cave. It is designed to keep temperatures inside the quinzhee at 30-40F which is a LOT better than sleeping in a tent with an inside temperature of 3F.

I'll detail in another post how to build a quinzhee, because everyone deserves an opportunity to shovel snow non-stop for 4-5 hours ;)

In the meantime, here's a picture of Mr. Mailhot & I on top of our patrol parters quinzhee, with a distinctly igloo look to it ... as you can see, they're quite strong supporting the weight of two men standing on the roof. Given good conditions, a quinzhee can last nearly a month, so in a survival situation, you could build a quinzhee to stay in for a month, then simply spend another day and build another one that would last you another month ... cheaper than your mortgage too I bet !!!

We spent the day with our new scouting friends Arron & Mike S. from a troop out of Oakley, CA ... they were great company, and I really look forward to seeing them again at a future scout event !

After finishing our shelter it was immediately time for supper, so i whipped up a chicken & kielbasa risotto served over rice ... it was excellent, and provided great enjoyment warming up everyone after a long days work.

Have a closer look at my "kitchen" ... any man's dream !!!

We moved into the quinzhee pretty much right after dinner, because temperatures were already dropping into the teens, and it was getting windy which was making it feel a lot colder :

We put our water bottles inside, along with snow shovels (in case of a collapse!), and my handy candle lantern ... I love the way the candle lantern provides a soft glow throughout the whole quinzhee, it's amazing to look at, and guaranteed to make me sleepy every time :

We awoke to a fresh day, and quickly got to breaking down our shelter (we don't leave them up, in case someone comes along later and it collapses on them). Have a look through the roof, from the front, and down into the quinzhee :

After getting most of the top collapsed, it was time to take one last glamour photo, so back in I went with a handy pine cone and snow shovel used for props:

Maybe it was just the way the lake looked, snow covered and iced over, but I was left with a sense of leaving something special behind as we turned and headed home

There was one guy on the lake snow fishing (in s.t.y.l.e. I might add, look at that beauty of a ice fishing hut, I bet he has internet in there ;)

So, if you ever want your son to experience wonderful training in leadership, values, and all sorts of useful skills, I highly recommend the Boy Scouts program. The key, just like any other youth activity, is to thoroughly evaluate the program before joining, and continuing to monitor your child's activities like a responsible adult should always do. And if your son does achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, then you too will feel humbled (not so much proud, you'll see what I mean if it ever happens!) in your son's accomplishments ... strike that, in HIS accomplishments !!!

Hope you enjoyed the trip, and I sincerely ask all people to support the Boy Scouts of America program ... it is one of the most successful programs for turning out the next generation of America's leaders, in that there is something we can all benefit from.

Nikon AW100
B+W MRC Circular Polarizing Filter

A Walk to Nowhere

Bella & Sandy (my dogs) took me for our morning walk, and i decided to bring the camera to share some places & things along the way. It was a cold, crisp morning and a deep frost lay everywhere making for a very white morning.

Its always a mystery what Bella & Sandy will turn up, so i did my best to capture some wildlife, absent the opportunity to "sneak up" for a good shot. It didn't take Bella long to get the party started, as she went vertical for a left-over almond hanging in a tree (a left-over almond is called a "mummy" ;)

Bella was run over by a truck a few years ago, her right rear hip and right front paw were crushed and had to undergo major surgery (rear leg ball that used to seat in hip pocket had to be sawn off, and her front paw was rebuilt using wire and plates) ... but that doesn't stop her from getting all out of life, including 5 mile walks; she's an inspiration to anyone who knows this beautiful creature ;)

Of course, Sandy is always around to cause mischief ... she is one of the most annoyingly difficult dogs I have ever owned, and she looks it including those red eyes, pink nose, orange eyebrows & eyelashes, pink dagger claws, and that crocodile mouth & teeth

Our first goal was the Stanislaus River which runs right past our backyard, so off we went. You know you're getting close to the river when you see the larger trees, that flourish due to an abundance of available water

It was still cold, and the frost was being persistent, which made for some interesting pictures. We found this little bench along the way, I imagine it has a lot of stories it could tell ... we'll get back to this bench in a little bit ...

To keep the squirrel population down, owl boxes are put up to encourage natural predation, instead of using poison (we're not quite, but almost an organic farm). This box is currently waiting for new residents, any barn owls looking for a new home in this housing debacle?)

Believe me, this sign is NOT for Bella, but she stood right next to it, so it made for a fun picture

The path continued, and we followed it down to the river, winding through lots of trees, brush, and some stickers ...

Finally, we arrived at our first destination, the Stanislaus River ... the river is undergoing a revival currently, so although it remains dirty from historical low flows, the improvements are dramatic & beneficial ... we commonly see otters, the occasional beaver, salmon & striped bass run through, and there are some other wildlife "wonders" that will remain a secret, except to those who live around here ;)

So, Bella knowing exactly what to do in a moment like this, led the way and Sandy & I followed :

It wasn't too long before our restless legs were bored, so we continued back up the trail we had come down, looking for more adventure. This is where the little bench comes back into the picture, look at it sitting under that majestic Valley Oak, and imagine all the reflection that has taken place while people sit and enjoy the natural surroundings (this picture taken for my friend Nancy Gray ;)

We walked by an old barn , it has to be at least 75 years old:

As we continued on towards the gravel pit & percolation ponds, we came across a beautiful walnut orchard, majestic & young, coming into its prime of producing over a ton or walnuts an acre for well over 40 years

We also found some old, rusted out equipment like this wheelbarrow :

As we approached the gravel pit, Sandy stirred up an incredible bird ... it took to wing, and as it was flying I was able to snap this picture (it's wingspan was approximately 6 feet from wingtip to wingtip)

We continued on, and found a bit of sap running out of an almond tree, reflecting in the morning sunshine :

There was also a prickly pear, it's red beautifully contrasting against the green cactus:

But dreams of walking forever ended as we hit the 3 mile mark, so we turned around and headed home, feeling like 6 miles of beautiful companionship in the middle of nowhere was just what the doctor ordered. We walked back through the almond orchards, now frost-free, and the freshly mowed clover & grass was looking absolutely amazing

In fact, where the orchard had recently been mowed and I had earlier swept in a bunch of walnuts, the birds were having an absolute feast, including this wonderfully beautiful Western Blue Bird, which while being beautiful is obviously not the best for camoflauge, probably explaining why they are so shy & evasive (and LOL ... there are at least nine birds in this picture, including TWO in flight, how many can you find?)

As we approached home, the dogs picked up the pace, heading for their water bowl. I had other things on my mind, knowing a quick 30 minute break on this bad boy was exactly what I needed, so I'll leave you here with this final picture (P.S. its a lemon tree in the background, and she's absolutely loaded with wonderful lemons right now :)

We hope you enjoyed our morning walk as much as we did, and appreciate the pictures taken along the way

Nikon D800

Nikon 55-300mm kit lens

Nikon SB700 flash

A Nation of Sheep

"A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves." - Edward R. Murrow

Sometimes i say what i feel, and immediately am confronted with a backlash of comments revolving around being "insensitive" and/or "inconsiderate" ...

i GET IT, but does the reaction indicate others don't, or is there REALLY a layer of invisible. but very real, sensitivity we all need to be aware of, when talking to other people, especially in tough times, even more so about tough topics like the economy, jobs, housing, etc?

IF we cannot say what we believe, then we're left with nothing but saying what we think we're supposed to say, to make sure we're perceived as "good" people !

i do NOT operate that way, i never have, and i get paid to provide strong opinions that i am judged upon, by the most important person in the world, the CUSTOMER !!!

they appreciate honest input, even when it is bad news ... because they know, if i try to be "nice" and sugar coat the findings, all i do is set them up for a larger failure later, when the negative implications are usually much greater.

so ... today is a day to say ENOUGH with pacifism in having the tough conversations, that need to be dealt with, that are not going to go away, and will only get worse over time ... i clearly wish to state, that the way america works best is:

1. SMALL BUSINESS
2. SMALL GOVERNMENT

these two basic tenants allow INDIVIDUALS to best exercise their god given rights, to either succeed or fail, based on whatever it is that inspires THEM !!!

it is the quote above that concerns me most ... have americans lost sight of the fact this nation was founded under the principles of self-reliance (ala ralph waldo emerson), truth & trust (ala thomas paine), and discovery (too many to name!)

people who CHALLENGED the system, spesking words many deemed traitorous ... the FACT is that "truth" is RELATIVE ... we all have our own personal truths, and many conflict with the truths held by others ... there is a distinct difference when discussing TRUTH, and some people just are better are dealing with the hard realities involved in tough situations.

Either through professional requirements (i.e. a judge), or moral character, some people just know how to cut through the chaff, boil issues down to fundamental decisions, and present clear opinion regarding what appears to be the "best" solution when dealing with conflict, or opposing points of view.

sheep do NOT make good long-term decision, and are fundamentally one step lower than the ostrich ... at least the ostrich puts it's head in the sand, later able to make the claim "it saw nothing, and heard nothing" when exercising it's pacifism.

Sheep know bettter, but choose to do nothing about it !!!

The honest answer is NOT obama, and its NOT romney ... the proper answer is NONE OF THE ABOVE ... and a call ... no a DEMAND!!! ... to return government and business down to proper size, SMALL !!!

if this nation wants to advance, it will NOT get there under the present regime of mega corporations buying representatives to our government ... it will NOT get there with a complicit media that glorifies strife & turmoil, to sell advertising into (to the benefit of the mega corporations) ... and it will NOT get ahead by sitting by idly, while this all goes on.

WRITE IN a candidate for president is what everyone should do ... but it won't happen, because the opposing parties will think they will be duped ... and so the nonsense goes on, and on, and on ...

whats the answer ... you tell me ... i'm all ears, have a great day ;)

regards, jeff

to serve a Nation

i met vic & saran nation my first year of doing inspections, it was 1990.

vic was a marine, he served in WWII, and he hopped islands starting in guadalcanal, all the way to the very end !!!

vic ran a little barber shop in redwood city, ca ... everyone there knew about nation's barber shop, he was a very kind man, and sarah was an angel.

he knew how much i loved the marines (almost as much as the army :)

vic & sarah also served the mobile home community, helping people who many times were older, had little to nothing to their name, but that vic & sarah still felt were "worth" serving ... i was honored to serve those people, their clients, because i KNEW vic & sarah deemed them worthy, and that was ALL i needed to know the truth!

so it came to pass that vic opened up ... and we talked, a LOT ... about his experiences during the war, the whole bloody way :(

i know ALMOST no one i have shared more tears with, wanted to hug so bad, to comfort and tell them everything was going to be ok, to absorb and take on part of all their pain, the kind that never washes away EVER.

it was something we both silently acknowledged ... i heard things that should never be repeated, but will, unfortunately ... felt things that made me proud, not false proud, but real proud to know i live in a place where people like vic come from ... and his recollections were so clear, my ears tuned to his every word.

he let go, releasing repressed hardship he'd harbored for decades, he was too much a man to place that burden on his wife sarah, and the friends he had endured so much with, most were dead ... and the ones who were not simply didn't want to talk about it, just like vic.

i was there, and i am honored to know i was able to serve vic, where he felt it mattered most to americans, in their homes!

vic understood all this because he fought the fight, the real fight, the marine fight all the way from start to finish!

but vic came back, and it is here where he really learned his fight had just begun ... his fight to make sure every american has a place to call home.

i remember the day he said "he would never want to do what he did again, but if it came down to him having to do it, he would do it, as long as he knew it mattered to americans in their homes"

well yes it matters vic, you've been gone now for over 15 years, and you remain to me a symbol of what it means to be an american, nothing more and nothing less, something so simple and yet so elusive.

you lived it, i will always love you & sarah both, and i know it matters to americans just like you'd hope ... we just need more leadership, REAL leadership to show us the way, the just way, the american way.

i wish i could see you once in a while vic, so you could tease me about my bald spot :)

Solar Energy System

It's time to talk about photovoltaic (PV) solar power ... again !!!

Why?

Look at your utility bill ... thats why !

You'll find plenty of pictures below to see an actual installation in progress.

The interesting thing, before starting with the technicals, is that local utility companies (like PG&E, who provides my power) actually are happy to see these types of systems come online.

Huh, don't they lose mony when you install a system? Well, sort of, but these systems also do something even more important, so they lose some money while avoiding spen a lot more money, so for now they appreciate them, and are very supportive in efforts to bring residential solar power systems online.

So what do these systems offer the utility companies that is so important?

PEAK DEMAND ENERGY !

The majority of power is consumed during peak hours (afternoons here, with air-conditioners being the major draw), and solar systems do their best exactly when the peak demand occurs. So when someone down the road needs power to run their A/C, its may actually be my solar system that in a small way provides them the power they need.

How does this benefit the utility company? It means they now have an additional source of power during these peak periods, freeing them up from having to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to build "peaker plants", designed to do nothing other than to occasionally provide additional energy during peak hours. They can use my power (and all other PV generated power), rather than build a peaker plant, or figure out how to build another dam, or nuclear plant (and YES ... we need to get back on track designing & building the next generation of nuclear power plants.)

So, here's whats going on with PV solar power, and why i'm a happy camper.

First the numbers, my PG&E bill on average is $450/month (we have no gas service where we live, so my heating is provided via a 100 Amp reversible heat pump, OUCH!!!)

My solar system retailed for $108K, California rebates brought the price down to $72K, and since i asked the supplier if i could install it myself, he brought the price down another $18K, total out-the-door costs were $54K (most residential customers can benefit from a system one half to one quarter the size of my system, i just have unusually large demand needs.)

Guess what? After adding back in construction costs (wire, steel framework, permits, etc.) and financing it all for 15 years ... my system cost me $450/month.

I'm already break-even, and when energy rates go up, my bill would hypothetically have gone up to $500/month, but instead it will remain fixed at $450/month, based on my fixed-rate loan.

The loan has a 15-year term, and the lifetime of the system is 25 years. That means for 15 years i pay what i'm paying right now, when rates go up over the next 15 years i still pay the same ... and for years 16-25 i pay NOTHING for a system that is now providing 10 years worth of pre-paid power!

Read all this very carefully, do the math on your bill, create a spreadsheet to analyze your power costs over then ext 25 years, and you will likely find you can benefit from a system like this too.

Hello new age of residential electrical generation, i'd like to introduce you to a very happy new owner ... me !!!

OK, here are the technicals, i will provide lots of pictures, and will respond intelligently to any real questions that come in.

this is a great example, because it incorporates both a roof-mount array (less work, but i don't like the idea, in case you ever have to fix a roof leak), as well as a ground-mount array (more work surprisingly) ... most people opt for a roof array, because they think they don't have "space" for a ground mount system. Be creative, a ground mount system is a little more up-front expensive, but much easier to work on and service over the lifetime of the system.

A little background first, my system is tied into a 3-phase 400 Amp electric drop ... this is something you need to consider right away. If you have an older 100 Amp electric service panel, chances are very good you will have to upgrade your panel as well, to accommodate the additional amperage a PV system places on the electric panel bus (the additional cost of upgrading your electric panel should definitely be a part of any payback calculations.)

I run both standard 400 Amp 120/240V service, as well as 3-phase 480V power for an agricultural well (to irrigate the orchards.) I tied half the system to the residential side of my service, because that is where the majority of our power demand comes from, also PG&E pays more for residential generated power than commercial power.

Here is a picture of the overall electrical panel installations (all pictures taken during work-in-progress):

Here is a picture of the 400 Amp residential electric panel and bus:

Here's a picture of the electric service drop (weatherhead): 

And here is a picture of the overall panel installation:

Going into more detail about the ground mount system, here is a picture of the piers (those are 12 inch tubes, dug 4 feet down into the ground! It turns out solar panels do not fall down, they tend to get picked up by the wind and fly away for hundreds of yard, coming down with catastrophic results.) You can also see the 1 1/2 inch galvanized steel pipes used to create the framework to mount the rail system to, along with the brackets used to mount the rail system to the pipes (very clever stuff!)

Here is a view from underneath the ground mount system (wires will be neatly tucked/routed later):

And here is a detailed picture of the way the rail system mounts to the galvanized steel frame system:

Here is a picture of the roof system, the panels mount to the same rail system, the only difference is that instead of using clamps to mount the rails to the pipes, there are brackets that lag bolt through the roofing material directly into the rafters:

Power comes from the panels to an electric box called a combination box (combi-box):

From the combi-box, an inverter turns the power from 12V DC to 120V AC :

The roof and ground systems combine the power into one electrical sub-panel :

Which sends the power to the solar system main fuse disconnect :

Which feeds the power INTO the house 400 Amp residential electrical panel, so when I need power it is pulled directly from the solar system instead of being supplied by PG&E. Whats interesting is that when more power is generated than used, PG&E takes the excess power (making the meter spin backwards) and pays the current rate for power based on time of day (special meters called "time of use" meters are installed when you have a solar system.) Since my system generates the most power when demand is highest (during peak use), I get the maximum credit for the power I generate (SWEET!!!)

Here is a picture of the overall electric solar boxes (work in progress photo) :

For the electrically curious, here are some pictures of a 400 Amp bus gutter used to bring both residential power and 3-phase power to one location (look at the size of those copper wires, referred to as "500's), they are as round as a penny, and cost a lot more than that), along with a picture of a 100 Amp 3-phase panel, and a well pump starter motor control box :

I hope this helps a little bit in understanding whit I believe will be a major future component of electrical generation. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at : jeff AT inspect DOT net

It's been quite an experience getting this whole project done, but in doing it almost exclusively by myself (thank you very much Rich Araujo!) I learned a lot, and am writing to share the information with whoever else may benefit.

If you live in sunny California, and you do not migrate to PV solar power before the rebates go away, you are as silly as the people who did not buy a prius and received a free carpool sticker along with substantial rebates.

I believe we can do whats best for this country and ourselves by generating our own electric power, instead of buying oil from regimes that hate us. It really may be one of the most direct ways we can support our troops, if you ask me.

Stay strong, and remember we need to pass this planet on to the next generation, so its YOUR job to make sure its better than when you took it over.

Are we doing our parts ... really, are we doing our part to ensure this happens ???

Its a beautiful thought to consider it is the sun that makes my trees grow, they absorb carbon monoxide which helps the environment, they also yield a cash crop (buy almonds, a can a week, thats all we ask :) and it is technology that allows me to create the complete ecosystem necessary to do it all for free (from my perspective) for the next 25 years !!!

We can ALL do our part ... if you have question, i will answer them as best i can, and steer you in the right direction so you can reach a logical conclusion that is best for you.

As an engineer, I say to every other engineer REALLY working on this problem, and every laborer putting these systems in place ... YOU ABSOLUTELY ROCK !!!

Power to the people :)

Cal Poly, Learn By Doing !