Mineral King Bridge, Part 15

You may recall that the estimated date to have the bridge be passable is October 20. That’s today! When we last left our Marshmallow Heads, they had successfully placed all 4 stringers. So, what is going on in this photo??

Give up? The pre-drilled holes on the stringers did not line up with the holes on the horizontal cross pieces. Oh man, I hate it when that happens.

This is just a scenery shot. I am a California artist, and I appreciate the scenery of my mountains. (Just sayin’, in case Mr. Google has started to forget me.)

Lookie! The first deck slab is in place! (See the floating Marshmallow??)

This hardworking Marshmallow Head is using a rock bar to set the carriage bolt into the slab.

Here comes another one. These units weigh “several hundred pounds”, so a Big Yellow Machine places it with the help of a few good men and one who isn’t wearing proper head garb.

More scenery, because it is just so beautiful.

Guess this will have to be continued tomorrow, because I like the power of keeping you all hanging. Sometimes I am just mean like that. Not only am I mean, sometimes I can’t count either. This problem shows up from time to time in my knitting, and occasionally in my checkbook. In this blog, you may have noticed, as Craig did, that there is no Part 10 in this series.

Mineral King Bridge, Part 12

My favorite marshmallow head arrived just in time to take this beautiful photo of the last third of the bridge. (Lest you think he was lollygagging around, he was hauling up a load of stuff.) These marshmallow heads are rigging the last section to the telehandler (not to be confused with a teleprompter).

See that big yellow machine? It is the telehandler, a forklift on a telescoping arm with a 45′ reach. (Oh yeah, call me Mrs. Marshmallow Head – I get this stuff!)

Cool, hunh?

Those stringers don’t look half bad from this angle. I refer you back to Mineral King Bridge, Part 7. If the really crumbly parts are sawed off, the rest of the stringers will probably find a second life somewhere else in The Park. And, oops, did we drop an I-beam?

The pieces are stacking up. My favorite marshmallow head will haul them down the hill on a trailer. That isn’t really a load I want to meet on the Mineral King Road.

There goes the I-beam. That was just kind of stuffed underneath the bridge when Federal Highways came through in 2009 and had a cow. Those concrete pads are part of that era, and have to be cleaned out. My favorite marshmallow head donned his waders and spent some time in the stream arranging chains around them. Since he was the photographer and it is my camera and I don’t really want it to get wet, you don’t get to see that part. Besides, he is sort of modest and doesn’t want to show off too much.

Mineral King Bridge, Part 11

Have you just been dying to know what is going on with the bridge? There were 2 snow/rain days, a fake holiday, and then Michael took these photos for us on Tuesday, October 11. Since I wasn’t actually present, my comments will have to be taken with a grain of salt or two.

Abutments completed, bridge still fairly intact, marshmallow heads making plans for bridge removal. (If you are squeamish about the thought of this bridge getting hauled away, you might want to change channels now.)

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!! That man is using a chainsaw on the deck boards!

He really is! See the swept off portions? See the cut marks running the length of the bridge? Holy cow! So much for the deck boards getting salvaged and removed. . . there must have been at least ten different requests for them. They really weren’t in that good of shape.

Bye-bye, railing that has known countless butts.

Sniff.

The chainsaw massacre continues. Sometimes a man’s gotta do what he’s gotta do.

Now what are they going to do with the pieces?

‘Scuse me, please. This California artists needs to go lie down for a bit.

Daily Painting, Continued

If you tuned in to this blog for the Mineral King Bridge update, I’m sorry to disappoint you today. Instead of watching my husband work on the bridge project, we spent the weekend at the coast in honor of 25 years of marriage. This gives me a chance to show you a few more paintings, even though I suspect you might be wishing for bridge photos. Just be polite, ‘kay?

Sold. (But I can paint another for you)

Daily Painting Catch-up

Here is proof that I actually do work in addition to watch the marshmallow-heads at the bridge in Mineral King. Yes, my business and website and car license plate and studio and business cards all say Cabinart, but sometimes Cabinart brings you kitchen-art. (I said “kitchen”, not “kitsch”). This California artist has to paint items that sell to those of you with gorgeous yellow/golden/reddish kitchens. These paintings are currently for sale at Colors, the art gallery and studio of Wendy McKellar in Three Rivers.

Mineral King Bridge, Part 7

Yesterday I left you exhausted and overwhelmed from too much information. Today I will simply show you the neat-o little peek-a-boo hole to see the river through the crumbling abutment.

And, as a special treat, I will answer your burning question of how the loader got to the opposite side of the bridge – trenchplates!! Yeppers, that is Road-speak for giant flat metal thingies that are strong enough to span gaping holes for giant yellow machines to drive across crumbling bridges. We shall not speak of the weight limit again – pay no attention to the sign that prohibited anything over 4 tons from crossing the bridge.

Daily Painting

Oh yeah, I forgot I was supposed to be painting and showing them to you. Got kind of caught up in the excitement of the bridge project and the wildlife and wild weather. I AM painting, just not showing and telling. The lemon and the pomegranate were grown in Tulare County, California. (I am a California Artist, Mr. Google!)

All of these paintings are available for sale at Colors, an art gallery and studio in Three Rivers. Owner/artist Wendy McKellar and I know many women with red and yellow and gold colors in their kitchens. These women often like their colors to coordinate. I also like my kitchen colors to match – anyone know of bright blue and white fruit??

Mineral King Bridge, Part 5

Here is a peculiar sight. The fan carries away toxins created by the welding of galvanized metal. Who knew?

Isn’t this a nice photo? These 2 men have worked together for years. Kind of just warms your heart, no?

This one is even better! It is my personal favorite. This man would rather be climbing Vandever than contemplating matters of consequence while wearing a uniform beneath it. Gotta commend him on his work ethic – knows the cabin folks are counting on him to be there for them on this project.

And here is one more peculiar sight for you to puzzle over. Hey Sawtooth Six, you paying attention??