Re: [Texascavers] [BexarGrotto] It is done- a Honey Creek update.
Kudos! Sent from my iPad > On Mar 8, 2016, at 11:21 AM, A. Wertheim wrote: > > > > Original message > From: "A. Wertheim" > Date: 03/07/2016 10:40 PM (GMT-06:00) > To: Victoria Sommers > Subject: It is done- a Honey Creek update. > > Well friends, the Honey Creek road repair project is finished. The road to > the shaft entrance has never been better and will probably never be as good > again. Team “Go Big Or Go Home” brought their best game in a road-working > tour-de-force and not only repaired Joyce’s damaged road but made it useable > for many years to come. All the stops were pulled out to make this project a > success. > > > > > > Here’s the rundown: > > > > Volunteers: > > Tim Ramon-Project Leader > > 8!, count-em, 8! of Tim’s employees volunteered to help on a Saturday. > > Kim Freund-Food and > drinks for a lot of hungry, dusty men > > Kurt Menking-Equipment > operator, planning, organization, landowner relations > > Arron Wertheim- That’s me. I got to > run some equipment and swing a chainsaw. > > Victoria Sommers-Photo documentation, > lunch > > Robert Bissett- Equipment > operator, fundraising, organization > > Gregg “Breaks Thumbs” Williams Fundraising > > > > Equipment: > > (Courtesy of Ramon & Sons Demolition, Inc.) > > Case Backhoe > > Case Compact Track Loader > > Takeuchi Compact Track Loader > > 68000lb Kenilworth roll-off truck with a 20 YARD dump box > > 500 gallon Water Buffalo > > Trucks, Trailers > > Replacement drain pipes > > Replacement gate posts donated for future installation > > > > (Courtesy of BCI & Bracken Bat Cave) > > 8000lb Tandem Dump Trailer > > > > Funding: > > Bexar Grotto > > TCMA > > TSA > > Mr. Jerry Atkinson > > Mr. Joe Ranzou > > Mr. Greg Passmore > > Greater Houston Grotto > > TCR > > > > Project Timeline: > > Saturday and Sunday, March 5 & 6 2016 with good weather. > > > > Project Plan and Action: > > > > The original plan was to rent a couple skidsteers and borrow the dump trailer > from Bracken to patch the road. When Tim volunteered to help out and review > the project, it quickly became apparent that almost a mile of damaged road > would take a lot more time and effort than a couple Bobcats would be able to > handle. The heavy fall rains had made the road damage more pronounced. > Beers would be spilled trying to drive it. Unacceptable. Several different > repair options were discussed and a final few were selected based on the > value of this work and on reasonable fundraising expectations. It’s a ranch > road, not paved access; and while it was damaged during a rainy caving trip, > it also had not been properly maintained since it was originally built. > Ultimately a backhoe, skidsteer, and bumper-pull dump trailer were decided on > with expected costs of up to $1400/1500. > > > > When Kurt and I showed up Saturday morning there was A LOT more equipment > than expected, men in orange vests, traffic cones, a low-boy trailer, and > tons of things going on. Tim had taken a second look at the project scope > and confirmed his initial thoughts that to get the work done in one weekend > we needed to go big or go home. He asked one of his crew to help out on a > Saturday and that quickly grew to 8 hard-working men in steel-toe workboots, > hardhats, and safety vests doing what they do best. > > > > Tim’s guys worked till 5:00 on Saturday and moved enough material to re-pack > the whole road. A 20-yard dump truck can load a ridiculous amount of > material. The box is 23ftx8ftx4.5ft. Caliche weighs 2430.57 lbs/cubic yard. > That is 48611 pounds of material per load (as an engineer I just had to > know.) A Bobcat has a ½ yard bucket. The dump trailer can load 4 yards. > Anyways, watching the driver gently back that loaded roll-on behemoth between > oak trees without so much as a nick to the bark or a snapped twig was > amazing. Joyce had been adamant about protecting her oak trees. Well, > without the 20-yard dump truck and experienced equipment operators this would > probably have been a 2 or 3 weekend project with additional rental and > transport costs. > > > > Kurt and Rob ran the Bracken dump trailer loaded to the max until its > hydraulics whined in tired complaint. When the dumper decided to take a dump > from being overloaded, we grabbed shovels and unloaded it by hand. Short > loads only after that! When it had to be lifted by the track loader to dump > we knew it was finished. > > > > Tim ran his track loader at redline all day long to keep up with the dump > truck and dump trailer. Some
Re: [Texascavers] [BexarGrotto] It is done- a Honey Creek update.
I would love to see this written up in The TEXAS CAVER! Crash Mobile email from my iPhone > On Mar 8, 2016, at 11:21 AM, A. Wertheim wrote: > > > > Original message > From: "A. Wertheim" > Date: 03/07/2016 10:40 PM (GMT-06:00) > To: Victoria Sommers > Subject: It is done- a Honey Creek update. > > Well friends, the Honey Creek road repair project is finished. The road to > the shaft entrance has never been better and will probably never be as good > again. Team “Go Big Or Go Home” brought their best game in a road-working > tour-de-force and not only repaired Joyce’s damaged road but made it useable > for many years to come. All the stops were pulled out to make this project a > success. > > > > > > Here’s the rundown: > > > > Volunteers: > > Tim Ramon-Project Leader > > 8!, count-em, 8! of Tim’s employees volunteered to help on a Saturday. > > Kim Freund-Food and > drinks for a lot of hungry, dusty men > > Kurt Menking-Equipment > operator, planning, organization, landowner relations > > Arron Wertheim- That’s me. I got to > run some equipment and swing a chainsaw. > > Victoria Sommers-Photo documentation, > lunch > > Robert Bissett- Equipment > operator, fundraising, organization > > Gregg “Breaks Thumbs” Williams Fundraising > > > > Equipment: > > (Courtesy of Ramon & Sons Demolition, Inc.) > > Case Backhoe > > Case Compact Track Loader > > Takeuchi Compact Track Loader > > 68000lb Kenilworth roll-off truck with a 20 YARD dump box > > 500 gallon Water Buffalo > > Trucks, Trailers > > Replacement drain pipes > > Replacement gate posts donated for future installation > > > > (Courtesy of BCI & Bracken Bat Cave) > > 8000lb Tandem Dump Trailer > > > > Funding: > > Bexar Grotto > > TCMA > > TSA > > Mr. Jerry Atkinson > > Mr. Joe Ranzou > > Mr. Greg Passmore > > Greater Houston Grotto > > TCR > > > > Project Timeline: > > Saturday and Sunday, March 5 & 6 2016 with good weather. > > > > Project Plan and Action: > > > > The original plan was to rent a couple skidsteers and borrow the dump trailer > from Bracken to patch the road. When Tim volunteered to help out and review > the project, it quickly became apparent that almost a mile of damaged road > would take a lot more time and effort than a couple Bobcats would be able to > handle. The heavy fall rains had made the road damage more pronounced. > Beers would be spilled trying to drive it. Unacceptable. Several different > repair options were discussed and a final few were selected based on the > value of this work and on reasonable fundraising expectations. It’s a ranch > road, not paved access; and while it was damaged during a rainy caving trip, > it also had not been properly maintained since it was originally built. > Ultimately a backhoe, skidsteer, and bumper-pull dump trailer were decided on > with expected costs of up to $1400/1500. > > > > When Kurt and I showed up Saturday morning there was A LOT more equipment > than expected, men in orange vests, traffic cones, a low-boy trailer, and > tons of things going on. Tim had taken a second look at the project scope > and confirmed his initial thoughts that to get the work done in one weekend > we needed to go big or go home. He asked one of his crew to help out on a > Saturday and that quickly grew to 8 hard-working men in steel-toe workboots, > hardhats, and safety vests doing what they do best. > > > > Tim’s guys worked till 5:00 on Saturday and moved enough material to re-pack > the whole road. A 20-yard dump truck can load a ridiculous amount of > material. The box is 23ftx8ftx4.5ft. Caliche weighs 2430.57 lbs/cubic yard. > That is 48611 pounds of material per load (as an engineer I just had to > know.) A Bobcat has a ½ yard bucket. The dump trailer can load 4 yards. > Anyways, watching the driver gently back that loaded roll-on behemoth between > oak trees without so much as a nick to the bark or a snapped twig was > amazing. Joyce had been adamant about protecting her oak trees. Well, > without the 20-yard dump truck and experienced equipment operators this would > probably have been a 2 or 3 weekend project with additional rental and > transport costs. > > > > Kurt and Rob ran the Bracken dump trailer loaded to the max until its > hydraulics whined in tired complaint. When the dumper decided to take a dump > from being overloaded, we grabbed shovels and unloaded it by hand. Short > loads only after that! When it had to be lifted by the track loader to dump > we knew it was finished. > > > > Tim ran his track loader at redline all day
Re: [Texascavers] [BexarGrotto] It is done- a Honey Creek update.
WOW--- That's awesome! HUGE Thank you to Arron, Tim and the team! You all rock!! - Pam C Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2016 11:21:56 -0600 Subject: [BexarGrotto] It is done- a Honey Creek update. From: werthei...@hotmail.com To: bexargro...@googlegroups.com; texascavers@texascavers.com Original message From: "A. Wertheim" Date: 03/07/2016 10:40 PM (GMT-06:00) To: Victoria Sommers Subject: It is done- a Honey Creek update. Well friends, the Honey Creek road repair project is finished. The road to the shaft entrance has never been better and will probably never be as good again. Team “Go Big Or Go Home” brought their best game in a road-working tour-de-force and not only repaired Joyce’s damaged road but made it useable for many years to come. All the stops were pulled out to make this project a success. Here’s the rundown: Volunteers: Tim Ramon-Project Leader 8!, count-em, 8! of Tim’s employees volunteered to help on a Saturday. Kim Freund-Food and drinks for a lot of hungry, dusty men Kurt Menking-Equipment operator, planning, organization, landowner relations Arron Wertheim- That’s me. I got to run some equipment and swing a chainsaw. Victoria Sommers-Photo documentation, lunch Robert Bissett- Equipment operator, fundraising, organization Gregg “Breaks Thumbs” Williams Fundraising Equipment: (Courtesy of Ramon & Sons Demolition, Inc.) Case Backhoe Case Compact Track Loader Takeuchi Compact Track Loader 68000lb Kenilworth roll-off truck with a 20 YARD dump box 500 gallon Water Buffalo Trucks, Trailers Replacement drain pipes Replacement gate posts donated for future installation (Courtesy of BCI & Bracken Bat Cave) 8000lb Tandem Dump Trailer Funding: Bexar Grotto TCMA TSA Mr. Jerry Atkinson Mr. Joe Ranzou Mr. Greg Passmore Greater Houston Grotto TCR Project Timeline: Saturday and Sunday, March 5 & 6 2016 with good weather. Project Plan and Action: The original plan was to rent a couple skidsteers and borrow the dump trailer from Bracken to patch the road. When Tim volunteered to help out and review the project, it quickly became apparent that almost a mile of damaged road would take a lot more time and effort than a couple Bobcats would be able to handle. The heavy fall rains had made the road damage more pronounced. Beers would be spilled trying to drive it. Unacceptable. Several different repair options were discussed and a final few were selected based on the value of this work and on reasonable fundraising expectations. It’s a ranch road, not paved access; and while it was damaged during a rainy caving trip, it also had not been properly maintained since it was originally built. Ultimately a backhoe, skidsteer, and bumper-pull dump trailer were decided on with expected costs of up to $1400/1500. When Kurt and I showed up Saturday morning there was A LOT more equipment than expected, men in orange vests, traffic cones, a low-boy trailer, and tons of things going on. Tim had taken a second look at the project scope and confirmed his initial thoughts that to get the work done in one weekend we needed to go big or go home. He asked one of his crew to help out on a Saturday and that quickly grew to 8 hard-working men in steel-toe workboots, hardhats, and safety vests doing what they do best. Tim’s guys worked till 5:00 on Saturday and moved enough material to re-pack the whole road. A 20-yard dump truck can load a ridiculous amount of material. The box is 23ftx8ftx4.5ft. Caliche weighs 2430.57 lbs/cubic yard. That is 48611 pounds of material per load (as an engineer I just had to know.) A Bobcat has a ½ yard bucket. The dump trailer can load 4 yards. Anyways, watching the driver gently back that loaded roll-on behemoth between oak trees without so much as a nick to the bark or a snapped twig was amazing. Joyce had been adamant about protecting her oak trees. Well, without the 20-yard dump truck and experienced equipment operators this would probably have been a 2 or 3 weekend project with additional rental and transport costs. Kurt and Rob ran the Bracken dump trailer loaded to the max until its hydraulics whined in tired complaint. When the dumper decided to take a dump from being overloaded, we grabbed shovels and unloaded it by hand. Short loads only after that! When it had to be lifted by the track loader to dump we knew it was finished. Tim ran his track loader at redline all day long to keep up with the dump truck and dump trailer. Some of you may not know this but a 9000lb skidsteer loader can do wheelies! With the Case loader and Case Backhoe working the caliche pit, it d
