Back to Wimberly, Tx Disaster Project

We've safely returned to Quest Ranch in Canyon Lake, Tx

This time, we have a different campsite but the sky is still as blue as ever.

On Monday, we head to Wimberly, TX to Kathy's home which was damaged by the storms that brought the flood waters to the area.

Deb, Betty, Jim and Pat continue installing roof shingles in the front.

Steve is roofing the front of the garage.

Stel begins removing the metal roof to redesign the back storage roof to make the pitch the same as the adjacent roof.

Rob, our leader, supervises all these operations.

Helen, our co-leader, is priming all the trim that was recently added.

Ken's job is to precut shingles and shutlle them to the roof.

Rob and Stel have assessed the job and Rob calls the site supervisor for materials.

Betty taking a break from the roof, cuts shingles for a while.

Stel and Ken cut flashing pieces for Steve while we await more materials.

Helen helps Steve and celebrates her overcoming the fear of the roof.

Materials arrive and Stel cuts the framing.

Then Stel & Rob begin assembling the new roof structure.

Once constructed, the frame is moved into place

and attached over the old roof.

It's break time and Stel goes dumpster diving to recover someone's knee pad.

She got in but can she get out?

Now that's the way to take a break, Helen!!!

After break, it's back to the new roof and applying facia to match up with the rest of the roof.

Then sheeting is attached.

Steve's in a tough spot but he's almost got this side licked.

Pat and Ken apply cedar trim to the garage windows.

After finishing the rectangular window, Ken moves on the the window with the arch and Stel gives him a hand in making a pattern.

Time to begin cutting for the curves.

While we cut the top curve, Ken and Pat remove the side pieces to adjust later.

Checking to see if the new pieces fit.

The wood we used is too thick so we plane them down to fit with the aid of the equipment Bill brought over.

The pieces are ready for paint so Helen and Kathy do the honors.

Ken and Pat attach the trim and this window is completed.

Mark was working at another house but now joins Deb to cut siding to fill the gaps for the redesigned section.

This is tedious because the area is small and the angles must be cut just right.

Stel tries cutting more siding to fill the gaps and Mark attaches the straight pieces and the trim.

With the deck of the new roof completed and covered with all weather film, Steve, Pat and Deb set out to shingle the rest of the back side of the house.

Sally and Dave have been working at another house but now they  assist Betty with getting bundles of shingles onto the roof.

Ken drills holes in the soffit for the vents.

Helen continues priming the bare wood.

While Stel works on the siding pieces, Ken and Pat cut trim for this door frame.

Can you tell it's the last day of work with all these NOMADS working in the same spot to try to finish this house before the weekend.  Do you like "Biker Pat's" bandanna and gloves?

Dave and Rob add soffit to the new section.

Sally helps clean up the back yard  and get it all into the dumpster

and Dave joins in.

The roof is finished and

Helen presents  to Kathy a Bible signed by all the NOMADS. 

The week is over and 2 couples will be leaving the project so we go out to eat to celebrate.  From the left are Mark, Deb, Jodi, Stel, Helen, Rob, Steve, Dave, Sallly, Betty, Jim, Pat and Ken.  We'll have 4 new people next week to help.  See you then.

Travel week from Tucson to Canyon Lake, TX

Before we left Tucson, we visited the Desert Museum

The Museum is at the foot of the mountains

with beautiful flowers

desert creatures

 and there was a raptor show with...

a Grey Hawk

a Barn Owl

a group of Harris Hawks

one handicapped Blue Herron

and a room full of hummingbirds.

As we left Tucson, we headed east on I-10 and came upon Texas Canyon and this rest stop

with these incredible rock formations

with Jodi here to emphasize the size of these things

and this view of the variety of color.

On down the road, we stopped in Deming, New Mexico and spent a day travelling north into the Gila (pronounced Heela) Mountains.

It took almost 3 hours to make the 95 mile trip into the mountains

but the view was well worth the effort.

Our eventual goal was the Cliff Dwellings

where we walked across the bridge over this creek

and began the 45 minute hike up the mountain to see the dwellings which you can barely see at the tips of the green trees

but as we get closer, the caves are just ahead

and this is proof that Jodi made the hike, too.

The natives built stone houses inside these caves @ 700 years ago

and although heavily looted over the years, remain remarkably intact.

with evidence of petrofied corn cobs lying around.

The caves provided protection from foes but more importantly, from weather extremes.

We were amazed at the access we had to these ruins.

And then the hike back down the ladders

and down the mountainside

toward the Ranger station back across the creek.

As we bid farewell to the Gila Mountains, rich colors are evident and we're heading on down the road to Canyon Lake, Texas.