8/13/11 - The Sun Rises Out Of The Sea

At length we saw the sun rise up out of the sea, and shine on Massachusetts; and from this moment the atmosphere grew more and more transparent till the time of our departure, and we began to realize the extent of the view, and how the earth, in some degree, answered to the heavens in breadth, the white villages to the constellations in the sky. There was little of the sublimity and grandeur which belong to mountain scenery, but an immense landscape to ponder on a summer's day.   
Thoreau - A Walk to Wachusett (1843)

Sunrise on Wachusett

What a glorious morning it was today ... At about 5:55 just minutes before the six o'clock hour, the first ray of light tripped over the horizon, just as Thoreau had told us it would happen.  Such a humbling experience, to be sure, and one most certainly to cause one to stop and ponder it's origin.

From the northeast - totally boxed in

Progress was very definite this week.  While the forms for the walls of the Tower Base are now complete, they have even begun to strip away the walls to the south and west - which were poured two weeks ago.  I expect that by next week, the forms will be pretty much removed.  

An Illusion - the new tower

No, the tower has not yet been placed on the foundation base!  It just appears as if it has... still the old tower rests behind the construction of the base for the new tower.  But, is probably a pretty good rendition of what it will look like in the end.

Southern Wall - Door to enter the electronics chamber

Western and southern wall ... complete. The doorway is the entrance to the room that will house the electronics gear and generator for the Fire watch tower.

Soouthern Wall is Complete

Tools of the trade - builder's string line

 I was surprised to sight a string line atop the base wall.  I would have thought a laser level would do the trick!  But, then again, a string line will stay in place if securely fastened.  The line running at approximately a 45 deg angle to the base wall is actually a guy wire from the present tower.

Close-up - Anchor for the Wall

Parking Lot - another week of no activity

"The extent of the view" ... Mt. Monadnock to the north

Visible to Thoreau when he walked to Wachusett in 1842, and of course, still visible as the most prominent landmark to the northwest.  The valleys are filled with fog.  The two vertical structures in the center are wind turbines of Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, Mass.

Morning Companion on the summit

My only companion on the mountain ... unusual for such a beautiful day, notwithstanding the fact that it was 6:00 am.  He looked like a youngster and I also noticed that the tip of his left ear had been chewed off.  

Usually there is at least someone going up or down besides myself.

It won't be long now and the complete supporting wall structure will be down as the walls will be complete.