The world is never the less beautiful though viewed through a chink or knot-hole.
Henry David Thoreau - Journal 1/16/1838
And this morning the knot-hole was a thick fog that enveloped the mountain from the valleys below to the summit and beyond, but still it was beauty. Even as I left the drive, 10 miles away, it was clearly going to be a fog-bound trip to the summit. And the reason? The warm air that had slid in during the night, heavy with moisture and even becoming rain as I made my way up the muddy trail.
But ... I was rewarded with a new development - the ladder to the top of the cab is being installed! We can see the final shape of the complete structure, even through the misty fog.
Well, a truck with three construction workers arrived on the summit just as I did; it was 7:20 am. They opened the gate, drove in, got out, looked about, got back into the truck, turned around, left the site, closed the gate, and drove away. Too much fog and rain!
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| Workers Ponder Their Next Move ......... Home! |
The gate was closed, so this week, I couldn't get closer than the fence would allow. That was ok, because the doors to the inner sanctum were shut tight, presumably locked.
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| Closed and Presumably Locked! |
As I walked about checking on construction progress, I found the stone work to be as it was last weekend. The only difference is that the snow has melted. I guess Mickey is waiting til Springtime.
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| NE Corner |
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| Crane Extended Over NE Corner |
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| Old Glory |
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| Northwest Corner |
The railings and some planking remain in place.
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| Railing Wrapped in Protective Tape |
Lets take a closer look at the tower... Ahh, looks like there is more metal up there today. Take a closer look....
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| More Beams In The Tower Framework |
There appears to be diagonal beams.... Indeed, they rise from the left to the right. Turning for a different view, we see that the access ladder is going into place.
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| Latter in the Midsection of the Tower |
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| Detail ... Lower Part of Ladder Resting on Landing Frame |
The ladder is sitting on a cross beam that, with the external beams now forms a triangle. This will be an intermediate landing. Stepping back, there will be three ladders and two landings before they reach the trap door allowing for entry into the cab.
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| Detail - Upper Part of the Ladder Resting on Landing Frame |
This shot provides a better orientation of the complete ladder structure. Six steps have been inserted only at the bottom of this mid-section.
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| Midsection Steps |
At this point, I believe everything is now "on-site" - railings and ladders. Stonework to be completed in the Springtime, electronics to be moved from the old tower, removal of the old tower, landscaping, and Grand Opening ... perhaps in June??
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| The New Tower Comes Into Focus |
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| Summit View From Handicapped Parking |
Obviously, one might say the summit was "fogged in" this morning. But still, in Thoreau's words, "never the less beautiful."
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