Blueberry Adventures

 Well if your cabin burns down there has to be an upside - the blueberries this summer were definitely the benefit.  When I wasn't holding a ladder I would sneak up the hill to pick blueberries.  What a lovely treat...

I picked blueberries by the handful starting in mid August and into mid-September - yummy!

Bringing in the Warmth

 Well last weekend Darrell, Jeff, Mike, Simon and Opie began the process of making the cabin warmer.  They carried in tonnes of insulation and beautiful pine for the ceiling.  Hats off to Mike for sitting in the rafters for 8 hours while installing insulation.  These past few days Darrell headed out on his own to put insulation in the walls, and to install the new propane stove.

 Big winds this weekend but that didn't bother Darrell who slept for 11 hours on Saturday night.  See below another great shot of the stove just outside my bedroom door (okay you still have to imagine that the door is there).  Soon come...

... about those windows...

As mentioned before, the front windows of the cabin are 3 feet wide and 5 1/2 feet tall.  There are seven of them and they were actually built for the Thunder Bay City Hall about two years ago.  But due to someones unfortunate sizing, we hit a windfall and now have these beautiful thermal tinted windows to gaze out at St. Patricks Island with. 

Having those windows there made me itch to put them in...  so I got the go ahead to head out to Jackfish on Wednesday July 20 to start the process.  It was late when I got in so I started the next morning.  I was just finishing the first window when Wes and Opie showed up.  They brought with them a change in weather unfortunately, but we still got a big chunk of work done.  The rain started at about 3:30pm.  We thought it would come and go quickly but boy were we wrong.  It poured torrentially for the next eight hours.  We did have the roof on, but no top cap (Problem #1).  This meant there was a line of steady rain right down the middle of the cabin.  Problem #2:  all of the open windows meant lots of water coming in everywhere.  The need to stay warm kept us working though, and we actually put in all of the front windows. 

The boys kept warm in other ways too...

We decided around 9pm, that if the 4x4 trail wasn't washed out we would head into Schreiber for breakfast the next morning.  We did make it for breakfast the next day, then headed back and really got to work...

First the metal top cap on the roof of the cabin.  Wish it was done earlier, but now we have some rain protection.

Then we got it all together and put in the rest of the windows in about two hours.  The sun began to shine in beautifully and Opie remarked that its always beautiful on the day they have to leave Jackfish.  I stayed for one more day trying to put the sheeting on the gable end, almost complete.  By the end it really did look like a cabin; windows, doors, roof, and walls.  Finally shut in.

windows and roofing and doors, OH MY!

Oops got a bit behind on the blog...  This is from the weekend of July 15, 16 and 17th.  So I finally got the courage to attempt to bring the seven front windows (plus two more) to the cabin site.  They are just panes without frames, so I was extra worried about having them come in in more than just 9 pieces.  Put together an extra strudy window holder for the toyota, strapped them down quite well, and they easily made the trip from Thunder Bay.  ... but then we had to drive them down the 4x4 trail for 3km.  On that drive I named most of the road obstacles along the way (Pebble hill, small creek pass, Pop up hill, Tie Hill, and finally Big Rock Bump.  The windows moved a bit, but not one crack!  This picture is at the end of the 4x4 trail, with one very happy me!

 Thankfully Wes and Opie showed up with Wes' dad's trusty quadrunner steed and they carted in each window to the site one by one.  This took the entire rest of the day.  Little do they know their pre-freeloading work hours are rapidly approaching the self-destruct level.  I'm worried they will be too burnt out to finally enjoy the finished product.

With the windows away and safe, we started getting ready for the new metal roof.  Starting first thing Saturday morning, we quickly discovered the roofing goes on real fast!  We were eventually joined by Sue, Sean, Jenny and Jeff.

We later discovered the fascia, roofing trim, end caps and top cap take longer to install than the entire metal roof.  It went on and on.  I hate to admit it but I worked them really hard, it was a pretty quiet campfire that night, even with Wes there.

Oh, yeah, and we also carried in a patio door.  At about 300 lbs, it was one more exciting moment on the trail and on the quad.

By the end of the weekend, the stress of bringing in all of the windows felt like it was a month ago, rather than two days previous, but also by the end the cabin had a roof and actually did resemble a cabin.  As Jeff W. would say, "Progress!!"

The Lakeview Hotel

One of the more interesting places in the Jackfish ghost town is the ruins of the Lakeview Hotel.  It was built by a local personality, Bill Turner in the late 1800's and served as the major town attraction until its demise in 1960.  From looking through the ruins, it appears the hotel was built in a number of stages, first the north side building, then the south building (built for its extra rooms and upstairs pool hall).  Eventually the two buildings were joined together into the one grand hotel.

Along with the regular accommodations, there were a variety of happenings at the hotel.  King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later the queen mother) stayed at the hotel during their royal visit in May 1939.  The hotel also hosted a number of POW guards from the Neys camp during WWII.  Apparently there was a bit of friction between the guards and visiting Japanese Canadians that lived in a nearby internment camp at Jackfish Lake, with the hotel then being made off limits to the men from the internment camp.

But perhaps the most significant visitors to the hotel were various members of the Group of Seven, who stayed at the Lakeview periodically during the summers of 1924-1926.  Franklin Charmichael painted Jackfish Village from nearby.  And I believe Lawren Harris painted a number of Lake Superior vistas from the hills above the hotel.

Island, Lake Superior, by Lawren Harris

Le Matin, Lac Superier, by Lawren Harris

You can clearly see St Patricks Island in both of Harris' paintings.  I'll put up a further blog on the Group of Seven and Lake Superior, with some additional stories later. 

So...  In the 1950's, with the town in decline after the closing of the coal dock, fishing in decline due to the sea lamprey, and the highway bypassing Jackfish village naturally the hotel began a downturn as well.  It did last until 1960 when one night it burned to the ground.  The end of the hotel, though, also signaled an end to the town, as by 1963 all of the Jackfish residents had moved away, most to neighboring Terrace Bay and Schreiber.

We Get By With a Little Help from our FRIENDS

 There is no way a project this big could be done without help from some friends.  Notice the dance routine which really was above and beyond the call of duty here - but nonetheless stylishly performed.  On the left Jeff Williamson, Darrell, Karina Mora, Curtis Opie, Adam Wood, Paul Wouthius and me just on the side.   This crew was a tireless group who worked from sun up to sun down: hauling wood, lifting walls, nailing trusses, measuring, cutting and lifting.  All of this done with tremendous humour and strength.  Thanks to you all - we can't wait to have a cabin that you can come to and recoup your well earned freeloader hours.

 Jeff - We couldn't have done this job (at all) without Jeff and this shiny red truck.  The truck has made multiple trips to Jackfish to bring in the supplies.  We can't wait for the days when you can just relax at the cabin looking out over the lake with us.  Thanks from the bottom of our hearts - We love you man! Sorry about running over your beer.

 Opie - Despite the fact that we are yet to build you a bunkie we are very grateful for your multiple trips out to help with building the floor and now helping with the walls and roofing (Opie pictured looking out the window).  From lifting plywood and 2x4's to nailing together trusses and those annoying hurricane ties you worked many a long hard day.  I look forward to sitting with you looking out from the kitchen table with your morning coffee and Bailey's in your hand.

 Paul - Our thanks to Paul for bringing along his experience in building and his tool belt.  This fellow spent much of his time literally climbing the walls, and roof trusses in an effort to help us put this cabin together.  Thanks for everything - keep being you!

 Adam - To the very last hour of building Adam was in the game with a hammer in hand.  Pictured here is Adam putting on the 2 x 4's that we will eventually attach the steel roofing to.  Adam was up early and ready and willing to lend a hand the whole day through.  A special word of mention for helping us get all our gear home.  Thanks for all your help.

Karina- On the ladder with hammer in hand Karina pounds in nail 764 (give or take a 1000).  Despite plenty of teasing by the lads, and a busted blister Karina worked solidly the whole weekend.  Thanks for flying home to help us out.

 Scott - Our Jackfish neighbour dropped by to help out around roof truss installation time.  Pictured sideways here Scott is living on the edge!  Thanks also go out to Sig and Kate who came by late Friday evening and played with our littlest helpers for an hour.  Also to the Kyles for our first house warming present a new wooden cutting board - Thanks Anthea.

 Summer - Well a weekend at Jackfish is just not the same without children to enjoy the simplest things and remind us to play some too.  Summer here helping out by taking the required picture of the cabin from the top of the water barrell.  Poor Sum had a nasty cough this weekend but was a wonderful kid and helper anyway.

Samantha and Bianca - Well everyone has a role to play on a work weekend like this.  Our youngest crew members did exactly what they needed to do - play, listen well and take care of each other.  They were excellent as you see here by their gorgeous pose with the big bright smiles they had a wonderful time.  Looking forward to many years at this new cabin as the youngest amongst us grow up before our eyes along with the new forest.

Thanks also to the absent members of our team who contributed to our success.  Brendan and Marcelle who lent us the quad. We would never have been able to get all those materials in without it.  Thanks for allowing us to borrow this piece of equipment during your busiest time of the year.  We look forward to paying you back for your time with assistance to bring in the hay, and free weekend vacations at the cabin.

Time for a Roof I'd Say

 It all began on Thursday when Darrell and Jeff picked up the trusses and the roofing with the rental trailer.

 The biggest challenge in this building project is getting the materials to the site.  First you must bring the trailer (pictured above) with all the supplies to the turn-around spot.  Then transfer the materials from the trailer to the back of the pickup and drive down the very crazy 4x4 road.  Then you must back the truck up to the tracks, cross your finger that a train doesn't come (keys are on the dashboard) and haul the wood to the other side of the tracks.  From there the quad runner and trailer transfers the wood to the cabin site (ideally).

 Well this is the beginning of the trusses going up.  In this picture are Paul Wouthius and Chris Sutton.

 Jeff up on the ladder makes sure the trusses line up with the measured lines Darrell placed there earlier.  Darrell in his white hat looking on.

 The second biggest challenge was that we had to get the trusses in two separate parts.  This meant there was tonnes of nailing to be done to get them together.  Opie and Samantha (we are not against a little child labour in this project the more the merrier we say) are nailing the last of the roof trusses together.

 The cabin had 13 trusses in all.  Come Saturday morning Darrell and Scott Kyle pictured here are just securing the last few in place.  It was a very foggy morning as you can see there is no St. Patrick Island in the background.  "Living on the edge"

 The steel roofing may not look like enough to cover the roof of our cabin all wrapped up like this - but it sure weighed enough.  It took about 6 of us to lay it down on the floor.

 The tireless crew worked late into the night.  Here Darrell and Paul are up in the trusses well after dark trying to get the remaining trusses in place.

Progress I'd say!!!  After two full days of work, plenty of nails, and many a blister the remaining folks - Darrell, Karina, Opie, Adam and Samantha enjoy the rooftop patio.   Steel roofing, windows, and doors next on the agenda - stay tuned.

Barn Raising Party

 Today was the day Darrell got to see all his hard work come together.  We spent Friday and Saturday out at Jackfish with a bunch of very dedicated friends.  Professor Darrell began our Friday morning with a small lecture and then the walls began to go up and get nailed into place.

This is the front wall it was the first to rise up and be nailed into place.  Note the giant sledge     hammer in Darrell's hand.

                                                     The back wall was next.

                                                  By 10am we had ourselves a doorway.

                         Time to hold all those walls together with yes that's right a few nails.

Older Versions

Well, the rebuilding is coming along; all of the walls are built, with sheeting, lying on the floor waiting for the weekend to be put up.  Not really being a framer, the walls were quite a challenge to design.  Thankfully the cabin is in an unorganized township so we can use city building codes as a guide rather than law.  For the most part we've stuck by the code, especially given the cabin is right on open Lake Superior, ... and in 1919 a hurricane blew down most of the coal dock in town.

So, the front of the cabin is all windows, just so we can get a good 'bird's eye' of the upcoming storms.  We can thank someone at Thunder Bay City Hall for their boo boo in accidentally ordering a large number of incorrect sized windows during recent renovations.  As a result we procured 7 glazed, tinted top of the line 3 foot by 5 1/2 foot windows that cover the entire front.  That, and a large donated patio door (Thanks Janice and Michael!!) should really open the place up.

But all that isn't why I started this write up.  The new cabin is actually the third (or possibly even fourth) that occupies that present site.  Kim posted the cabin that burned last year.  We were told it was built in 1955 by the Dagsvick and Dahl families.  An earlier house, owned by the Dahl family sat on the same site.  I've found a picture of it on the Gateway to Northwestern Ontario History Website:  Its a very cool site if you are looking for historical pictures of our region. 

This photo is of another house, also called the Dahl house, that burned in the forest fire, it was right beside our cabin. 

Finally, here's a picture of the Jackfish Coal Dock when it was destroyed by that hurricane in 1919.

Awww what the heck, here is one more photo of the townsite, our place (well the original Dahl place) is just in the picture to the left. 


Thanks very much to the Gateway to Northwestern Ontario History Program for the historical pictures.

Darrell

The First Wall

 On Saturday morning we woke up nice and early and got started on cutting the wood for the front wall.  There will be 7 windows 3'x5' so it was a lot of cutting.  Samantha was a great helper for her dad helping to place the boards where they were supposed to go.  All the measuring and cutting was done by 11 am.  But the hard work would begin after that.

 This is the view of the new floor with the wall all laid out on it (before it was covered in plywood sheating.  A lovely spot for the tent up looking out at St. Patrick Island.

 Darrell nailing - it took the rest of the day to get all the nails into that wall.  I did my fair share of nailing but was not nearly as efficient at it as he was.  I nonetheless have a nice blister to prove I put in my hours with the hammer.

With the floor all done and now the first wall all done Samantha and I took a break to dance with the swallowtail butterflies.  We were lucky the weather was gorgeous at least 25oC and that kept all the biting bugs away during the day for building.  Darrell plans on heading back out for the rest of the week to do the other 3 walls.  Stay tuned we hope to get the roofing out to the site on the long weekend.  Any helpers welcomed...