Translate German to English - Click here to open Altavista's Babel Fish Translator Click here to learn about all those symbols by people's names.

leftlogo.jpg (20709 bytes)

Upgrade to Premium Membership

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#347981 10/28/2020 08:40 PM
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 5,552
Likes: 9
JR Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 5,552
Likes: 9
Fueled by down tree beetle kill during an extra dry summer, along with forest mismanagement through the years, the state of Colorado has been ravished by destructive wildfires during this summer and fall, 2020. This particularly hit close and personal not only because of the proximity of the fires which are still burning that are near to the city in which I live, but also to learn that a close friend and member of GDC has lost his home as one of the victims of this terrible set of circumstances. ED773, I was crushed when I read your email Monday while inquiring about the safety of your property, only to hear of it's total distruction. My sincere thoughts and prayers go out to you & Judy. Perhaps you can come on here to tell the members of how you built this log home, with your own 2 hands, so many years gone by. It is a wonderful story of which I will never forget, the day you told it to me in my office.

JR

Last edited by JR; 10/28/2020 08:47 PM.
JR #347982 10/28/2020 10:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 780
Likes: 26
E
Offline
E
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 780
Likes: 26
JR
Well, now you went and did it, I can't even see clearly.
Thank you JR, just another example of the kind of person you are, one of the best.
I'm thankful I went to that little show many years age and stopped at your table. But who would not stop. I think the next shoe I came home with one of your Luft daggers, that was the start,
Thanks for everything.
It is quite a story for me, but may not interest many here. I don't know.
Lost everything there. At least all my daggers and related are here, safe.
I'm going through cataract surgery now, so can't get to Colorado for another week to see it for myself. Then it will hit hard. Plus need to let the snow melt.
Thank you JR, you and Kris are super people.
Ed

JR #347983 10/29/2020 12:36 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,805
Likes: 23
Offline
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,805
Likes: 23
Was this around Ft Collins? Very sad, sorry to hear this.

JR #347985 10/29/2020 05:08 AM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 12,100
Likes: 275
G
Online Content
G
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 12,100
Likes: 275
Ed,,
I've lost nearly everything, twice!, [due to flooding another whole situation].

- , Fire,,,dam, thats terrible,,,sorry to hear that.. It's hard when you loose your personal belongings ,family photos,, family treasures, legal documents, artwork.. Weird things like a favorite jacket or your wife loosing her china, etc. etc. etc.
When you get back there you are going to go through some 'stuff' either right away or down the road..

Might help to tell the story here so please go right ahead if you want.... The guys here helped my family immensely at the critical beginning, and we'll never forget it....

All that really matters is that your family is safe and secure so thank God for that....., Gaspare..

Last edited by Gaspare; 10/29/2020 05:16 AM.
JR #347986 10/29/2020 12:13 PM
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 780
Likes: 26
E
Offline
E
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 780
Likes: 26
Mikee
Yes, my 17 acres was directly west of Fort Collins, at about 7600ft. I built it myself, starting in 1984. Always wanted a real log home. Watched too many westerns and war movies as a kid. Cowboys & Soldiers.
Cut the trees down from a timber buy on the next ridge west, about 9000ft, and hauled them down the mountain, down the valley, up my valley, and up my mountain, all with a 74 CJ-5, and trailer. The trees were standing dead, so kind of easy to peel and prep. Not a large cabin, 22X32 with a large loft. Took 2 1/2 years. I lived in a tent up there the last year and a half, with a cave type shelter over a fire pit for cooking and drinking beer after a days work. OK!, OK!, I started drinking in the afternoon. Enjoyed many years (36) up there. Just had a new roof put on last year, preparing for a day when we would have to sell it due to old age. Had the place really looking good.
There are a lot of fires in Colorado now, over 200,000 acres, but they were at least 20 some miles away. A ember started a spot fire up on our hill, and the fire dept was there to put it out, and had evactd the whole mountain. They left, thinking it was out. A guy who stayed up, found flames and smoke still there and called it in, that was on a Thursday. He took pictures, and you can clearly see flames. No Homes were impacted at that point. But the fire crews did not return till Saturday. By then it was too late, and it had blown up to a major fire. 15 or so homes total losses. Thats a hard pill to swallow.
I'm still in Missouri in the middle of cataract surgery, so have not seen it in real life yet but pics show there is nothing left. Looks like I just finished the foundation, no signs of a house at all.
It hurt a little to pay someone else to put that new roof on, but I'm 72, and figured too old. First time I ever paid someone to work on it. Would have been a super nice chained SS. Besides the fire dept delay, I have no electricity or running water on the property, so no Colorado insurance company would write me a policy that included wildfire, wildfire is hard to get in Colorado, even with elect and water.
Thanks to all
Ed

Last edited by ed773; 10/29/2020 12:19 PM.
JR #347987 10/29/2020 03:36 PM
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 5,552
Likes: 9
JR Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 5,552
Likes: 9

Think about this, living in a teepee through a Colorado winter, let alone any other time of the year. Sunday we had 15" of snow; October 26th. And Monday morning was minus -1 Fahrenheit. Winter lasts until May.

JR #347989 10/30/2020 02:50 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,805
Likes: 23
Offline
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,805
Likes: 23
My dad, brother, sisters, uncles, aunts and cousins live there. I go hunting every winter in your area. Very beautiful place and freezing cold. My hats off to you Ed, not many would've survived what you went through and accomplished. Thank you for your story. All the best Ed!

JR #347991 10/30/2020 08:22 PM
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 780
Likes: 26
E
Offline
E
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 780
Likes: 26
Mikee
Thank you much,
It was very crude for a while, but had a very nice shelter over the campfire pit, it made life kind of easier. I always wanted to be a mountain man and a Army man when I was a kid, accomplished both.
Yep, it's a beautiful area. Lived up Big Thompson canyon for about 5 years before I bought the lot. Survived one flood there.
I know it's going to hit hard when I finally see it.
It was my retirement, minus a nice Colt SAA, and a German edge weapon. Such is life I guess.
Thanks again
Ed


Link Copied to Clipboard
Popular Topics(Views)
2,261,570 SS Bayonets
1,760,319 Teno Insignia Set
1,128,784 westwall rings
Latest New Threads
Luftwaffe Swords
by Tanker - 03/27/2024 07:29 PM
Paul Weyersberg Heer
by Tanker - 03/27/2024 07:13 PM
HJ Fahrtenmesser,
by OWN - 03/27/2024 07:05 PM
Wir fahren gegen Engelland - Battle of Britain
by Stephen - 03/27/2024 10:06 AM
Hiddensee brooch
by benten - 03/24/2024 04:13 PM
Latest New Posts
Personalized reproduction honor ring source?
by Gaspare - 03/29/2024 02:45 AM
F Dula with a twist
by C. Wetzel-20609 - 03/28/2024 09:29 PM
HJ Fahrtenmesser,
by OWN - 03/28/2024 06:18 PM
Wir fahren gegen Engelland - Battle of Britain
by Gaspare - 03/28/2024 12:34 AM
Paul Weyersberg Heer
by Tanker - 03/27/2024 11:30 PM
Forum Statistics
Forums42
Topics31,652
Posts328,709
Members7,501
Most Online5,900
Dec 19th, 2019
Who's Online Now
5 members (Sasha, Vern, ollar, Skyline Drive, gunnertwo), 252 guests, and 89 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5