argo
Back on the Argo
The Argo's back in its little shelter in the bush all thawed out and running good. It was a bit of a blow to our spirit of self-sufficiency to have to rely on a local big box store with an empty garage bay to get it thawed out but whatever works. We got some interesting feedback on what to do when the unexpected happens along the lines of: read the manual and get a snowmobile. One suggestion might actually have done the job of thawing the Argo by allowing it to run on while covered in an enclosed space using tarps or whatever. Having now removed the plugs from the base of the Argo, I won't have to worry about ice accumulation anymore. Now, if I can only remember to put them back in before I take it into the lake.
Frozen Lifeline
The Argo is our lifeline in winter. Our hunt camp home is about a mile off a seldom travelled gravel road and the trail leading out is navigable only by Argo. If the Argo is out of commission the next option is snowshoes. So, if you are a mile into the bush and you have some emergency and the Argo doesn't work, well, you have a problem. For many Argo owners, it's a toy, but for us it's a lifeline. I am aware of the importance of keeping the Argo maintained and in good running condition but there is always the unexpected and that's what happened here. I was prepared for any mechanical issue with a selection of tools and spare parts but there was no way to predict what would happen...
The Winch
On our way to a life beyond the grid we purchased a piece of property. The basic requirements of the property were that it be near water, be well treed and have a building of some description on it. This property has all the requirements including a building. The description of that building when we bought it is a story of its own but, needless to say, it was in desperate need of repair and renovation. This is where the trees come in. Our idea is to rebuild using the timberframe method. Timberframe requires many large wooden members with names like bent and girt but they are all essentially 8 inch square timbers of various lengths and purpose.
