Stacked wood

[Backwoods Savage]

Sorry, no picture but I have to admit that I am super slow this year. This morning I finally finished stacking the wood we cut last winter. It wasn't much though. I have not measured but probably 3 cord or a little less. But the point I wanted to make is the fact that the ash we cut is amazingly dry already. Of course, all the ash are dead or dieing for sure but I could hardly believe just how light this wood is already. Not so for the oak....

So for sure this ash that was cut during December and January could easily be burned next fall and winter. If anyone is short on wood, if you can get something like this you will be all set next winter.

 

[thewoodlands]

Sorry, no picture but I have to admit that I am super slow this year. This morning I finally finished stacking the wood we cut last winter. It wasn't much though. I have not measured but probably 3 cord or a little less. But the point I wanted to make is the fact that the ash we cut is amazingly dry already. Of course, all the ash are dead or dieing for sure but I could hardly believe just how light this wood is already. Not so for the oak....

So for sure this ash that was cut during December and January could easily be burned next fall and winter. If anyone is short on wood, if you can get something like this you will be all set next winter.

3 sounds good Sav, you still are 4-5 years ahead. How is your hip coming?




Zap

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Mostly doing well, thank you. However, today I took a pain pill for the first time in a long while because it just suddenly started hurting badly. That was before I stacked the wood and it is fine now. I did get in a quick 25 mile ride yesterday on the bike but doubt that did anything because it hasn't been bothering at all. Probably just the damp weather. All will be better tomorrow.

 

[smokinj]

I darn slow this year too! I just started stacking #7 so 4 cords to go! Still raining..........

 

[Woody Stover]

the ash we cut is amazingly dry already. Of course, all the ash are dead or dieing for sure but I could hardly believe just how light this wood is already. Not so for the oak....

So for sure this ash that was cut during December and January could easily be burned next fall and winter. If anyone is short on wood, if you can get something like this you will be all set next winter.

D, those words are music to my ears! I've got tons of Ash yet to get for us and my in-laws. I'm splitting that trunk I got today, and hopefully can drop a few more trees this week (all are standing/dead.) The great drying weather here continues; Warm and good wind. No Summer doldrums yet.

Good to hear that the hip is generally doing well. What kind of bike do you ride?

I darn slow this year too!

I heard that, Brutha! This "job" thing is taking too much time away from my wood-grabbing activities. :roll:

 

[Todd]

I'm a little behind as well. Still two years ahead of the game but this time last year I had 3 years worth all ready to go. This morning I found about a half cord of Silver Maple at the city recycle center which isn't the greatest stuff but good enough for the shoulder seasons. 1 more cord should get me back to that 3 year supply.

 

[Cowboy Billy]

You're still getting it done Dennis. That's what is important.

Billy

 

[woodsmaster]

Around here none of the ash has leafed out this year and most has been dead or dying for 4 years. It's truly sad to go for a short drive and see hundreds of dead trees. some wood lots such as mine were probably 25% ash. Some time soon I'll get some pictures and post a thread to show the devastation. I hope this bug don't spread any further but thats probably wishfull thinking.
On the bright side I have plenty of dry firewood.

 

[soupy1957]

With "age" comes "wisdom." I've learned to pace my projects according to need. Sounds like you've got that figured out too. Good on ya!

Prioritize; don't sweat the small stuff; .........all that sort of thing.

-Soupy1957

 

[firefighterjake]

I've been puttering . . . putting up my 2012-2013 wood into the woodshed . . . although I did get a little over a cord of the wood I had cut down and bucked up last Fall. As soon as I finish loading up the woodshed I'll be working on processing my 2013-2014 wood . . . and I'm very excited . . . my wife and I are moving the processing area to a new area . . . apparently my wife who is very understanding and patient didn't particularly like me processing the wood on the front lawn . . . or rather to the side of the front lawn.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

the ash we cut is amazingly dry already. Of course, all the ash are dead or dieing for sure but I could hardly believe just how light this wood is already. Not so for the oak....

So for sure this ash that was cut during December and January could easily be burned next fall and winter. If anyone is short on wood, if you can get something like this you will be all set next winter.

D, those words are music to my ears! I've got tons of Ash yet to get for us and my in-laws. I'm splitting that trunk I got today, and hopefully can drop a few more trees this week (all are standing/dead.) The great drying weather here continues; Warm and good wind. No Summer doldrums yet.

Good to hear that the hip is generally doing well. What kind of bike do you ride?

Bacchetta Giro 26. Looking to get either a Corsa or CA-2.....maybe yet this year.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Around here none of the ash has leafed out this year and most has been dead or dying for 4 years. It's truly sad to go for a short drive and see hundreds of dead trees. some wood lots such as mine were probably 25% ash. Some time soon I'll get some pictures and post a thread to show the devastation. I hope this bug don't spread any further but thats probably wishfull thinking.
On the bright side I have plenty of dry firewood.

I'm with you on this for sure. There are spots with some large groves of ash.....and even a novice can now pick out the ash trees easy. Sort of reminds me of that one year we went to PA and saw all the oaks without leaves. Gruesome looking mess.

Sad to say, the authorities have pretty much all admitted they can slow them but not stop them. After all, they do fly.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Bacchetta Giro 26. Looking to get either a Corsa or CA-2.....maybe yet this year.

That is a stylee 2 wheeled ride. My wife has put a lot of miles in this year training for an ironman. She would probably have a lot less tenderness complaints if she had been riding your bike.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Solar, I used to ride a very nice Bianchi and loved that bike. However, time and miles simply added up to too much. My body just hurt too much and I had to quit riding and that was terrible! Then I tried and tried after a while to get back into riding but just could not take it. My wrists, elbows, shoulders, back, and worst of all, my neck all took too much of a beating. One day I came home after a ride on one of my 25 mile routes and told the wife that was it. Either I had to get a recumbent bike or quit riding. She told me it was about time I came to my senses! Get the bike. I did and have not been sorry.

One of my favorite stories now is one day I pulled into the driveway to see a neighbor with his tractor. I had asked if he would knock down two dead pine trees for me as they were right by the power line. He has done a few others for me and just puts the bucket against the tree high up and pushes the tree over. It works like a charm....except this one did not want to go. So I get off the bike, get out the saw and cut the tree while he keeps pressure on it. My wife was watching and when done I told her to look at the speedometer. It registered just a tad over 100 miles. So here I rode 100 miles that day and was out running the saw. On the Bianchi, after 100 miles I was usually beat up. Not so now! But still, I do miss riding the Bianchi but doubt I'll ever be able to ride that style bike again.

 

[velvetfoot]

I have similar issues and bought a recumbent with the bars under the seat and kept tipping over and had to sell it. I couldn't let go of one hand to get the water bottle without losing stability. Maybe I should've given it more of a chance. I think your model, with the bars high, would be better.

 

[brogsie]

Hi Dennis,

I will be burning my new Fireview for real this coming season.
In my old Encore Defiant I always burned oak. This year I have a couple of cords of
ash to burn. How does the ash compare with oak?
Thanks

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Definitely the under seat steering isn't for everyone. Actually, very few of them are made and sold but those who have mastered them love them. Still, if one wants speed, or goes fast down a hill, those arms in that position catch a lot of wind. I like the tweener bars (like is on the Bacchetta. Some like the ones that come up near your chin and are not very wide and those are probably more aerodynamic but can be a bugger to get used to like the under seat steering. In addition, a friend in Phoenix has one with the small grips and the handlebar comes way back. He sits in a very reclined position and quite low so is aerodynamic. On the other hand, I got in his seat and really had a struggle getting out! Darn near threw my back out trying to get off the bike. I wish we were close so you could try my bike. Most that have this type get accustomed to them really quick. I wobbled all over the road on the first bike I tried. Then a fellow told me how to get used to the bike and in 5 minutes I was riding straight and having fun.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hi Dennis,

I will be burning my new Fireview for real this coming season.
In my old Encore Defiant I always burned oak. This year I have a couple of cords of
ash to burn. How does the ash compare with oak?
Thanks

Ash burns very favorably to oak with the exception that oak will give just a tad longer fire because of a little more coaling. Where ash is favorable is definitely in the splitting and the drying. Oak just does not like to give up its moisture and ash willingly gives it up. I have cut ash in late winter, split it and burned it the following fall. It burns good but I still like to give it a year if possible.

You no doubt have seen some of my posts telling of our winter burning freshly cut ash. We didn't freeze but it was a battle. We had to clean the chimney several times and we learned quickly to not let the coals burn down before adding wood. If you let the coals burn down much it was like starting with a cold stove. But let ash have some good drying time and it is great firewood.

Brogsie, please let us know how you do next winter with your ash.

 

[brogsie]

If you had a choice which would you rather burn?
Dry oak or dry ash.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Daytime, no preference. Nights, oak has to get the nod because of the longer burn time.

Cutting and splitting, ash gets the nod. Naturally oak is heavier which is a consideration for some of us who can no longer wrestle as we once could. If you are splitting by hand, ash still gets the nod simply because it splits so easy. Yet, oak does not split all that difficult either so all in all, we're splitting straws for most of this.

I have many stacks of wood on our place. Most of it is ash. I just finished stacking wood that I cut last winter and it is a combination of ash, red oak, pin oak and cherry. Naturally, I stacked the oak separately because it will sit in those stacks longer than the rest needs to. I also stacked all the oak in single rows whereas the ash and cherry are stacked in multiple rows.

I hope this answers your question. If not, please continue as others may chime in here too.

 

[brogsie]

Thanks Dennis, Your the man.
I have been burning all oak in th e VC stove for many years.
This year I came across some ash. I was just a little concerned because of the new stove
and different wood. I had burned some pine is the new stove but it doesn't last very long.
I will keep you posted this coming winter.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Thanks Brogsie but you give me too much credit.

If you've been burning lots of oak you might think you will be disappointed with the ash. I predict you will not. You will notice differences but not great differences. One difference I did not mention is for sure if you are starting with a cold stove the ash should be burned rather than the oak just because ash usually lights off quicker. Ash surely will burn longer than the pine but that doesn't mean you should never burn pine again. Each has its place. A short hot fire? Pine wins. Long overnight? Oak wins. If necessary, ash for overnight and save the oak for the very coldest part of winter. You probably will find yourself mixing the oak and ash and that will give you a good fire.

 

[fabsroman]

Solar, I used to ride a very nice Bianchi and loved that bike. However, time and miles simply added up to too much. My body just hurt too much and I had to quit riding and that was terrible! Then I tried and tried after a while to get back into riding but just could not take it. My wrists, elbows, shoulders, back, and worst of all, my neck all took too much of a beating. One day I came home after a ride on one of my 25 mile routes and told the wife that was it. Either I had to get a recumbent bike or quit riding. She told me it was about time I came to my senses! Get the bike. I did and have not been sorry.

One of my favorite stories now is one day I pulled into the driveway to see a neighbor with his tractor. I had asked if he would knock down two dead pine trees for me as they were right by the power line. He has done a few others for me and just puts the bucket against the tree high up and pushes the tree over. It works like a charm....except this one did not want to go. So I get off the bike, get out the saw and cut the tree while he keeps pressure on it. My wife was watching and when done I told her to look at the speedometer. It registered just a tad over 100 miles. So here I rode 100 miles that day and was out running the saw. On the Bianchi, after 100 miles I was usually beat up. Not so now! But still, I do miss riding the Bianchi but doubt I'll ever be able to ride that style bike again.

Great to see cyclists on this board. Just put in a 35 mile ride today. Bianchis are pretty nice bikes. I have a Bianchi FG Lite with Campy Record components on it. Also have 5 Colnagos.

Longest ride I have ever done is 87 miles, and that was painful. Not so much because I was uncomfortable on the bike, but because my legs were killing me and I was just completely exhausted. Nowadays, I don't usually crack 40 miles because of time constraints.

Hope to have a wood burning furnace, a couple of chainsaws, and a lot of wood in a little bit here. Just trying to get everything figured out is pretty tough, but I am sure it will be worth it once it is all done.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

babsroman, good to see you on the board. Good to see another biker too. Are you following RAAM? It looked like the record speed mabye going to fall this year but not so. Strasser slowed once in the mountains of WV. Still a good ride he had this year. The fight for second place is surely interesting.

I have a couple 30-40 mile routes I ride quite a bit during the summer and usually try to take a couple long rides. Was hoping to get in a 200 miler this year but doubt that is going to happen because of some physical problems. Then there is the hip which has not totally healed but is getting better. Then there is the weather this year. Wow. A wet year for sure.

On the longer rides, I definitely notice a big difference especially after 100 miles. Before I would be totally wasted but now after 100 sometimes I feel like just continuing on. Usually only the legs get tired and no sore spots on the backside, arms and neck. That is one reason I ride the recumbent now. But I still wish I had the Bianchi and could ride it. I ended up giving it to a 16 year old kid who lives not far from us. He was amazed how fast he could go in that bike. lol

 

[velvetfoot]

When I was 20 I rode my bike the length of Canada. I loved to ride my bike. It was an Atala, as I recall, with Columbus tubing. Much more comfortable than a couple of aluminum bikes I got later, but then again, my body changed too. Some people can keep on going, others can't, alas.