Webmaster Swings the Axe

[webbie]

No, I'm not firing employees, but here is a pic of me from the early days - about 1972, in rural WV.

Yes, I lived in the house you see behind me - and that is Wilbur, our dog.

This house had my first woodstove and was heated 100% that way. Luckily my landlady had a pro install the insulated chimney, so the place did not burn down. This was on the bank of the Gauley River - in Camden-on-Gauley, WV.

Rent? $30. a month. Also bought my first chainsaw here. The guy at the local store gave it to me on credit - $10 a month.

Ahh, those were the days!

 

[BrotherBart]

I have rafted the Upper Gauley with the flood gates open at the dam. That river will hurt ya! Not as bad as the Upper Youghiogheny, but bad enough.

Nice form with the axe there fella.

 

[elkimmeg]

Looking at the picture of the home I think you were paying too much rent

I still have my first chainsaw a MAc 10 10 and it still works vintage 1968

 

[wg_bent]

Nice Hair!

 

[NWfuel]

You remind me of a movie star. Can't put a finger on it.
Thomas

 

[webbie]

You remind me of a movie star. Can't put a finger on it.
Thomas

Tom Hanks is the only one I've ever been compared to...

Don't worry, Mr. Cedar - look hard cause that is the house I'm gonna sell you when you finally move to the Mts.

 

[wingnut]

Tom Hanks?? My wife said you look more like princess Leia from star wars. Is that a battle axe?

 

[begreen]

Ah the halycon days of youth. Great shot Craig. Elk, you wouldn't want to know the cabin I was living in that year. Heated by a tin Ashley woodstove in CT. With no insulation, it was either hot, or damn cold in the winter. I remember being woken up one night in spring with carpenter ants falling on my face. Ah well, the rent was right, free, but I moved out in summer into better digs.

 

[Webwidow]

Totally staged picture in front of the chicken coop next to the outhouse. We were naive city kids from Philly living on the banks of the Gauley, with no running water or well. Were to bathe? In the privacy of the Gauley of course. That is until we saw the slow moving passenger train on the opposite bank of the river toot its horn as it passed us by.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Totally staged picture in front of the chicken coop next to the outhouse. We were naive city kids from Philly living on the banks of the Gauley, with no running water or well. Were to bathe? In the privacy of the Gauley of course. That is until we saw the slow moving passenger train on the opposite bank of the river toot its horn as it passed us by.

I miss the outhouse from my youth, particularly the breeze. Don't miss it in the winter, though. I don't miss pumping water from the well either and carrying it in buckets across the yard to the old farmhouse so my wife could take a bath. The homesteaders who built the place put the well between the house and the barn, but I suspect it was actually closer to the barn. What's that old line about too much strong and not enough smart?

 

[BrotherBart]

Totally staged picture in front of the chicken coop next to the outhouse. We were naive city kids from Philly living on the banks of the Gauley, with no running water or well. Were to bathe? In the privacy of the Gauley of course. That is until we saw the slow moving passenger train on the opposite bank of the river toot its horn as it passed us by.

Oh to sit around the fire and listen to you two tell a few stories. Did you hike into town once a month for groceries and to pick up the new edition of the "Mother Earth News"?

Where on the Gauley were you folks? I have fallen off of a raft or two on the Upper Gauley, not to mention the Cheat, New and Upper Youghiogheny.

Not from the surprise of seeing bathers though.

Edit: Just went back and read Craig's post. Camden-on-Gauley.

 

[webbie]

Oh to sit around the fire and listen to you two tell a few stories. Did you hike into town once a month for groceries and to pick up the new edition of the "Mother Earth News"?

Edit: Just went back and read Craig's post. Camden-on-Gauley.

NO mags like that in Camden-on-Gauley. We did either hike into town or drive for some basics including raw honeycombs and other such things. Lots of holy rolling going on - speaking in tongues, etc. etc.

The road to our shack was cut into the side of the hill that went down to the river - very steep hill....and muddy road. The result is, that on the way home, it was typical for one side of the car to go over the side of the road down toward the river. The only way to get the car going was to jack up the rear, then push it off the jack back toward the road a couple times.

There was a good lunch spot in Cowen, about 10 miles away....a drive in movie was also within 15 miles or so. That was the extent of our urban affairs. I do remember chestnuts were bountiful in the area.

One of the richer back to the landers that we knew ordered one of them thar Ashley stoves with a thermostat and we thought it was the ultimate appliance.....and this was the bare sheet metal and cast oval jobbie! $90. as I remember - we never had any as nice as that one, just junkers.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Whattaya splitting?? Toothpicks?? It looks to me as tho you're 'aiming' the blow. At THAT point in the swing, the hands should be together, NO??

Great story, nevertheless, Craig.....thanx for sharing.

Looks like the head is about to fly off that double-bitted axe, too. Pretty serene look on your face for a guy splitting wood.

 

[webbie]

Whattaya splitting?? Toothpicks?? It looks to me as tho you're 'aiming' the blow. At THAT point in the swing, the hands should be together, NO??

Great story, nevertheless, Craig.....thanx for sharing.

Probably a staged pic!

 

[Webwidow]

Probably a staged pic![/quote]
I totally remember taking that pix Craig, the next one you took was of me feeding those mean no egg-laying chickens we had.

 

[Corie]

So what I want to know is how two mainliners ended up in the bush? What brought you there?