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I rode my dirt bike up into Daggett Creek today to do some watercolor painting. There is an old cabin up there next to an old mine that I have visited often. There is an old outhouse just up the creek from the cabin. I noticed someone has built a horseshoe pit up near the mine, so someone has been spending some time up there. They also split some wood and stacked it inside the cabin. The front porch has fallen down on one side and the roof next to the creek has collapsed. The old Chevy truck is still back in there as well. I scooped water out of Daggett Creek to use for my watercolor paints. It was a gorgeous day and very relaxing to just sit and paint and listen to the creek running by and the wind blowing through the pines.
~Tad Jones
We have been waterskiing every Wednesday night after work at Lucky Peak Reservoir. Tucker and Clancy and I grew up skiing in McCall on Payette Lake. We would get up early to ski before any other boats were on the lake & we would ski whenever we got the chance. They still have the same boat as when we were growing up. Waterskiing with great friends is still one of my most favorite things in life! Below is a link to a video of us skiing behind the Ski Nautique.
We ran the Sawtooth Relay this weekend and had a great time. The name of our team was “More Cowbell” and we were team #234
The Sawtooth Relay is a 62 mile run and is separated into twelve legs. Teams of six individuals run from Stanley, Idaho to Ketchum Idaho over the famed Galena Summit. The proceeds for the race are all donated to the PKD Foundation and are used for research in finding a cure for kidney disease.
Our team this year consisted of Trent & Shelly Koci, B and Tamara Clayton, and Karma and me. Each team is required to have one volunteer for the race and Tim Terry generously served as our volunteer.
Zoie came along with us too and Karma’s Mom Dorothy watched her while we ran the race.
We stayed in Ketchum on Friday night and then woke up around 1:30 in the morning. We picked up B and Tamara around 2:00am to drive to Stanley for a 4:00am start.
The race was a bit rainy this year, but we still had a blast!
We finished the race at around 1:00 in the afternoon with a total time of just over 9 hours.
For more information on the Sawtooth Relay please visit: http://www.sawtoothrelay.com/sawtooth/home.cfm
~Tad Jones
A team of young architects and an engineer from France have developed a concept of modifying existing electrical towers to harvest wind power.
Photo by Elioth + Encore Heureux
The idea is still in its infancy, but I love the fact that they are thinking of ways to produce sustainable power for our society while attempting to utilize existing infrastructure. The team won the 2009 “Next Generation” competition organized by Metropolis Magazine. More information can be found at the following link:
Metropolis Magazine | Harvesting the wind
I updated my Mom’s website today with some of her latest artwork. She is producing some amazing work. Below is one of my favorite pieces called “The Five Elements”
Click here to visit the website for Deb Jones Yensen & see more of her artwork!
Karma and I went dirtbiking today up near Bogus
In the video I used a font that reminded me of the 1980’s when I would ride for miles & miles on my Grandpa’s old Honda 90. The music is by “They Might Be Giants” called “Dirtbike”…..I love the lyrics in this song. Thanks Joe!
Click here to watch the video of “Bogus Basin Dirtbiking”
Click here to view photos of the trip!
We rode the Weiser River Trail this weekend from Evergreen Campground to Galloway Dam near Weiser, Idaho. Karma was our shuttle driver and brought BoBeau and Hank along to keep her company on the drive home.
Photo by Tucker Anderson
The riding crew consisted of Jay Stevenor, Tucker Anderson, and Myself. Clancy brought his Xtra Cycle, Tucker used panniers mounted to a bike rack, and Jay and I towed trailers. I was towing a TW Bents trailer and Jay was trying out a Bob trailer with suspension….
Click here to continue reading and see photos and video of the trip!
We skied some amazing backcountry today. I was a bit tired from running the Race to Robie Creek the day before. We met at Don Jeffery’s house at 6:00 in the morning for an early start to make sure the snow didn’t get too warm and turn to slush before we got there. A woman named Anne met us at Don’s house too, and we drove her up to meet some of our other friends that were going to run the South Fork of the Payette today. We dropped her off at our friend’s house on the banks of the South Fork. When we arrived, JT More was wearing shorts and river sandals and standing around a raging fire. We visited for a while and then headed up the road to Banner Summit. We were on the snow by about 9:45, but even then the rays of the sun were very intense and the temperature was rising quickly. The snow crust we were skinning across soon turned to slush and we worked our way up a ridge south of Lola Creek.
From the top of the ridge we had an excellent view of the Sawtooth Range. Copper Mountain, where we had considered skiing was also in view and we could see many chutes on the north side of the mountain.
…Click here to continue reading & see photos and video…
I ran the Race to Robie Creek today. I did much better than I had expected with a finishing time of 1:57:23.392 which put me in place number 331. The race starts at Fort Boise and winds up Shaw Mountain Road. Near the top of Shaw Mountain Road the course heads up the old toll road at Rocky Canyon and over Aldape Summit. After passing over the summit the course takes a steep descent down into the Robie Creek drainage and ends with a spectacular party at a large park on the shores of Mores Creek.
The Race to Robie Creek is called “The Toughest Half-Marathon in the Northwest.” The race raises over $45,000 for local charities and non-profit organizations. There were over 2,400 runners in the race this year.
Click here to visit the website for the Race to Robie Creek.
I just finished reading “The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway”. Below is my favorite quote from the book:
“Romero never made any contortions, always it was straight and pure and natural in line. The others twisted themselves like corkscrews, their elbows raised, and leaned against the flanks of the bull after his horns had passed, to give a faked look of danger. Afterward, all that was faked turned bad and gave an unpleasant feeling. Romero’s bull-fighting gave real emotion, because he kept the absolute purity of the line in his movements and always quietly and calmly let the horns pass him close each time. He did not have to emphasize their closeness. Brett saw how something that was beautiful done close to the bull was ridiculous if it were done a little way off. I told her how since the death of Joselito all the bull-fighters had been developing a technic that simulated this appearance of danger in order to give a fake emotional feeling, while the bull-fighter was really safe. Romero had the old thing, the holding of his purity of line through the maximum of exposure, while he dominated the bull by making him realize he was unattainable, while he prepared him for the killing.”
~ Ernest Hemingway “The Sun Also Rises”
The 2009 ski season at Bogus Basin has been excellent! A great way to end the season was with the annual end of the season costume party. This year Karma and I were the “Killer Bees on Skis!” We met up with friends Clancy and Tucker Anderson and their families. Clancy’s son Oliver was dressed up as a Meerkat and kept us in line. Click on the image below to see a video of the last day and party at Bogus! Special thanks to Bogus Basin and the events director JJ McCleod for a fantastic season!
I was recently contacted by one of our window suppliers recommending that I pass on information about tax incentives in 2009 for replacement of windows, doors and skylights. While I am an advocate for upgrading the efficiency of homes, I also believe that any remodel project should not be undertaken without careful consideration of other factors.
Many of the homes that I work on are historic homes, and often I am ask to evaluate the condition of windows and make suggestions on whether or not the windows should be replaced.
Below are some questions I usually ask myself before making a recommendation:
- Do the windows contribute to the historical character of the home?
- If the answer is “yes” then I take a look at the condition of the windows. If the condition of the existing windows are in poor shape, then I look at replacement options. When looking at replacement options I try to find a manufacturer that is able to manufacture new windows that will most closely match the configuration and mullion pattern of the existing windows.
- Have the windows been painted shut?
- Often times the windows are still in good condition, but they have been painted shut by a past owner. It takes some work, but the paint can typically be cut along the operable areas and the windows can be refurbished to original working condition with much less cost than replacing the windows. Often in older homes we will find a true double hung window with the top panel painted shut and the bottom panel still operable. The original idea behind a double hung window is that in warmer months of the year the top panel can be lowered to allow air flow high in the room. Since heat rises, the operable top panel allows hot air to escape which reduces the need for mechanical cooling. Due to this same theory we sometimes see transom windows in kitchen areas of old homes to allow heat to escape from the hot kitchen to cooler areas of the home.
- Do the windows have single pane glass?
- It is definitely true that old single pane glass windows are not as efficient as newer double pane or even triple pane glazing systems, but the glass may be adding character to your home and that is sometimes overlooked by some homeowners and remodelers.
- Glass is actually a liquid that is being pulled slowly in the direction of gravity. Many of the older homes that I work on have glass that over the years has become thicker at the bottom of the pane than at the top. This gives a “wavy” illusion to objects on the other side of the window when looking through the glazing sometimes called the “bottled glass” effect.
- If your single pane glass adds a character to your home that is irreplaceable you might consider adding storm windows to the home. My own home has custom storm windows that we can easily remove and replace with screens during the summer months. The screens allow for cross-ventilation while keeping insects out of the home during the hot summer months. During the winter months, the extra layer of glass provided by the storm windows keeps the windows from “sweating” and building up condensation. It also helps seal the house and makes it easier for the heating system to maintain a comfortable temperature in the home. It is a bit more maintenance to change out the screens and storm windows each spring and fall, but in my mind it is worth it to be able to keep the original glass. If you are thinking of installing storm windows, there are a few companies such as Van Dykes Restorers that have some nice looking hardware to attach the storm windows to your home.
- If you have still come to the conclusion that you should replace your windows, you are in luck because there are some tax incentives in 2009 that will help to reduce this upgrade.
- Before we get into this though, let’s first look for windows that match your home as we discussed earlier. In addition, windows with wood interior and an aluminum clad exterior will be highly efficient, will have a softer more natural feel than vinyl, will last a lifetime and also be low maintenance.
- I dislike nothing more than walking into an old historic home with beautiful old style woodworking to find that someone has replaced the original wood windows with white vinyl windows. There are a few projects where I have recommended vinyl windows, but they are few and far between and never in a historic home.
- The Tax Credit is for qualifying products that will be installed in 2009 and 2010. The maximum credit will be $1,500 and will be based on 30% of the purchase price and does not include installation. The windows must also be for the person’s primary residence.
- There are also some limitations as to how energy efficient the windows need to be. The windows must have a U factor of 0.30 or less and they must have a SHGC of .30 or less.
- A good website for more information on window efficiency and the tax incentive is The Efficient Windows Collaboratives. There is also a .PDF available at the following link:
Adobe .PDF on Window Replacement Tax Credit
Are you getting tired of all the negative news and reporting? I ran across this site called the “Good News Network” the other day and have added it to my homepages. There are a lot of interesting legitimate news stories that have a more positive take on our society and our world. There is even a free thirty day trial. Check it out when you get a chance by clicking on the logo below:
We roll easily through the winding mountain roads of Idaho. The scenery passes by as we are transported through a winter wonderland in the heated comfort of the jeep. I hold a large cup of coffee in one hand and the other on the steering wheel. Large herds of elk are grazing on the sides of the road. I slow our speed in anticipation that one of these huge amazing animals may decide to cross in front of us. Good conversation on a crisp cold morning and amazing Idaho Scenery….Click here to continue reading and view a video & slideshow of the trip!
Below are two videos from Eric Parsons. These guys are doing some epic mountain bike trips in Alaska using Surly Pugsley Mountain Bikes with ”Large Marge” rims and tires, and Alpacka pack rafts. I keep coming back to this thread on mtbr forum about their trip. Trent & Shelly got me a new mountain bike trailer this year from TW-Bents. I like the trailer because it can carry quite a bit of weight, seems durable and has the added benefit of being able to fold up and be stored in its own drybag. The drybag is contoured to the shape of the trailer so it can be used to transport gear. The only drawback to this trailer is that it is made in Taiwan & I would rather support a trailer that is made in the USA. I am already planning my next mountain bike adventure for this summer!!
Lost Coast Trailer from Eric Parsons on Vimeo.
Kenai Coast Fun from Eric Parsons on Vimeo.
Here is a link to Eric’s company “Epic Designs“.
I rode my bicycle out to the Black Cliffs this weekend with my bike trailer in tow along with some art supplies. I did this watercolor painting looking up Car Body Canyon. The Black Cliffs are made up of columnar basalt rock formations. There were small patches of snow on the canyon rim which is depicted on the right-hand side of the painting. A small waterfall was trickling over ice in the very center of the canyon and every once in a while I could hear pieces of ice break off and crash to the rocks below.
Below is a home we designed for Wallace Custom Design and Renovation. The home was designed for Boise’s East End Historic District and much effort has been made to ensure that the scale and massing of the home respects the surrounding neighborhood. Please click on the image below to see more about the home & the design process.
I received my license to practice Architecture in the State of Colorado today!! Below is a map of all the States I am currently licensed in. Next year I will go for Utah. I am concentrating on States with large ski resorts! :)
Our friend Matt Haley is infamous for leaving prank calls on our voicemail. Today he pulled off another one! It had me going for a bit. Take a listen when you get a chance, his calls are hilarious.
Click here to listen.Below is a house we did some design options for. They ranged from some fairly modern designs to one that incorporated traditional shapes with some minor modern accents. Click on the image to view the options.
