Got up, checked my phone, no reply from the contractor. Moved vehicles, hooked up the trailer, tied down the lawn mower and the ATV and limped the trailer to the nearest tire shop, which is not that far away thankfully. While getting all new tires put on that thing - and never loaning it out to that dude again - I started blowing up his phone.
He's either going to do it or he's not going to do it but I'm not going to sit around being ignored by this fellow. One text after another after another. After a while, I got a "read receipt", simply shows that the texts have been read. That was a start. He then finally responded: "Yes sir, sorry I was out of town".
In his thinking, yes sir means he's coming this week. He's kind of a redneck - not stupid or ignorant by any stretch, but redneckism has it's own unique characteristics. Especially how they talk. So, I am "assuming" equipment will either show up tomorrow or Wednesday morning and they will get this dirt work finally done and we can move on to the next phases which don't need it to be wet or dry as far as I know to do the work.
Well I take that back, you wouldn't want it muddy out there while pouring the gravel for the driveway or the pads. But it doesn't have to be perfectly dry. Neither do you need it perfectly dry to dig trenches for the water, sewer and electrical lines. Or to dig a pit for the septic tank. Etc. Etc. Etc.
I "assume" that you would want to do all the trenching and laying the underground stuff first before putting down any rock. I will be asking him how they go about doing that, the only real thing that needs to be done is to mark the driveway and the lots and the pads on the lots. The pads on the lots get the gravel, the rest of the lots are going to be grass. Yes, it means cutting grass a couple times a month, oh well. It's what people want, it's what they're going to get. Most people don't want a giant gravel parking lot unless they are just staying overnight on their way to somewhere else.
I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch, I'm simply hoping and praying that this dude actually gets this stuff done before it starts raining again. Cause' yes, it's going to start raining again, but if he gets out there Wednesday he should be able to get it done before the rain arrives.
I've got another guy coming to look at the trail situation. The first guy was high in his quote and he never got back to me. I at least want to know if I'm getting 10 hours out of him per day for that much money. The other guy is $150 per hour.
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Done deal. The man showed up at the property, I took him around, showed him what I want done, "I can have this done in a day". Well, I thought, if it spills into 2 days I'm fine with that. $350 per day cheaper than the other guy. I expected 2 days so I'm good with getting more work done if it's possible. I'd like to have the bottom of the rear of the property cleared out so I can get a better idea of the possibility of a pond or small lake back there. I added more trails as well and as the first guy I was going to have it done with, a couple of campground spots for tents.
Tent camping isn't a priority, it really isn't the right time of year for doing that if I did, indeed get this thing done before summer is over. It's just too hot out there, I can't imagine anyone wanting to tent camp in that kind of weather. I guess maybe if they brought a generator and a window unit air conditioner. I'd have to allow generators back there at night time during the summer. It's a long way from the RV park portion and it is down in a recessed area, I'd like to hope it wouldn't make so much noise as to interfere with rv campers.
If/when they get the ATV fixed, I'm getting a cheapo trailer from Harbor Freight and I can haul a generator back there, turn it on and then go up to the front and see what kind of noise there is. I can also haul chainsaw and leaf blower back there. I have actual use for the ATV beyond just fun. I could get a tow-behind brush mower for it - but they want thousands of dollars for one and that being the case, a zero turn mower would be a better investment - I think.
Once the trails are cut, I will just make sure to ride the ATV over them frequently enough to destroy any vegetation trying to grow. I'm trying to get by with not spending too much money on any one portion of this project. I can't afford to go all out buying this and that and everything all at once, it's just not in the budget. The walking trails were and original part of the theme and I'm not deterring from that. And much of what needs plowed down is simply too big for a mower of any kind to start out with, I must have the services of a mulcher machine to get the initial stuff done first. IF it were only a day, it would cost $1,350. This includes "backdragging it" as he called it - in other words, smoothing out the trail as he goes along. YES, please. I don't want people tripping, getting hurt and suing me.
Probably going to have to have a disclaimer that needs to be signed off on. You know, all that fine legal print that most nobody reads but details how you walk on the trails at your own risk, etc etc etc? They can still sue you but it helps keep liability down. There is always risk in such ventures, insurance is available and I will be getting it. This includes liability for dog park, walking trails, people doing stupid stuff, etc. The more risk activities you have, the higher the insurance. We'll keep it to a dog park and walking trails to start with
There will be so much to do after they finally get the actual parking portion of the park built. It will still take quite a bit of time to get all of it done, but at least I won't be at the mercy of that contractor. My soft opening will only have a small shed for putting the wifi equipment in. I might have a couple cords of firewood brought and people can buy bundles by simply indicating how many bundles they took and have it added to charges on the credit card. That will have to have a video surveillance camera on it. There will be video surveillance at various points in the park. While not compromising people's desire to not be bothered by such on the lots themselves, any "public" areas will likely have surveillance on it, including the driveway, the gas operation - I don't want anyone going on there at all - any sales I might have - which would be limited to firewood and possibly ice to start with, shed for wifi equipment and on the entrance to see who's coming and going.
It's a foregone conclusion that not everyone that takes firewood will actually pay for it, or will say they took 2 bundles when they took 5. It can make money, of course, with regular staff and overseeing it, which may be possible to some extent if I can find a good workamper to help out.
There will be a page on my internet site that will direct people to all of the things that are available in the nearby town - convenience stores, gas stations, propane refill, walmart, tractor supply, Lowe's, all the local restaurants and I might see if I can get some kind of perk from any restaurants for directing people their way. A small discount or maybe a free dessert or possibly free chips or something? I've seen a mix of RV;ers that like to eat out all the time, like to cook at their campsite all the time and a mix of both. Nearest laundromat, can't forget that.
AS I said, there will be plenty to do after they get the sites done. Even with a soft opening. The website designer contacted me the other day asking how it's going. Nowhere, I replied, stalled. But perhaps there is a sliver of light at the end of the tunnel?
I have what was originally a 9 am appointment time to load tomorrow now a 6 am appointment time. I really hate the 6 am appointment. Get up at 3:45 am? And when I get to work, what can I expect to find in my truck? Another driver was driving it. And that guy isn't exactly the cleanest dude on the planet.
Regardless, it's early but it's bedtime.
