I've officially had it with winter

When I was outside this week inspecting the "motorpool" you might imagine my anger when I saw this:



Sometime over the past few weeks my primary garage collapsed. Luckily it was mostly empty at the time. I've been driving my humvee with the canvas roof, which would have been trashed, and the Willys MB is stored in the workshop. The Pinzgauer was parked outside. Another positive -- the roof came down on top of the Stalwart, which has enough heft to support the weight. The kept the roof high enough off the ground to avoid damaging the Halfinger and a few spare engines I have laying around inside.



To get the Stalwart out the entire building is going to have to be disassembled around it, which will have to wait until the snow melts (probably in about a month).

 

Never tried. I don't imagine that building would've stood up well to a tornado either.

Yeah, don't buy one if you have lots of snow. I was doing some research and there's a few other people complaining of collapses as well.

I generally don't tow people out. A few years ago a friend of mine was sued for alleged "damages" as a result of "improper towing". So much for "those polite Canadians"! I did, however, 'unstuck' a school bus last week. No kids on it, but the bus driver looked a bit rattled.

 

It is not pleasant to see someone lose those things they have worked hard to have in the way of buildings and homes, it has been a very rough winter here also, not so much snow but very cold nights and a lot of wind.....repairs of asphalt shingle roofing has been ongoing. I hope the spring comes quickly for you!

 

I realize this is hindsight, GP, but maybe this would have helped?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K0uyXkiBUk

 

Thanks Victor.

TD-Tommy:

Maybe, but the design of the building makes that nearly impossible. Its hard to tell from the picture (looks like everything folded up like an accordion) but the roof isn't flat -- it has ribs about a foot higher than the troughs. On top of that, it has (or had) bolt heads sticking up. I've never tried it, but it would be a real pain in the ass if I did. Its also much bigger than it appears in the picture. 25 feet across by 50-60 feet long, if I recall correctly. The roof was originally 15 - 20 feet above the ground.

The building was supposed to be rated to withstand the snow that was on it, and it was originally arched so as to allow the snow to slide down the sides. As I said, maybe it was damaged somehow earlier. All I know is the last 5 winters it was 100% fine.

I don't particularly care about losing the building (it was always uncomfortable to work in -- summer or winter -- because it was made of steel), but I do care about whats in it. I still haven't been able to pull off the garage door to get big things out of it. I haven't had anyone else around for the past few days. Any of you fellows want to volunteer? Since its sitting on the Stalwart I don't think it'll go down any more.

 

That's sad...

You know, there are a several old WWII era quonset huts around here. A family lives in one out the road at the site of an old coastal battery. It just strikes me as strange that these old structures can hold up where modern pref-fab buildings can't.

 

Down the road from me there's an old iron railway bridge. Built in 1911, three big trains running across it each day, (probably more back in the day) and it looks like it hasn't had any work done on it in 30+ years. Still holding up fine. Meanwhile, half the bridges on some of the interstates are on the verge of collapse. I know, its "not a fair comparison, they were built for different purposes, etc etc", but it does make you wonder.

 

It is the 'Throw Away' society. Things today are not made to last. My mother had the same vacuum cleaner all her married life - 40 years. I have lost count of the number that I have had in the same amount of time. It was cheaper to buy a new one than repair or else the model was obsolete with no spare parts available. Manufacturers used to take pride in their products.

Rant over!

 

A little way down the page on this link is a photo and short description of the quonset I mentioned. Still going strong after 70 years and we get some tremendous snow and winds at times.





http://affordablehousinginstitute.org/blogs/us/2009/06/little-boxes-little-boxes.html

 

Winter ain't over up there yet? It's been over for quite sometime here. And the mosquitoes are extra hungry this year after that polar vortex loaded winter we had. Hurricane season starts Sunday. Yay!

 

The worst mosquitoes I ever saw was in Alaska. Really.

 

Since this got bumped, I might as well provide an update. The building is still up -- waiting for the insurance company to finish things on their end.

 

They'll be footing the bill for tearing it down, and will be paying for a replacement. The exact amount is to be determined.

 

This myth is often repeated about the great state of Alaska. In fact our mosquitoes are quite gracious and refined, almost genteel in their manner and customs. It is true that some young mosquitoes caught up in a moment of high spirits will commit youthful hijinks like getting together in thousand-strong packs to suck the vitreous fluid from your eyes. The actions of these young hooligans should in no way reflect upon the vast majority of honest law-abiding mosquitoes who merely want to surround your head in vast swarms that darken out the sun to greet you with the traditional "Dance of Spring." It is just unfortunate that Alaskan mosquitoes are not more colorful like their flying cousin the hummingbird, because surely nobody would object to ten thousand bloodsucking hummingbirds hovering around their face?

Anyway, if you object to their company you can signal your wish to be left alone by dousing your head in kerosene and setting it on fire.

 

You should get a job with the Obama administration in the spin department. Your skills would be a great asset to that organization.