Rock n Roll

It's time to take care of that boulder. I've been digging around it as much as I can but before I can make the wire & pipe ditch along the edge the rock has to be pulled out.

It is big and awkward enough that I can just barely push it over. No way I can roll it up hill. The pond is about two feet deep and with our wet, wet summer is usually a muddy mess.

I bought some heavy duty nylon hold down straps. Back when I made an EV I used a come-along and nylon straps to yank the engine out of the car. This time the straps are even stronger.

Here's the setup:

• two nylon straps wrapped around boulder
• large steel rod anchored in the ground (upper left)
• come-along hooked to straps and steel rod
• lots-o-planks for sliding, wedging, and prying

I'd been planning to have a friend to come over and help, but one afternoon decided to give it a shot on my own. It's slow, exacting, and dangerous work. Winch it up a little bit, put braces behind it, winch some more.

The rod and come-along had to be moved about five times. There were uncertain moments when the rock decided to move a new direction on its own and everything had to be setup again. But slowly and surely the rock moved up the edge and eventually popped (groaned might be a better word) out of the pond.

Now there's lots of room to dig and if not for the high voltage line it would be a piece of cake.

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