Another Update On The Po’ Mike El Rancho/Retreat, And, An Example Of Why I Am Rich Mike, As Daughter, Kirsten Gets Married, Amongst Cons And Ex-Cons (Concretists And Ex-Concretists, That Is, Hehe…)

BTW, this is the most self-indulgent of all my blogs… A bit like a Jerry Garcia solo! So, if you’re gonna go there wit’ me, ya better light one up!

Great fun! YIP-EEE!!! But, now, back to The Po’ Mike… We’ll get back to this one, in a bit.

concretist associate, El Rancho partner and brother, Russ Miller, proves his loyalty and love by hand excavating deep footings.

Russ and down-stream neighbor, Bob Hoot, review progress.
Notice Bob’s “snake boots” and Russell’s bare legs,
as Russ has inherited the unique “Miller Snake-Bite Immunity”, from our Mohawk ancestors.

Mike and Bob illustrate that footings will, in fact, extend below the frost-line (3’+ deep)

Architect and kindred spirit, Chris Heinritz, celebrates our 15 minute placement of 5 yards (about 20,000 pounds) of fiber-reinforced concrete footings. This was the fastest pour that either of us had ever been involved in! I’d say that that deserved a cold beer, maybe two? Cheers!!!

Now… Change of location from The Shoshone Range to The Sierra Nevada… From off-the-grid to off-the-road, that is WAY-off-the-road… From The Po’ Mike (Simpler Times) to Lake Faucherie, where brother, Russ, (also uncle, Russ) braves the chill to help me build a stage and dance floor for Kirsten and Dustin’s wedding… He is a REALLY GOOD GUY!

We hauled a lot of lumber, and, we’ll haul it again, as the stage and dance floor will be transformed into our 1st satellite structure, by the creek, in North Central Nevada.

Mike and concretist, Jeremy Wall, lay a foundation, for Kirsten and Dustin, on solid rock.

”The Beast” nears completion… Ashley Hough begins to string lights and crystals.

All cleaned-up and looking spiffy, Russ re-invents himself as the master of ceremonies. Concretist, Jose Medina handles sound and D.J. duties (photo by ex-concretist, Dori Westerman).

Russ and concretist, Jose “Jos-B” Francisco. “Jos-B” made sure that the tri-tips and chicken arrived,
despite the treacherous “road” (if you can call it that!) conditions (photo by ex-concretist, Dori Westerman).

And, here, kindred spirit, Pete “Meaty Petey” Zanger, knows what to do with the tri-tip and chicken, when it arrives (photo by ex-concretist, Dori Westerman).

While Petey cooks, the girls prepare in their own special way… Hey, is that Kat Von D??? No, it’s my little Winnie Pooh, all grown up now!!! Never realized the slippery slope she and I would proceed down, when tattooed together in Provincetown, oh well!
Photo by www.sunandlifephotography.com

Kirto, her bridesmaids, and “Bippy”, her little Penelope, the rat terrier. It’s time to head down the aisle!
Photo by www.sunandlifephotography.com

Here we go! Better take good care of her, Dustin!!!
Photo by www.sunandlifephotography.com

Hope you two can take vows more seriously than this!
Photo by www.sunandlifephotography.com

Uncle Russell pulls out his flask and offers a toast to the newlyweds!
(photo by ex-concretist, Dori Westerman).

May there be plenty more of those, kids… A whole lifetime’s worth!!!
Photo by www.sunandlifephotography.com

Ex-con, Jake Enemark and girlfriend, Kimi, came all the way from London! Think that maybe they’ll be the next to tie the knot?
(photo by ex-concretist, Dori Westerman).

The lovely Miller (Miller-Kircher) women: younger daughter/maid of honor, Karley, my bride, Neen, AND,
belle of the ball, Winnie Pooh (who, BTW, is also an ex-con)!!!
Photo by www.sunandlifephotography.com

Millers and Kirchers get their “freak” on! This is how we “roll”!!!
Photo by www.sunandlifephotography.com

Foxy Mrs. Concretist (hopefully, won’t ever become an ex-con!), Jeannine, and a much more “rough & tumble” me… We couldn’t be prouder!
Photo by www.sunandlifephotography.com

OK, we’re kinda getting back to the stage and/dance floor/1st satellite building thing… KINDA! As Dieter says, “this is the time on Sprockets when we dance”! On far left, Neen’s brother and Kirsten’s uncle, Ronnie Vargas (another ex-concretist). On far right, dancing with “The Ritz”, is ex-con, Carrie Enemark.
Photo by www.sunandlifephotography.com

Wonderful night! Starry starry night!!!
Photo by www.sunandlifephotography.com

Last wedding shot… May you be richly blessed, kids! Po’ Mike’s experiment in engineering (very efficient use of lumber!) is a success… This is ‘cause he is actually Rich Mike! The stage/dance floor can handle the load (that’s a whole lotta partiers!)… It’s now time to transport it and transform it into a ranch building! YUP!!!
Photo by www.sunandlifephotography.com

Lumber and steel, stock-piled in Nevada. Just a quick in-n-out… Russ and I are outta here!

On the way back to town… A bit o’ snow on Mount Lewis and some Fall color!

AND… A typical Nevada sunset (typical?)… FANTASTIC! God’s been painting again!!!

Back again! “The Ritz” begins batching the soil cement.

Mike’s completed the formwork. “OK, Chris, just about 4,000 pounds to go… Only 1 yard, right?” “FU, Miller!”

View up-valley, from foundation of 1st satellite structure.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, correct?

“Single step, my ass!!!”

And so, come sunset, we’re just about through, for the day and for the season… Let the snow fall, Nevada!

For more info on The Po’ Mike El Rancho/Retreat, check-out:
http://site.thevisualconcretegroup.com/

This entry was posted on Monday, October 11th, 2010 at 10:30 am and is filed under Artist Associates, Installations, Kindred Spirits, Recycled Materials, Surfaces & Spaces, Sensory Concrete, The Concretists, The Po' Mike El Rancho/Retreat, The Visual Concrete Group. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.