APRIL 2014. MEANWHILE ON THE OTHERSIDE OF THE HILL, THERE WAS ANOTHER SET OF STRINGS STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE. FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW AND SEVERAL BOTTLES OF SCOTCH LATER, I'VE BEEN DREAMING UP A WINCH SYSTEM THAT COULD TRANSPORT MATERIAL UP THE MOUNTAIN TO THE BUILD SITE. IT WAS A LONG VERTICAL RUN TO PULL OFF WITHOUT ANY INTERMEDIATE SUPPORTS. MY IDEA RELIED ON A HUGE MANGO TREE STUMP THAT WAS STILL GROWING NEXT TO THE HOUSE, SOME SALVAGED STEEL ARRESTOR CABLES, AN OLD BRASS PULLEY, SEVERAL ARM LENGTH STEEL TURNBUCKLES, A HANDFULL OF CHAINS, AN OLD POOL PUMP MOTOR, A GEAR BOX AND A SPOOL THAT I FOUND ON CRAIGSLIST. I HAD FIGURED IT OUT IN MY HEAD BUT COMMUNICATING IT TO EVERYONE ELSE, THAT WAS NOT SO EASY. THIS WAS A SPECIAL PROJECT REQUIRING A SPECIAL TEAM OF MAD SCIENTIST. PAUL LARSEN AND EVAN STEWART WOULD BECOME MY "SPECIAL-TEAMS" CREW FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT. THESE GUYS WILL DO ANYTHING AND ARE WILLING TO GO ANYWHERE AS LONG AS THERE'S COLD BEER WAITING FOR THEM WHEN THEY GET THERE.
