Trailblazing for a driveway

Today we went to our new property for the first time as the proper owners of it. We brought a Ryobi chainsaw and hedge trimmer so we could cut back on the brush and small trees which covered the path we wanted to clear for the driveway. The very first thing I did upon arrival was almost get the truck stuck in the ditch in front. After switching to 4-wheel drive and a few tense moments later, we were free. 

I was pleasantly surprised at the power of the Ryobi 14" chainsaw, as it is battery powered so I wasn't expecting much. It also lasted a good hour of felling small cedar trees and other nasty vine-like wild trees which cover the entire 6 acres. Cassie cut a walking path to the further reaches of the property, about 300 feet from the road where we plan on erecting the barn. 

We figure the first phase of the project will involve clearing a path for the driveway and deciding where we will eventually install utilities. Once the driveway is put in, we can plot out electric, septic (leach bed), and cistern. Pre-purchase inspections told us that we should have no problem with a low-cost septic system but digging a well would be unlikely, probably due to the limestone bed underneath the soil. These utilities should be large enough to supply a barn with shower/bathroom and someday a 3-bedroom cabin. But today, we were happy with removing 50 or so cedar trees, cutting some paths, and plotting out possible barn locations by placing "stars" on Google Maps.

We ended up clearing a path for the driveway about 200 feet long and 12 feet wide. The first 100 feet or so were a challenge because of denser growth, but the next 100 feet were mostly clear except for an occasional tree. We plotted some points about 300 to 400 feet back where the trees started getting dense again. The Northerly portion of the tract has a higher elevation, so this is the probable location of the barn and cabin.