Daily...

I intend to begin daily writing but... I don't want to bore anyone with writing that doesn't contain any substance so I apologize for not updating daily but from here until the end of the month I will begin writing daily, who knows maybe sometimes twice. That said sorry for wasting your time with this post that contains no substance. Until next time...

Jack of all trades...

Tuesday a Brick Mason, Wednesday a Plasterer and Thursday a Stone Mason... Through the first 3 days its been a very interesting and eye opening experience. Working with a crew of guys who all just do what it takes is an interesting experience. I have worked for a few different construction companies in different aspects of construction and in every different aspect there is a system of heirarchy. You have your laborers, your carpenters, your masons, your electricians, your plumbers... You get the point there are differenet trades with different expertise and their is usually a divide between those individual niches of construction. Well here at Earthships everybody does everything. Everyone on the crew is willing and capable of doing not only the most menial jobs of sweeping the floors or mixing concrete but they are also capable and willing to do the framing or make their own custom flashing pieces for the exterior of the structure. Everybody on the crew is willing to answer a question or teach a new intern how to mix concrete or trowel plaster. The dynamic of an entire crew all on the same page working as a team to build the best possible structure they are capable of all the while enjoying their job is a very different dynamic. These people not only work together but often times go help one another after work to work on their own houses. I am only through my 3rd day of actual work with this company, it has been an enlightening and very informative experience. I look forward to the next 3 weeks and all of the new experiences and information it will bring.

Day 1...

Today was the beginning of a journey that I don't believe will have an end. This morning was orientation for all of the interns here in Taos, New Mexico at Earthship Biotecture. I look forward to the day when I will live in a structure that requires no outside assistance from public utility, a structure that is totally self sustaining and is powered by its environment. I hope the knowledge that I gain here will help me bring these technologies and practices to other people who are like minded. Its going to be a big learning curve that will bring great rewards.

On another note I had to take Megan to the airport in Albuquerque today, I will miss her and the dogs! Hopefully I can improve on our terrible fishing and actually catch something. We spent the 4th hiking in the hills of the Taos Ski Valley and fishing in the Rio Grande Gorge. It was really nice to have her here and I will miss them all.

Looking forward to my first day of work tomorrow.

1234 Miles and a few hiccups later...

Well to say it hasn't been an eventful few days would be blatantly lying. The initial "road trip" from home to Sedona Arizona was as smooth as one could hope for, not a hiccup the whole way until we arrived at our destination, Grace Grove Retreat Center. A close friend who owns and runs this amazing facility may have understated the access given I was towing a 37 foot fifth wheel trailer behind a long bed crew cab Ford F-350 truck. From the pavement it was about a 3 mile drive down a dirt road at which point the the last quarter mile turns into something most people would reconsider driving their compact SUV down. Somehow or another I managed to make it with minimal damage. Megan, Gary and I had the pleasure of spending the next two days exploring some amazing hiking and exploring through Sedona and enjoying some relaxing time at Grace Grove. The staff and guests were all extremely gracious and hospitable and we were so very fortunate to have the opportunity to be able to stay there. After our brief stay in Sedona it was on to Taos New Mexico our final destination. After a late start due to the ever so tight conditions leaving Grace Grove we got back on the road. We headed out and less than two hours into what was supposed to be an eight and a half hour we blew out a tire, thankfully our spare was in good condition and after about 35 minutes we were back on the road. Next up was a little stop in Winslow Arizona for some lunch at La Posada Hotel restaurant, The Turquoise Room. After some extremely delicious lunch it was a quick stop for fuel to add to the already devastating fuel bill. Back on Interstate Forty east bound we headed to Santa Fe expecting to arrive around eight pm... Sure enough twenty miles outside of Santa Fe they had one lane closed for road construction on 4th of July weekend and to top that off a semi truck and a compact car decided they would further complicate things for everybody by making significant contact and shut down the entire freeway for about three hours. Our expected 10:30 arrival turned into 1:30 in the walmart parking lot of Taos New Mexico. Despite our few minor hiccups we made it safely with no major complications. Monday morning I will report for duty for my internship with Earthship Biotecture, I am looking forward to getting to work and learning many new things.

Bags are packed and I'm ready to go...

Or at least I think I'm ready to go. Megan is just getting off work and Gary is meeting her at the hospital for a ride up to Thousand Oaks, Brian is on his way back from Santa Ynez and still needs to bring me his motorcycle so he has something to ride when he comes out in a few weeks to visit and I need to go to sleep so I can wake up in 4 hours and start the 1076 mile drive. Let the adventure begin!

Preperation...

I have spent the last few days getting ready to depart for New Mexico. Its been a bit of a challenge picking through all of the things I may need for an entire month. I think the biggest thing that seems to continuously come to mind is my girlfriend Megan and my two most precious dogs Oz and Fiona. While I pick through tools and things I may need to be most efficient and valuable while im in New Mexico I find it hard to put my life aside. I will be putting Oz, Fiona and Megan aside to chase an idea that will benefit us all in the future. I hope at the end of all of this they will all benefit greatly from this endeavor.

My background...

For those that don't know me my name is Paul Ashford Jr., those who know me well refer to me as "Putter", an endearing nickname given to me by my Dad. I was born and raised in Thousand Oaks California. I grew up in a family of Contractors, three of my Uncles and my father all own and run Construction companies specializing mainly in high end residential homes. Most weekends of my youth were spent learning the construction trade or traveling the western states racing motorcycles with my Dad. I was fortunate growing up. I had the opportunity to follow around a great man with a wealth of knowledge to share. Through the years I would learn to build everything from skateboard ramps and motorcycle engines to custom homes and parking structures.

For about the last eight years I have been involved with a few different companies that have broadened my knowledge base and enabled me to become involved in different facets of the construction industry. I worked for The Rock Shop building high end swimming pools and artificial rock waterfalls. The owner of the company, Brian Staben was truly an innovator in the artificial rock world. If the customers could imagine it Brian could make it a reality. I started for Brian as a mason and waterfall builder and would eventually run most of the projects in the field, everything from the most elaborate and extravagant backyards to basic hardscape, there was nothing out of our scope of work. After about five years Brian and his father Frank would open the doors to a new company, Dirt Works Engineering. The new endeavor created endless opportunity for Brian and Frank and inherently I would become involved as things grew. Dirt Works scope of work is extremely broad doing everything from grading house pads, drilling caissons, slope repairs, shoring, natural disaster cleanup, motocross tracks, supercross tracks and emergency contracting for many public and private utility companies. There always seemed to be a new door opening and a new challenge to tackle. There was always a new piece of equipment that needed to be built or an attachment to be built for the equipment we were using. I had the opportunity to operate all kinds of equipment, wheel loaders, dozers, excavators, bobcats, drill rigs and so on. There was always a new project that needed something we didn't already have so we would either fabricate it ourselves or somehow get a hold of whatever we needed to get the job done.

Currently and for about the past 18 months I have been working for JYG Concrete Construction. JYG is a structural concrete company specializing in subterranean and on-grade parking structures. While working for JYG I have been learning all aspects of structural concrete from footings, foundations, slab-on grade, masonry walls and post tension slabs. I am fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to work with many of the best in the industry in their respective disciplines and I hope to take the knowledge I have acquired and apply it to my own projects in the future.