More tank installation details

The installation crew got lost on Terlingua Ranch, so were 2 hours late getting to CMO. I had sent them the same map that I send all visiting birders, who never get lost. Additionally, the guy who inspected the pad the day before, flagged all of Snake Road to make it easier for them. First time we've ever flagged Snake Road. Since the install is an 8 hour job, they worked extra fast to get back on schedule. I think some of the workmanship suffered as a result, but I'm not an engineer, so just have to trust that my precious water will be secure.

When they left, the ground was littered with screws, which I don't mind picking up, but I do worry how many screws were left inside the tank on the ground. I just have to trust that they would either be very conscientious inside the tank, or that screws can't penetrate the tank pad.

Not quite as worrisome are the many places that the screws missed their target. I wouldn't think that would be a structural problem. And if the roof is loose anywhere, I have plenty of screws to secure it.😉

And it's a good thing I had roughed in the new parking area before tank installation. The crew needed every bit of it to spread out their metal, roof joists and all that other stuff. I've no idea where they would have put it without the parking area being there. For several hours my pickup was blocked in and I had to walk to the house. Backing their trailer up to where they needed it was difficult too.

I must say the crew were a great bunch. Worked hard and never complained, jovial throughout the whole ordeal. Could it have been anything other than an ordeal?

Yesterday, as I was shoveling gravel and rocks from where I had piled them up while we were making the new parking area, I came across a prehistoric scraper. You may recall that there was an ancient earth oven under the old parking area (blog Sept 26), which is now under the tank. I think this scraper was used to scoop out the earth oven, or process the sotol before baking, or both. My archaeologist sister, Ann, is taking it to the Center For Big Bend Studies, where she works part-time, and get it analyzed. I'm sure it got unearthed when we were scraping out the new parking area. That ground is really hard clay of the same color as the patina on the scraper. So far, all Ann can say about it is that it shows a lot of usage wear.

Eventually, I'll coat the parking area with gravel. That clay is a pain when it's wet. My husband thinks now that the tank is installed the work is no longer urgent, so I'm having to nag him a bit. In order for the tank to get the 20 year warranty, I have to get the gravel around the perimeter asap. Plus I have to put some kind of barrier between it and the parking area so no one accidentally runs into the tank. Not likely, but what if?

Also right now the parking lot has a bad low area. The whole thing needs to gently slope toward the nearby arroyo. If I don't push to get all this stuff done, who will? And who knows how long it'll take to get the loader fixed and operational again? So I know you all think now that the tank is installed and full of water I can stop stressing and enjoy. Soon, but not yet.