If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of wrenching on old rigs, it’s that a plan is just a starting point. Last time I checked in, we were battling solid basalt rock at the original shop location. Well, after some reflection (and a little bit of a headache), we made a big decision.
We pivoted.
New Location, New Energy
We decided to move the entire shop location to the back corner of the orchard. Sometimes you just have to listen to your gut—and maybe a bit of what the ground is telling you. This new spot feels right. It’s going to block the neighbor’s view of our backyard, creating a nice, private sanctuary for all the “Days of Pain and Victory” madness to happen.
The move meant some work, though. I had to transplant several trees from the orchard to make room, but the backhoe made short work of that. One tree unfortunately had a root ball that had been attacked by gophers, so it didn’t make the cut, but the rest are thriving in their new homes.
Laser Focus and Dirt Management
Once the trees and the sod were cleared, it was time to get serious about grade. I finally broke out the laser level (shoutout to Woody—you gotta get yourself one of these!). It turned out the whole area was about 10 inches high, so I spent the morning scooping out dirt until we were within about 3 inches of level across the board.
For this stage, 3 inches is plenty close enough since we’ll be bringing in gravel later to get the slab prep perfect. Mason and I got the batter boards and string lines up, and then it was time for the backhoe to really earn its keep.
29 Holes and a Couple of Boulders
I spent the afternoon digging all 29 post holes. Most of the ground was clear, but that one corner decided to give me a parting gift—some massive boulders. One was so big that the hole it left behind looks like I’m building a swimming pool! I might have to use a sonotube and some extra fill for that one, but we got through it.
I’ve spent the last bit of the day tamping down the bottom of the holes and cleaning them out so the inspector stays happy. It’s hard work—my hands are still shaking from the controls—but it’s the good kind of tired.
The Lesson
The materials arrive this Thursday, and the wall framing is already on-site. We’re officially moving and grooving.
The big takeaway from today? Don’t be so married to your initial plan that you ignore a better path. That first location might have worked eventually, but it would have been a constant uphill battle. By pivoting, we found a location that fits our life and our property better.
On the next update, we should be throwing up poles and getting the roof framing started. The dream is finally taking a physical shape!
Wheel it, Wreck it, Wrench it, Repeat!
— Josh
Days of Pain and Victory 
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