Building a Mountain Road, Part 1. And Completing Phase 1: Access to Site (S1E27)

Check out our Channel Trailer for a quick summary: • Trailer - Getting to T...
This week I have a 2-part video. I'm building a road to the final, highest level of the property, finally giving me full access to everywhere on the site. This is a big milestone for my Mountain Homestead project, after 9 months of preparation, manual labour and big machine help. It coincides with completing Season 1 of this video series. Please come along for a little ride.
Please follow along as my wife and I build our Timber Frame Forever Home in the mountains of Japan near the beach town of Shimoda.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS TO FOLLOW ALONG:
1) Tiny House Build Pt1: • I Built My Tiny House ...
2) Making Mistakes, and Correcting: • Making Mistakes: Getti...
3) Mountain Escalator: • Raising Building Mater...
4) Completing Foundation Pour: • Foundation Pour #4: Sp...
Instagram: / shimodalife
Facebook: / shimodalife
Music in this video: NA

[@hossp2365]

The locals must think “ that crazy Canadian is doing crazy stuff again…”. Good on you.

[@ShimodaLife]

More than once, I'm sure. More than once.

[@davidleeattorney]

Very informative. Thank you. (I just bought a similar excavator and hope to build a similar road.)

[@ShimodaLife]

Good luck, David. Watch out for rocks and stuff when you're backing up. Look around for my tipping video; be careful, and have fun!

[@marcelrobert9178]

Good job

[@ShimodaLife]

Thanks for the feedback. Let me know what you think of the more recent videos.

[@zanyblakespeed8314]

You must have a lot of free time, using that little toy!

[@ShimodaLife]

Having a great time with it, every weekend.

[@zanyblakespeed8314]

Owning an excavating company everything is about time and money. It is great to see someone out having fun with their equipment!!! I often forget that’s why I got into this business in the first place, because I loved driving equipment.

[@ShimodaLife]

@@zanyblakespeed8314 I think you’ll like the video coming out in a few hours. Let me know what you think. :-)

[@andrewhernandez4968]

Dozer for the win

[@ShimodaLife]

Agreed, but I don't own a dozer, and it's a one-trick pony. The digger is much more versatile on this wild mountain, handles dozens of tasks in addition to just digging.

[@stevenbusch9336]

Thanks 🙏🏻

[@billwhitacre703]

Are you digging any water-bars or ditches to keep your road from washing out over time?

[@ShimodaLife]

For now, with gravel and ground only, yes, I've put in a few channels. When I concrete it, I'll do something permanent to channel the water off at various points. Thanks for the comment.

[@normdancy]

I’ve just watched your recent video. I do like them. I can’t really see how long the trail will be. Do you intend it to be a walking approach or a vehicle approach? Keep doing it! Your hard work is appreciated.

[@ShimodaLife]

Thanks for the note, Norm. I'm going to add some visual aids in future videos to indicate where on the mountain I am, and perhaps I'll do an explanatory video on the overall lay of the land. In this video where you see me taking measurements in the opening scene, I'm building a road from the back of the excavator that runs about 50 ft (15m) to the corner (first run), then another 50 ft (15m) to the end of the future upper retaining wall (second run).

[@omaribrecken7916]

Not sure if you guys gives a damn but if you are stoned like me during the covid times you can stream all of the new movies and series on InstaFlixxer. Been binge watching with my girlfriend these days :)

[@drew682]

Do you mind sharing the make and model of the excavator/equipment you're using?

[@ShimodaLife]

Hi Aaron. I have a Komatsu PC30MR-2 model excavator. I have an aftermarket thumb on it, but everything else is stock, as far as I know. It came in really handy with building the tiny house (not just clearing the land). Thanks for watching!

[@BenArbanas]

It looks like you machine is plumbed for a thumb put a cylinder on it, once you use a hydraulic thumb you'll never go back to a manual thumb.

[@ShimodaLife]

Hi ALM, you’re right, I’ve got the connections. Strangely though, the *vast* majority of excavators in Japan don’t use thumbs (they use separate grapple attachments). Even finding my manual one took months and cost $500 + $200 for the welding. I’d love to have an hydraulic system, but don’t see it this time round.

[@ShimodaLife]

Thanks for taking the time to comment, BTW. I appreciate it.

[@basspig]

You're in Japan right. Just curious as to the means by which to obtain residency. Most of my friends moved to Japan after the Vietnam War ended. I'm the only one who's still stuck in the no declining and unrecoverable usa. Need to get out soon.

[@ShimodaLife]

You usually get residency ("permanent resident") by living here 10 years, making an application, and waiting. I've been here on and off since the 80s, so PR came naturally. Good luck.

[@basspig]

@@ShimodaLife How do you live there 10 years when the tourist visa is only 90 days? My wife and daughter and I visited Japan in 2017, but we were not allowed to stay.

[@ShimodaLife]

Anyone living here permanently needs a job, BP. Tourists can’t do it.

[@KentuckyFriedClassic]

looks like all topsoil is being used for fill. i never use fill for roads. i always try my best to only make the cut drivable on. eastern kentucky mountains here. how is that holding up so far?

[@ShimodaLife]

My slope is too steep to cut and leave. I use some of the cut to pack the downslope and make a bigger level area. Only using this for excavator so far, so holding up well, but may pour concrete when I start needing it to be a real driveway. Thanks for your interest.

[@billtmarchi4320]

If you used a coder it would have taken 15 minutes to shove that dirt down. You spent more time thinking and talking about it than it would have taken to do it with a small to mid size dozer. My opinion.

[@ShimodaLife]

Thanks for the feedback, Bill.

[@davidoverman785]

Where is this NC here Murphy

[@ShimodaLife]

Hi there. Sorry, I don't quite know what you're saying. Question? Thanks for the interest, though.

[@Eric_In_SF]

Pretty scary. You should only be driving on cut.

[@ShimodaLife]

Thanks for the comment, Eric.