Hermann, Mo and Octoberfest

My best friend and I took a long weekend and went to Hermann, Mo for Octoberfest. It was a bit chilly so we didn't ride nearly as much as we had planned. We did manage to hit the trees just right. They were beautiful. The opening pic is along the Katy Trail near Rocheport, Mo.


Lyceum Theater in Arrow Rock, Mo at night. Neat little historic town - where the Sante Fe Trail crossed the Missouri river.


The old bank building in Arrow Rock had a permanent display of westward expansion - period guns. Neat!


In Hermann Linda suggested we check out an "antique tool" place within walking distance of our B&B. It was quiet when we got there and the owner was working at his forge. Lots of rusty metal and he was more than happy to talk about it with us. Got a bit crowded later.


I've seen antique tools for sale before but gee whiz! One whole wall of this shop was full of them.


I found an old Maytag twin and some other older Briggs motors under a shelf. Linda thought my excitement was worth a photo. We left with two of them.

In Hermann, we ended up at a "work in progress" B&B (house from the 1880s) with a rather stressed and very vocal inkeeper where our room had a clawfoot tub and no shower! We had a great time but learned Octoberfest is NOT when you want to visit the German area of Missouri. The lodging is pricey and difficult to find last minute, things are a bit more rushed, and locals say overall prices are much higher.



We felt maybe there were too many party types in town for our taste. September would be our suggestion.

Done! What's next?

Three years of work but finally done. I learned a ton about machining and fabrication and am rather proud of it but, with winter approaching, I'm ready for another one!

Boardtracker Project Update

Second Century of the year

I was off on a Sunday night (due to a trade) so Linda and I decided to do the Cider Mill Century that day. For those who don't know, a century is a 100 mile ride. These are not races but there will always be enough testosterone present to spread the group out. Most of these rides are well sponsored with food/drink/ help stations every 10 mi or so. These stations are called SAG (Support And Gear) stations. If needed, you can always call it quits and take a "SAG" back to the start/end line. Most of these well organized rides are therefore just called "SAG rides". If you ever want to test your limits but are afraid of being out alone, this is your event. Most, if not all, offer shorter courses - as short as 25mi and as long as 75mi. SAG rides cost between $10 and $30 and you really can get your money's worth if you stop at every station. We typically skip a few stations as the goal of riding 100 mi is not to gain weight! Just about every SAG ride has a charity component - to which part of the entry fees go. Probably the most well-known SAG ride is the MS 150 - an annual two-day charity ride for Muscular Dystrophy located in major cities all across the US.


You can see from these pics that it was foggy on the way to the ride and plenty cool at 7am - 59 degrees or so. I put on some arm warmers and Linda brought a light jacket. It warmed up quickly and we shed these by the second SAG stop. The last century we did was with a heat index of 107. This one had temps topping in the high 80s.



Since this was a non-competitive ride, I decided to take out a vintage steel bike - a 1977 Peugeot PX-10. These were popular race bikes of their day and are becoming quite collectible. They are still a quick and smooth ride.



Linda rode her triathlon bike. She had raced the day before and has another next weekend so she wanted to stay familiar with this bike. You can see her jacket and my arm warmers strapped to her aero bars. Velcro straps(available in rolls) are great for long rides. We took some to Italy and learned we would never leave them behind again.


At about mile 15 I stopped to help a guy with a flat tire. Linda rode on with a couple we had started talking to. After the repair I rode with the two guys I'd helped until about the 30 mi. I was telling them of our Italy trip when ahead I saw a cyclist wearing a jersey I had seen in a small shop in a little town in Tuscany. Small world! I raced ahead and struck up a conversation. The female rider had received the jersey as a gift from here sister who lives in Tuscany - she had yet to ride there. Too bad, I could have talked about it forever. After our chat, I accelerated back up to my two friends who had gone ahead. At about the 25 mi stop, I found Linda. It was there she got her tattoo!

In this picture you can see the other tattoo she frequently wears - a "chainring tattoo." She somehow gets these about every time we ride.

We would ride with the "Tuscany" girl and her friends until the Century cutoff where I would have to go a separate way while they completed the 70 mi route. I would see my two "flat tire" friends several more times but eventually went ahead. The little Peugeot passed a lot of newer carbon bikes on the century route and even managed 19.4mph over the last 54 mi.




Overall, we got a little salty, met some really nice "bike" people, got some good exercise, had a nice pasta lunch, and made some good memories.

Man, It Was Hot!

We love cycling. We both enjoy riding and I like collecting and building bikes as well - go figure.
Last weekend we were invited by Linda's father to Springfield, Mo. to participate in a group ride of 100mi. We have ridden as far before but it was almost 100 degrees that day putting the heat index about 106 - and not a dry heat at all!
As an aside, my last ride in this type heat was my first long solo venture in Italy last year. After days of 80s it hit nearly 100 degrees for one day and I didn't even know it. Soaking in the experience and challenge I became dehydrated and, badly cramping, pulled off the road, sitting on a pile of dirt, out of water on a lonely Tuscan pass. I was demoralized, tingling from head to toe, and angry at myself. I finally limped(make that rode - I NEVER walked!) into a familiar town for water and some gelatto and eventually made it home having enjoyed the opportunity. I restored my pride a few days later with a 67 mi route to Volterra climbing nearly 10,000 ft for the day!

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Springbike is my father in law's local riding club and they do a good job on these events. It was set up like the MS150 with frequent stops for water and snacks.
There were about 320 riders that day, most of which decided the 75 mile course would be enough. On a bike, I tend to be a bit masochistic. Voluntary pain and endurance through what makes other quit is what it's all about. If it was easy, everyone would do it!
Basically, the route took us in a counter-clockwise rural loop around Springfield.


I started a little frustrated as I had wanted to ride to the start and, even after driving, we were there at the last minute. Some cheaters had left starting as early as 6am to usurp the heat putting to rest any hopes of us staying with a group - much less the lead group. Linda stopped for last minute instructions but I took off to hang in with a group of about 10 just pulling out. Hey wait, it's a ride - not a race!
There was good company, great support - with plenty of carbs, good route markings, and excellent roads with lots of rolling hills. That northern tip of the Ozarks has great riding IMO and I would do such a ride each weekend if I had the chance.

We finished 15 minutes apart and here's how we looked afterward at the pizza tent.

















Linda did the 75mi as planned and I was one of the few idiots to do the full century. Sushi later that eve made it all worthwhile!

The Inaugural ride!

Took it on it's first spin. Or as Linda put it, "Now officially the most annoying neighbor on the block."

65 Years Ago Today

June 6. A holiday for me and always a day I get up early and have a cup of coffee on the porch - this is the day the allies landed on Nazi-occupied Europe.

The following letter was read over the BBC and was issued to each member of the invasion force.



.... and finally, Here's why I'll always respect Eisenhower. In a show of character seldom seen today, he scribbled a private note and put it in his pocket. While it is dated July 5th, it is well established that this was penned BEFORE the invasion. I believe he might have predated it for exactly one month from the eve of the invasion when the outcome would be known. Also, there were multiple but limited options for a "go" date based on the tide, weather, and possible intelligence leaks. Here is what he wrote:


It says,
"Our landings in the
Cherbourg - however
have failed to gain a
satisfactory foothold and
I have withdrawn the troops.
My decision to attack at this time and place
was found on the best
information available.
The troops, the air and the
navy did all that
bravery and devotion to duty
could do. If any blame
or fault attaches to the attempt
it is mine alone."

Rabbits Beware!

I am into anything vintage or military. Give me something that's vintage military and I'm happy. You have seen that I collect WWII aviation gear but I have been interested in guns for about 20 years. They are of limited use to me as I have never been hunting in my life but they are marvels of technology, craftsmanship, and, if vintage, a true part of history. They are also quite expensive. Even if one has a Class 3 license own a full auto gun, you have to buy it($3000-5000 and up), find a place to shoot it, and justify $.50 - $1.00 a shot at 15 rounds a second! Several hundred bucks at each shooting session would discourage anyone. And for precision target guns? Okay I just sat down and put three shots through the same hole at 100 yds. Now what? Let's go eat! Still, they are awesome and I celebrate the right to own firearms daily!

Enter AirSoft guns. AirSoft was started in America about 30 years ago but didn't catch on. Paintball followed, did catch on, and became all but an Olympic sport. Now, however, AirSoft, using guns which shoot a .23(6mm) cal hard plastic BB by air power, is seeing a big comeback. As in paintball, games such as Capture the Flag are ways for mature adults *strike that* grown adults to play cowboys and indians. Law enforcement and even the military are now beginning to use AirSoft in tactical training.

I was never intrigued as I thought AirSoft was small rubber balls shot from lightweight toy spring guns with orange painted muzzles. I was wrong. The guns, unlike those used in paintball, are often made in 1:1 scale to their "real steel" counterparts and often feel similar. Sure the hobby is full of high school nerds with cheap plastic M4s but the official game rules limit players to 18 yrs and older and many of the weapons are impressively made. The new thing is a full metal gun that even accepts some real gun parts. Another cool thing? Many are select fire and thus can fire in full auto. AirSoft guns are built to intentionally limit velocity to about 400 fps(feet per second) as a .23 BB at greater than 500 or 600 FPS could kill small game - and in the pellet gun world, does. As a comparison, a standard .22 long cartridge shoots at about 1100fps at the muzzle. .22 cal pellet guns are not far behind, reliably shooting a pellet at 1000 fps now. The main safety feature with AS is that the precision hard plastic BB weighs 1/200 that of a lead .22 bullet. It loses velocity quickly and can't travel nearly as far. Even so, they can leave a nasty welt and could certainly damage your eyes and teeth - especially up close. From 100ft or more, wearing military clothing, one is likely to feel it hit them like a pebble. In AirSoft gaming, eye protection is mandated, tooth protection is encouraged, many opting for full face paintball masks, and strict gun safety rules apply including those to limit close range shots(calling a "safety kill"). Now if police show up near a gaming site, one had best obey these rules. So real looking are the guns that people have been shot by police while using AS guns in a crime. I say treat them as real firearms. Warnings aside, it has been proven over the past 10 yrs or so to be quite safe. As with most hobbies, it's those that are not safety minded that bring a bad name to that particular hobby.

Effective range of AirSoft is limited to 200-300 ft as the velocity drops quickly. A player operates on the honor system and must call being hit. Some games in Europe are so involved that they last for a week and use actual military vehicles. Of special interest are the WWII games. Some organizations are very picky and you must pass strict authenticity checks related to weapons and uniforms.

Okay the purpose of my post. Above is an AirSoft Thompson M1A1. It certainly isn't a dead ringer but it sure is close from 10ft. I found it as a store return "not working" for $69. I took it apart - like I wouldn't have done that anyway - and found that the electric trigger contacts were not touching. About an hour after I got it, it was working like new. There are guys making AS guns from real gun kits and doing some very elaborate AirSoft-smithing. Tightbore barrels, real wood kits, battery, motor, and gearing mods make it a DIY friendly sport. Some have them shooting at over 700fps but this is rare - not because it it difficult, but because it defeats the purpose. remember they are designed to safely shoot another player.
Here it is shooting in the back yard.

Remember Those Days?

This came in the mail today. My wife has heard me talk about this series as our only regular WWII documentary in the 70's. At the time, some WWII vets had still not reached the age of 50 years, yet, from my child's perspective, WWII was always fought in actual black and white. Color footage, still sparse today, had yet to be unearthed.

In today's age of revisionist CGI History Channel specials, I don't know if I'm watching the Disney Channel or History. In this new, often silly-looking, media - obviously designed to appeal to today's generation - it becomes ever more apparent, "Only the winners write the history." WaW, in contrast, was produced when the war was still fresh in the minds of Americans, Vietnam was still going on and the Second World War was not yet romanticized as it is today. Vets were still struggling with their inner demons and few shared their stories. WaW was raw and emotionless which let you take away from it what you would - often a dark feeling. Despite that, I look forward to watching all 34 hours - my wife ordered the entire series for me!

World at War was on Thursday nights at 8pm on PBS - back when there were only five stations. I remember being fixed to the screen and disappointed when I would turn it on and it was partially over. My only other WWII info came from weekly trips to the library. I still don't know what my mother and sis were doing but I could always be found on the floor in the "war section".

Almost Done!

After three years the 1915 Cyclone replica is almost done. And, yes, it's every bit as uncomfortable as it looks.

Driving is a Privilege - not a right!

From the Chicago Tribune:

Reckless on the road

May 6, 2009

All over America, state and local governments are busy enacting laws to stop drivers from fiddling with their gadgets when they're supposed to be watching the road.

Five states and dozens of municipalities have banned talking on cell phones while driving. Many of those governments are debating whether they need separate laws to cover BlackBerrying. Last year, Illinois joined the growing list of places where it's illegal to text-message while driving.

Lake County sheriff's police say motorcyclist Anita Zaffke was killed Saturday by a driver whose attention was diverted by a decidedly low-tech endeavor: She was painting her nails. Zaffke was sitting at a stoplight in Lake Zurich when her bike was rammed from behind by a Chevy Impala. Zaffke was thrown 200 feet.

The Impala's driver, Lora Hunt, told police she didn't see the red light or the motorcycle until it was too late because she was preoccupied with her polish. She was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. But prosecutors are weighing more serious charges, reopening the debate over whether Illinois needs a law against "distracted driving." That would give prosecutors more options when faced with an offense that seems to fall between a traffic citation and a felony reckless driving charge.

Last year, a task force headed by Secretary of State Jesse White recommended three new offenses -- negligent vehicular operation, aggravated negligent vehicular operation and negligent vehicular homicide, depending on the severity of damage caused by a distracted driver involved in a crash. The General Assembly settled for a ban on texting while driving.

That move seemed misguided, and not because we think it's a good idea to type with your thumbs while driving. We see no reason to single out texting, given all the other dangerous behaviors we observe during our daily commute. Reading the paper, flossing your teeth, applying mascara, spreading cream cheese on your bagel, tying your tie while steering with your knee -- any of these can cause tragedy in the blink of an eye. Most of us are guilty at some time. All of us know better.

The push for new legislation grew out of a 2006 case in Urbana in which a 19-year-old driver who was busy downloading ring tones struck and killed a bicyclist. The prosecutor settled for a charge of improper lane change -- which came with a $1,000 fine, traffic school and probation -- because she didn't think the driver's actions qualified as reckless homicide.

There's no need to name names, but we can think of other jurisdictions in which prosecutors would have absolutely no reservations about a reckless homicide charge under those circumstances. The law should not be applied timidly.

Lake County authorities say it could be a month before they decide whether to file further charges. They should take their time. Besides awaiting the results of blood and urine tests, they'll do an accident reconstruction and other tests.

But if a thorough investigation backs up what police have already said -- that the driver slammed into the bike because she was looking at her fingernails instead of the road -- then we hope prosecutors will spare us the hand-wringing over whether that constitutes recklessness.

What part of a behind-the-wheel manicure sounds safe?




Now I'm generally against legislation clogging up the books BUT I am into state's rights so if "open-minded" people can't control themselves like the opinionated, anal-retentive, proud, and "close-minded" people can, laws must be placed to regulate you. Actually, you will screw up either way so the laws are there for a benchmark so you can be punished as the screw-up you are.

I'm on this rant as I'm reading these stories more and more. I will always remember arriving to work in the Burn ICU a few years ago and pulling back the sheets of a newly arrived patient who had been rear-ended by an SUV at 70mph while he rode his motorcycle. His wife had been thrown clear and was in serious condition but he had been dragged by this SUV until his motorcycle exploded. I could go into great detail but let's just say he was recognizable only as human. He didn't last the hour. The staff said, "They think maybe the SUV driver had a seizure or something....." Why do we always give this benefit to those who cause such ghastly damage to others. I tried to add balance to the situation with, "Maybe he was just an A-hole on his cellphone or adjusting the bass on his rap music!" Harsh as it was, it is expected from me, and seldom challenged. I've always wondered what happened to that SUV driver. Does he think of this man every day? Is he in denial - forever mad at the guy for being in his way - with a "he got what he deserved" mentality?

It's funny, something like 80% of people interviewed considered themselves "better-than-average" drivers. Though statistically impossible, I imagine this would include those painting their nails, texting on a phone, watching a TV, or, and I've seen this a lot, reading a book propped on the steering wheel! We are all guilty of willing distraction. Consider that in Germany, automobiles are not manufactured with cup holders. The American legislators would have a field day with the proposal of a high speed "autobahn" in the USA, yet Germany's auto fatality rates are equal or below ours. And In Italy, we saw nobody carrying around a "To Go" cup. Coffee was consumed at the counter - not on the go. Cycling in that crowded country of narrow roads and speedy drivers actually felt much safer. Other countries tend to see driving as a responsibility. But in America, we "cruise". We drive aimlessly from red light to red light for pleasure in our gigantic gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs. It is a privilege that our relatively low gas prices allow. It is no longer such when we endanger others doing it. Kids hang out car windows, drag race, and attempt to add every distraction to a car possible. Granted, I did it as a kid and I consider myself lucky - not for me but that I didn't kill someone else.

Overall Americans tend to have this arrogant attitude of entitlement to "creature comforts" that is starting to not only irritate the rest of the world but cause real harm to those around us. Add to this the asocial nature of humans brought on by a faster paced lifestyle and even the anonymity of hiding behind a keyboard all day, and we don't even care who we hurt - as long as it doesn't interrupt our schedule.
Yet we continue to blame and regulate helmets, guns, acetone, ephedrine, and other inanimate objects as the real causes of these unfortunate "I'm only human" incidents.

Our "don't judge" attitudes take the focus off how we can prevent so many accidents. We do little to enforce the laws already there to prevent accidents - failure to use turn signals, rapid/multiple lane changes, and aggressive driving apparently go unnoticed - but those are things that can and do cause accidents. Now seat belt and helmet laws abound here in the US but they don't prevent anything. Ask yourself which one's get more press? We have to start thinking about why we do what we do!

I should just rename this blog, "The Eccentric Ranter" but I still want to share my hobbies. Those who know me, not even well, know they haven't heard the last of it!

You guessed it

This is an m1919a4 - the primary U.S. light machine gun of WWII.
These kits have been sold for years with the right side plate removed. These "parts kits" are useless as-is but can be rebuilt easily using a newly manufactured right side plate. The simplest reassembly would however return it to a full auto gun - illegal in all states since 1934 unless you have your class III license, which is another whole story/rant I'll get to later.
There are ATF-approved ways to reassemble this gun into a semi auto which is legal. These mods usually cost about $500 or a lot of work and machine tool experience. Funny, for about $5 in steel plate and several hours with a drill and a file you can have an illegal machine gun. For $500 in parts/machine work and the same assembly work you can have a legal gun. What message does our government really send? Actually, it is sending the right one - people will obey the law or they won't - irrespective of the availability of weapons! If they can make a gun in prison, and they do, they can make one anywhere with anything.
Overall, doing the right thing has never been the easy way out so since I don't fancy a pricey fine and the removal of all my legal toys, or worse, a prison term, I'll comply and do things as I usually do - legally - the hard way!

BTW, if you Brady Bill types can show me one instance where a "gangsta" was smart enough to rebuild one of these and use it in a crime, I will eat it piece by piece!
Don't forget, I owe you a rant!
Love,
Me

Mystery Package!

Hmmmmmmmm, what could this be?

It's small enough but it's kind of heavy and awkwardly balanced...........
I just don't know what it could be.


Guess we'll find out tomorrow after work!..........................

Well I rushed last Sunday am to get the felt paper and roll roofing on as heavy rain was again expected......... and I had to start work again that night!
That top picture reminds me of church camp cabins for some reason. Give it some time and maybe there will be some mud dauber and wasp nests too!


This shows it without the roofing on yet.

And yes, I did mow and trim the whole yard this past week.

Well, it began raining hard one night as I was leaving for work and..... it leaks! I was not happy. I later determined that it was not "my" roof(porch) leaking and not even where it joins the house shingles but is coming from higher up where some shingles butt up against the master bedroom wall(seen in the very top left of the last pic). Since the old porch was leaking right by the fascia and falling in I assumed it was coming from that overlap joint. I now think water has been running under the shingles of the house for some time now - about two years! Though I initially bought more roofing material and asphalt, I think caulking that wall seam will stop the water. I sure hope there isn't major damage to the house roof decking.......................... but with my luck!

Update

BTW, the verdict is in. I was correct. Bear is the dog guilty of destroying history forever!
Grace is looking on as if to say, "You sure are comfortable in MY house!".......... or does she see a piece of WWII flight gear hanging out of his back side?!



Here he is trying to be cute. What he is really doing is lulling me into a lack of concern so he can steal off into another part of the house. Maybe this time to destroy a vintage lightweight racing bicycle!



Well first thing today was another lumber run. I knew if I tried to buy everything in one trip the other day, I would forget something needed early on so I did it by the day. I decided to add a "sister" over existing fascia and then mount the joist hangers to that. It's more sturdy than expected - certainly more sturdy than it was. The deck wasn't exactly square (not my fault!) so I had to notch each joist independently. In addition there is a slight slope to the deck - not only away from the house but more on one end. To fix it would mean to start from scratch so I just dialed in an extra inch on that corner. Still not enough as I also had to cut the bevel of each joist independently. Only a few degrees difference from one end to the other but this changed over the range of 13 different boards. That took much of the afternoon.
Tomorrow comes the decking, flashing and roofing material.

This deck thing is becoming quite a project and I can't wait until I can mow again and then start back on my real hobbies.
I have used parts coming for this bike. Plans are for a complete restoration. Might take a few years.



Also, the seat should arrive soon for the board track racer project. I had it made by a guy in Texas who has built seats for antique bikes for 40 years. It's what all the concours guys put on theirs. It was the single most expensive part of the project but makes it.
If you don't know about the board track racer project, it's a replica of a 1915 Cyclone racer. I've been building it for about 3 years from scratch off of line drawings I scaled up from a picture. Yes from scratch! Since the last authentic one sold at auction last year for $520,000(!), I figured this is as close as I'll get to one. With a 12.5HP Briggs V-twin "lawnmower" engine, it might turn a head or two - in fact I know it will! Lots of neat little engineering like an internal twist throttle - everything hand made. There are quite a few followers of this projects. I've gotten email inquiries from as far as Belgium! Here's pretty much where it's at right now.

I need to start wrapping some of these projects up so I can revisit some other hobbies and make more big pieces of metal into smaller pieces of metal!

Ever Wanted to Kill a Dog?

........ or My WWII Collection


Memorial Day display we set up a few years back.



Back home......................


This is my "War Room" housing my collection of WWII Army Air Force uniforms and gear. On the floor lies a small pile of uncatalogued purchases. Collecting this has actually been on the back burner for several years. This spare bedroom has double doors entering that are usually held shut with a rubber band across the handles. We do this as we have found Grace sleeping in there among "her people". She has never chewed anything in our house but who wants hair or drool on your nice wool uniforms? The neighbor's dog we are watching, Bear, on the other hand, is not so familiar with this room of "people".
Today I noticed the "War Room" door was ajar so I stepped in to find this:


I don't expect every reader to know what these are. This is/was a pair of AN-T-35 (or AN-6554) flight pants. These were the last of the flight pants I had collected in order to complete my collection.... and the most difficult to find. I had been looking off and on for over 5 years for these and, as you can see, they are about as mint as they come. Well not any more! They weren't shaken - still folded as you see them. I knew it had to be the dog we are sitting - Bear. Red-faced, I called my wife lest I smite the ignorant beast. She felt bad admitting she had recently removed the rubber band so Grace wouldn't poke her head in and get caught between the doors. I know it isn't true but one might think she loves that dog more than about anything else............ wait..... that is true!
This is hardly the way I wanted to introduce this hobby to the blog. The dog in question (Bear) is alive and well but with guns nearby he is lucky indeed!

Interesting side note: There is much more shearling material missing from the trousers than can be found. The convicting evidence is still to come... I hope it's an uncomfortable passing...... and I'll be watching!

Deck project

I would have to search for pics of the crappy screened in porch as it once was. Since a stray dog jumped through one of the screened panels, it's been in need of repair, declining yearly, and now in need of replacement. Now, with a wife, I can no longer blow it off in lieu of my real hobbies. Then again without her being so understanding and good to me I wouldn't have all the hobbies I have.

There was a nest in the corner of the porch. I moved it to a cherry tree a few feet from another nest - will that work?

I couldn't see if the other nest was occupied but the digital camera could.

I could have gotten a better-centered and better-focused shot but mother wasn't far and I like my eyes! Hey, are those my zip ties?!

I would never have thought there would be this much junk from this small porch.

Fortunately, our town is great! We can put out junk, within reason, every trash day. In extreme cases like this just one simple call, plus $15, and we can have entire piles like this picked up from the curb. No burning and no trips to the dump. It's those little things that make certain places great places to live.


I would like to keep the deck in place and rebuild just the screened in part. There is some settling on the far corner so I'm not sure how much that will require to level.

Here's where it stands, or doesn't stand, right now.

Note the two "dizzles" staring out he back door. One is our dog, Grace. Grace lost her back yard privileges when, while chasing a rabbit, she ran right through the fence! The other is Bear - the neighbors dog we are watching while they are in Italy.

Sweetie, wouldn't just leaving it as a deck be really nice?