Note: This story takes places in December 2023. Part two takes place in June 2024
Maxy Brook
Cutting through our 16-acre homestead on a diagonal is Maxy Brook. This picturesque brook calmly meanders into the Piscataquis River, shaded by the embrace of overhanging oaks. The brook is a lively ecosystem, with a beaver constructing several small dams and lodges along its path, and fish frequently rising to catch the aquatic invertebrates that dance on the surface.
The Challenge: Navigating Maxy Brook
The height of the water in Maxy Brook varies with the rainfall and snowmelt, but most of the time, it’s too deep to cross. In our first year here, Joe ingeniously cut a tree in half lengthwise and laid out the two boards across the stream. This makeshift bridge worked until fall 2023, when a fierce rainstorm caused the brook to rise, washing away our humble crossing.
Accessing Our Homestead
Determined to easily access the other side of our property and take our ATV across to haul wood chips and build walking trails, we decided we needed a more robust bridge. With such a tight budget, we decided to build it ourselves. We naturally chose the narrowest part of the brook. Though typically only about six feet wide, we knew the water level could rise significantly. With a high bank on the other side, we estimated our bridge needed to be over 20 feet long.
Using what we have
Our property boasts a one-acre Christmas tree farm that the previous owners had neglected. The trees, now about 50 feet tall, are no longer suitable for Christmas, but they are straight and sturdy. We decided to use three of these trees as stringers to span the brook. Joe tackled the cutting and hauling, while I peeled the bark off. We got covered in sticky sap, which smelled amazing. We attached the stringers to shorter logs with 10-inch metal spikes to create a solid base.
Getting It In Place
The stringers were heavy, and without machinery on the other side of the brook, we set up a pulley system to get the logs across. We spent considerable time leveling the stringers, knowing this precision would pay off in the long run. With everything in position, we drove 2-foot rebar through the base into the bank to secure the bridge.
Finishing Touches
With the base and stringers in place, we screwed the stained deck boards to the logs. It was about 1:00 pm on the second day, and with a rainstorm forecasted that night, we were racing against the clock. Fortunately, two of our close friends came over to help us finish. As darkness fell, we screwed in the last deck board and celebrated with whoops and hollers. Exhausted, muddy, and covered in sap, we retreated home with our tools.
The Storm
But our celebration was short-lived. As we cracked open a beer that night, we saw that the forecasted rain was now a major storm. Despite securing our bridge with rebar, we wondered if it would hold. This storm turned out to be one of those “once in a hundred years” types that seem to occur more frequently. Across Maine, there was major flooding and power outages.
After The Rain
When the rain finally stopped the next morning, we went down to the brook to check on the bridge. The river had risen so high that it was flowing up Maxy Brook! The water level was causing extreme flooding. We couldn’t tell if the bridge was still there. I hoped it was securely underwater, but we had to wait for the water level to recede.
The next day, the water was still too high to see if the bridge was intact. Finally, on the fourth day, the water receded enough to reveal the bridge was gone. We were devastated, imagining it had floated the 15 miles down to the dam in town. We felt utterly lost. What do we do now?
But then, a text from a neighbor a mile down the road changed everything: “We found your bridge.”
To be continued…
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