SMVRHM Work Day at BCWRR: A Patio

Quite a crew of SMVRHM members showed up today at the Bitter Creek Western Railroad (BCWRR) to put down a brick patio in the picnic table area. It's a Thank You! for the tremendous support that the BCWRR lends to the SMVRHM. About 3300 patio bricks were laid this day! Check it out at the upcoming Choo Chew Saturday on May 17, 2003 at the Bitter Creek Western Railroad! The first order of business was to remove the picnic tables from the area to be bricked. Here they all sit out of the way toward the BBQ pit. The second order of business was to prepare the surface, first by shoveling and raking the sandy dirt into a reasonably smooth, flat area. Next came "the beam" which was dragged around and around until the area was ready to go. All the while, guys were at the ready to shove dirt around as the dragging beam found the low spots that needed filling. The actual brick laying began at the existing brick front porch to an adjacent building.

Once a line had been established, the first rows of brick are placed. Now we're well under way! About a quarter of the patio is now in place as brick haulers barely keep up with the brick placers. Done! [Photo courtesy of the BCWRR] Later that very afternoon, a group uses the new patio! [Photo courtesy of the BCWRR]