Blown By The Wind

This week, I was reminded the velocity of the wind increases as it is forced over the top of a solid fence, increasing the force on the solid fence exponentially, increasing air pressure on the windward side and creating a slight vacuum on the downwind side. This principle applies to all objects that slow the velocity and/or change the direction of wind. Such objects include buildings, trees, shrubs, terrain surfaces, and, of course, fences.

Given the right conditions (which included a rotting 4 x 4 post and a recorded gust of 70 mph), a fence panel can come loose and repeatedly bang on your portable gas grill until it wakes you at 4:24 am and welcomes you to the new day. Moving fence panels in the wind and rain before breakfast can now be crossed off my bucket list.

In the light of morning we were able to use some wire fencing to temporarily replace the missing panels. The chickens are none too happy about it, as this wire fencing was being used to give them a larger are to peck and scratch for the winter. The dog appears pleased as she can now see the neighbors and has another excuse to bark. The cats, as usual, are ambivalent about the whole thing, as it has little effect on their ability to sleep most of the time.

While many people spent Black Friday shopping, I took advantage of a break in the rain to try and remove the balance of the fence post still in the ground but well below ground level. Trying to avoid digging a large hole to remove the concrete and minus a jack hammer or a large sledge hammer to break it out, I armed myself grandfather's 3/8 inch 8 amp motor corded hammer drill and proceeded to drill the sucker out. The rotted parts were easy and came out fast, but the solid portions presented more of a challenge. I added an extension to the drill bit and kept going back, unwilling to give in. About the time I had most of the post drilled out the cement started coming apart in large sections, clearly showing the broken areas that allowed water in which allowed the post to rot.

A forecast of wind and rain will delay getting the new post in the ground until next weekend. A metal brace in more concrete than was there the first time will be my over-engineered attempt to never need to replace this post again.