March 2020. The world locked down, and I found myself trapped in San Francisco.
It was on the first day of the lockdown (March 18th) that I found this coyote staring out at the bridge (I whistled to get him to look).
Anyway, I missed seeing my friends as much, I missed the restaurants, I missed the gym, etc. and I wanted to get the hell out of there.
That's when the idea hit me: what if I built my own place in the woods?
I found the perfect spot–close enough to a ski resort with great fishing nearby and a pristine mountain lake a short hike away. Starlink was also rolling out, which meant I could maintain blazing-fast internet for work. Everything lined up.
The YouTube deep dive began immediately: foundation types, soil composition, water management, framing methods, insulation strategies, solar systems, etc. I was obsessed.
I took inspiration from Thoreau's cabin at Walden Pond–a simple rectangular structure of similar dimensions, but with 2x6 walls for superior insulation and sized strategically to avoid permits and inspections.
Then came the work.
The complexity nearly overwhelmed me at first. Every component connected to three others, every decision cascaded into ten more problems to solve (yes, even for a simple structure).
Hauling lumber alone through rough terrain was tricky. Maneuvering 16-foot boards up steep grades, carrying sheets of plywood in mountain winds, etc.
But the metal roofing was the hardest.
Picture this: long sheets of steel, wind gusts, and gravity working against one solo builder.
I came up with a basic system using 2x6 lumber as a track, temporary brackets, and rope. Cut the metal to size, chalk screw lines, secure a bracket at the ridge end, and hoist each piece up my improvised elevator. Crude but effective.
Dozens of problems like this demanded solutions.
But the final result exceeded my expectations: a fully equipped mountain retreat with a proper oven and stove, fridge + freezer, multi-day battery autonomy even in overcast conditions, a real shower, and–the crown jewel–400 mbps internet (thank you, Elon).
It's crazy and incredible how we can do anything with YouTube and a little effort.