RM> He has some solar cells and he should have a wind generator up by now and
RM> he's doing pretty well. Lighting is by combination gas and 12v electric,
RM> lots of LED stuff, and the fridge and stove, are propane rather than
RM> electric. He has a bank of 20 acid batteries which cost him about $2000
RM> to store some power and a small gas powered generator when he really
RM> needs 'normal' power for things, but I was there a whole weekend and the
RM> only time the generator was used was when his wife vacuumed the place.
RM> His water system is gravity feed from a large storage tank on a hill
RM> behind the cottage which is filled from the lake using a gasoline powered
RM> water pump a couple of times a day. Heating is mostly burning wood but
RM> there's also some propane heat. It's primarily a summer place so heating
RM> is less of an issue, although they have stayed weekends there in winter
RM> as well.

That sounds awesome!  Really great to hear those success stories and the details
on how everything was completed.

Even having a place that is away from neighborhoods, etc, is nice to retreat to.
 I have thought about buying a place near the mountains or something as a place
to retreat to now and then.  I could see myself wanting to stay there full time
and sell the main pad, though.

- Mark

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