The First of Five

Today, we moved the first floor of the Cheney Cottage to Albany Village. It was a long day.

A couple days ago, Kevin Hufferd said "Phil Joy is a force of nature". That phrase kept ringing in my ears today, as I watched Phil make this move happen. It was incredible to watch.

Tom and I got started at 4 30 AM, when our alarm went off. Tom had slept most of the night, but I had been up until about 4, so I was in fine fettle. While I slapped myself awake after breakfast, Tom went and drove the route, to make sure everything was clear, all our no parking signs were in place, and the house was ready to move.

We got up to the University around 6, and the move was underway. Phil had the truck hooked up to the first floor, and the house was already moving.

Tis is the house going up the steep hill from its original location to Piedmont Avenue.

The house makes the turn onto Piedmont and leaves the University grounds.

Tom in his element. The house had to zig zag across the streets to avoid obstacles, and Tom helped indicate how far the house was from various places.

Passing the Memorial Stadium.

Beginning the slow trip down Bancroft.

Once we got to Shattuck and then University, we picked up the pace.

Coming down University was amazing. It was about 8 AM, and it was incredible to see how many people tried to sneak in behind us, in front of the "Wide Load" van. Johno and I kept asking, "Where do these people think they'll get to go, once they pull in behind the house?"

Tom scoping out the routes in West Berkeley.

This truck was too close to the house, so Phil and his crew jacked it up, slid it over closer to the curb, and let it down.

Another narrow area forced the house off the street onto the sidewalk and dirt. Phil Joy doesn't let anything stop the house move.

The house has arrived at Albany Village.

Johno and I help hold a street sign away from the house as it squeezes through.

Phil is amazing to watch. He is not supervising a crew - he is right in there with them, working hard, hauling cribbing, cutting down signs, doing the hard work. He has a lot of energy.

Tom at the fence, behind which the house will reside for the next couple weeks.

Putting on the tarp in preparation for its stay in Albany.

So the first of the five moves are done. On Tuesday at 6 PM, we move the second floor down to Albany Village. Then, when the City of Berkeley finally deigns to give us the permits, we will move the Delaney House back on the lot. Move number 4 will be the second floor coming back from Albany, all the way across town to our lot, and then lifted up high on cribbing. and the final move will be bringing the first floor across town, and slipping it in under the second floor. The second floor is then lowered gently down onto the first floor, and the studs are reattached.

And then the fun begins: patching plaster, refinishing floors, fixing any damage, and rewiring and re-plumbing the house. Plus, roofing and a new foundation.

Tomorrow should be a quiet day. Then Tuesday, we start again.