Beating The Mud Battle

Part Two of our multi-phase driveway project.

With the new culvert in last summer, some of the mud issues in front of the barn and the approach to the shop were alleviated.  That wasn't going to quite fix the softening of the ground and making ruts during the Spring thaw, though.

So, in late winter, before thawing really began, DH ordered 20 yards (? I actually can't remember the exact amount) of crushed asphalt and we made a driveway to the shop.  That was a much faster and simpler project than the culvert project had been.  

We marked out, using ropes, the exact path of our new driveway, including fixing that troublesome curve.  With the arc of the curve moved to where we'd originally, in 2002, wanted it to be, it was easy to make a spur that went straight in front of the barn and the shop.

DH told the delivery driver which two spots he wanted the asphalt dropped at, and once that was done, he used the tractor to spread it and pack it.  As the ground thawed, the asphalt packed more, and not once was there a rut or a tire spinning in clay mud!

going where no driveway has gone before

the adjusted curve, with it's new spur to the outbuildings

No more muddy path to the barn or shop!

There will be yet another phase to this long driveway project, and that will be, at some point this year or next, to order more crushed asphalt and do a top coat to the whole shebang from road to garage and outbuildings and around the circle loop.  Then we'll be done hopefully for another couple of decades.