The syphon drained water over the ramp for a week straight. I also syphoned water from the neighboring parking lot through the fence, over the ramp and down the the driveway. Diverting water from the neighboring parking lot was not enough. Water flowed around the ramp and down the driveway for a week straight. I dug trenches diverting rain which was pouring under the fence that divided our property from the neighboring flooded parking lot. I setup a large tarp over the unfinished ramp. And then the record-breaking storm came bringing 6in.+ of rain over seven straight days. Henry and Stella jumped on the clean canvas. 2″圆″s were installed at the flat deck up against where the coping will be installed. I added all the 1.5″x3.5″s were including the middle flat bottom section. Henry and Stella helped level the ground under the ramp. After leveling bricks into the designated space, we began setting the four transitions and initial horizontal 1.5″x3.5″ pieces. 1.5″x3.5″ pieces were measured and cut for the side of the 36″ flat bottom edges. This process was duplicated again on another piece of plywood, ultimately producing four identical transition pieces. I used one cut transition to trace the remaining side of the ramp. We would tame the transition together, we would cheer each other on and we would overcome barriers together.įor a local Carlsbad family, this structure of wood, nails and piping has become our hub for gathering, our place of storytelling… our family “fireplace.” The project began with a trip to Home Depot where I purchased an initial stock of lumber, bricks and plywood to get the project started. I always knew that one day I would start a family-and when I did-we would build a ramp together. Some of my favorite memories are watching my dad’s his tan shirtless body gliding across the summer-baked coping while his sweaty feet desperately clung to his cheap 7-11 flip flops. In the mid 80’s after buying me my first skateboard from Witt’s Surf Shop, my dad would take me to all the backyard ramps from Garfield to Taco Land, and every ramp in between. This wood structure has brought my family even closer during COVID quarantine while also resurfacing memories of my childhood growing up in Carlsbad.
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