:crickets: ...

No response as of yet from "Mister Treehouse," Michael Garnier. Of course, he could be a real busy guy this time of year. I just forwarded him my email again.

He also doesn't know that I am on vacation next week, or that jt expects to be able to celebrate his birthday with a pizza party for his friends up in his new treehouse come the middle of June! Nor does he know that I am now being plagued with self doubt...

But you promised! I didn't say, "No"...I just said I hope so. We will at least have the platform up there by your birthday. We can have pizza on that. Don't sweat it, dude. Okay?
Okaay.

My treehouse vacation...

Next week. All treehouse, all the time. I don't know how much actual work I'll be getting done on the treehouse itself, but at least I'll be able to get everything rolling. Spend the time that I don't usually have available to sit down and modify this plan that I have. Make sure that it works for us. Then I'll need to compile a finalized lumber and parts list and locate the requisite tools.

Most important of all, I'll need to comitt to ordering the GL's, specialized drill bit and brackets from Michael Garnier & Co. at Treehouses.com. I sent him an email tonight looking to set up an appointment for a "land line" conversation, and hopefully order the parts.

I have some questions about our trees and the whole "swinging treehouse" thing.

jt's treehouse wish list, Part I...

(a dialogue...)

Okay, jt- tell me what you have on that list there.
In my treehouse I would like...
A tire swing in the bottom. Check.
A fireman's pole outside like at the playground. Okay, check.
An upstairs. Easy does it, Little Man- how 'bout a sleeping loft? Like the top of a bunkbed? Big enough for two of you to play Gameboy or something.
:sigh: Okay.
A telescope. Check... You little peeping Tom, you.
What? Nevermind- next?
One of my walkie-talkies. Mom will have the other one in the kitchen. Cool. Check.
A refrigerator. Stop. Maybe a cooler.
A fireplace. You are not having a fireplace in your treehouse.
A doorbell. I think we can work something out.
A T.V. I don't think so. Isn't it past your bedtime?

My treehouse...

My treehouse will look like this someday.

Rustic Retreats...

After much searching I came across plans for a shed of sorts that I felt could be adapted to a treehouse. Found in the Stiles Designs book, "Rustic Retreats" the plan for a Sauna Hut mounted on 4 posts would look real fine up between our two trees.

I could easily adapt it to fit our space of approximately 9' x 12'. The shed roof construction is nice and simple, and the 9' x 4' deck on the front is perfect.

It has to have a door in the bottom.

I agree.

Mister Treehouse...

It sits on two GLs with the six foot cantilever on each side supported by GLs above.
Michael Garnier responded today... He told us that Ken's Ultimate Treehouse is what is known as a "swinger." "It sits on two GLs with the six foot cantilever on each side supported by GLs above. Everything is in stock and ready to ship for this type of treehouse."

While "Ken's" treehouse looks to be a little involved, jt and I like the open space below it.

We could put a tire swing under there!

Sounds about right to me.

Our Trees...

Fortunately for us, the only two trees substantial enough to hold a decent sized treehouse on our property also held a commanding view of our yard and some parkland behind us.

After pouring over several books on treehouse and shed pictures and plans, and scouring the internet for the same, we kept coming back to a house on Treehouses.com that also utilizes two trees.

"Ken's Ultimate Treehouse" pictured above was built in nearby New Jersey by Michael Garnier and his crew as part of a Discovery Channel special. It is mounted between two trees similar to ours.

jt is real excited about the prospect of such a treehouse adorning our backyard- who wouldn't be!? Unable to access the video at DiscoveryChannel.com, I emailed Michael at Treehouses.com to inquire about this treehouse. We need to know just how it is mounted.

Garnier Limbs...

Having done some treehouse research on the over the last month or so, I came across the man who I would consider to be Mister Treehouse himself, one Michael Garnier.

Michael, founding father of the Out 'n' About Treesort has not only built custom treehouses all around the globe, he has almost singlehandedly legitamatized the treehouse building "industry." By winning a legal battle with Josephine County, OR authorities begun in 1990 and waged over the span of some 10 years, Michael and Co. succeeded in having their alternate construction methods and engineering declared safe and sound. Not only were the original orders from the county mandating that their treehouses be torn down voided, the treesort recieved permits and a bed and breakfast license.

The engineering centerpiece and figurative linchpin in Michael and Out 'n' About's battle with the authorities turned out to be a custom designed piece of hardware known as the Garnier Limb. A 1.5" x 10" bolt fitted with wood threads on one end, machine on the other, and a collar in the middle, one is capable of supporting as much as 8000lbs when mounted in a tree trunk.

That's more than my truck.
Whoooaah!

We just had to utilize these in our treehouse.

Welcome...

This blog is being kicked off as testimony to my 6 year old, jt's dogged perseverance in pursuing his dream clubhouse. While others :cough: sought to downsize this project somewhat during the planning phase, jt would have none of that! Hence, our treehouse plans have become something quite worthy of blogging about.

Please check in on jt's treehouse regulary. It is said that it is all about the journey, not the destination, right? Who knows just what this will evolve into, but one thing is for certain...we are on our way. :wink:

(note: I, the dad half of "jt and dad" will be doing most of the actual posting here on this blog as we begin. jt will be either dictating posts to me or writing them out in longhand and leaving them for me to post. Either way, jt's posts or portions of posts will be enboldened -just like him!- while dad's posts will not. Rest assured, some day this will be...all jt!)

-jt's dad

Check...

1, 2...Check, 1, 2, 3...Check, Check- Is this thing on?