Gurty our Yurty

Let's talk about our yurt.

My DH has been talking about yurts pretty much since we met 6 years ago and after several years of living the city life in the Capital of NZ, a couple of travelling summers in USA and a stint in Portland, OR, we ended up back in NorCal where the in-laws live with no plans...

In September of 2012 we took a trip up to Oregon to buy a car and visit with friends and on the way back we stopped in at Pacific Yurts in Cottage Grove, OR.  I guess you could say we were inspired.  A couple of weeks later we ordered our yurt and took delivery of it in early November.  Yup, it was heading in to winter and it was getting cold.  And wet.  Not the ideal situation for putting up a yurt!

While we were waiting for the yurt, we got of our butts and started on the foundations and platform.  We also both got fulltime jobs on different schedules which didn't help our situation either!  However, we did our best and this is how we progressed.

Digging pier pads

Working hard

Honey, I think we have a mole problem...

Leaning tree felled and piers ready

We really had no idea it would be this high off the ground!

Nearly there

Framework for platform done!
We did put in more bracing later...

One little yurt in a box (or two)

1-1/8" T&G Ply floor going down

One frosty morning...

Platform complete.  Ready for Yurt! 

We have lift off!

Hat on

Studs going in to make it extra tough

Jacket on

Inside with space wrap foil insulation

It glows!

Floor all sanded and clean ready for poly

One shiny floor coming up

Picturesque, no?

Getting all cleaned up, ready for some -

Stuff!

Happy Little Yurt in the Woods :)
January 2013

It's a Tent... It's a Cabin... Nope, It's a Yurt!

When we told people we were going to live in a yurt, some looked at us blankly and others nodded their heads and then later admitted they had to look it up...

So here it is -
What on earth is a yurt?

Google defines it as:
A circular tent of felt or skins on a collapsible framework, used by nomads in Mongolia, Siberia, and Turkey.

And yes, that is a traditional yurt also known as a "ger" which literally translates to "home".  Our yurt is much more modern, made with modern materials such as treated canvas and vinyl, wood, steel cable and nuts and bolts.  So yup, kinda like a fancy tent.  Here are some pictures easily findable if you google image search 'yurt'.

Traditional yurt exterior

Traditional yurt interior

Pacific Yurts at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park in Oregon

Umpqua Lighthouse State Park deluxe yurt interior

Not too shabby right?  Very cosy and comfortable looking - both the traditional and modern version. Google will spit out plenty of information and a really awesome book is "Living in the Round" by Becky Kemery with everything you'll ever need to know about yurts.

Our yurt comes from Pacific Yurts a company in Cottage Grove, Oregon which has been building yurts since the late 70's.  More on our yurt later.