is the Oehler Ridge House finished? (2010)

Hello Mike,

Love your work, I have been a fan for years.  I was wondering if you ever managed to get the Ridge House finished?  You mentioned on here last year or so you were thinking you might have it finished that year, I am hoping the building gods were smiling on you. 

All the best,
Lauren Neher

Thanks for the nice words, Lauren. We did a lot of work on it in '09 and though not finished it could be lived in now. But I am working like a fiend on my Hipnet.TV production "Major Miracles Superhero" and am soon to go out on the road hitting colleges in WA, OR, CA, AZ, NM, CO, WY, UT, MT, passing out cards to invite people to log onto Major Miracles . I would love to see it go viral. You can help by viewing it and, if you like it, turning all your friends on to it. Also, you could give it a five star rating. I've got all my retirement money tied up in that and the Ridge house. If I make money with Miracles i plan to do a web show on homesteading next.

Mike,
Thank you for the reply.  I am glad work is continuing on the Ridge House, and hope you are able and ready to move into it soon.  I will check out your Major Miracle Superhero and invite friends to as well.  Anything I can do to help...

If you come to the Seattle area, you are welcome to come and crash with me.  I have the extra room and you would be a most welcome, honored guest.  If not, fine, I would still be most glad of the chance to meet you.  I will be looking forward to finding out what your schedule is.

I have been a fan of yours for years, since I first came across your $50 and up Underground House Book.  I grew up in the basement of my parents house, and was always struck by how pleasant the basement was, winter or summer.  Having moved there from the upstairs attic area, it was quite a contrast in the hot Idaho summers.  The three windows allowing light into my room made me grow to love underground living even more.

I had been growing increasingly dissatisfied for years at the housing market, and houses in general.  I knew what I didn't want, and that was to pay way too much for a crappy stick built house that I would spend the rest of my life paying for.  There were underground houses, yes, but they were not what I would call attractive or affordable.  I don't believe you should be a slave for the rest of your life simply to own your own house.

So your book was like a ray of light on a cloudy day, of hope and promise.  I love your designs and how light and safe and snug they are, sheltered snugly in Mother Earth.  I think your design are pure genius, and I think you have done a fantastic job of designing out the flaws of other underground structures.  Especially the expense.  Your own $500 house, and Glenn Kangiser's Underground complex in California, have truly been an inspiration to me.  I have been planning my own underground house for years, and it's final design will depend more on where I build than anything else, on the topography of the land I end up on. 

I am glad you have not dried up and blown away, that you are still out there, planning, dreaming, writing and inspiring.  Great job as well on the Earth Sheltered Greenhouse book, more inspiration, definitely. 

Thanks for the link as well, Paul.  Looks like I have some stuff to do today 

Many thanks,

Lauren

Thanks for thr invite, Lauren. I may take you up on that though I am looking for a companion to take on the trip who can drive, pass out cards, do media interviews, etc.
Also I'm pretty exhausted at night and may not be much of a conversationalist (a martini helps there). I'm bound and determined to be on the road not later than Monday the 26th as there's a seven person crew coming in from Germany  for a couple of days to shoot in late May.Also, I'm not sure how to get ahold of you.

Best wishes,

Mike O.

Mike,

I am easy to get a hold of, fardarrigger@yahoo.com  If you'd like, check out my pics on Facebook.  You can see my pictures without even being a member of Facebook (I think) I do know I fixed it so you can see them without having to be a friend on there.  I have an artwork folder there, and the folder I'd like you to see is the My Belts folder.  I make custom paracute cord belts, of different sizes and widths, and they are better than leather in so many ways.  I do sell them, but if you are interested, I would be happy to make you one, as a gift.  I gave one recently to Steve Villegas, the man who started the Utilikilt revolution, and he proudly wore it in their latest Spring Anti Catalog, at http://www.utilikilts.com/2010-spring-anti-catalogue/2/ ;

My belts are more comfortable than leather, they conform to you instead of cutting into you.  They are also more adjustable, as you can adjust them every 1/4 inch instead of every inch.  I have sold a lot of belts to people who are tired of their leather belts wearing out, in many cases, in less than a year.  These belts are mostly green or black, but I can get most any color of paracord, I am making a local girl a red belt (when the paracord gets here).  I have made belts for people in Arizona, California, Colorado and Idaho.  I made one Kilt belt that is getting sent as a gift to Germany, so I am about to go international!

I would be honored to make you a belt, by way of saying thanks to you for all you have done, for your ideas, and inspiration.

Again, many thanks,

Lauren

Mike,

I was finally able to see the video Paul posted (thanks again Paul!) on the Ridge house.  It is great to see your long standing dream coming true.  I was really surprised to see that part of it was 2 story though!  I am very familiar with the published plans from the $50 and Up Underground house book, and I recall that plan as a one story...are there plans for the two story Ridge House anywhere?  I would be most interested in seeing them.

I am trying to see your videos on hipnet.tv, so far I am having fun with my old computer (not really) and I may have to try to watch them on my smart phone.  Sigh.  

Regards,

Lauren

The Ridge House is actually three stories high now with the addition of the "Crows Nest". If Major Miracles takes off I'll do a book on the house, or at least some youtube viders. Come to think of it Major Miracles Superhero on Hipnet.TV, Episode 44 thkes you on a tour of the Ridge House in its nearly completed form. Episode 43 visits the $500 U house and on 45 I give a brief whirl on design with scale models. We will be running three to five new episodes per week. Any folks who would like to see me do more underground work can help by viewing Major Miracles, giving it 5 star ratings, subscribing, and urging all you friends to do the same (and urging them to tell thieir friends.) If we get enough viewers youtube will take us into their partner program ande sell ads and split the coin with us. I had to quit work on the Ridge House some months ago because I am nearing broke again.  --  Mike Oehler

Here's another video of the ridge house that I found on youtube.



And here are some photos that Jocelyn took yesterday when Mike showed me around.