Strawhenge: Propane Tank

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Propane Tank on the trailer
	We bought the tank from Ferrell Gas in Santa Fe on Friday June 2nd, 2001. The folk at Ferrell Gas kindly loaded it onto our borrowed trailer using their special crane. It's 17 ' long and weighs $2,5000 pounds empty. This particular tank has been painted with a tar substance for the purposes of protecting the metal while it lies below ground. June 2001
Preparing the longer hole for the tank
	We actually tried to lift the tank with our little tractor - but it was so precarious that I persuaded Mike it wasn't safe!! So we arranged for Louie to come up with his full size back-hoe and lift it for us. And while he was there anyway, we got him to complete the hole for the propane tank (had to be much longer). We decided to place it right above the septic tank (seeing as the hole was about the right depth with the septic tank already in it. It was a tricky job for poor Louie who had to carefully dig between the calvert that provides access to the septic tank - and the outlet pipe (that you can just see sticking up with a bag wrapped over the opening). We also didn't want him to break the tank itself, which was cushioned by a few inches of soil. June 2001
	The long piece of wood shown in the hole represents the length of the propane tank. Some final leveling and shoveling had to be done the old fashioned way with shovel and rake! June 2001
Propane Tank Suspended in the Air
	We backed the trailer as far as we could to the hole so Louie could raise the propane tank and just move it over - above the hole. June 2001
	How can a photo do justice to the excitement and suspense of the moment. Here we were finally ready to lower the tank into the hole. June 2001