Progress

Things are starting to really come together at our yurt site.  Once the weather decided to cooperate, Tanner was able to get the support pillars cut to the correct height for the platform, and some friends corralled to help load some cross beams onto the top of the structure to reinforce the yurt base.

Cutting the pillars to the correct height

Beams are up!

view from yurt floor

This small change looks so dramatic to me.  Being a very visual person, this really ties the yurt platform together.  Very exciting progress!

Next, Tanner stabilized the floor joists, began laying plywood for the floor, and enclosing the sides for the platform.

Looking Northwest, sides are closed in

All closed in on the north side

King of the castle

Roger and Tanner securing floor panels

Tanner had some help for a couple of days from a long time friend of my family's, Roger, who helped secure floor and side panels, maneuvered a shovel, and helped keep Tanner company.
The next day, Tanner added house wrap to the remainder of the sides to close in the first floor, and insulated the section of the floor where the well pump will be coming indoors.  We do not plan to insulate the ground level, so from here we just need to figure out what to put on the outside of the ground floor (siding, tar paper, keep the house wrap, etc).  Our main priority at this point, however, is to get the remainder of the platform ready on top of this section so we can raise the yurt on time.

Insulation around the frost-free hydrant

Add some floor...

All wrapped up...

Plastic sheeting covers this level, and is now ready for flooring

Lots to back-fill on the north side of the yurt.

Just a few more finishing touches before we are ready to have a crew come to help us raise the yurt!
Tanner is building front and back decks for the yurts two doors, and a catwalk encircling the structure to assist in the raising of the second story, and tongue and groove flooring will be laid across the entire base. 
Pictures to come!
Cheers!