August 26

View of the day-Leaving the field with the first load bound for Canada. The Freight waits in the shade for the return trip.

Well, we slept in a bit, after being up late getting the receipts and forms filled out for the border crossing. We got the camper all battened down and the slides in ready to be hooked up as soon as we got all the equipment loaded. We stopped for an early lunch at the local restaurant and then headed out to the field where everything was scattered, waiting to be assembled.

We got the tractor and cart loaded and hooked up to the Freightliner, then pumped up the completely flat back tire on the combine and got it loaded and hooked up to the General. Once everything was loaded in the field, we took the General's load into town and Al parked it on Main St. Marilyn spotted the shop trailer strategically at the campground so the camper could just back up to it, then picked Al up from downtown to help get the camper flanged in. Once everything was hooked up, it was time to head north.

We got to the Northgate port of entry and stopped so they could check our paperwork and make sure we were taking everything out that was on the import bond. We crossed over to the Canadian side and pretty much did the same thing, only this time we had to add our list of personal purchases. This was way down from other years since Al didn't let Marilyn go on her "farewell tour" through Walmart (like that would have stopped her). We will be going back for sunflower harvest, so she will make up for lost time then.

We left the border and continued on to Carlyle where we parked the General out in the pasture and the camper in the front yard (aren't relatives great?). After a chat with Marilyn's sister, it was back on the road again. We passed through the US border, the officer on duty recognised us from a few hours before, but we still had to show our passports. We forged on to Bowbells and rescued the Freightliner and header from the field and made our last pass through the border, again with no problems.

We got to Carlyle and parked alongside the General in the pasture and proceeded to unload the tractor and grain cart. Al wanted to move the other rig, to line it up with the other trailer, but he was having clutch pedal problems. He had tightened up the cable a few days prior and then again at the border before coming to Carlyle, but it still didn't seem to be working too good, so he tried to do it one more time. Upon closer inspection, he could see the wire cable was holding on by perhaps two threads and it was now stretched so far that it was virtually useless...no clutch, so no gears.

We got the trailer unhooked and set down, since the engine would still run and work the hydraulics. Then the Freight came to the rescue once again buy pulling the General out of the way and parking it next to the tractor. Al can't believe the timing of the breakdowns this year. Of course, the cable is a special one and we had to order the last one from the US. Isn't that bizarre?

The back wheel is off the combine, the General is out of commission, but the dish is getting signal, we have high speed internet, we're back in Canada.

And the weather looks great for the next week...