July 31,2008

View of the day-Al picking up on the go in his new ride...we kept him hopping.

We got going around noon after getting the servicing and fueling done. It was a beautiful day, wind from the west for a change and in the high 80's. You could sure tell which side of the parked machinery was out of the wind...the mosquitoes congregated and waited to attack as soon as we entered the calm.

The John Deere had a bit of fixing to do, but Marilyn was able to start combining and with only one machine running for the first hour, Al was able to keep unloading so there was no stopping. Once the JD got rolling he fell a bit behind but it wasn't his fault...it was the truck driver's. With two tandems, a semi and an 800 bushel grain cart, it was all the farmer could do to get back to the field. We even had to sit and wait once while Al took one of the full trucks to the yard and brought back the semi. The crop is running around 60 bu/ac which is the main reason for the backlog.

We finished the field we were on and moved over to the last winter wheat field which was right across the two track trail that divides them. It's surprising the 160 acres we had just finished was a relatively flat piece of ground with a couple of water runs in it and the one we moved to has got rolling hills and there isn't a flat spot on it...or so it seems. On the first round, it did have what we like to call a "window kisser" ...the hills that throw you out of your seat when you are cutting them.

Now those of you from the Washington area...and we include any of the surrounding states that have the real hills/mountains to combine...probably are laughing at what we call "steep" hills. Please remember we are flatlanders who, when we were young would call a gravel pile on the side of a road, a mountain...

We got our 100 acres in today...not bad for starting at the crack of noon and quitting early because the auger at the bin lost a bearing. If everything is up and running we will have the winter wheat wrapped up and be able to start in on the rye...the crop...not the beverage. North Dakota called again and they will be looking for us in about a week.

The spring wheat here won't start until then...

July 30, 2008

View of the day-Marilyn making the rounds on some 65 bu/ac wheat near Gettysburg, SD.

Boy, is there ever action around here! It's almost like Oklahoma...combines everywhere, trucks that look like they are in a convoy...a steady stream to and from town...harvest is in full swing here.

Al went out early with the shop trailer to blow the dust out of the rad, air filter and to service the combine. Once he got all that out of the way, he came back into town to pick Marilyn up so they could get started before lunch.

Both machines were cutting up a storm, with the crop yielding so high, it was only a matter of time before we had everything full and had to wait...only a short while. Everything was getting hauled to the bins on the outskirts of town, and the farmer was hauling with both his tandem trucks while Al ran the cart. Al did run one of the trucks into the bin when we were backed up, but then we got back into the rhythm after the John Deere took a break and we were able to catch up.

Marilyn went to dump in the grain cart which was parked at the end of the field and noticed the JD was parked near it with smoke coming out of the engine compartment. After stopping and giving them our fire extinguisher, they were able to stop the smoldering and clean out the chaff that had collected near the manifold that had started the incident.

We were combining right along the intersection of the two major highways and the harvesting traffic was unbelievable. Most of the winter wheat fields are now cut on the way into town, and there are all colors of machines...the Masseys from the other day, New Hollands across the road, CaseIH and John Deere...as Al likes to say..."This is ACTION!"

We finished the field we were on and moved north a few miles to start in on another one. The bin was full, so we just filled the cart, since the trucks were still at the other field waiting to get dumped.

The weather was threatening for most of the day...storm warnings all afternoon, and those big thunderheads to the north and south. They stayed away from us and we had a pretty productive day...100 acres for our machine. It didn't sound so good up in North Dakota. Al had a call from our farmer in Tuttle, ND...they will be starting barley next week...we just started here.

Surely we won't be shut out in ND this year...

July 29, 2008

View of the day-Black dust comes off the combine...it looked like the combines were on fire...but they weren't. All John Deere today...we aren't prejudiced.

We were up really early...for us...7:30am, awaiting the arrival of the phone man. He was pretty much on time, got us hooked up without a problem and was on his way.

We got off pretty lucky last night with all of the bad weather going around us. There was a tornado just south of Hamill and some hail...good thing we missed it and there was no damage in town.

It was still pretty wet and humid, so we were going to wait to go out to the field until after lunch. After doing a bit of servicing, we did a test and it was still too wet, so we went back to the camper to wait it out for a few hours.

We finally got started around 3pm and made dust...literally...until we finished the field. We were working alongside the farmers combine, but the field was big enough that we never ran into each other. Al was relegated to cart driver, but he had a nice tractor and brand new grain cart to work with. We kept him busy and he did such a great job that we never had a chance to stop for a break or to unload...we made good time.

Looks good for tomorrow...

July 28, 2008

View of the day-Al unloads into the farmer's trucks...he doesn't have to haul anything for the first farmer...so he takes over the combining.

Al got up early to get some running around done...errands that needed to get looked after and people to visit. When he got back to the camper a thick fog had rolled in putting the kibosh on any combining for the day...unless the sun showed up.

Before we went for lunch we stopped at the local truck repair shop to find out about getting a new radiator for the Freightliner. We found out we could get one from Aberdeen, but we would have to take the old one up there...Marilyn volunteered to do it once the rad was out...big city with big stores...how convenient.

After lunch Al went out to change the fuel filter on the combine and Marilyn strolled through the stores downtown. There had been some changes on the main street, a beautiful antique shop, giftware galore, but Marilyn walked home empty-handed. She got lots of exercise on the walk back to the campground...swatting the mosquitoes that were rising in clouds from the grass. With over 8 inches of rain in the last two weeks, the conditions were perfect for breeding the little buggers.

With the humidity and clouds sticking around, we killed some time in the camper then went down to the Firehouse for their annual Harvest Appreciation Supper...steak and free beer. We got in before the rush...there are a lot of harvesters in the area and not a lot were cutting today...and had the best steak in a long time. We had a good visit with some of the locals who recognize us from our years of staying in Gettysburg. As a matter of fact, if you added all the time we have worked in the "Burg" it would be well over a year!

Back at the camper we turned on the weather channel to discover that we were in a tornado watch until 11pm...the way the day felt, it wasn't really a surprise...we knew something was going to come of it. We just settled in for more TV and slow internet.

High speed arrives at 8am tomorrow...

July 27, 2008

View of the day-Massey's lined up in a field outside Gettysburg...apparently they line them up down here...

After getting the camper all battened down, we hooked it and the shop trailer up and left Hamill at 10:30am.

We got to Highmore and stopped to pick up some extra fuel filters from the Case dealer...he happened to be in on a Sunday...imagine that. We also ran into another harvester that we had last seen in Frederick, Oklahoma and had a good gab with him before grabbing a quick snack for the road.

We made Gettysburg in good time, got the Freight parked by the General and then went to the campground to get the camper set up. Once the A/C was pumping, we were just leaving to unload everything when the farmer showed up on the step to let us know it was testing 12.9% moisture so it was go time.

The temperature was getting up into the high 80's and it felt like the humidity was about the same...it was really awful trying to get everything unloaded without passing out. We finally got unloaded, then headed out to the field, stopping at the gas station to fuel up the combine on the way out...again.

We didn't need our trucks since the farmer had two tandems of his own and was already combining with his John Deere combine, so Marilyn got to go back to the camper to get the dish set up while Al combined.

After the camper was in order, Marilyn picked up some supper to take out to the field...it had been a long time since the snack at Highmore. With the humidity getting higher as the sun sunk lower, it was only a matter of a few rounds before it was time to quit and head back to Gettysburg. We are only five miles from town, so it's not too long of a trip.

Back at the camper Marilyn had the choice of heading over to the motel to get wireless access to do the blog, or get the dial-up functioning at the camper, where we have phone hooked up already...the truck didn't move...and neither did the dial-up...very fast anyway.

High speed tomorrow...

July 26, 2008

View of the day-The Hyde County Turbines we pass on the way to Gettysburg. There are 27, 1.5 megawatt turbines, each one is 213 ft tall to the centre of the blade hub. Each blade is more than 110 ft long! The tower diameter is 12 ft and each turbine weighs more than 190 tons. They don't look that big in the pictures, but they are huge when you get right up to them.

We got everything loaded and started on our way around 11am. It was nice to have the wind behind us...well behind and to the side, with a SE wind...it helped none the less. We stopped a couple of times to check the loads and made Gettysburg around 2pm.

Once Marilyn got to town, a check of the parking spot for the trailers was in order. Now, because we aren't on location for long periods of time...things change. Someone had cleaned up the lot and had two bin bases poured, so it looked like we were out of luck to park there this year. We parked behind the Cenex temporarily so we could find a new place for the rigs.

We went by the campground to see if our lot had been given to someone else and were pleasantly surprised to see that it was empty and our next lot neighbor was our old friend from Kansas that we had last seen in Frederick, Oklahoma. After having a half hour chin-wag with him, we were able to secure a new spot to park everything.

We went back to get the General/combine and the header to move over to the new spot, got it parked just as one of our farmers pulled up to let us know that if we needed a spot to park, we could have gone over to his bins. We decided to stay where we were for the time being...a large lot big enough to turn the rigs around without digging up too much turf.

We had a leisurely lunch...not by choice, but courtesy of a young unambitious waitress...well, she had enough energy to be constantly rolling her eyes every time a customer asked her for something...no tip there. After that we headed back to Hamill...via Winner.

We had to go into Winner to pay our fuel bill...not that it wasn't depressing enough to pay the big bill, but we noticed the .20/gal that it had gone down while we were here hadn't happened up north...still $4.79/gal. Good thing it's a short haul for us there.

Once we got back to Hamill, we stopped at the landlords to pay our camping tab, and collect for cutting...and ended up visiting for couple of hours...no sense in getting ready to move too early.

He told us checkout time was 7am...

July 25, 2008

View of the day-Al finishes the second last field of the Hamill stop, against the Hamill Buttes.

We went out to do a test around 12:30pm and the farmer said it was "go time". Al got to start the field as Marilyn went back to the camper to throw some sustenance together for the day.

It was another day for wildlife, as the road out to the field had a dead fawn that the buzzards were picking over, and they kept scattering every time someone passed. There were pheasants of all ages in the wheat...Marilyn actually had to stop to let some wee babies get out of the way of the killer tires. And rabbits...boy are there rabbits...from tiny young ones up to "Jacky" who Al herded over to the camera.

The road into the field was a bit rough, so the farmer had a harder time keeping up...that, and the bin was getting close to full. The guys kept the combine running and after moving up to the last field, we ended up with enough to fill the bin and all the trucks...the farmer even had to take a load to town with his truck.

The cart had a small load on it so after Marilyn took the combine back to the yard where the trailers were, she got the Freightliner running and took it out close to the field where the cart was. The field was up through some pastures on the way up the Buttes, and it just wasn't fair to trundle the old girl...that's the Freight, not Marilyn...all the way to the cart. If you look in the "V" between the trees on the picture, you can see the cart waiting at the field...remember if you click on the picture, you can get a larger view. After a walk back to the first field to get the pickup, Marilyn went back to town to wait for Al to come back from Winner with the General.

After getting the cart emptied and moved back into Hamill, we both went in to Winner with the last load of the stop. Big news for the Freightliner...it was the first load of grain it had hauled to an elevator since Oklahoma! It was getting busier at the elevators with more and more combines in the fields making dust. We did have a wait for one truck, but his holdup was the elevator pit getting full which meant they couldn't open the tailgate very wide.

There was a pile of corn under cover just across the street from the elevator that has just under 200,000 bushels. The elevator man told us when they had the big rains, the water had flooded the area and the water was halfway up the metal sides of the pile...the sides that have aeration holes in them...they haven't looked inside to see what has been happening...

After supper at Subway and fueling up the Freightliner...by the way, fuel has gone down .20 a gallon since we have been here...it was back to Hamill to call it a day.

Tomorrow's a loading and moving day...

July 24, 2008

View of the day-A Peacock, one of the local animals that roam around by our camper, along with several wild turkeys and a couple of spotted baby deer.

We had high hopes for the day, but the humidity just wouldn't leave us alone. We woke up to fog and the haze stayed in the air all day and well into the night.

Marilyn continued on with her speaker task, getting 5 of 6 working...a new one will need to be purchased...but at least we have sound again.

Al killed time in the camper, then went out to the field to do a test around 3pm...it was 14.5% moisture and it didn't look like it was going to get any dryer with the humidity as high as it was.

We decided we had time to do a laundry run into Winner, so while Marilyn watched the clothes go round and round, Al used up his free minutes on his cell phone getting some news from home. While the dry cycle was going on we figured we would check out a new restaurant for supper and we were able to have the salad bar, go get the laundry out of the dryers and get back for the main course. Some of the patrons that were eating in the restaurant must have thought we did the "dine and dash" thing.

Back at the camper we watched the weather channel as the storms were blowing up all around us and threatening to head our way. We did get about 20 minutes of really strong winds, but as of this writing, no rain.

Let's hope it stays that way...

July 23, 2008

View of the day-The combine and cart wait for the crop to dry down after the rain.

The rain started around 5am and it fell off and on until mid morning. Since we knew we wouldn't be combining at all today, Marilyn tagged along to town as Al took the load from last night to the elevator.

After unloading, we stopped to see if the part we ordered was in...it wasn't...so we took in the Pizza Hut buffet. After lunch we went started back to Hamill just as the rain hit and it poured part of the way home, petering out by the time we got back the camper. We only got .30, enough to stop us finishing the last 40 acres, but at least we didn't get the 2+ inches they got at Chamberlain.

Marilyn decided it was time to get the speakers in the pickup working...just the drivers door one was working. After tearing all the door panels off and fighting the black flies that seemed to like the interior, she discovered one bad speaker and four broken wires. It got dark before she was able to fix anything, so all parts are piled on the seats...let's hope we don't have to get anywhere in a hurry.

Just as she was putting everything back into the truck, the Schwan's truck passed by...well passed by to start, then stopped by to see if we needed anything. Actually we called the neighbors to make sure he stopped by before leaving town. It is unfortunate...or maybe not...that the freezer is so small in the camper...hardly any room for real food.

Tomorrow the truck gets "re-mantled"...

July 22, 2008

View of the day-Al gets to do some combining on the hills outside Hamill.

We woke up to fog again, but we were on the way to Winner at 8:30am to pick up our fuel, parts and have a quick breakfast before heading back to Hamill for servicing.

We knew we wouldn't be starting until after lunch, but we got everything moved a mile out to the field, then went back to the camper to wait for it to dry down.

We got combining just after 1pm and kept going without a break. The farmer was doing most of the hauling from the combine to his bin near the field...it takes some practice hitting the box on those small trucks...never did get it right. Al took a couple of loads into Winner and after filling it for the last time, took over combining.

While Al did the cutting, Marilyn went into Winner to get fuel for the combine and tractor. After pulling up to the pumps and taking out the fuel card, she realized...the book with the PIN numbers was back at the camper. Cell service being what it was in this area was a crap shoot...if Al was on a hill and stayed there...we could connect. We did connect, but just as he was giving the PIN...the call was dropped. Marilyn called back, Al stopped this time and gave her the number...10 times she tried the number and all variations that sounded possible, only to get locked out.

A call back to Al revealed the number went with his card, not the one in the truck...so downtown to the main office to get fuel. Got the fuel and got back to the field just as Al was finishing up the last pass on the strips, and we called it a day. Tomorrow there is a chance of rain again.

If it stays away, we finish here...

July 21, 2008

View of the day-The first "elevator" of the day. Al augers out his truck into the semi to make a load.

Al was up early unloading the trucks out at the field with the farmer. They had a bit of a holdup as the chain jumped off the head of the auger, so they had to pull it down to repair it...then the PTO shaft was stuck on the tractor and it had a live PTO, so they couldn't back it up to the auger without it whipping around. They eventually figured it out and the semi was able to take off to Kennebec with the load.

Marilyn got out to the field later, got the fueling and servicing done, then started in combining. We got that field finished then moved over to the last one for the farmer...a short hop across the fence. It still had a bit of green in it, but there was so much dry stuff that it blended off and was fit enough not to take a moisture penalty at the elevator.

After finishing the last field, we had to go back to the first field to clean up the wet crop that was patched out. We ended up filling the semi and had enough left over to put a short load on the General...Al was going to have to haul at least one load into Winner.

After getting the rigs moved back into Hamill, Al called the elevator and they told him they would wait for him to come in with his load. Marilyn had nothing left to combine, so she got to ride along to Winner.

Now, the elevator had three different places to dump...the east end of Winner, downtown and the west end. Since we came in on the east side, we went to the main office and sat in the first line. After waiting in line for a half hour, the lady comes out and sends us downtown where "there's no line up"...but she tells the guy behind us first, so by the time we got there we had another wait.

We finally got unloaded as Al watched as the corners were cleaned out of the box.

After a quick supper at McDonald's, we stopped to fuel up the General before heading home.

The weather was great today and it is looking good for tomorrow as well.

So we continue on...

July 20, 2008

View of the day-Our home in Hamill...seem to be spending more time in it than in the combine.

No rain during the night, but there was a lot of dew, making it almost as bad as a rain. We got some paperwork caught up and made up some posters to send to some North Dakota elevators, as we do every year.

We went out to the field around 4pm to do a test, and it was good enough to go, so we started in. The elevator was closing at 6pm and by the time we got the semi that was left at the field filled, it was too late to take it in...well, that, and the driver was AWOL. Al took the semi to Hamill and brought out the Freightliner, which hadn't hauled a load of wheat since Oklahoma. We were able to fill both grain trucks, the cart and the farmers grain wagon with seed wheat before quitting for the night.

Our county had been in a severe weather watch until 1am, but it looked like the weekend forecasters were at work...the bad stuff was all to the south...and it looked to be staying down there.

Finally a break from the rain...

July 19, 2008

View of the day-Something out here enjoys all the rain.

We woke up to rain...again...this time .4 inches. We were really lucky since all of the bad weather seemed to split around us...we still got rain, but none of the big winds that hit further north.

Marilyn spent the better part of the afternoon trying to aim another dish so that Al would be able to watch the Saskatchewan Roughriders football game. First we had to fabricate a mount for the dish since we had left the other one at home...just like a lot of other things... We found some bricks and pipes to get a half-a$$ed pole set up and then the aiming started.

No success in the dish aiming, so option number 2 was to see if he could watch it online. Marilyn went on a search and after finding a possible place to watch it, tried to log on and was even willing to pay the 9.95 to watch it. An error message comes on saying "your computer is recognized with a Canadian address and this is the international feed"...but we are in the USA?? Screw that...we thought we would use option 3 and just listen to it on our home radio station online...must have been a lot of people wanting to do the same because it kept cutting out...very irritating. Option 4 was successful...we found a radio feed from the opposing team and were able to catch the win. Woo hoo Riders!

Marilyn thought she would catch up on one of the 'homegrown' shows that are available on the Canadian TV's broadband feed...and get this...a message comes up saying "you are not eligible to watch this"...we're not in Canada?? This is the same website the football game was offered through!

We're in limbo...

July 18, 2008

View of the day-What a difference a day makes! The Hamill buttes all but obscured by fog and rain.

We woke up to fog, kind of different for us in this area...or at least when we are harvesting here.

We went in to Winner early to get the alternator tested...it was bad...like we couldn't see that coming. We were in early enough to get the breakfast menu, we kind of went through withdrawal since Miss Dotties in Cherokee, OK. After we ate, we picked up a few other parts and went back to Hamill, driving back in the pouring rain.

It hadn't rained yet out at the field, so we got the new alternator back into the tractor and it seemed to solve the problem...we'll find out for sure if we ever get back out to the field. It did rain on us while we were out there, it didn't last too long...but there was no way we would be combining today. We got the new dimmer switch installed on the General...and working, then it was over to the cart trailer to install new warning flags just as the sun started to shine.

A productive day on the repair side, but no acres covered...what a change from a month ago. We decided to go back in to Winner for supper, just for something different and on the way back we finally saw someone else combining. He was just doing a small strip...apparently it hadn't rained to much on that field...we still couldn't go.

The weather started to take a downturn later on in the evening...weather warnings all around us and finally one in our area. Off to the north and west the lightning is flashing and we can hear the occasional rumble of thunder...which is sure to increase before the night is over...more rain.

What to do tomorrow...

July 17, 2008

View of the day-The combine waits for the grain to dry down with the Hamill buttes in the background.

We heard rain in the early morning hours but by the time we got up all that remained were clouds and just a trace of rain. The humidity never did get down to where it had been earlier in the week which meant the chances of combining were pretty thin.

We needed to pick up a cab filter for the tractor and of course there was the ever present laundry to get done, so we went in to Winner for the afternoon. Once we had lunch, got the laundry done and picked up some parts, we went back to Hamill.

The farmer thought we could move to the next field and give it a try around 5pm, which we did. It was borderline around 13.5% moisture, but Al figured at that moisture, when you get a load it will almost always be a point higher. We tried a test in a few different spots thinking we would be able to finish off one hopper of the semi, but it just wasn't meant to happen. Marilyn even managed to plug the return and pop the connecting link on the chain from the moist grain and the cheat grass. The cheat was a double edged sword, on one side it brought the moisture down and on the other it made for slow going...and plugging issues.

It seemed such a shame we couldn't cut...the clouds had cleared off and the wind was blowing, but the humidity and the fact that the crop is just not quite ready...it wasn't going to work. Finally we decided to just park everything and leave it for the day. Before we left the field we took the alternator off the tractor to take into town tomorrow...Al is finding that boosting the tractor every time he needs to dump the combine is getting old.

Let's hope that's the only problem...

July 16, 2008

View of the day-We're finally combining and Al is pretty happy that we have some help with the hauling thanks to the farmer bringing in a couple of semis.

We were able to get the rest of the list accomplished and after a quick lunch moved the combine out to the field to do a test. We waited at the camper for the farmer to call back from the elevator in Winner with the moisture. It was 11.8%, so back to the field we went to get back to combining...something we hadn't done since July 4th...a lot of days off.

The farmer wanted to haul north to Reliance instead of Winner so he called a neighbor who had a couple of semis to haul a few loads in for him...something which made Al extremely happy. He's allergic to South Dakota it seems...his blood pressure rises every time he sees a motor carrier car. It's bad enough that you have to drive so far to get to an elevator, but when you can only haul 420 bushels in a truck that normally carries 600, productivity goes out the door...and let's not think about the extra fuel that gets burned on all the additional trips.

We finished one little patch, leaving a couple of green strips...there was a lot of that around the perimeter. Moisture went from a low of 11% to a high of 21%, but it blended off into an average of 12.5%. The yield is looking good again, running around 50 bu/ac...just too bad that we caught up with the dry stuff.

We were going to move to another field, but because it is down a two-track-trail, we didn't want to take any chanced of getting rained in and not being able to move anywhere else if it was too wet. The semi drivers didn't want that either, so we called it a night.

The clouds were starting to bubble up and there were storm warnings for surrounding counties, but most of the bad stuff missed us...so far. We are still in the running for more weather over the next couple of days...maybe we will get lucky.

Laundry day tomorrow...

July 15, 2008

View of the day-Storm clouds starting to shoot up over the buttes outside of Hamill.

We broke out of the mold and got some outside work done today. Unfortunately, we waited until after lunch which meant the heat of the day was on us. No wind meant it was pretty stifling, thank goodness the humidity was low, but it was still in the mid 90's.

It was electrical repair day...the brake lights on the cart trailer weren't working and there were issues with the headlights on both grain trucks. Al looked after getting the combine greased and the chains lubed and tightened, while Marilyn looked after the electrical end of things. She got the brake lights working...too bad we don't know how...and got the headlights dismantled which was no easy task with everything rusted in.

Al figured it was time to break out the portable combine to see how close the crop was getting. He spent a half an hour cutting heads off with scissors and feeding them into the "combine" and tested the grain on our little grain tester...it was around 12.8-13.8 moisture. We called in to see how long the elevator was open to get it officially tested and finding we had time to make it in to Winner, dropped what we were doing and left for town.

After stopping in at the elevator to get the grain tested, we found out it was 12.8 on their machine...looks like ours is pretty accurate. We also needed to get new bulbs for both trucks while we were there, so we thought we'd try to see if we could find any...our luck usually finds they are "special" bulbs that have to be ordered. We found them right away at Runnings and after supper at Pizza Hut and a walk around the Pamida store...Winner's "Walmart"...we came back to Hamill to finish our fixing.

Back in Hamill, Al was thinking about trying a load, but decided against it...for one thing, they haven't sent us out harvest permits yet...and both trucks looked like they had been in a fight and had their eyes knocked out...no lights.

Al went out to talk to the farmer and Marilyn proceeded to do a little optometry on the General and at least get those lights back in on one truck. That truck had come from the eastern part of Canada and behind the trim on the front of the lights, it was totally rusted out from all the salt on the roads...just a few flakes of what used to be metal, holding things together...more work to get everything rebuilt to hold the lights. Got one truck done before it got too dark to work.

Maybe we make some dust tomorrow...

July 14, 2008

View of the day-The crop is still waiting in Hamill...soon...very soon.

Well, we spent the day inside, away from the heat, doing book work...it took all day...but...we're DONE!! Well...up to date, anyway.

Marilyn did venture out for a walk down the street to the dumpster and beyond. The walk took her out to the field...a nice change...walking distance from the camper.

Too bad the haul to the elevator makes up the difference...

July 13, 2008

View of the day-Al checking out the "Bun Wagon" at the Show and Shine on the Missouri River. It takes him back to his youth when he and his cousin had one of these at their main set of wheels.

Since we knew we wouldn't be combining, we decided to take the hydroplane races in, at Chamberlain along the Missouri River.

It was really something to see as they used two big cranes to lift the boats into, and out of, the water. The races were great, but there were long waits in between the heats as they would take all the boats out that had raced and put the new ones in...for pretty much every race.

One of the boats made it around the test lap, and one round of the race, then ended up getting towed in...a few pics of him coming in and his boat getting loaded.

The weather cooperated today as the wind was just strong enough to come off the water to cool everyone down...only in the mid 80's...real nice.

We figured since we were in the neighborhood...well 25 miles from the neighborhood...we would go for supper at the Lode Star Casino at Fort Thompson...that's 25 miles north, and we are 25 miles south at Hamill...what's a Sunday drive? We pass this place plenty of times each year as we move back and forth for the harvest, but not being gamblers...of the slot machine kind...we don't usually stop. Well, that and the fact the parking lot won't accommodate the big rigs. They do have prime rib to die for, which we had, then we dropped our 2 dollars each in the slot machines then left to come back to Hamill.

Back at the camper we finally started working on the books...oh, joy...

Tomorrow we knock a few more things off the list...

July, 12, 2008

View of the day-Windmill at sunset.

What a beautiful day, perfect temperature but really windy.

We did a lot of work on the rigs, crossing off half the things on our list. Most of the work was really a "make work" project on the tractor cab fan. Although Marilyn took note of the way it came apart, it was put together and dismantled 5 times before the final screw was put in...no left overs though...a good sign. Al had the dirty job of changing oil and greasing the trucks.

After supper in the camper, we took the night off to watch TV and go online...tough night. Cooled off enough to sleep with the windows open and the A/C off.

Boat races tomorrow...if the wind slows down...

July 11, 2008

View of the day-All present and accounted for in Hamill...just waiting for the grain to be ready.

Didn't have to early a day and it started out great with a call from the telephone company saying they were on their way out to hook us up with high speed internet! Yes indeed, even in this rural an area population 11 and miles from anywhere...one day hook up and no outrageous fees to do it...well...it's just great. A strong west wind blowing hard all day helped to keep the heat down and the flies away...another plus. The A/C even cut out in the evening.

We went into Winner to get harvest permits, fuel, some groceries and lunch...got the last three. Marilyn went into the treasurers office, as she does every year, to get the permits for the grain trucks...a task that usually takes 15 minutes, tops. When she got to the top of the stairs, there was a lineup of 12 people waiting to get their vehicle ownerships renewed. They had just implemented a change to the system that lets the tag, or plate, stay with the owner instead of with the vehicle, as it used to. It wasn't working too well as the lineup showed and there wasn't a fast lane for those of us wanting permits...one job on the list not done.

We had to pick up a new air filter for the General, so we went to the big John Deere dealer...what a pain in the...well, you know. Another streamlined system where the parts man is not allowed to take any cash, you have to go over to another desk where the summer student will take your cash/card, once she has received the invoice on her computer...which wasn't working. Eventually she did get the invoice, but every time the phone would ring, she would answer it and totally ignore whoever was waiting at the counter. First rule of commerce...serve the person who took the time to get of their a$$ and come down to your store...

Back in Hamill, we unloaded both rigs and fueled the combine, but we didn't want to get too carried away and get the whole list of 'todo's done all in one day, so it was back to the camper.

Al made a few phone calls, checking on the status of things further north, and checking on things at home. The storm that hit Yorkton did a lot of damage around town, and we did have a few branches down in our yard, but nothing serious...well, we won't know until they get the tree off the bus. Carlyle had a tornado go through town, tipping a few things over...here is a picture of the cloud taken by Marilyn's sister who lives a few miles from Carlyle.

Once supper was made and eaten, the long task of finding things to do to avoid doing dishes kept Marilyn up until the wee hours catching up on the phone with the folks from home and working on the blog...which finally got done after the dishes.

Thank God it's the weekend...

July 10, 2008

View of the day-Taylor, Nebraska-they have cutouts of people and animals all around the town...makes you look twice.

What a day.

We left Elm Creek around 10:30am and with a good south wind pushing us, made good time...for most of the way.

About 10 miles south of Bassett, NE Al called to let Marilyn know he had blown a tire on the cart trailer. Marilyn went ahead in to town to see if there was a tire shop, and after finding one and getting parking instructions, gave Al the news. While the tire was getting changed we went across the street to cool off and have a quick lunch. The guy was pretty fast and before long we were back on the road with 80 miles to go.

It was pretty hot out and we did have a couple of nasty valleys to get through, and one of the worst uphill climbs of the run. Marilyn was down to 3rd gear nearing the top of the hill...the camper and shop make for a daunting load, even with the wind pushing...suddenly there was a pop and whoosh of air. At first it sounded like the air blowing off on one of the big trucks, but then Marilyn realized she was in the pickup...and the turbo wasn't whistling like it usually did. She was almost at the top of the long run, so she limped it to the top and parked on the side of the road to check things out...a hose clamp had slipped off on the turbo hose...nothing serious. By the time Al made it to the top of the hill, the engine on the pickup had cooled enough to get the hose back on and clamped. It was handy having the shop trailer along for tools.

We finally made it into Hamill and after getting the Freighliner lined up beside the General, we got the camper parked, flanged in, the dish aimed and the phone hooked up, called it a day. Al went out to look at some of the crop we will be doing...at least a week away...lots of time to get the "list"looked after. Marilyn got the camper cleaned and actually had to cook supper for a change...can't be combining time too soon.

And it's back to dialup internet...

July 9, 2008

View of the day-One load parked in Hamill, SD.

We went over to the truck stop first thing to get the General started and hook up the header trailer. Nice surprise...someone swiped one of our warning flags off the front of the General...great start to the day.

We left with the combine and header and after another uneventful drive of 225 miles, made it to Hamill and parked the rigs in the usual spot. We went looking for the landlord, but he must have been off fishing or something, but our spot was nicely mowed, so he knew we were coming...that, and he likely reads the blog.

We decided to make a detour through Winner for an early supper and to fuel up...surprisingly, the fuel is within pennies of what it has been all along. Usually it it always higher as we move north during the summer.

We made it back to the campground around 8:30pm and since there was a shower house with laundry facilities, Marilyn decided to throw a couple of loads of clothes in, so we could start fresh in Hamill. There is a laundromat in Winner, but the guy who runs it...or used to , anyway...is a bit of a tyrant, so we usually avoid going there.

The crops in the area are still pretty green...the winter wheat is getting close, but the spring wheat looks grass green in places so we will have a wait, but we do have a list of things to fix...little things like lights on trailers, fan blower and radio in the tractor, oil changes on everything...enough to keep us busy for a few days.

However...there is a lot going on in the area around Hamill...rodeos, county fairs, street dances...and the biggie, for us at least...the Unlimited Light Hydroplane racing in Chamberlain, SD on the Missouri River this Saturday and Sunday. We have never been to anything like this and since we missed the July 4 fireworks that are usually held on the river, we will at least have an excuse to get to Chamberlain. We should have lots of pictures in the blog that day...hopefully they won't just be a big blur.

Again the trip through middle America had us watching the people of the various towns as they watched us passing through their town...watering flowers, mowing lawns...sitting on their verandas drinking beer. It's all Marilyn can do to keep Al from pulling over to pull up a bench and parking for the afternoon. We forge on...

Tomorrow we will have phone service in the camper...

July 8, 2008

View of the day-Load number two ready to hit the road.

We made it back to the camper around 1:30am, and after a well deserved sleep, were roused by the sound of more rain. We had driven through a lot of rain on the way home, and it was really coming down as we passed by the bins where the Frieghtliner was parked. Our concern was that we wouldn't be able to get out to the highway if the road was wet...not to mention the narrow corner that Al had to make to get on to the main road.

We got the camper ready to go, finished up some last minute shopping after lunch, fueled up at the elevator and paid the ever present fuel bill. By 3:30 we were officially on our way out of Kansas. The drive was uneventful...just 'shut up and drive' until we reached Elm Creek. After parking the Freighliner by the General at the truck stop, we headed over to the campground and got set up for the night.

We went into town for supper at the bar...we forgot what it was like to be in a place where they allow smoking...the burger was mighty fine though. We went back to the truck stop to get fuel, but when they tried to talk to Al over the intercom, and insisted that he come in with his drivers license before he could pay cash for his fuel...well...let's just say...we went back into town for fuel.

We've had run-ins with them before...it's all but impossible to just buy diesel from this place...third degree over those intercoms that are useless at the best of times, clerks that speak 90mph and then get pi$$ed off when you ask them to slow down and repeat the question...oh, well...

Time to go over and suck up some of their free internet...

July 7, 2008

View of the day-Leaving from the bins at Timken, KS.

Marilyn got to bed at 4am...she had Walmart all to herself...great shopping...great exercise.

Al was up before Marilyn...not saying "early", just "before". After getting the new tire for the shop trailer fixed we went for lunch, then headed out to get settled up, put the tire on, fix a hydraulic hose, then head north to Nebraska.

Al wanted to leave late so we would cross into Nebraska after the "crows" had left the weigh scale...you know what we mean by "crows"...you never know who is listening on the two way radios...code words, you know...never know who is reading the blog either...

We were aware of the bad weather that was coming up from the SW, but thought that we would be able to stay ahead of it. We did have a contingency plan, just in case, though...but we never did have to wait it out. It hit us...or we crossed paths with it...just south of Stockton, KS, but the worst of it was still to the SW. No big deal, we just kept on forging and eventually when we reached the Bosselman's truck stop at Elm Creek, NE...the sun was shining!

We had a quick bite to eat before Al parked himself in one of the small phone rooms in the truck stop and called in to join the Terriers hockey meeting via speakerphone. Marilyn found a table and got logged on to get the blog done early...for a change.

While working online, a look out the window shows the bad weather has caught up with us...constant thunder, everything looking unsettled...and we have to drive back through it to Great Bend...about 195 miles.

Tomorrow the turtle shell moves north...

July 6, 2008

View of the day-If you have to wait in line, at least the happy face at the top of the bin should make you smile.

Got to sleep in a bit, then after Sunday brunch, Al went out to the bins to do a bit of fixing before we head out. One of the tires on the shop trailer was starting to show some wires, so Al took it off and brought it to town to get a new one mounted tomorrow when the tire shop opens. After fixing a few things he came back to town.

Marilyn, on the other hand, spent the afternoon going through receipts and trying to get the books in order. Al has been suggesting we get down to the job for the past couple of weeks, but...we have been combining. Marilyn thought today was a good day to get started, then, halfway through thought...we will be sitting in Hamill for at least a week...we will need something to do. Don't think there will be a lot of "retail therapy" in Hamill.

And now, back to watching the Ice Road Truckers on the History channel...

July 5, 2008

View of the day-Pretty much where we stayed today.

Not much happened today. After Al spent most of the morning calling around to see if we could find some more work in the area or farther north, we gave up and went for lunch.

While Marilyn did laundry, Al went to the coffee shop to catch up online and keep cool...it was 103 today...mighty warm. We stopped at the CaseIH dealer to get a new blower motor for the tractor...oh, yes and a few farm toys for Al. Once the laundry was put away and the bed remade, Al checked his eyelids for cracks and Marilyn went for her own retail "exercise".

Back at the camper we tried to get some paperwork done, but the Deadliest Catch kept sidelining us. So much in fact that we missed birthday cake and fireworks for the farmer's two young daughters.

Imagine us missing out on cake...

July 4, 2008

View of the day-Al picks up on the go from the combine.

Happy Independence Day!

We got started a little later than usual, the humidity was high and the clouds looked like they could form into something. It didn't take long before they all burned off and we had another great day.

Marilyn is always amazed at the variety of plant life on the run...particularly the various weeds. Upon closer examination...no touching, mind you...she discovers...well, you can figure it out. Weeds...yes...weeds, growing wild in the ditches, in the pastures...now that's where happy cows come from.

We finished the field we had started yesterday night and then moved over to our last 35 acre piece. The other crew that was working for our farmer was across the road from us working with two JD combines. With bigger headers and no terraces to speak of, they finished their 100 acres the same time we finished our field.

Marilyn got the header loaded on it's trailer then moved the combine up to the bins where the trailers had been parked. Al took the last load into the elevator and Marilyn got a ride back to the field to bring the tractor and cart back to the bins. We managed to get everything cleaned, loaded and hooked up, ready to head north tomorrow...well, that was the plan...

We had talked to the farmer up at the Kansas/Nebraska border and he had 150 acres that he thought were ready to go, so we figured we better get loaded up ASAP. Once we got everything done, we went back into Great Bend for supper...this time real food. It was 10pm and the only place that seemed to be open on the 4th was Applebees, which we were going to boycott after last year's rude service that we had gotten there. We decided to give them a second chance, and seeing as there were only three cars in the lot, it seemed like service wouldn't be a problem. We got a window seat, which helped us to see all the fireworks going on in town.

Earlier, when we were driving back from the field, the whole skyline of Great Bend was lit up from north to south with fireworks being blown off. They were allowed to go until midnight, but we are still hearing the occasional blast at 1am...we just can't imagine the amount of money that was spent on fireworks in town...it wasn't just bottle rockets and firecrackers either.

Al got to talk to the farmer up north after we had supper and it turns out he will be doing the acres himself, so here we are loaded up and ready to go...but where? South Dakota is our next stop and that is probably two or three weeks away.

Guess there's time for laundry now...

July 3, 2008

View of the day-Cutting more terraces...they never seem to end.

What a gorgeous day...81 degrees, mild wind...almost like the Canadian harvest.

Another early start and a lot of acres covered, even though we had to move to four different fields...of course they were right next to and across the road from each other. It's surprising how beautiful the landscape is until you start combining and realize some of the terraces are so steep you need a seat belt on your lunch bag to keep it from rolling off the seat.

Combines have been rolling everywhere around the area...custom harvesters across from us, but mostly it is local farmers taking care of their own crop. Al made a few trips to the elevator today and even managed to talk to the local radio station guy that was on a remote at the elevator. He got free water and put in a request for International Harvester by Craig Morgan...again, how appropriate for a Canadian cutting in the USA...we know, it's not that kind of "International", but what the heck.

As we came into Great Bend to the camper, we could see fireworks going off all around town...they can only set them off between 10am and midnight tomorrow...such law abiding citizens. No fireworks in town which is too bad...they always put on a great show.

Time to go for a drive to upload...another late night...