May 31, 2010

View of the day-Our Dr. makes house calls...Dr. Ray, Ph.D.(ProHarvest Doctor)

Al was at the elevator first thing this morning to dump last nights load while Marilyn got organized to get to the field. We took a quick run into Frederick to get some much needed drinking water for the camper.

Once we got back to Davidson, Al headed out to the field with Marilyn following in the pickup. Marilyn fueled up the tractor and combine while Al got the cart spotted out by the standing wheat and by then, it was time to crank up. The straw was a bit tough to start and because of the power issues we had been having yesterday, we called ProHarvest and Ray told us he would be out later in the afternoon...that meant time ton shut up and drive.

Ray showed up and rode around with Marilyn in the combine to see how things were running...not unlike that first checkup a new baby gets...and this baby chose now to run like a top. Isn't that always the way? It seemed like the tough straw and high yield might have been the problem...that wasn't an official diagnosis, but seemed logical. Today it was around 95 again and we had some wind so it was going through like butter. Ray put a gauge on to check the fuel pressure, but that was normal. So once again...shut up and drive...but pay attention if it starts dragging down again and Dr. Ray was off to see another patient.

We finished the field we were on and moved across the road to the next piece. The first field yielded about 44 bu/ac and this one was promising to be even better...close to 60 bu/ac. Even with the higher yield it was still going through the combine without any issues...maybe it was the straw.

Al was kept hopping hauling grain and before he hauled the last load into Davidson, he made a fuel run for the combine. Once he got back to the field he filled the truck for the last time and headed for town, while Marilyn fueled the combine before quitting for the night. This combine holds about 225 gallons and since our slip tank is only 95 gallons it always means an extra trip in at some point of the day to make sure there is enough for the next day.

The guys at the elevator actually stayed open for Al...he was the only one left hauling in the area...they were there until 11:15...that's pm! And for only one guy...don't see that much at home now, do we?

Incidentally, it was a 104 acre day for us...not bad for starting at the crack of noon and stopping for a fix.

There's lightning in the west, wonder what that will bring...

May 30, 2010

View of the day-It's official, the 2010 harvest has begun as Al does a test.

We were up early waiting to hear from the MacDon support, they called to let us know they were on their way and would be stopping at the camper. There was a different guy that came out...a gentleman Marilyn was not introduced to, so we will call him 'Stan'...because he originates from Uzbekistan. Al got a ride out to the field with him and Marilyn got lunch ready...just in case we got going and couldn't get back to throw something together, then came out with the pickup. Stan had some very interesting tales to tell and was really thorough walking us through the workings of the header and getting it into transport mode after he got everything tuned in.

After Stan left, we moved the header out to the road where the combine had been parked and was waiting to get started. We managed to get it hooked up on our own, so we had been paying attention to our lesson from the master and we even were able to put the wheels and hitch back where they belonged. Al cut a sample then we took it into town to the coop to get it tested...12.1% moisture...good to go.

There had been some combines running to the north of us earlier in the day so Al was pretty confident that it would go. Marilyn let Al break in the combine by cutting the first hopper full...that way she could have the manual ready at a moments notice if an alarm went off that we didn't recognize.

Once we got the feel of the header...one disappointment is the way it works in short straw...not much different than the old 1010 header, it just lays on the knife until there is a big enough wad to take it through. But where the crop is tall it works like a dream. The combine seems to have some power issues, Al is convinced the 2588 had more power...this one seems to bog down at different times, none of them consistent...sometimes it's thin, sometimes short or heavy. It almost seems more of a fuel filter issue, sometimes it is all we can do to get it up to 3mph...there will be a call going in to ProHarvest tomorrow.

Even with the power issue, once we got it set right it didn't miss a beat and after a few rounds Marilyn was quite comfortable with the header. Comfortable enough to get 70 acres combined even though we never started until 4pm. Once everything is running up to snuff we should really make time.

But now it's time for sleep...

May 29, 2010

View of the day-Dan from MacDon was out for most of the afternoon tweaking the header for us.

We got to sleep in past 8am...a nice treat...then we were up waiting for the guys from MacDon to show up. They were decent enough to call and let us know they would be tied up until after lunch with another crew with five headers to set up, and since they were down to one pickup out of three they had to travel together. They were running three 2011 Ford 250 diesel pickups and two of them were out of service because they had problems with the urea pump or injector or some such animal...something new and 'improved' to save the planet.

We spent the rest of the morning staying out of the heat until we heard the rest of the neighboring harvest crew arrive. Marilyn went out to see if she had to move the pickup so they could pull their camper in beside us...and she did. After chatting with the neighbor about their trip down, the big new camper they had upgraded to...sure, rub it in... and the new auto positioning satellite dish so she didn't have to feed the mosquitoes trying to get the thing aimed...like a couple of years ago when Marilyn had to do the aiming... Marilyn got the pickup moved so they could get parked and hooked up.

The MacDon guys called to let us know they were on their way to town and were meeting us at the camper so we could show them the way out to the farm, Marilyn led the way and Al brought the General out. Once we got out there Dan, our man from MacDon proceeded to look things over and discovered quite a few things that weren't quite right...not sure if it was the fact that the header had been used for training, or that it was a Friday setup and it was getting close to quitting time.

While he was working on the header with Al, Marilyn decided it was time to install the new time saver on the cordless grease gun...a four foot extension with the trigger right by the end of the nozzle and a holster for the grease gun. Now both hands are free to reach those cursed zerks that are just out of reach of the shorter hose. Mission accomplished...but nothing needs to be greased yet.

Dan was on the phone trying to find out various things that needed adjusting and Al was helping him out as much as he could. Al had a lot of questions...it was a totally new piece of equipment and it was best to find out as much as possible while the expert was there. There was one adjustment that was giving him problems and it was getting late, so he decided to quit for the day and bring another pro in to help him out early tomorrow morning. We didn't argue, it had been another 95º day and the heat had really taken a toll on everyone.

We left for home...a 10 mile trip...Marilyn was hoping to get some pictures of the canola getting combined, but one field was done and there was no sign of a combine. We didn't see any combines going, but when we got back to town, there were trucks going into the elevator...which always makes Al 'happy' to hear them rumbling past when we are not going.

Once we got back to the camper Al got cleaned up and into position in the recliner for the first game of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Chicago Black Hawks. The score at this point is 5-5 and Al is depressed because he didn't get one point in his hockey pool out of all those goals.

Tomorrow we do a test...

May 28, 2010

View of the day-Checking out the MacDon header at their informational meeting in Vernon, TX.

We were up at 6am again, this time it was to go to the MacDon breakfast at Vernon. Once again there was a good turnout with harvesters and farmers lined up out the door of the building waiting for the delicious breakfast...and all the important info. We were 0 for 2 with the door prizes...didn't win a thing, but we did come back home a little wiser and tomorrow when the guys show up out at the combine, we will have everything under control...we hope.

After we picked up a couple of parts we needed, we went back to Davidson to fuel up the combine and head out to the farm. We got the shop hooked up and Al took the combine over to the Coop to put 215 gallons of fuel in...it wasn't completely empty. We will have a time figuring out how to fuel it daily with only a 90 gallon slip tank on the pickup.

The first thing we did out at the farm was to put the header on the combine...a totally different experience from the old header and it will take some time to get used to the size and workings of the new beast.

The next thing on the list was to mount the two cameras on the cart...one on the auger and one on the back. We had been using one of these in the cab of the combine when it was being hauled down the highway with the General so Al could see behind the rig for traffic. These were cameras that we had gotten last summer and never had the time to mount them on the tractor, so they had been sitting for a while. Unfortunately they are still sitting because we couldn't get power the the transformer for some reason...the fuse was fine, just no power. They are still under warranty, so we will see what comes of that.

We were able to park in Keith's hay shed out of the sun, a good thing since it was over 90º and somewhat humid, making working outside rather unpleasant. Al did a bit of work on the Freightliner and Marilyn changed up the elastic cord on the tarp in the grain cart before we decided to quit for the day.

There have been quite a few more harvesters showing up, last night our Nebraska neighbors arrived...well part of the crew did...there should be a few more campers showing up before long. We did see one combine running...a JD picking up canola. There are hopes that we will be able to get started on Sunday, but we might just do a test tomorrow when the MacDon guys come out for our session.

Which promises to be another hot one...

May 27, 2010

View of the day-There was a good crowd at the harvest kickoff breakfast in Frederick, OK this morning. And some might fine biscuits and gravy.

We really had to get up early to beat the rush for the breakfast...up at 6am for the start of the breakfast at 7. It was foggy until the sun came up and burned everything off and with the lack of wind, it turned out to be a very muggy day.

There was a good crowd...probably 175-200, which meant our chances of winning something in the door prize draws was going to be poor...in fact we didn't win a thing out of probably 40 things that were given away. We did get nice hats and Al purchased his annual ProHarvest belt buckle...this is the 25th year for the ProHarvest brigade and the 18th year for the kickoff breakfast.

We got to see the usual safety films...it's always amusing to see the guys that are there for the first year watch the gruesome film right after breakfast. After the videos and the draws everyone split up into three groups...one for the precision harvesting, one for the combine and one for the draper head. Each group spent about 20 minutes in each session before moving on to the next station.

We went to the precision session first and although Marilyn had a good grasp on the software, Al watched as long as he could before bolting for the combine group, leaving Marilyn to watch the end of the auto steer calibration session...not that she was able to talk Al into that option on the combine...but wouldn't it be nice...

Al had gone out to see the combine, but his main interest was to talk to the MacDon guys about the header. He was getting info on things to look for and what they would have to do for the update that was mentioned earlier at the meeting. We didn't stay too long with them as MacDon will be having their own kickoff breakfast tomorrow in Vernon, TX...which we will be attending, for sure.

After the meeting was over, we stopped for lunch, then headed back to Davidson to start working on the combine and grain truck. Marilyn got the 2 way radio and XM radio installed...and working...then we had to drill a hole to mount the rear view mirror in the cab. The last combine didn't have a rear view mirror like the one before it and it really came in hand to see what was in the grain tank, but at least the last model had a hole pre-drilled to mount one on your own. This year, not even a hole...

Al worked on trying to find out if his circuit breaker was the issue with his lights...still not sure...they worked for an hour before kicking off, so we are still confused about that one. He also got a new elastic cable for the rollover tarp on the General...the last one split after the cargo trailer runaway incident last week.

Marilyn had to go back to the camper because the cable man showed up to install high speed internet and phone service. It took a while because someone had clipped the wire of ours that they had left from previous years...but eventually it was installed and now there is no 'blogging on the streets' of Davidson for Marilyn...although it was only a half block away for service.

After getting everything on the list done for the day, we went back to the camper to cool off and rest up for another early morning of information. Marilyn finished getting the wiring for the dish rerouted and once she gets the hole saw from the shop trailer she will be able to get the last of it done tomorrow.

We don't have to worry about any bad weather until Monday...at least according to the forecast...and that is the day that Al figured we might take a test. The crops are really turning color noticeably even since we have arrived so it is possible, barring any rain that we could do a test Monday.

But now, it's time for sleep...

May 26, 2010

View of the day-We're not sure what the model number of this green one is...

We got to sleep in past the magic 8am hour and were listening to a local radio station when we heard that the CaseIH ProHarvest kickoff breakfast was on this morning...WHAT?? Why weren't we informed..oh wait, they will have another one tomorrow, so we will still get in on the safety meeting.

We took a run into Frederick to see if we could find the elusive circuit breaker...no luck, but the NAPA man had some very good ideas for us to try when we got back to the truck. We stopped in at the CaseIH dealership and got to visit with Ray from ProHarvest, and we are so happy to see him back this year...he always takes good care of us and with the new rig, he will be speed dial #1 on the cell phone. We stopped by the phone company to see about getting internet service and since we are regular customers, we are able to get high speed without a contract...that was a nice treat.

We went back to Davidson to do some work on the machines...get stuff installed in the combine and such. The clouds had been starting to build and there was lightning and thunder getting closer all the time, so after one particularly loud crack and the ensuing rain, we decided to wait until tomorrow for the fixing and gather up the laundry and go to Vernon. We did the laundry first, then went out for supper before getting some shopping done.

While Marilyn was shopping at Wal Mart Al had some time to kill so he drove around to see if any other crews were around. Well, he came upon this Deere combine, it was in a locked compound so he couldn't get to close to it. It was still on a trailer and the wheels were not on it yet. It is some sort of a proto type machine because it had no model numbers on it and also the cab and back end were a lot different then a regular Deere. The thing that Al really noticed was what he thought was the exhaust...it was located on the back of the combine and it looked to be about 10" in diameter...quite big, his guess it is probably something for the emissions standards that the manufactures have to meet. We don't care if anyone wants to cut and paste these pictures to other sites but Al would like to have it mentioned that he took the pics...so all you "Green" guys enjoy.

We got back to the camper and after getting everything put away, called it a day. Too bad we didn't get to bed early, we have to be at the breakfast at 7am tomorrow.

It is going to be a long day...

May 25, 2010

View of the day-We made it to the end of the line...parked in Davidson, OK.

Another early morning as we got the camper closed up, then hooked the shop trailer behind it for the last leg of the journey. We needed a new bulb for the camper tail light, fortunately we were right across the street from the Orchelins so it didn't take any time to get the lights lit and forge on over to get the General aired up.

We stopped a few times on the road to make sure the straps were still on and the fender wasn't rubbing the hydraulic ram on the feeder house...everything seemed to be okay. When Al had talked to John at Cherokee this morning he found out they had almost 4 inches of rain last night! As we had gotten closer to Cherokee there was water across the roadway in a few spots and we were kicking up some pretty high rooster tails as we went through them.

We made it to Cherokee and while Marilyn fueled the Dodge up, Al checked his rig out and discovered that one of the 6 inch straps had broken and only half of it remained...the half that used to have the hook on it. We managed to find another way to chain down the back and this time it stayed put and the baler belting that we had made collars for the rams managed to do the trick...with some help of some good old duct tape.

After having a good gab with John and our landlord at the campground, Mike, we continued on our way to Davidson. We stopped for a snack break at Thomas and before we left the parking lot that we were in, Marilyn got to test her backing skills with the camper and shop trailer...just enough to make room to get out of the lot. We carried on and finally made Davidson around 6pm.

We got the camper parked after doing a bit of branch trimming and got the air conditioning cooling things down, then went to check out the parking spot that we use when we are here. Curses...a couple of red combines from a Minnesota harvester had taken our spot. We went found another corner to park in and commenced unloading...and that went very well...as if there was any doubt that it wouldn't. After parking the shop trailer and General, we called it quits for the day.

Back at the camper it was dish aiming time again...this time it took a little longer, but Marilyn got it lined up just in time to catch the finale of Dancing With The Stars...we still miss the Weather Channel, though.

Now to find some internet...

May 24, 2010

View of the day-Ahhh, success. loaded and ready to weigh.

We were up early and eager to start the task of getting the combine loaded. We had to go on a parts run...and run we did, all over town looking for a circuit breaker for the General. After hitting about six different places, we came home empty handed...no breaker for us. This just means we have to drive in daylight only until we find one.

We went out to the CaseIH dealer where the combine was and used their ramp to get the shop trailer out of the General. It was a good thing they have a high, well built loading dock because we knew getting the trailer out after yesterday's calamity was going to be tough. After getting the trailer straightened out and switching receiver hitches a couple of times to get the right height, we managed to get it pulled out so we could survey the damage to the box. Surprisingly enough, the inside of the shop was intact...the wrenches were even on the wall and they usually fall off just going down a rough road.

The front cap had been bent forward ripping out a couple of self tapping screws, so we got it bent back into shape and screwed down as best we could. The elastic cord that pulls the tarp over was pretty much shot and after a good stretch broke all together so now that is something else for the list of repairs. We did get everything back together and were able to close the tarp...we were very happy that it turned out to be an easy fix considering how that trailer was rolling around in the box.

After we finished with the shop, we got the combine trailer unhooked and checked to see how the new combine was going to fit on it. Marilyn drove it up on the trailer...the nice thing is it has a higher clearance so now we don't need to use the ramps to get it on the trailer. After getting the truck backed up, we discovered that with the longer auger there wasn't enough clearance to the box of the truck. We knew once the trailer was hooked up, it would raise the auger by about 18 inches...but that would still be close, so we figured we could just swing the auger out until the trailer was hooked up to the truck and swing it back in. But the auger wouldn't swing out.

Chris from the dealership, was supposed to give us a quick rundown on the changes from the 2588 combine, but he was on lunch break so we figured we would move the blocks that had been on the trailer for the other combine and see if that gave us more clearance. By the time we had moved the blocks a couple of times, Chris showed up and explained the 'transport' switch that disables everything for moving...including the auger. By this time we had made enough room for the auger without having to swing it out and we finished off strapping it down and went for a weigh-in.

We had a visit from Kevin, our farmer from the Timken area who was in town on a parts run and happened to see our stuff parked in the lot as he passed by. After we finished chatting, we took the truck and combine over to the Great Bend Coop elevator where they told us we could weigh the rig on their scale...so we could make sure we had the weight distibuted legally...and we succeeded. After weighing the truck, Al had to back the combine trailer on to the scale because the scale wasn't wide enough for the whole rig. It turns out we even have some pounds to spare on the back axles, so that was a bonus.

We were planning on getting to Cherokee, OK today but there were wind warnings and it was blowing hard out of the SE all day. We decided to stay put and avoid the struggle against the wind, found a parking spot for the rig and called it a day.

After hitting the Great Wall Chinese buffet for supper, we went back to the camper and while Al cleaned up, Marilyn got the dish hooked up so Al could watch the hockey game. HABS LOSE!!! HABS LOSE!!! The perfect end to a perfect day...for Al at least. Marilyn has to go to NexTech to upload the blog, and it is right next to the Walmart Supercenter.

The perfect end to a perfect day...

May 23, 2010

View of the day-Al fuels the Dodge up across the street from a vintage Chevrolet dealer...when GM actually made money.

We were up early again and since we were fueled up and ready to go, it was a matter of hooking up the camper and heading out. We were fortunate that we did not have to contend with any of the bad weather during the night, making for a good sleep...except that we had no water in the camper. In our rush to get going, we hadn't cleaned out the antifreeze from the water system, so when it was time to 'powder ones nose', so to speak, it was a trip over to the shower shack in the city park...not fun at 4am.

We were thrilled that we actually had a strong NW wind to push us for a change, so we made good time until we stopped at Reliance, SD for a stretch and Al discovered the hook that was welded to the inside front of the grain box had broken off. This hook was used for a ratchet strap that looped over the cargo trailer axle and kept the trailer from rolling to the back of the box. There was someone welding in the shop where we had stopped, so Al asked him about doing a bit of welding and when he looked at it, he said we shouldn't have to worry about it rolling to the back because of the stand we had under the hitch and the fact that the jack was all the way down as well. We believed him and forged on.

We stopped in Springview to fuel the Dodge up out of the slip tank, so we would be sure to get all the way through Nebraska...not that there were a lot of places to stop. We aren't complaining about that, it's actually nice to drive straight through without having to slow down for towns every 15 miles. We stopped again in Elm Creek at the truck stop and had a quick snack before making the move for Kansas...and that was pretty much where we lost our north wind. It couldn't just get calm after it quit...noooo...it had to switch around and start blasting out of the south...again.

We made it through to La Crosse, KS before Marilyn had to stop to get enough fuel to make it the rest of the way to Great Bend, KS. Al stopped to check his load...and discovered that the ratchet strap that was to keep the shop trailer from moving to the front of the box had broken. This allowed the trailer to roll to the front of the box and put a healthy dent in the endcap for the tarp...just great. It was getting close to dark and we wanted to get the 50 or so miles to Great Bend, so we just dropped the hammer and hoped for the best.

We made it to Great Bend just as the sun had sunk below the horizon...the fact that it was cloudy didn't help matters...the sun disappeared even earlier, making lights a necessity. The way our day was going, it was no surprise that the headlights on the General had a mind of their own and the breaker kept kicking them off. Good thing our campground was on the west end of town and we didn't have to navigate the streets with a wide load and without lights. Another wild day...536 miles!

Marilyn got the camper parked while Al tried to survey the damage in the grain box...we won't know until daylight now, it was just to dark. We did get the water system in order and with the great water pressure we have here(the best on the run, actually) we haven't found any leaks from the winter storage...and the air conditioner still works, good thing too, it was hot inside once we got parked.

Tomorrow we get to load the combine...or try to...

May 22,2010

View of the day-Trouble is brewing in Gettysburg, South Dakota as we try to fuel up before it hits.

What a day!

With all that went on, the best news of the day was that those stinking Habs lost...that's the Montreal Canadien NHL hockey team, the most hated of all teams by anyone who is a REAL hockey fan, for those out of the loop. Now back to business.

We were up early and had to hook up the camper in the rain...that should have been an omen...but it went smoothly and we were rolling to the border in short time. We got there and rather than call across, we decided to pull in...as we have been instructed to in the past...going in the out door, because we don't fit through the scanner. Well, actually, Marilyn could have gone through with the camper, but they usually have us stay together to make checking the serial numbers easier.

But that was before we encountered..."Mrs. Happy"...no relation to the Mr. Happy that has been known to give us 'what for' on occasion. Apparently, Marilyn should have gone the other way...but no big deal, she left us with her underlings to finish our paperwork and she went on to take care of the people coming in the 'proper' way. We had a new girl come and check the serial numbers while the gentleman took some sort of scanner to our rigs.

This was the first time in a long time that they actually went into the camper to look around and wouldn't you know it, this was the first time Marilyn had actually brought a plant with her. This plant was a lovely potted ivy and poinsettia(or the leaving's of one) that she had been given by the theatre group for stage managing the Christmas play...it is now in possession of the Border Patrol. They did let her keep the pot it was in...lesson learned.

We actually got out of there in about 20 minutes and were heading for Kenmare so Marilyn could fuel up. The mileage was suffering with that ferocious wind we had to fight the last couple of days. We were just leaving the fuel station when Marilyn decided to check out the weather band on the radio...seems we were about to meet up with something around Foxholm on our way to Minot. We did hit rain and it was coming down pretty hard but we were able to continue on in the traffic...and it was insane how busy the highway was...Marilyn thought we had been blown back to Saskatchewan, because out of 40 vehicles, at least 36 were from SK.

We had just hit the divided highway a few miles out of Minot when all hell broke loose. The rain got heavier and the wind was whipping things around...then the hail started. We had to pull over and wait it out for about 15 minutes...it was crazy. Al had wiper issues, so he stopped to repair it once he had caught up to Marilyn and with all the traffic going past him as he worked, the vehicles were giving him a shower thanks to the wind and the water on the highway. Even after he got it fixed, he was wet and that started a window fogging problem, so out came the fog-x. We finally got back on the road and continued on to Wilton, where Marilyn had to fuel up again and we discovered the hail had blasted off Al's wide load sign on the trailer and totally removed his warning flag and post. We stopped in Sterling and purchased a new sign, got it mounted and carried on.

We got into South Dakota, all the while watching the skies and listening to the weather reports, and we figured at some point in time we would meet up with some more nasty stuff. Sure enough we were just getting through Mound City, when another hard rain started falling, then there were reports of a tornado on the ground 15 miles east of Selby, which was the next town we had to pass through. Lucky for us the crap was moving NE and we were on the west side of the action. The clouds were impressive and you could just tell there was trouble brewing.

We got to Gettysburg and headed directly to the fuel pumps so Al could fuel his rig up for a change. We got to chat with Lloyd Everett, a harvester friend from Kansas who had been in Gettysburg for the last 5 weeks...combining corn! He had only gotten a couple hundred acres done, what with getting stuck and the weather not cooperating, so he was getting ready to head back home. He said there was still around 3000 acres still left out in the area to combine.

We got the camper parked in the city park and continued to listen to the weather reports...sure do miss Dish network and the weather channel. It would have been nice to see where everything was situated...apparently it was splitting around us...tornado watches, wind warnings...and some place for internet service...it could be a long night.

At least tomorrow we will have a north wind...

May 21, 2010

View of the day-Al waits on the road for Marilyn to pull out...we're finally on our way!

Well, it was supposed to be AIS at 11am, but as usual the schedule got pushed back a bit with the last of the packing not quite getting finished the night before. And, as usual, it was a mad frenzy of chucking boxes of stuff in to get on the road...at least before lunch time.

After getting the camper hooked up to the truck and rearranging it so it was in the starting blocks to head out of the yard, we took the van into town to drop off several bags of donated items for the Women in Need drive that was currently being held. That really helped with the spring cleaning, although it didn't seem to lighten the camper load any...according to Al, at least.

Once we got back to the farm and made the last minute check to see that everything was turned off, we got rolling...as far as town anyway. Marilyn had to stop at Staples to say goodbye and pick up a few things, while Al forged on against a strong south wind...what's new. It wasn't as bad for him since he was pulling an empty combine trailer, but Marilyn might just as well have poured the diesel on the ground for the mileage she was getting pulling the camper.

We got to Carlyle and after unhooking the camper at Kim and Marg's place, we took a run over to Precision Ag where Marg works, to see if we could get the General and combine trailer weighed on the scale there. We stopped to talk to Kim while he was filling up his sprayer, then we got the measuring tape out at the scale to see if we could clear the poles that were lined up at either side of the scale. It looked like we would have a bit of room to spare, so we went back to the farm and Al brought the rig over and weighed it. He is concerned about hauling the new combine...at least, where we will have to position it on the trailer so we don't pi$$ off DOT and end up with an overweight fine. We will have time to do a bit of rearranging when we get to Great Bend, KS to load it, but now we know what the trailer weighs and we can go from there.

Once we got back to the farm, Marilyn started to get the camper in order...all those last minute boxes that got chucked in were crying for organization and there needed to be a revamp of the TV mount that we had so perfectly installed for the new TV. It worked like a charm...except that it was too wide and the slide-outs wouldn't close...so off it came for the trip down...and every trip here after. Maybe a bigger camper is the answer...

We got to move the new pickup head into Kim's barn, to wait out of the weather until we need it later on. It kind of amazing that the trailer doesn't tip over, the way the pickup part of the header just hangs over the support bar. Well, some good strong CaseIH ratchet straps are helping the cause and now that it is in the barn, we will deal with it when the pickup work starts.

So tomorrow we fight the wind again and may just run into some rain, if the forecast is correct and hopefully we make it to Gettysburg, SD before dark...and without event...

May 20, 2010

View of the day-what we woke up to in Bismarck, ND on our way back from Grand Island.

Well, a lot has happened since our last update and since we are leaving tomorrow Al thought it would be a good time to get updated. There have been a lot of comments from some of the regulars that the blog has not been updated since we got back home. Marilyn was busy with the dinner/dessert theatre on the weekend, then another week of work at Staples and their big inventory the following weekend. All the while trying to get some packing done, while Al got the truck and trailers serviced and cleaned up for the trip south.

Our trip back from Grand Island was uneventful until we got close to Bismarck ND. It was about 11:00 PM and it was snowing...keep in mind this was May 6th, so it isn't supposed to be snowing, but sometimes it can...and did. Fortunately the gound was warm enough that even with the 6 or so inches that fell, the highways were pretty much cleared off by the morning.

There are lots of things to get done before we can leave and one of them was to get a pick up header for the new combine. Al managed to locate one from a Case IH dealer in Brandon, Manitoba...it took some talking to get them to sell the header, in fact the combine was already sold. He left for Brandon Monday to get it and after he picked it up, drove to Carlyle to park it, because we will need it their first in the upcoming season. Sorry no pics of it...you know Al being technically challenged and all.

The next order of business was loading the shop trailer in the back of the General it went relatively well...only one broken ramp and we still got into the box okay. As we left the ramp at the CaseIH dealer where we loaded, we drove past our old 2588 combine as it sat in the lineup waiting for it's new owner...kind of sad...

Al had lunch with his boss from H&R Block today and on the way back called the local radio station (CJGX...940 on your dial). It was the request show and Al requested "International Harvester" so he could get in the swing for the upcoming road trip to start the harvest run. Danny the "DJ" was very accommodating and played it. He also is a very loyal blog follower so...thank you for giving us a plug on your show and we hope you will continue enjoying the blog.

Meanwhile, Marilyn keeps on packing the camper. Al think she takes so much stuff along that the camper seems full, then she gets to start the conversation about how we need a bigger camper. The load has been severely cut compared to previous years...what with Al's rule about "if it doesn't get used, it doesn't come next year". Among other things, Al likes to complain about the two sewing machines that she drags along every year, but every year they get used. If not for patching, then to fabricate some fabulous warning flags for the trailers and trucks. This year she has to justify three machines because she is bringing her swanky new four head Janome embroidery machine that she got for Christmas. No problem...it will get used.

Marilyn also went into town this evening to have coffee with one of her theatre friends to say goodbye until the fall...and enjoy her last cup of Tim Hortons coffee before coming back home to finish packing.

Tomorrow AIS(a$$ in seat) time is 11:00 am...

May 6, 2010

View of the day-Al & Marilyn with the new rig.

Well, we really had to get up early this morning to make sure we were at the CNH plant before 7:30am. Once again Charlene and Lew, our tour guide, were waiting for us to go out onto the floor and see some of the final stages of our combine being built.

We got there one station away from the fluid fill and start up station. We watched as they added a few more parts before moving to the next station where Al got to go up into the cab and turn the key for the first time…and second time…and third time…it wouldn’t start. Air in the lines or a fuel filter problem, they weren’t sure at that time but there were a pile of guys that converged on the machine to figure out exactly what the issue was. They did get it running and decided they would be able to get to the bottom of it further down the line when they did the more intense testing.

We watched as they added the auger…a lot easier than how we have had to do it in the field from time to time. Watching as the side panels finally went on and then the decals, we could see the combine really starting to take shape. We stopped for a lunch break before getting to the final station where the tires went on and more testing was done. The tires they put on the front are just temporary ones, the real ones will get put on at the dealership.

We got our picture taken in front of the combine before Al was able to get back into the cab and drive it off the line, out the door and on to the lot. There would be another thorough check of the machine and all it’s workings before it gets the stamp of approval and is ready to be shipped. We are having the combine picked up by the CaseIH dealership in Great Bend, KS and that is where we will load it up on our way back south to Davidson, OK.

After we got back into the building, we were presented with a lovely framed photo of us in front of our combine by the Plant Operations Manager, thanking us for our purchase. The photo had an engraved plate on the bottom that had our names, the date and serial number of our combine…a very special gift. Just before we left, Marilyn had to do a bit of shopping in the Case store for a few mementos of the experience, Al took advantage of the store as well...surprise, surprise…no toys! He did however, add to his belt buckle collection.

We left Grand Island around 3:30pm and started back north. After a lengthy discussion on our plans for the drive…the road had been decided but where we would be stopping was up for grabs. Should we just go as far as Gettysburg, SD quit early and get up extra early to get home, or should we drop the hammer and go as far as Bismarck which would cut down on the driving time tomorrow. We chose ‘B’ and forged to Bismarck. By the time we got there the snow was falling and had collected quite a bit…we must have hit the winter storm that had been predicted.

We stopped at one hotel…they were all booked up and as far as the clerk knew, there were no rooms within a 60 mile radius. Now, how hard is it to take a black marker, a piece of paper and a piece of tape to stick a ‘No Vacancy’ sign on the window? Why do these places make you get out of your vehicle to find out they don’t have any room? Well, apparently this guy must have been talking in ‘baby miles’ or something, because we drove two blocks and found a room…one of the last ones they had…but it was a room…and we were beat.

We covered 547 miles…the biggest day so far and the latest start…not something we would really like to do again too soon.

Lots of snow…it is May, right?
 

May 5, 2010

View of the day-Lots of action at the CNH plant today, this was the first look at our new combine.

We were up earlier today, looking forward to see things happen with our new combine. We checked out of the hotel and headed over to the plant only to find road construction going on which meant driving a couple of miles out of the way just to get across the road.

After we got into the building we were rerouted to meet with Charlene and our tour guide, Lew. They were waiting for us outside with some bad news...we would not be able to drive our combine off today because they had just started building it this morning. We decided to do the tour of the plant anyway and did get to see our machine a few times as it worked it's way down the line. We originally had thought it would be a good idea to do the tour one day and then just follow our machine to the end on the second day, so this actually worked out great for us.

The only down side was that it will now take us a day longer to get home and Marilyn is already cutting it close with the performance on Saturday. Had we known, we could have taken in a day at the 3I Show in Great Bend, but the tour was much better and we are 200 miles closer to home.

The tour showed us how the combines are built from scratch, a lot to take in, and even though we had just gone through the tour a couple of years ago, there were changes to the process. It was neat to see how everything flowed down the line and amazing how the 88, 20 and New Holland series combines were assembled at the same time.

After seeing the first steps and some of the fabrication of the panels with the laser cutters and the paint process, we finally got to see where our machine was on the line. As we walked by a lot of the stations the, workers would stop to talk to us and congratulate us on our purchase of a CaseIH combine. It was surprising how they knew who we were, which machine was ours and that they had worked on it earlier in the day. This plant is non-union so we were able to talk to anyone at anytime and they were all more than happy to talk to us.

After lunch we went back out to the floor to see how our machine was coming and to see the steps that the 7088 had gone through to get where it was now. The hopper had been installed and it was starting to get a lot more hydraulic and electrical lines installed. We checked out the rest of the process that we will be able to watch tomorrow as the combine goes through it's 300 point testing procedures.

Thanks to Charlene and the good folks at CNH we were back at the Holiday Inn for another night and we were treated to the best steak we have ever eaten at Uncle Ed's Restaurant...absolutely amazing...they were right. After supper, Al watched his hockey game and Marilyn did a few laps around Walmart...just to walk the steak off, of course.

Tomorrow morning at 7:30am we get to turn the key on the combine for the first time and then we get to travel along with it as it goes through the last stations before we drive it off the line.

Which means an ultra early morning...

May 4, 2010

View of the day-The test track out behind the CNH building where a few machines were going through their paces.

We really got to sleep in today since we had nothing planned but to take it easy and check out the sites.

Marilyn gave the retail sector a shot in the arm, while Al checked out some of the implement lots...we really did not do a lot. It was another beautiful day, warm and sunny with a brisk north wind...which didn't bother us a bit since we weren't driving anywhere today.

Before we went back to the hotel we took a cruise past the CNH plant to have a look at what was parked out back and to watch the combines getting tested. Back at the hotel it was laundry, supper, hockey and an early night in.

Tomorrow's the day...

May 3, 2010

View of the day-We must have picked a good machine because Machinery Link had about 40 CaseIH 7088 combines at the dealership in Great Bend, KS.

What an excellent day we had today...beautiful weather, good visits and made our destination of Grand Island, NE in the daylight.

We got to sleep in since we had no heavy schedule until Wednesday. We went down to the CaseIH dealership in Great Bend, KS to talk to the service manager about doing the Pre-Delivery Inspection on our new combine once they pick it up from Grand Island for us. After seeing the 7088's scattered throughout the lot, Al made the comment that they should have the process down to a science by the time they get to ours. Whether Machinery Link has switched over to CaseIH machines or has complemented their vast supply of green ones, we weren't able to find out...it looked impressive, though.

After we left the case dealer, we went for lunch then headed out to visit with our farmers. We had to pass by the site for the 3I Show that will be held May 5-7, of course we weren't going to be able to attend this year. Al decided to drive in to see if they would let us look around while they were setting up. This show is held out at the airport and the two runways are lined on both sides with all kinds of equipment...not all of it was there yet but they did let us drive around and see what was there.

We saw the latest drawing card for machinery link...a flashed up old combine...quite the restoration project. It would have been nice to get the rest of the story on it, but duty called...or at least our schedule called, so we forged on.

After having a good visit with Ken, Karen and Kevin, we continued on our trek to Grand Island. Al took some time out to move a couple of post rocks around...400 lbs of limestone fencepost...pretty powerful.

We stopped in Phillipsburg to have a visit with the Case dealer and see how things were progressing in that area, then carried on enjoying the scenery and great weather. We made it to Grand Island, checked into the hotel, then went out for a snack before calling it a night.

No driving tomorrow...nice change...

May 2, 2010

View of the day-Well, we really shouldn't complain about an oversize load...this guy could really maneuver the rig around traffic.

We got to sleep in a bit before getting a bit of laundry done and heading over to Cherokee to do a bit of visiting. We went out for lunch with John and Peggy, then Marilyn got her stash of home made noodles to take home...unless she finds a stove before then.

We took a drive around the country side to check out the crop in the area...not quite as good as around Davidson, but there is still potential and we did see fields of winter canola blooming.

We went back to Alva where Marilyn got a bit of exercise pushing a cart around Walmart and Al checked out the machinery lots. We met another farmer, Jay and his family for a good visit over supper, then headed north to Great Bend for the night.

Another full day tomorrow and back on the road again...

May 1, 2010

View of the day-Al and Keith check out the wheat near Davidson, Oklahoma...wow, it looks great...

We were up early again and after doing a bit of servicing started the last leg of our trip south. We stopped in Cherokee, Oklahoma to fuel up and have a quick visit with our farmer, John, before working our way to our final destination.

The rest of the day was uneventful from the driving end of things, we did hit a couple of showers along the way, but nothing serious. We got to Davidson, OK around 4pm and started the unloading process...again, it went as well as if we had just unloaded last week. It was a nice change not having the blistering heat that we usually unload in...it was a cool 65º.

After we unloaded, we went with Keith to check out some of the crops...wow...they sure look promising, as you can see from the pictures.

We took a drive into Davidson to secure our camping spot for the stay and then met Keith and Lori for supper in Frederick, before striking out again. We made it back to Alva, OK around 12:30am, hence the late blog entry.

Today we check out the Cherokee/Alva area crop...