August 20, 2012

View of the day-A beautiful sight in the morning...a field of sunflowers on our way to the farm to get the last load.

We were up early to get the camper closed up and ready for the road, before going out to the farm to get the General and combine.  After getting the General across from the campground, we hooked up the camper and started north.

A mostly uneventful drive until we neared Cole Harbor.  Al thought he heard something and looked in the rear view mirror just in time to see a chunk of rubber flying off one of his back wheels.  We limped the truck onto a side road in the small town of Cole Harbor and proceeded to try and find the nearest place to get a new tire.  Even though the rubber cap had peeled off the tire, it was still holding air, so after getting the combine trailer blocked and unhooked, he took off 15 miles to Garrison to get a new one.

Marilyn stayed with the combine just in case someone came along and wanted us to move...that never happened.  After about an hour and a half, Al made it back with a spanking new tire...$540 later...we proceeded to get hooked back up again and we were back on the road again.

We got to Kenmare and while Marilyn was fueling up the Dodge, Al got the General parked, then went over and started the Freightliner, since it would be crossing the border first.  It started without issue and after airing up, we were rolling north, once again.

We got to the border and stopped on the USA side to check out before we went on to the Canadian side.  Smooth sailing there.  On the other side, it was a bit different than it had been in the past.  We needed registrations for all the equipment and the officer was surprised when we didn't have any for the tractor and cart...until we told him they didn't need to be registered.  He was cool with that and after 20 minutes, we were on the way to Carlyle.

We got out to Marg(Marilyn's sister) and Kim's place, then got the tractor and cart unloaded out in the pasture, then it was time to find a spot for the camper.  We opted for sewer hookup as opposed to high power hookup...each option was on the opposite side of the yard.  We thought we could live without the A/C since it cools down so much in the evening and we wouldn't be hanging around the camper during the day(we hope).  With the  no sewer option, we would have had to hook up the camper to dump the tanks somewhere.  A sewer sidenote...Marilyn saw a septic pumper truck go past the field one day in Menoken and the business name was "The Turd Burglar"...she still chuckles every time she thinks about it.

Camper parked, windows open...a good night's sleep before going back for the last load first thing in the morning...