November 7, 2008

View of the day-We're from Canada, eh...this snow and cold weather don't bother us. Al meets some bundled up people on the way to one of the display halls at the toy show.

We didn't get up early enough to get in on the free breakfast so we grabbed a quick snack at McDonalds before heading over to Dyersville to pick up our passes and tour the huge toy museum, then it was north to pick up the cargo trailer. The wet weather had finally caught up with us, starting with fog, then rain, then finally snow. It came and went all day but was just warm enough that it melted...or tried to...once it hit the ground.

Marilyn was reading the program from the show in between giving map directions and Al was totally confused as to which way we were going, so it wasn't surprising that we took the wrong turn and ended up 10 miles west of Dyersville instead of 35 miles north...it was a nice drive through the snow flurries to see the countryside. We got the trailer hooked up and went back to Dyersville...the quick way this time.

They had a lot of tents set up for the outside vendors, amazingly enough one lady told us there hadn't been snow at any of these shows in the 17 years that they had been attending...and of course, they blamed us Canadians for bringing it with us.

We went through four or five buildings of vendors, with Al and Jeff getting some of the "need-its" on their toy lists...some hard to find and others with great resale value. A lot of people stopped to talk to us after checking out the back of Marilyn's harvesting jacket...someone who had hired another Canadian harvester for several years, friends from Alberta and even a couple from the Netherlands. There was no end of visiting and browsing to be done...and it was only the short day of the show, starting at 4pm.

We finally headed back to the hotel at Dubuque around 7:30pm and after a great supper at the Ground Round and a soak in the hot tub, it was time to rest up for the big auction sale tomorrow.

If Al and Jeff have any money left...

November 6, 2008

View of the day-Al and Jeff checking out the Lock and Dam #10 on the Mississippi River on the way to Dubuque.

Since we only had 180 miles to cover today, we got to sleep in a bit before having the free breakfast at the hotel. It was raining when we left and we drove through it off and on for most of the morning before it finally broke up. We had a better day for driving and got to see a lot of different scenery along the way.

We stopped for lunch in Decorah...Pizza Hut of course...and then we stopped in at the CaseIH dealer to check out some toys. We picked up their sales catalogue and discovered they sold cargo trailers...hmmm...they had one just the right size for 'toy hauling'. It was about 45 miles away, a little off our planned route, but we had nothing but time so we detoured to check it out. After much discussion and haggling, Al & Jeff decided to go for it and are now proud owners of a 5X8 cargo trailer for their farm toy business...no more loading and unloading of toys in the rotten winter weather and best of all Marilyn will get all her closets and storage space back! The only hitch with the purchase was that the title was back in Decorah, so we will be making a road trip back up their tomorrow, via a different route.

It was such a great day for driving, it was in the mid 60's and the wind was behind us, but we heard...and saw...the nasty storms that were hitting the area we had left just yesterday...blizzards and heavy snowfall...thank goodness that the combine and header had gotten moved to Kenmare. The rolling hills and cornfields were really something to see...although no one was combining because of the rain. It was different to see all the farms so close together, not at all like a lot of the places we work where you can drive for miles between farmsteads before you see any signs of habitation.

We checked into the hotel when we reached Dubuque and took a short drive but it had gotten dark so we didn't see too much of the area. We found someplace for supper then stopped at Walmart...all three of us this time...then went back to the hotel to digest and hit the hot tub before calling it a day.

Hopefully tomorrow is as great a day...

November 5, 2008

View of the day-We're travelling through corn country and since Al left the camera in the lock box in the box of the pickup, when the heavy rain made us stop on the highway...well...no pictures, so...a borrowed photo.

We waited for Al's brother Jeff to make the scene as he drove down from his home in Gerald, SK. He made it by 2:30pm and once we had loaded up his pickup we headed east. We were 15 miles east of Jamestown on the I-94 when the rain started coming down and there was the occasional flash of lightning. The rain started getting worse and eventually the wipers wouldn't keep the deluge off the windshield and we had to do like the other travellers and pull over to wait it out...then the hail hit...small but hard for about a minute...then it was over.

We continued on and stopped for supper before tackling Minneapolis/St. Paul. Marilyn had her hand held GPS that had been doing a super job even though the US maps aren't all that detailed...going through the twin cities it had us well prepared for any exit we had to take and we were getting a bit complacent when it told us to stay right and when we did...the cursor was floating which meant the road we were on was to new for the three year old GPS. Guess where we ended up...right smack city center. We had to wing it for a mile or two before getting back on track and Al was pretty thrilled that we drove right by the Metrodome where the NFL Vikings play.

We continued on and had decided that driving all the way to Dubuque, IA was well within our schedule...we would be able to sleep in if we got in to late and we would be a day ahead. We kept hitting rain showers all the way and about 20 miles from Rochester, MN we ran into another one of those storms...heavy lightning, thunder and hard rain...and again we had to slow to a crawl to see the lines on the highway. After getting through that we decided that we would just get rooms in Rochester and go the rest of the way in the daylight...at least we would be able to see some country. And get this...Al & Jeff went to Walmart while Marilyn stayed at the hotel...

Even with the rain it is still 65° at midnight...nice...

November 4, 2008

View of the day-The rigs wait at the Kenmare Cenex for our return from Iowa.

We were up early and had breakfast at the cafe before Al took off to Jamestown with the General to fuel up and pick up some parts at the Case dealer. Marilyn went to get her hair cut then had to run into Jamestown as well to pick up some jackets and tshirts they had ordered...and that was the only stop.

Back at the farm, Al had moved the trailer out onto the hard surface in the yard so we could load the combine without the hydraulic lift sinking into the ground. It took no time at all to get the combine loaded, hooked up and strapped down before heading out for Kenmare. We left right at noon and with the wind behind us, made Kenmare just before 4pm and parked the header and combine in the parking lot at the Cenex before heading back to Pingree.

We stopped in Minot to pick up a few things and then forged on to Pingree, getting back by 9pm...a long day of driving. We stopped out at the field on the way home to pick Mike up from his ground work and give him a ride back to the farm. Back in the house we watched the final hours of the big election...interesting results, and it will be interesting to see how the country reacts to the new president...and that's as political as we want to get.

Al's brother Jeff is coming down tomorrow and the three of us are heading down to Dyersville, IA for the National Farm Toy Show...we're all looking forward to it...not the 650 mile drive though.

Let's hope we can get ahead of the winter storm that is coming...

November 3, 2008

View of the day-Al stands next to one, of only a handful of CaseIH STX tractors that was painted in the original Steiger colors. It was parked at a farm north of Aberdeen that belongs to L&O Acres who farm over 100,000 acres in five states...more or less.

We were up early to get ready for a road trip to South Dakota. We had settled up with the farmer over coffee and since we were going to Aberdeen anyway, we drove the extra 40 miles south to get to a branch of our bank to make sure the deposit would cover any potential shopping spree that Marilyn should decide to go on in the big city. Unfortunately for her, she had left her debit card on the counter back at the farm...there was some strong language when that mistake was discovered...and it did not come from Al.

We had to make a stop at Meyer's Salvage to pick up a tractor muffler for someone back in Canada. We found some replacement door handles for the General so hopefully they will work and we can finally get into the cab without going through the passenger door. We also made a toy stop at the CaseIH dealer and then Marilyn hit Target and Kmart...but not Walmart...amazing. After stopping at McDonalds for supper, we stopped at the Dodge dealership and left some drool on the long line of one ton trucks they had lined up...for under $35,000! This was the first place we saw diesel fuel for under $3...it was $2.93 a gallon...a good place to fill the slip tank.

We got back to the farm around 8pm...in time for Monday Night Football and an early night in. Tomorrow will be a big day with loading up and moving the rigs to Kenmare.

But more on that later...

November 2, 2008

View of the day-Gas wars in Jamestown, ND...and everything we drive is diesel...

We had the time change last night, very confusing for those of us from the land that never changes time...we guess we got to sleep in...or did we? Either way we enjoyed a fabulous day really warm and sunny with just a breath of wind...and this is November!

We went into Jamestown for brunch at the Gladstone Inn's cafe...what a waste...no service and when we did get service...well...let's just say they weren't "people persons" and leave it at that. After that debacle, we walked over to the Civic Center to check out the toys that were going to be on the auction that was starting at noon. Marilyn left Al at the auction with Mike, who had shown up on his own and she went to Kmart to take advantage of the blue light specials that were advertised in the weekend flyer.

Al came home with two new tractors and Marilyn found some deals on Halloween clearance stuff...but none of the stuff that was in the flyer...what gives? Well, it was the first day of the sale. She went back to get Al and they went back to the farm to get some cleaning done on the combine.

Al got the header all strapped up into the fixed position, while Marilyn got the dusty job of blowing off all the chaff of the combine. By the time they finished, it was already dark...dang time change...but because they have done it so many times this year, were able to load the header on the trailer in the dark.

There's still the washing to look forward to...

November 1, 2008

View of the day-Soybeans...what else?


The first part of the morning consisted of unloading the trucks that were in the yard from last night, then we both went out to the field in the pickup to service the combine. Marilyn brought the pickup back to the yard so there would be less vehicles at the field to move, then waited for the call to take the General out for a load.


Al got moved to the new field and all three machines combined the beans that had a lot of volunteer corn, which made for high moisture. By the time Marilyn got the call to go out to the field to get a load, the combines were just winding everything down and once the two trucks were loaded, the other Case went home, the green machine moved to the last field and we moved back to the yard.

Back at the yard Marilyn had a time getting all the corn infested beans out of the box of the truck...good thing Ben was there with his long reach to get the last of it out. Once Al got the combine to the yard, he gave Mike a ride back out for the loaded semi, before coming back to get cleaned up so they could go for supper with Ben's mom, Jeanne in Jamestown.

And...finally...

But not to worry...we're not home yet...there's more to come...