July 7, 2009

View of the day-The overnight campground where the trains were running all night.

It was another late start to the day since we knew we wouldn't be leaving the bins until 3pm. We got things organized at the camper then went for lunch to Pizza Hut. After paying the fuel bill...not as bad as anticipated...we got the camper hooked up and left Great Bend for the bins. A great day for driving with a SE wind, clouds and mid 80's for the temp.

When we pulled into the bins, we were surprised to see a pickup truck hooked onto a flatbed trailer carrying some type of pipe trusses...and they were working a jackall to change a tire that looked pretty much like the camper tire did a month ago. Al offered them the shop to use the compressor and tools but they said they were getting paid by the hour, so they didn't mind doing it the slow way.

We got the shop trailer hooked up behind the camper, then decided to take a quick look at the ignition switch in the General. It had been giving Al fits by losing connection on the rough roads we travel and would just shut the truck down. We had this problem before and had gotten a spare ignition switch just in case of a calamity...now was that time because the blade that the battery wire hooks onto on the old one had melted the plastic housing and was pretty much falling out. We got the wires cleaned up and were hooking up the new switch when Marilyn got a bit exuberant with the wrench and twisted off the bolt stem...no amount of 'Mickey-Mousing' would get the thing to work...so we unhooked the camper and drove back into Great Bend to get a new one...make that two new ones...just in case.

We were a lot more careful putting this one together and by the time it was mounted back in the dash it was better than it had ever been...and this one didn't have any cheap plastic housing. We hooked the camper back up and left the bins for the last time this year...only two hours later than yesterday. We tried to figure out where we would stay the night...if we would make it all the way to Ansley, or stay in Elm Creek...but decided to shut up and drive until it got dark and let the chips fall where they may.

We got to Elm Creek and thought we would stay there, but the parking lot was packed with semis and fortunately Marilyn went in ahead to check out the lot because if Al had tried to find a spot, he would have been backing out a long way...it was a tight enough fit for Marilyn to get around all those rigs after scoping things out. We decided to forge onward even though Marilyn was getting as low on fuel as the sun was getting in the sky...and we still had 4o miles to go. The Lord hates a coward so the hammer was down.

Clouds were looming in the west which meant the sun was going down prematurely, but still we kept driving. Thankfully the pickup has one of those computers that tells you how many miles you have until empty...it looked like we might have 20 to spare, but this was mighty hilly country so the pickup really had to work. It was a good thing we didn't meet too many vehicles on the last 10 mile stretch because it was pretty much dark by the time we made Ansley...except for the beautiful harvest moon that was coming up. We got into the lot, got the General parked beside the Freight, unhooked the shop trailer from the camper and went to fuel up.

While Al fueled, Marilyn went into the station to see if there was someplace to park in town...didn't that give the locals something to talk about. We had stayed there a few times over the years and had always parked at the motel next to the station...which was now closed. Someone suggested the town park but the only thing we needed was not available there...power...that's all, since we had filled up the holding tank with water before we left, anticipating such an event. Our next option was to drive to Mason City, the next town...only 5 miles away and use their town park...which is exactly what we did.

We found the town, then found the park and the power pole, backed into place, dropped the back jacks, put out a couple of slides and left everything else hooked up. We had to cross the train tracks to get to the park and the camper is parked, maybe 75 feet from two tracks...two very busy tracks...and right next to an intersection which means the horn gets blown plenty and the ground shakes...nice lullaby...and no internet until tomorrow sometime...sorry.

You gotta love new experiences...

July 6, 2009

View of the day-A pit stop for repairs in Nebraska...the main battery cable had rubbed through and was touching the frame of the Freight which left Al powerless...literaly.

We had a leisurely morning, getting some things prepared for the move north. After the Chinese buffet for lunch Al took the pickup over to the Quick Lube to get a much needed oil change and interior detailing which only took 20 minutes. We got the landlord paid up for camping fees then headed out to the bins to get things aired up for the trip to Ansley, Nebraska, which would be the mid-point for our trip.

We left the bins around 3:30pm and started north...a lot of traffic going both ways, but really uneventful...most of the way. Marilyn called Al on the radio and when he didn't answer, she thought he was on his cell phone, so she continued driving, but just puddling along until he could catch up. It was at this point we had reached a pocket of decent cell service and the message alarm went off on Marilyn's phone. She noticed that there was a voice message and it ended up being a blank message, then Al called on his cell but couldn't seem to hear Marilyn. After checking the other voicemail left on the phone, she learned that the power had just quit on the Freightliner so he pulled over to see what was the matter...it turned out to be that one of the cables was shorting out on the frame because it had worn through.

Marilyn was about 6 miles ahead but found a place to turn the rig around and head back to help out. There was already a hose over the cable for protection and it just needed to be slid down to cover the wear spot and we were back on the road again. We made Ansley around 8:30pm, got the stuff parked and then started back for Great Bend. We stopped at the big truck stop at Elm Creek for a sub and a break, then continued on our way.

Tomorrow we do it all again...

July 5, 2009

View of the day-Sitting under an almost full moon at the internet spot in Great Bend, KS...a nightly ritual.

Since we didn't get to sleep until almost 2am we had a good sleep-in this morning. We went for breakfast at a 'home cooking' restaurant for a pleasant change and although we didn't make it to church, we were there with the church crowd, so it was busy. It's so neat to find the local eateries...very colorful...although some of the local cuisine had us scratching our heads. Good thing there was a great variety of other things to choose from...we tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to veggies. It was a mostly cloudy day which kept the heat down...a really beautiful day.

We went to pick up a few parts to finish off the electrical repairs then it was laundry time again. Marilyn got the loads running while Al tried to do a bit of surfing from the truck...no luck there...so Marilyn took him back to the camper while she finished at the laundromat.

When laundry time comes, it is a matter of loading up the hamper and making sure you have the detergent, softener, dryer sheets, quarters, etc. The introduction of the 'downy ball'- the gizmo that lets you put the softener in the wash load so you don't have to hang around and wait to add the stuff, was great for laundry day...not that it takes time...it takes 'timing'. Marilyn purchased 6 downy balls so that when laundry time came around she could fill 6 washers at the same time then go read the 1987 issue of Better Homes and Gardens that is usually sitting in the laundromat. The problem comes when we get back to Canada, our washer has a dispenser in it, so there is no need for the balls...they get put away and unfortunately they stay there...Marilyn forgets to bring them the next year and needs to purchase more. This year a dozen of them came along for the ride...Marilyn was quite pleased with herself...but...in most of the laundromats, she uses the double or triple front loaders, so the balls are not needed. Still they get hauled around.

Here is a plug for something even greater than the downy ball...Purex Complete 3 in 1...talk about a great invention...Billy Mays would have loved it. No more jugs of detergent and softener, no downy balls and dryer sheets...this does it all. It's like a triple thick dryer sheet with detergent and softener embedded in it, so you toss one or two into the wash, it uses the soap, then the softener is activated after the spin cycle, then you toss your whole load of laundry into the dryer and it has an antistatic strip that is activated by the heat of the dryer. Is that brilliant?! And it actually gets the clothes clean...an extra bonus. I do hope it is available in Canada, or I might be importing a pile of it.

Enough of the infomercial...

While we were at Orschelns, looking for our wiring needs, we ran into a local custom harvester that we had met at the US Custom Harvesters meeting back in March. A faithful follower of the blog, she was there with her three children who were doing some shopping of their own while we got caught up on our respective harvest runs to date. We hope the kids win big with their 4-H efforts at the upcoming county fair, so they can purchase the emerald and sapphire John Deere belt that can't be lived without. Nice belt...not sure about the color...

Marilyn had to do another Walmart run...to return the shoes she bought for Al and get stocked up on the pop that was on sale for the holiday weekend...seems as we move further north, the prices get higher...won't see the 24 pks below $5 again.

We went out for supper to Montana Mikes with our farmers and their families...we've got to have steak before we leave a stop...and it was very tasty-as real meat usually is. Back at the camper we got settled up and then planned what to do tomorrow until 'time to leave' arrives at 2pm. Strategic weight scale timing for the border...not that we're overweight, we just don't want to stop...it cuts into the amount of daylight driving we can get done. Oh, well, shut up and drive...

And now it's time to find some internet...

July 4, 2009

View of the day-Everything is loaded and ready to head for South Dakota.

We ended up getting the tail end of the storm that was threatening all day, not sure how much rain fell but their were a lot of large puddles this morning. Al was up early and went toy shopping...came home empty handed...Marilyn showed him how it was done later in the day.

We were planning to go out and get everything loaded earlier in the day, but it was pretty mild out so we put it off for the evening. Of course, this being July 4th all you could hear all day was fireworks...kind of a waste in the daylight, but what do we know. We decided to fight the crowd and purchase some fireworks for this evening...and fight the crowd we did. There certainly is no shortage of money when it comes to fireworks...we bought a small box and bag full and it was over $100...most people leaving had to take the shopping cart out to the vehicle to unload their booty.

Al decided to check his eyelids for cracks since he had gotten up early and Marilyn got to do a leisurely lap or two around Walmart then after a quick supper, we headed out to the bins to finish loading and get some lights working. Something electrical is always going wrong, this time it was the flashing amber lights on the trucks which we got working after completely gutting them.

As we drove back to Great Bend, the sun had already set so we were able to see the fireworks all across the horizon. The city decided not to have a big fireworks show but that didn't matter...the locals more than made up for it. We sat outside the camper and watched for hours...from 9pm to midnight...as some pretty impressive fireworks lit the sky and there was just enough wind to take the smoke away so there was always a clear view. It is well after midnight and they are still lighting them off.

We don't want to do any moving this holiday weekend...best to avoid the traffic with the wide loads, so we will kill another day before striking out for South Dakota on Monday.

Likely see the inside of the laundromat...

July 3, 2009

View of the day-Al checks out the Mustang that is getting raffled off by the local radio station, it was parked out at the CaseIH dealership.

We got to sleep in today, not due to rain but because we are done here. We went to pick up the shock that was ordered in and decided to try Perkins out for breakfast since it was on the way. Now, they are in the process of tearing up the main thoroughfare and the north side of the street is pretty much inaccessible, so we thought they wouldn't be that busy and service should be reasonable fast...it was only 10am after all. Fat chance...we killed pretty much an hour waiting for our grub.

The shock wasn't in yet, so we went out to the Case dealer to pick up some new filters and check out the toys. Al went to talk to the service manager about all things electrical on the tractor and Marilyn spent time talking to the guys up front. We have gone through several music radios in the tractor and Al has always said we should just get a fender mount one to put inside...the A/C drain plugs up and the water backs up and spills into the cab from the overhead vents...water and electronics...not a good mix. Marilyn found a waterproof radio with the weatherband and a few other bells and whistles and now Al has an early birthday present...

We went out to the field, loaded the header onto the trailer and moved the combine, tractor and cart up to the bins where the trailers were parked. We got a ride back for the pickup and General, which Al took into Albert to dump the last load. Back at the bins Marilyn blew off the header and combine then when Al got back we fixed the signal light on the Freight and put the oversized sign on the back of the combine trailer. Al got the shock put on the General then cleaned out the cab...all of this done in 98 degree heat with a strong east wind...which made blowing the chaff off a lot easier.

The weather threatened all day but stayed to the north of us and since we couldn't buy one of the clouds to keep us cool we went back into town to clean up. Al went to the internet cafe to do a bit of surfing while Marilyn did a bit of shopping...just a bit since the coffee shop closed at 9. We decided to do our fireworks shopping and drove up to the north end of town to the place we purchased our booty from last year...there must have been a hundred vehicles in the lot and lineups to get in! We didn't stop.

We went back to get the blog uploaded and watch as the storm started to move in closer and the locals are blowing off the fireworks.

It could be a long night...

July 2, 2009

View of the day-the fuel tank repaired thanks to Randy...and a hell of a fine job.

We woke to rain on the camper around 4am, not something we wanted to hear with only 100 or so acres left to do. We did sleep in a bit then went to get the fuel tank back on the truck...wow, what an excellent job he did, that pump doesn't move at all even on the roughest road. Of course, we had to test it out.

After getting everything loaded back on to the truck we went to find a shock absorber for the General and then made a stop at the post office to find out what the latest mailing rates were. We were going to try and fit in a shopping trip to the fireworks store, but the sun was trying to break through and it appeared it only rained a tenth out at the combine...

After the Chinese buffet for lunch, we got fuel and headed out to the field to service and start combining. We had to blend off a couple more loads, but by the time we moved over to the last 13 acres it was plenty dry. We made one more move to finish up on two smaller pieces, one flat and one with some mighty steep terraces. It was a bizarre day, weather-wise...strong east wind, kind of hot, flies biting like mad...something is brewing.

Marilyn started on the flat one at the suggestion of the farmer...it went almost 70 bu/ac, then moved over to do the terraced piece and finish in the dark. Al drove for a bit so Marilyn could take some pictures and video...and generally take a break from the grain truck. We finished around 9:30pm and after getting everything tarped, headed for town. After Al unloads the truck tomorrow we will officially be done harvesting in Kansas, unless something else comes along.

Now we get to fix and clean...

Happy Canada Day! July 1, 2009

View of the day-Al fuels from the temporary fuel truck.

We were up early to take the fuel tank down to the welder to see if he would be able to repair the break, but before that we went to Orchelin's to see how much a new fuel tank would cost. Only about $350 for a new one, so we got an estimate from Randy's Repair Shop to see what the damage would be from him...around $100...well, that settled that. Now we had to take the 5th wheel hitch out and get the tank unloaded...a task in itself but fortunately he had a forklift to take it from the back of the truck to the shop.

After grabbing a few groceries we headed out to the field to finish up, but once Marilyn got combining she notice the fuel gauge was only at half tank, so Al borrowed the farmers truck to get some fuel.

We have sympathy pains for the other harvester that is working for this farmer...he is running a new John Deere 9770 (that's not what the sympathy is for) and last night while waiting for it to cool down before shutting it off he noticed smoke in the cab and quickly ran in and shut it down. The JD mechanic told him if he hadn't shut it down when he did it would have gone up in flames...the wiring in the cab had fried and they would have to wait to get a new one installed. When he went to get another combine to use in the meanwhile...another JD 9770...he discovered oil coming out of the breather tube...not a good day for the man. We have been there on several occasions and it is frustrating...not with new combines though...mind you, they are green...not that there's anything wrong with that.

Because the JD's were out of commission, we moved over to one of the fields they had left to do, to help get the farmer finished. This field had a bit of green wheat in it so there was some "blending" going on in the cart with some dry and some green wheat. The first load was over 15% moisture...just a bit high, but the second one was just over 13%, so we found the right mix. Once it got dark, we just called it quits because the green straw was getting pretty tough.

Hope it doesn't rain tonight...