skip to main |
skip to sidebar
View of the day-Roger and his tester had a busy day with the borderline wet canola.
We heard raindrops during the night, but when we checked the gauge this morning, it was bone dry. We went out to the combine and checked it out...didn't even settle the dust in the bottom of the gauge out there. We had a good wind blowing, so Al started combining to finish the last 25 acres on the field we were on.
Marilyn went back to the camper to do some more sewing. Al didn't need any help since both the truck and the grain cart were empty and he knew there would be plenty of room for what was left in the field.
After a couple of hours, Marilyn came back out to the field with lunch and we got everything moved over to the last field of canola. There were concerns that, even though it had been over a week since the canola had gotten sprayed, it still might be too wet to combine. Fortunately, there were more high and dry spots than there were low, green ones so we were able to keep going.
Marilyn kept combining and Al did the hauling and picture taking...for a nice change. This is a hilly field and the windmill at the highest point makes a statement. Except for the cooler temperatures today, we could have been in Kansas...well, that and the fact we were combining canola.
We quit just as the sun was setting...
View of the day-Sun dogs peeking over the cloud bank coming in from the west this evening.
Al went out first thing this morning to get the General and cart dumped in the bin, then came back to the camper to wait for the dry down. We didn't do a lot back at the camper while we waited, Marilyn worked on her sewing job which meant getting the big embroidery machine out of its storage spot and getting it set up.
Al decided that 3pm would be the time to go out and do a test...perfect timing...the test was good enough to go. Al made a few rounds while Marilyn got the grain cart moved over to the end of the field that we were working on, then it was her turn to take over.
We filled the General a couple more times, then it started to get tough, so while Al was dumping the General for the last time, Marilyn fueled, greased and did the windows on the combine while she waited for him to get back. The dust coming off the canola coats everything with a layer of black dust, so there is no way to stay clean, especially when you have to grab the rails to climb up on the combine to service.
Hoping for an early start tommorrow...
View of the day-This is the rain gauge out at the combine, just under two inches. Let's hope this doesn't mean getting stuck...no jinx.
Marilyn had big plans to make waffles for brunch today and was just getting the ingredients ready, until she realized that the eggs she needed had been used last night for the chef salad. No waffles today.
Marilyn didn't leave the camper all day, just worked on the computer and watched the closing ceremonies for the Olympics...quite a spectacle.
Al did go out for a drive to the field to see what was the conditions were like...as you can see, sticky. At least the grain cart tarp looked a lot better after the rain. After the tour out at the field, he went into Bismarck to get eggs, so we could at least have our waffles tomorrow.
At least we got to see the sun today...
View of the day-This was taken around 7:30pm...and it was still raining. that's Al peeking out the camper door.
We got to sleep in this morning, it hadn't started raining yet, but it was cloudy and we knew it wouldn't be long before it started. We went into Bismarck to have lunch with Al's brother Ed and his wife Sandy, then Ed brought Al back to the camper, while Sandy and Marilyn did some shopping.
The rain had been coming down since we left to go to Bismarck and with the craziness of a Saturday in the city, we had to park at the far end of the parking lots...but we needed the exercise anyway, after the big buffet we had for lunch. Ed picked up Sandy at Kohl's and they headed for Minot, where they would be spending the night and doing some more shopping. Marilyn continued her shopping, getting soaked every time she got out of the truck...it never let up for the rest of the day.
Al spent the afternoon in the camper, but with all the rain that was falling, he lost satellite signal and couldn't watch the live Canadian feed of the Olympics. He still had local TV and internet, so it wasn't a total bust.
Marilyn made it back to the camper just after 7pm, got her treasures put away, made supper, then it was relaxing time.
Time to sit back and listen to the rain falling...
View of the day-Al and his brother, Jeff, this morning before take-off.
We were up earlier than normal to see the boys off this morning. After watching them dismantle their tents and getting everything in its proper place on their bikes, they headed north for home, back to Saskatchewan.
While we were occupied, the tarp place left us a message that the tarp was ready to pick up and once the guys left, we went over and got it. We went out to the field and had to cut a bigger patch around the cart so we could get in close to the cart and have the combine out of the way. We had hooked up the shop trailer and brought it out again, to use the air tools to get the old tarp off and the new one on.
We decided to switch colors this time from the red tarp that we had on the cart, to a black one, which the tarp man said would last longer than the colored ones would...we took his word for it.
We got the old tarp off without a problem, had the pickup close to the auger side of the cart and while Al stood on the box rails, Marilyn climbed into the cart to run the impact wrench to take the brackets off. We took the pipes out of the old tarp, got one of them back in the new tarp and "attempted" to bolt the new one on the cart. We just weren't tall enough, so we went over to the wheat field and brought the General over to give us a boost.
With the General alongside, we were able to put the stepladder in the box and get enough height to put the brackets on. Once they were in place, we had the tarp draped over the cart and "attempted" to get the large pipe with the crank handle threaded through the pocket. This was not a straight shot through as we had to cut a couple of strategically placed slots for the tie down straps to fit into, and around the pipe before it could complete its trip to the end of the tarp. We got that done, then Marilyn started to line up the previous holes in the pipe and strap to screw the holders in...these keep the pipe from turning without the tarp so it can be rolled open and closed.
About the time Marilyn was working on this, we had a visit from Roger and the canola seed agent. They were going over to check on the canola and see how it was coming along. Roger came back and informed Al that they thought he might be able to give it a try on the north end of the field, so he cranked up the combine and went for a trip to give it a try...Marilyn stayed to work on the grain cart. The canola was feeding like a dream which was a relief.
It was a lot tougher getting the cart back together just right...climb into the cart, tie the cable, climb out of the cart, roll the tarp and find out the cable is too loose, climb back in the cart, tighten the cable, climb back out of the cart, roll the tarp again...this time too tight, crawl back into the cart, loosen the cable, climb back out of the cart...finally baby bear's porridge...just right.
Next on the list was to drill four new holes...two on each end...into the endcaps so we could run ratchet straps as ridge straps to hold the tarp up between the cross ribs. Since these were on the ends, we couldn't use the General, so Marilyn backed the Dodge up to the cart and used a step ladder in the box, to get high enough. On the front of the cart, the ladder to get into the cart was just the right height for drilling. Once the holes were drilled, it was back into the cart again to get the ratchet straps hooked in and tightened down.
With everything finished, Marilyn got the tools put away and closed up the shop. Al was still combining and needed to unload, so Marilyn drove the cart over to the other end of the field, got the combine dumped, then jumped in the cab with Al to make another hopper. Once we had the cart full, we both rode back in the cart to the other side of the field to dump in the General, then Al went back to the combine and Marilyn headed in to the camper.
Al continued combining until he had the General and the cart full, then got a ride home with Roger. Not a bad day for not thinking we would be able to combine until Monday.
Back at the camper, we got ready to watch the CFL Roughrider game with some company...Al's other brother, Ed and his wife Sandy are in Bismarck for some retail therapy and would not have come for a visit if we didn't have the game on.
And the blog is done before 9pm...
View of the day-We have new visitors to the campground across from the camper. Al's brother Jeff and his friend Cassidy from Gerald, Saskatchewan stopped in on their way back home from Sturgis.
We had a work list of to-do things to keep us busy, but since we didn't start early enough, they all had to wait until after lunch. We went into Bismarck to meet with Mike and Lois at Pizza Hut for the lunch buffet. They split their time between Pingree and Bismarck, so we managed to hook up with them for a good visit. Mike brought us a "honey" care package...real tubs of honey and bottles of honey BBQ sauce...tasty. They have people who put their bee hives on their land and the bee keepers, in return, give them honey products. After lunch we said our good byes then went back to Menoken to carry on with our list of "items".
Before we went out to the farm, we went across the road from the campground to check in with Bismarck Canvas and see how soon we would be able to get a new tarp made up for the grain cart. They told us if we could get the measurements in to him right away, he would have it ready for us tomorrow! We headed out to the field, hooked up the shop trailer and the first thing on the list was to get the tire back on the header trailer, which took no time at all. Next we went out to the field to measure and call in the numbers to the tarp place, then got started with the list...blow out the radiators and air filters on the combine.
After we closed up shop at the field, we went back into the big town of Menoken to put the new LED signal lights on the Freightliner, which has been parked in town, relaxing until it is time to pull the tractor load again. Marilyn had a bit of rewiring to do, but with the help of the test light, she even managed to get the clearance light function working on them. While we were working on the lights, a couple of bikers pulled into the lot. Jeff and Cassidy had arrived, so it was time for us to quit for the day and do some entertaining.
We went back to the camper and Marilyn got dropped off to clean up, while the guys went back out to check the canola and drop off the shop trailer at the farm before coming back to get ready for the bright lights of the city. Jeff treated us all to supper at Applebee's, then we picked up dessert at the grocery store and came back to the camper for dessert and "beverages" before the guys booked off for the day and strolled over to their tents.
Tomorrow...a new tarp on the cart...
View of the day-Doesn't look like we will be getting into the canola for the next couple of days...still kinda green.
Oh, we had such high hopes of getting started in the canola. We went into Bismarck for lunch, then went out to the field, but after servicing the combine and moving over to do a test...well...it wasn't going to happen.
We went back to the camper and got cleaned up, then Marilyn went into Bismarck to pick up some tickets at the radio station before it closed...and do a little shopping while Al stayed back at the camper. The tickets were for a sunset cruise on the Lewis and Clark Riverboat.
We went to the Golden Corral for supper before heading over to the riverboat and while we were standing in line waiting to load, we ran into a Lyle and Jackie Ogren, a couple we knew from back home. They were taking the sunset cruise too, so we got caught up while we waited.
After the boat loaded and was pulling away from the shore, we heard sirens and an ambulance and fire truck passed by the parking lot. We could see further down the shore line that there were flashing lights on the road behind the trees and several people on the shore, just below the train bridge, but no one had any idea what was going on.
The cruise continued down the Missouri and it was such a beautiful night...perfect temperature, no bugs and just a warm breeze as we stood on the open deck of the boat. There were about 40 people on the open upper deck and no one really opted to go to the glassed in lower deck, because it was just to gorgeous out.
After cruising up a few miles, the boat turned around and started heading back. We could still see flashing lights all along the shore line and now there were boats with flashing lights circling under the bridge in the water. As the boat was getting close to where the flashing lights were, it stopped just off shore where we had to wait until we were allowed to pass by the search area. After about 20 minutes or so, they sent over an escort boat to guide us through the zone so we could get back to the dock. We actually saw some divers bobbing around in the water.
This was what we heard from the local news...
Searchers are looking for a man who either jumped or fell off a railroad bridge over the Missouri River Wednesday evening. Witnesses say friends had dared the man to go onto the bridge and around 8:00, they saw him climb to the top of the bridge and drop into the water. Divers have been checking the river since then. But they haven`t found him yet. A dive team from Jamestown is on the way to the river to help with the efforts.
"Well basically, I saw a guy probably , I don`t know, three pillars or so over at the top. He was intoxicated and basically he jumped and landed on his back, " said Tony Olson, a witness.
It`s not clear how long divers would stay in the water before resuming search efforts in the morning.
We got back to the dock, got unloaded from the boat and fortunately, were able to leave the scene by going out the opposite direction from all the action. We stopped for a drink at McDonald's before making our way back to the camper for the night.
What a great evening...except for the obvious...
