July 14, 2012

View of the day-Al gearing down to make the corner with the first load.


We were rolling early to make sure we beat the heat of the day and we were lucky that it was cloudy with a south wind.  

After grabbing a quick breakfast burrito to go, we headed up to get the Freight and header from where they were parked at Danny's farm yard.  Once again we hit the construction one vehicle to late and had to wait for the pilot car, but fortunately, we only had a few miles more to go so the wait wasn't a problem.


We got to the farmyard, parked and started the unloading process, which went well until we tried to start the tractor. Dead battery.  We hooked up the cables to the Dodge and before too long, we had it up and running, ready to unload.

We finished unloading, hooked the trailer back up again and got it lined up in the exit position...we don't need the grain trucks here, the farmer is doing all the trucking.  Marilyn did the windows on the tractor, then we headed back to Gettysburg and the coolness of the camper.


We were done for the day and Al was pretty happy about that...TWO football games today...one in the afternoon with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, which they won, and one in the evening.

Union jobs...three days on, two weeks off...  

July 13, 2012

View of the day-The view out the window at Bob's Resort across the Missouri River.  The grass could sure use a drink...that's a lawn in the foreground. 


We were up early, the neighbourhood was getting full with more and more harvesters moving in.  Marilyn went next door to help the neighbour get her dish aimed, then had a good gab about how their harvest has been progressing.


We went over to the combine and did a good cleaning of the inside, which meant we needed a good cleaning on the outside.  It was hot and sticky and there was no wind...we would save the dirty work for the hot day.


Back at the camper, we got cleaned up and took the rest of the day off.  Marilyn took a trip downtown to do a bit of shopping...came home with a package of sewing needles.  Seriously...that's all.


We went out for supper to Bob's Resort...we had been anticipating the steak meal for most of the run so far...it was well worth the wait.  We got back to the camper in time for Al to watch, yet another, CFL game.

Early morning tomorrow as the Freight and header makes the move north...

July 12, 2012

View of the day-Not really harvest related, but Marilyn can't stop laughing.  This sign was out in front of a house in. Selby, SD.

We had road trip on the agenda again today.  We were going up to meet with a farmer south of Selby who had some winter seed wheat to combine.  We got there just after lunch and took a drive around to see the fields and find some place to park the big trailers to unload.

We got everything figured out, then went in to Selby to see about a camping spot.  We found one at the motel...no trees and somewhat pricey, but hey, it's a parking spot.  We toured through town, stopping at the restaurant downtown...excellent burgers...then went on a mission to find someplace to buy ag diesel for the combine.

Selby didn't have any, so they sent us six miles east to Java.  It was on our way back to Gettysburg, so we stopped in at the elevator and they did have dyed diesel.  Considering we had to drive 25 miles to Winner to get fuel at Hamill, this would be nothing.

We left Java and drove down to Hoven, to see if we could run into Gerry and Lynn Prevost, who were harvesting in the area.  We found them without too much trouble and had a good chat with them.  Marilyn got to ride around with Lynn in the tractor, while Al was catching up with Gerry...this wheat was going over 80 bu/ac and the last field they had done was over 90!

We drove back to Gettysburg, cruised around town checking out who had come and gone during the day.  Back at the camper, there was another crew trying to get parked next to us...someone had pulled into their reserved spots at the other end of the campground.  Their camper was the same height as ours, so they couldn't park in the next spot to us...but the landlord fixed that by coming over with his chainsaw and making short work of the offending branchs. Perfect fit.

Al was happy...another CFL game to watch tonite...

July 11, 2012

View of the day-The SD DOT are at it again.  We followed this one through the road construction south of Selby.

Al was up early to visit with a few of the farmers we had worked for in the past.  After he finished visiting he got one of the propane tanks from the camper filled, then came back to the camper.  He got back just as Marilyn was getting a phone call from Gerry wondering what was up with Al’s phone.  When we tried to call his cell phone, we got a message that they couldn’t connect to the number as dialled…now what?

We called Sasktel, pressed several different numbers, got put on hold forever, then finally talked to a live person…who was in the wrong department.  After an hour, we finally got to talk to a tech and he said Al’s phone was the problem.  We could still call out, but he couldn’t receive calls, so we got them to set up call forward.  Now, Al doesn’t believe in subscribing to all those “fancy extras”, so now we had to add the option of call forwarding…just until we get the phone fixed.  Then it’s off again.

Gerry had told Al about a farmer near Selby that might be looking for some harvest help, so decided to take a road trip after having lunch at the Medicine Rock.  While we were having lunch, there was also a table full of Department of Transportation and Highway Patrol officers...just what every harvester wants to see.  There was a crew that had driven by the restaurant just as the DOT guys were leaving…yep…they got stopped.  They must have been alright, because Marilyn got Al to drive by to take a picture, but they were already gone.

We left for Selby and going through the construction, followed one of the DOT vehicles...we thought for sure they would have the scales set up on the highway north of Selby.  We stopped out at the farm to try and find the farmer to talk to, but no one was around, so we went north of Selby a few miles…no DOT, so that was a relief.  We stopped at the farm on our way back through Selby, but still had no luck, so it was back to Gettysburg.

On the way back, we stopped at the Freightliner to drop off a few things for storage in the box, watch Casey make a round with his JD, then came back to Gettysburg, grabbed some chef salad fixin’s at the grocery store and called it a day.

No idea what tomorrow will bring…

July 10, 2012

View of the day-Al pulls his rig in to park in Gettysburg for the next few days.

We weren't in any rush to leave Hamill...it is only a 130 mile trip and we had no wind to fight.  We started getting the camper folded up around 10am and by 11 we were on the road to Gettysburg.

An uneventful trip up.  We were concerned about finding some place to park, it seems like they are putting bins up everywhere we used to park.  Al pulled in to the gas station on the east end of town with his rig and we went searching for someplace to park it...but first we went to the campground to get the house in it's spot and get the A/C running to cool it down.


After the camper was set, we went to the welding shop across from the campground and after asking if he had some parking space for us to use, we were in.


We checked out the new drive in diner for lunch...it was pretty good home cooked food, then we got the General and moved it to the parking spot then went back to the camper.


Marilyn got the dish aimed so Al could watch the All Star baseball game...and a couple new episodes of Storage Wars.

Tomorrow we go for a drive...minus any equipment...

July 9, 2012

View of the day-The only business in town...well, not counting the churches...if you consider those a business.


We had one load left to go, so we got the combine trailer hooked up to the General and moved it out onto the street, then brought the cargo trailer out and hooked it on behind.  After unhooking the General again, Marilyn went over to get the combine and drive it on the trailer, then it was time to hook it back up to the General.

After chaining it down and getting the cables run for the backup camera, Al pulled the whole rig over to the side of the street...so as not to block traffic to the Post Office.  It wasn't that hot out, but there was no wind and it was humid enough to make working outside uncomfortable.

With that job done, it was time to run into Winner to pay the fuel bill and pick up the new shift knob for the Freightliner.  We had lunch at MacDonald's then stopped to pick up a few groceries before going back to Hamill.

Al had the Home Run Derby on his agenda for the evening, while Marilyn worked on getting things organized under the camper.  For some reason we are running out of room, what with all the toy boxes that are being acquired lately. After getting as much done as she could, it was over to Cal and Tracy's to pay up for camping and make arrangements to get the internet modem back to Winner...after all, we couldn't live without that for a day.  Al wanted a picture of Cal's 69 Chevy for his boss back in Yorkton...it still runs like a top, but the hail gave it a workout.

A stroll around town on another gorgeous night and a view of the Hamill dam...

July 8, 2012

View of the day-One load moved north of Gettysburg, SD.

We were planning on "AIS" at 8am, but we knew it wasn't a long trip and it had been a late night so we were rolling by 9:30am...Al in the Freight pulling the tractor/cart and old shop trailer and Marilyn, the straight header.

Nothing much on the road...except for lots of grain semis hauling to Highmore from the south.  Once we got on the other side of Highmore, it was a lot quieter on the road and we just kept on driving...with hardly any wind at all.


We went right through Gettysburg with the load and headed north about 10 miles to park out at the farmers yard.  We don't have anything to cut here in Gettysburg, so unless we find something in the next few days, we will move north again.


We stopped in Gettysburg on our way back through to Hamill, to have lunch and met up with some harvesters from Canada while we were dining at Gas & Goodies.  They were in the same boat as us and were putting up posters looking for work in the area.  After a cruise around town to check out the camping spot and perhaps someplace to park the combine in town, we headed south to Hamill...after all, Al had to get back in time to watch the Saskatchewan Roughriders game that was coming on TV at 6pm.


Back at the camper, Al got settled in for the game and Marilyn went out to clean off the combine, getting the air filters and radiator blown out to load up tomorrow.  While she was out doing that, Cal came over with a care package of leftovers from the wedding yesterday...burgers, potato salad and fruit...Al claims he made supper tonight.


Tomorrow is bill paying and loading up...