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View of the day-Another crew heads north past us as we work on the equipment...waiting for the crop to get fit.
We went Java to fill the slip tank with dyed diesel for the combine, then went over to Bowdle to pick up the parts that we had on order.
When we got back to the rigs, we worked on getting the coolant reservoir mounted where it belonged. After refilling the antifreeze, we started up the combine to see if there were going to be any leaks. After leaving it run for a good half hour and revving it up to see what would happen under pressure, we had success...no leaks.
With that job done, we got the header off the high speed transport trailer, put it into transport and got it all greased up, ready for action. We did a bit more work on the tractor, then came back to town.
We hope the morning isn't as foggy and wet as it was the last few days...
View of the day-Woke up to the Schwan's truck outside the window at the motel...unfortunately, the freezer on the fridge is full and even though the thoughts of their ice cream bars made our mouths water, there is no way we could consume 24 of them before they melt. No purchases made...at all this summer.
We went out to the combine to take the reservoir tank off and get it welded. We had found out that there was a truck repair place in Mobridge that worked with radiators, so we were off.
Our appointment wasn't until 1:30, so we went to Pizza Ranch for lunch, then Marilyn did a bit of shopping before going for repairs. When we got there, Wayne had a look at it and figured he would be able to give it a try, but it would be a bit, so we did a bit more shopping to kill time.
When we went back, he had done some welding, but it didn't seem to be doing the trick. He said the tank was stainless steel, which seemed odd to him since he had a magnet that was sticking to it...and he said stainless steel is not magnetic...and he couldn't weld stainless.
He told us he would give it another try, so we killed another half hour and went back...no luck. We grabbed the tank and left. At least he didn't charge us anything.
We called a couple of places to see if we could get a new tank. No one had one and the price of a new one was $425. Time for plan 'B'. We went to the parts store in Selby, bought a package of JB Weld, a jug of radiator sealant and headed out to the combine.
Al got the wire brush rotating and got the big weld cleaned off while Marilyn mixed up a batch of JB Weld epoxy. After applying the goop, we set it aside to set and got some greasing and windows done on the combine. Once it looked like everything was setting up as it should, we went back to the camper. Done for the day.
View of the day-Slowly filling the slip tank up at Java. Looks like a good crop growing on the roof.
Fix-it day today. We got fuel at Java, then drove out to the farm, via the first field that we looked at last week...Al has high hopes we can give it a try on Friday...it was still a bit green. Al got the General fueled from the slip tank and Marilyn went to work trying to get the camera in the combine working.
After getting all the wiring back the way it was, she cycled though the screens just as the Titan guys had instructed and...BINGO...we have camera! Next, the cable re-routing had to be done and the camera mounted back in the hopper. Finally, success.
Al cleaned out the General's cab and the tractor cab, then got the vacuum cleaner up to Marilyn in the combine cab so she could get the dust and chaff out of the crevices that the duster couldn't get to.
Once the fixing was done, we came back to town, stopped at the grocery store, then came back to the camper. After BBQing for supper, Marilyn decided it was time to give the Dodge a swish by the camper. Perfect evening for it...except for the damn flies.
On a side note, Al got a call the other day from someone who was looking for a harvester back in Saskatchewan and he mentioned we should have our phone number on the blog, because it took some doing to find it, otherwise. Marilyn got right on that and it wasn't a couple hours later that his phone rang and it was someone who had seen a picture of the theatre set that Marilyn had put on the blog. He was from Austin, TX and was going to be directing Noises Off and wanted the particulars on the set that we had built.
Small world...
View of the day-Play time at the Titan Machinery field day at Bowdle, SD...for the kids, anyway.
It was road trip day. We were on our way east 80 miles to Aberdeen to check out the wreckers for a set of duals for the tractor. We were listening to the radio and we heard a commercial for the CaseIH field day outside of Bowdle, and it just so happened we were only about 5 miles away, so when we saw the machinery parked in the field, we pulled in.
They had a new Dodge 3500 that was calling Marilyn's name...except it didn't have duals. Pass. One of the guys from Titan came over to sell us on the pickup, but Marilyn side tracked him by asking about the camera dilemma in the combine. He directed us to the masterminds.
After talking to the guys, we had a few more things to try to get the camera working and after chatting about all things red, we got a couple of sodas from the cooler and hit the road.
We stopped at the dealership in Bowdle to get some parts order for the pickup head, then we were on our way again.
When we got to Aberdeen, we stopped to look at some cargo trailers, then went out to Meyers Salvage to find out about the duals. They had the parts we needed, but we weren't going to pick anything up right away, so we were off again.
We had decided it was time for our annual movie and we agreed that We're the Millers" would be the one to see. We stopped for an Arby's fix, then went over to the multiplex theatre to get our tickets. We weren't surprised by the $10 ticket prices, but the $7.75 for a medium popcorn was a bit ridiculous.
The movie was pretty funny...and predictable...but we were looking for brain candy and it filled the bill.
Then it was drive time...
View of the day-Looks like we aren't the only ones waiting. These green ones are parked across from the elevator in Selby.
Another laid back day, foggy in the morning and clearing clouds for the rest of the day. Marilyn decided waffles and bacon would be on the menu for Sunday brunch. She was eager to try out the new BBQ bacon cooker she picked up earlier in the summer.
After getting the waffle batter whipped up, she got the bacon cooking, then started to look for the waffle maker. Apparently it was a victim of the "lighten the load" requests from Al. Next on the list was to just make pancakes out of the batter on the stove using a griddle pan...which was also a victim of the thin down...as was the frying pan. Now what to do?
In a desperate attempt to use the batter up, she came up with a plan to use the corn dog cooker and it worked like a dream...as did the bacon cooker. Catastrophe averted and now there are plans to use the corn dog cooker with breakfast sausages and pancake batter.
Al did a little rock removal on the pickup. Marilyn noticed a clicking noise the other day when she went on the milkshake run and upon inspection found a rock somehow jammed between the back duals. Al had quite a task getting it out, having to use a pry bar to get it loose. No idea when or where we picked it up.
Marilyn took a walk around town, just to get out of the camper. While on the road, a young 7 year-old boy on his bike, warned her about going left on the next street..."there's a bully down there". So she avoided going that way.
Fingers crossed the clouds stay away so we can check out the meteor shower...
View of the day-A red hot sun and thick haze, but hardly any rain, so far.
It was a super, super-do-nothing day. The only time the truck moved was when Marilyn went to town to get some groceries in the afternoon, only to find out they are only open until noon on Saturdays!? No shopping for Marilyn.
More of the same tomorrow...
View of the day-Got the pickup head back into the Kuntz Harvesting fold and up to Menoken, ND.
It was road trip day today. We were planning on getting the pickup head and taking it to Carlyle...that was plan A.
After packing a small overnight bag, we took off from Selby around 11am. We had to go out to Shawn and Bonnie Gallagher's farm, near Ashley, ND, to get the header, which had been dropped off there by Lee Petersen, who had used it back in Oklahoma. Once we set the GPS to find the Gallaghers, we were ready to roll.
We got out to the farm, hooked up the trailer and started for Menoken. There were a lot of combines in the fields around, but none of them were making dust and the crops along the way seemed to be in the same state as what they were in Selby. Or so it looked like from the road at 65mph.
We got out to Roger's farm, where he was waiting for us, so he and Al took a short tour of the fields that were left after the hail. Of the 600+ acres that had been planted, there might be 190 that managed to survive. So devastating, as you can see all the broken stalks.
After discussing the chance that the weeds might come up and the wheat might have to be swathed, we decided to leave the pickup head there, instead of taking it to Carlyle. After unhooking it out of the way, we said goodbye and started back for Selby.
We did see combines making dust on this trip...not a lot, mind you, but they were plugging along just the same...a few of them picking up swaths. We got back to Selby just after 5pm and that was the end of our "work" day.
And now we wait...
