Sunday June 22nd - Went to go to church but they had switched their service and Sunday school so we showed up in time for Sunday school. We didn’t stay but went and had an early lunch. Went to the pool in the afternoon and the park in the evening.
Monday June 23rd - Slept in till nine cause it rained a quarter inch overnight. Hauled a load from Sat. into Hutch and then hooked up the combine trailer and the convertible hopper. I headed for Thomas OK to get the other combine that Clark ran that we left there to wrap up what was left to cut. Got there about seven and Clark and I had everything loaded by ten. Not bad for two guys because loading that header into the hopper is kind of a pain.
Tuesday June 24th - Clark and I left at day break for Leodi KS. It was a 300 mile run and when we got there we dropped the hopper and the combine and headed for Mcpherson with the combine trailer. That was a 180 miles. Loaded up the two combines and headers.
Wednesday June 25th - Left at day break again for Leodi. Arrived about noon and unloaded everything and got to cutting. Cut 450 acres till 11:00 pm. Not bad for only starting at about 2 pm. So from Monday noon till Wednesday noon I drove about 1000 miles. I think I saw all there is to see in Kansas to say the least. Were we are cutting now is a flat as its going to get. Driving here there were times when I could see cars coming at me ten miles away if not more.
Thursday June 26th - Made lots of dust today. The roads are terrible dusty, when you pass another truck you can’t see anything for about ten seconds. When the wind dies down the dust just hangs in the sky. It was a big haze tonight over every dirt road and fields where the combines were running. Cut till 8 pm when it rained enough to shut us down for the day.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Here is a bunch of photos for ya.
Taking over a fuel station.
The natural gas well we went to.
the cat engines making power for everything.
Some pics from the top of the elevator in Thomas OK.
The town of Thomas. If you look close you can see two elevators on the far side of town.
Looking down from the top of the leg. There is a pipe that moves around and directs the grain into the proper hole.
Which then goes down these pipes and into the concrete silos.
The top of the leg
Taking over a fuel station.
The natural gas well we went to.
the cat engines making power for everything.
Some pics from the top of the elevator in Thomas OK.
The town of Thomas. If you look close you can see two elevators on the far side of town.
Looking down from the top of the leg. There is a pipe that moves around and directs the grain into the proper hole.
Which then goes down these pipes and into the concrete silos.
The top of the leg
Friday June 20th - Ok I was wrong. The elevator is actually a half mile long. It was unbelievable today. There is three ADM elevators and one Cargill elevator and about three of four other elevators that I haven’t hauled into. The last load today I took to ADM’s Terminal I. I pull in and there is a double line of trucks lined up to be probed. They have one automatic probe and trucks pull on each side of it and while its probing you there is a system, just like at the bank drive through, that you send your paper in with all your info. Then you pull around to the pits, there are 3, I got sent to pits 1 or 2. They are right beside each other so it was a double line of trucks waiting there to unload. When done unloading they send your ticket out to you through a tube. The only time you must get out of your truck is to untarp and retarp your trailer. You never even talk to anybody.
Saturday June 21st - Spent the day hauling into Hutchinson and being amazed by the amount of volume that is put though the elevators. Today their was a total of 9 pits running at four differen elevators and each pit could unload a truck in about 5-8 minutes on average. About 100 trucks an hour were unloading at four elevators. I also found out today that the half mile elevator holds 18.2 million bushels. That is about 20,000 truck loads for just one place. Their is at least seven elevators in town so sometimes it seems there is more semis on the road then there is cars. We cut till midnight.
Saturday June 21st - Spent the day hauling into Hutchinson and being amazed by the amount of volume that is put though the elevators. Today their was a total of 9 pits running at four differen elevators and each pit could unload a truck in about 5-8 minutes on average. About 100 trucks an hour were unloading at four elevators. I also found out today that the half mile elevator holds 18.2 million bushels. That is about 20,000 truck loads for just one place. Their is at least seven elevators in town so sometimes it seems there is more semis on the road then there is cars. We cut till midnight.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Wednesday June 18th - The plan was to leave at daybreak but that changed when Eric calls (at 5:30 in the morning) one of the farmers in KS and finds out it rained during the night so we stayed in Thomas. Went to the pool in the afternoon and then Eric found some wheat that was fit SO we unloaded the combines and went and cut till midnight.
Thursday June 19th - Got up early and loaded up the combines and left for KS. FINALLY. It was about a 250 mile drive to McPherson and I drove the 97 Pete with the grain cart on the 53ft trailer. Along the way there was a place were all the electric poles were blown over, there wires were laying in the fields. These were the big tall pole and some were even snapped off up 20ft.
Arrived, unloaded, and started cutting. Cut six loads till the elevators were closed at 8:00 pm. The harvest hasn’t really started here so some elevators aren’t even open yet.
Hauled on load into what is supposedly the worlds largest elevator. One row of concrete silos stretches for a good quarter mile and another set is about 2/3 that big.
Thursday June 19th - Got up early and loaded up the combines and left for KS. FINALLY. It was about a 250 mile drive to McPherson and I drove the 97 Pete with the grain cart on the 53ft trailer. Along the way there was a place were all the electric poles were blown over, there wires were laying in the fields. These were the big tall pole and some were even snapped off up 20ft.
Arrived, unloaded, and started cutting. Cut six loads till the elevators were closed at 8:00 pm. The harvest hasn’t really started here so some elevators aren’t even open yet.
Hauled on load into what is supposedly the worlds largest elevator. One row of concrete silos stretches for a good quarter mile and another set is about 2/3 that big.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Saturday June 7th - I worked on a truck’s a/c compressor and other thing till noon. Hauled a few loads and then loaded up all the equipment till dark. We are done in Texas.
Sunday June 8th - Left for Thomas Ok at 7:30 am and arrived at about 11:00. Relaxed rest of day and headed to town in the evening for some supper. Came back and watched a movie.
Monday June 9th - Rain 4 inches early morning, water was running every where. Made a mud mess in the yard where we were parked unloading the equipment. Did main. on the combines.
Tuesday June 10th - Hauled wheat about 50 miles for the local elevator all day. Hauled six loads. Nice to have something to do while we aren’t cutting.
Wednesday June 11th - Hauled two more loads for the elevator till noon and then headed for the field. Started cutting about 2 pm and it went good till about midnight when one combine got stuck in mud up to his axles and the other machine went over to help and he hit a soft spot and his one wheel sunk to just about the top of the rim. We called it night and will worry about them in the morning.
Thursday June 12th - Pulled the combines out with a big John Deere versatile tractor and started cutting. Hauled 8 loads which is 8000 bushels and worth about 50-60 thousand dollars. The elevators put millions of dollars of wheat through their setups.
Friday June 13th - Cut all day and quit at about 11 because it got tough.
Saturday June 14th - Didn’t start cutting till about noon because it gave a good dew overnight. Cut till 12:30 and called it a day.
Sunday June 15th - Went to a Methodist church and went in to the city (Oklahoma City) for lunch and to meet up with the new guy, Chad. Went to a church picnic for supper.
Monday June 16th - Rained last night so we didn’t start cutting till after noon and then got rained out about 4. Hauled for the local elevator for the rest of the day.
Tuesday June 17th - Rained again last night. Decided to load up and move to Kansas in the morning so we gave every thing a bath and got it loaded up by late afternoon. Went to the local elevator were got to know the guys that worked there. Went up the man lift to the top (125 ft) and saw how things are done. Then we went to an drilling rig which was drilling for natural gas. They were at about 7200 ft and were going to drill to 11,700 ft. They drill a 7 1/8 in. hole and can drill about 600-700 ft per day. Went to Weatherford for supper.
Sunday June 8th - Left for Thomas Ok at 7:30 am and arrived at about 11:00. Relaxed rest of day and headed to town in the evening for some supper. Came back and watched a movie.
Monday June 9th - Rain 4 inches early morning, water was running every where. Made a mud mess in the yard where we were parked unloading the equipment. Did main. on the combines.
Tuesday June 10th - Hauled wheat about 50 miles for the local elevator all day. Hauled six loads. Nice to have something to do while we aren’t cutting.
Wednesday June 11th - Hauled two more loads for the elevator till noon and then headed for the field. Started cutting about 2 pm and it went good till about midnight when one combine got stuck in mud up to his axles and the other machine went over to help and he hit a soft spot and his one wheel sunk to just about the top of the rim. We called it night and will worry about them in the morning.
Thursday June 12th - Pulled the combines out with a big John Deere versatile tractor and started cutting. Hauled 8 loads which is 8000 bushels and worth about 50-60 thousand dollars. The elevators put millions of dollars of wheat through their setups.
Friday June 13th - Cut all day and quit at about 11 because it got tough.
Saturday June 14th - Didn’t start cutting till about noon because it gave a good dew overnight. Cut till 12:30 and called it a day.
Sunday June 15th - Went to a Methodist church and went in to the city (Oklahoma City) for lunch and to meet up with the new guy, Chad. Went to a church picnic for supper.
Monday June 16th - Rained last night so we didn’t start cutting till after noon and then got rained out about 4. Hauled for the local elevator for the rest of the day.
Tuesday June 17th - Rained again last night. Decided to load up and move to Kansas in the morning so we gave every thing a bath and got it loaded up by late afternoon. Went to the local elevator were got to know the guys that worked there. Went up the man lift to the top (125 ft) and saw how things are done. Then we went to an drilling rig which was drilling for natural gas. They were at about 7200 ft and were going to drill to 11,700 ft. They drill a 7 1/8 in. hole and can drill about 600-700 ft per day. Went to Weatherford for supper.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Thursday June 5th - Worked all day and at about 8 pm we got rained out by a thunder storm. I was right in town and at one point I couldn’t see more then 20 feet it was raining that hard. There was water running every were, but it only rained about a half inch, just came in a couple of minutes. It was said that the storm was moving at about 60-70 mph, so it was also very windy.
Friday June 6th - We would have finished up today if it hadn’t rained, so now we hope to knock it out Sat. Cut all day and chased wild pigs with the grain cart, couldn’t shoot them cause the land was leased out for hunting and the farmer didn’t want to get in trouble, needless to say the pigs are a bit faster the tractor. It was fun though. Worked till midnight.
Friday June 6th - We would have finished up today if it hadn’t rained, so now we hope to knock it out Sat. Cut all day and chased wild pigs with the grain cart, couldn’t shoot them cause the land was leased out for hunting and the farmer didn’t want to get in trouble, needless to say the pigs are a bit faster the tractor. It was fun though. Worked till midnight.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
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Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Saturday May 24th - Walked around the town which consisted of the usual small town shops. One of these shops was an VERY old country store. It was ran by an old man who could hardly walk. He had all different kinds of goods from hardware to groceries which were all covered in a layer of dust. We found a can of soup which was dated June 10th 1994. There were parts of the floor with holes in and sagged down when walked over.
In the afternoon we decided to go test some wheat. We found some that tested 13.8 so the farmer called the elevator and they said give it a try. So we moved all our equipment up the road about 12 miles. We drove the combines right up the road with the 36 ft headers on, Texas is big in all aspects including the roads. Turns out we only cut about a third of a load. Till all the combines got calibrated and ready to roll we decided that it was still a little wet. Argg.
Right now we are in the midst of a thunderstorm so we’ll see if it dries out till Monday.
Sunday May 25th - Went to a Methodist church down the street from were we are staying. Went to a fundraiser (not sure what it was for) meal for lunch at one of the farmers we cut for place. Went swimming in his pool and then went pig hunting. Found a herd right at dark. Till we got out of the truck and loaded up they were about hundred yards away and running. We all fired at least once but didn’t get any that we no of. In wheat that isn’t cut all you can see is the top of their backs.
Monday May 26th - Started cutting at about 1:30 pm and cut till about 11:00 pm. I hauled 3 loads, round trip was about 40-50 miles. The elevator unloaded trucks in about ten minutes a piece. They had four pits so no waiting in lines and they even unloaded you. The first 500 acres we cut didn’t do 10 bu per acre, but now we are in some wheat that is doing 30-40 bu.
Tuesday May 27th - Started cutting at about 10:30 and cut till 7:30. Got rained out. Hauled 3 more loads, one to a farmers bin which took forever, about an hour, to unload.
Wednesday May 28th - Didn’t do much of anything because of the rain yesterday. Did daily maint. On the combines in the afternoon, tried to make it cut but it was still to wet yet.
Thursday May 29th - Got up at 5:30 to leave at 6 for the Case HI breakfast which was about an hour away . Got back from that and started cutting at about 2 pm. The combines ran till about 2 in the morning. The truckers got to go home about an hour before the combines did because we filled the trucks and then the grain cart and combines. We hauled 21 loads to the elevators and have four trucks full and 2.5 loads in the combines and grain cart. The wheat is only doing about 15 bu./acre. And we can cut 100-120 acres an hour with five machines, not counting moving from field to field. Upper 90s
Friday May 30th - Breakfast at 7 and I hauled a load from yesterday north about 35 miles and then hauled out of the field. One load I took south 60 miles one way to the Pitchfork ranch. Was half done unloading when the leg plugged up. The man in charge said it was going to take 3-4 hours to unplug, I tried to tell him it shouldn’t but he kept saying it would. SO he says just dump it and go. So I spread 500 bu. out on the cement with the hopper and left. He had quite the mess to clean up!!! Turns out I was right cause when I got back to the field (hour later) he had called and said he was running again. Cut till 1:30 in the morning again. Upper 90s
Saturday May 31st - Took my first load to Crowell and sat there for about an hour till the combine moved to another field. Took the grain cart to them and ran that for about an hour till my truck was full. Hauled it East to Vernon and had 30 trucks in front of me. From the time I pulled in till I left was 1 ½ hours. If I was hauling at home and had a line that long it would have taken about 14 hours. We cut till 2 in the morning. Upper 90s
Sunday June 1st - Went to Western Trails Cowboy Church. Very relaxed, laid back service. Relaxed in the afternoon and went pig hunting at dusk. I shot a 125-150 pound sow at 100+ yards off hand in the back of a pickup. For those of you that don’t road hunting, it is very fun. It was hot again today, hit 100.
Monday June 2nd Part 1 - Right now I am sitting in line at Vernon and it looks like 2 out of 3 pits are not running. I have been here an hour and moved maybe 10 trucks. The line is at least 35 trucks. 3 hrs. later - Back in line and parked on the road, but at least everything is fixed and we are moving pretty fast, should only be 1 ½ - 2 hrs.
Part 2 - Worked till 3 in the morning. Ready for some sleep.
Tuesday June 3rd - Hauled wheat all day. Nothing exciting except for no A/C and it was over 100.
Wednesday June 4th - The clutch on the A/C was bad and it siezed up so I got to swap trucks. I am pulling the long hopper so the lightest, shortest truck gets put on there. That is why I didn’t swap earlier, so now I am pulling the 40 ft with one of the sleeper trucks which makes me 1200 pds heavier and longer. Gonna work late again.
In the afternoon we decided to go test some wheat. We found some that tested 13.8 so the farmer called the elevator and they said give it a try. So we moved all our equipment up the road about 12 miles. We drove the combines right up the road with the 36 ft headers on, Texas is big in all aspects including the roads. Turns out we only cut about a third of a load. Till all the combines got calibrated and ready to roll we decided that it was still a little wet. Argg.
Right now we are in the midst of a thunderstorm so we’ll see if it dries out till Monday.
Sunday May 25th - Went to a Methodist church down the street from were we are staying. Went to a fundraiser (not sure what it was for) meal for lunch at one of the farmers we cut for place. Went swimming in his pool and then went pig hunting. Found a herd right at dark. Till we got out of the truck and loaded up they were about hundred yards away and running. We all fired at least once but didn’t get any that we no of. In wheat that isn’t cut all you can see is the top of their backs.
Monday May 26th - Started cutting at about 1:30 pm and cut till about 11:00 pm. I hauled 3 loads, round trip was about 40-50 miles. The elevator unloaded trucks in about ten minutes a piece. They had four pits so no waiting in lines and they even unloaded you. The first 500 acres we cut didn’t do 10 bu per acre, but now we are in some wheat that is doing 30-40 bu.
Tuesday May 27th - Started cutting at about 10:30 and cut till 7:30. Got rained out. Hauled 3 more loads, one to a farmers bin which took forever, about an hour, to unload.
Wednesday May 28th - Didn’t do much of anything because of the rain yesterday. Did daily maint. On the combines in the afternoon, tried to make it cut but it was still to wet yet.
Thursday May 29th - Got up at 5:30 to leave at 6 for the Case HI breakfast which was about an hour away . Got back from that and started cutting at about 2 pm. The combines ran till about 2 in the morning. The truckers got to go home about an hour before the combines did because we filled the trucks and then the grain cart and combines. We hauled 21 loads to the elevators and have four trucks full and 2.5 loads in the combines and grain cart. The wheat is only doing about 15 bu./acre. And we can cut 100-120 acres an hour with five machines, not counting moving from field to field. Upper 90s
Friday May 30th - Breakfast at 7 and I hauled a load from yesterday north about 35 miles and then hauled out of the field. One load I took south 60 miles one way to the Pitchfork ranch. Was half done unloading when the leg plugged up. The man in charge said it was going to take 3-4 hours to unplug, I tried to tell him it shouldn’t but he kept saying it would. SO he says just dump it and go. So I spread 500 bu. out on the cement with the hopper and left. He had quite the mess to clean up!!! Turns out I was right cause when I got back to the field (hour later) he had called and said he was running again. Cut till 1:30 in the morning again. Upper 90s
Saturday May 31st - Took my first load to Crowell and sat there for about an hour till the combine moved to another field. Took the grain cart to them and ran that for about an hour till my truck was full. Hauled it East to Vernon and had 30 trucks in front of me. From the time I pulled in till I left was 1 ½ hours. If I was hauling at home and had a line that long it would have taken about 14 hours. We cut till 2 in the morning. Upper 90s
Sunday June 1st - Went to Western Trails Cowboy Church. Very relaxed, laid back service. Relaxed in the afternoon and went pig hunting at dusk. I shot a 125-150 pound sow at 100+ yards off hand in the back of a pickup. For those of you that don’t road hunting, it is very fun. It was hot again today, hit 100.
Monday June 2nd Part 1 - Right now I am sitting in line at Vernon and it looks like 2 out of 3 pits are not running. I have been here an hour and moved maybe 10 trucks. The line is at least 35 trucks. 3 hrs. later - Back in line and parked on the road, but at least everything is fixed and we are moving pretty fast, should only be 1 ½ - 2 hrs.
Part 2 - Worked till 3 in the morning. Ready for some sleep.
Tuesday June 3rd - Hauled wheat all day. Nothing exciting except for no A/C and it was over 100.
Wednesday June 4th - The clutch on the A/C was bad and it siezed up so I got to swap trucks. I am pulling the long hopper so the lightest, shortest truck gets put on there. That is why I didn’t swap earlier, so now I am pulling the 40 ft with one of the sleeper trucks which makes me 1200 pds heavier and longer. Gonna work late again.
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