Ranch life has its seasons and I'm not just talking winter, spring, summer, fall. I'm talking about things we do year after year like clockwork. Sometimes, our journal entries sound like a repeat from the year before and the year before and the year before that too. I thought I would look back through the annals of time and actually re-post a journal entry similar to what we are up to now. Road Work!
We have miles and miles of dirt road that has to be maintained. We are very grateful that we have our own rock pit and large 'boy toys' to get the work done. We are especially thankful that we have our neighbor, Gil, who is an amazing operator and fixes all of our mistakes and the weather's damage. Who looks absolutely the same today as he did then. He is the most vital and strong and sharp 87 year old that I think we have ever met. We love ya Gil!
Without further adieu:
Boy Toys, circa 2008 Written by Mark:
For the past few days our two neighbors and I have been rockin' the roads. (we're cool, but there's no music involved) Gil , rancher to the west, Pete, rancher to the east, and I have become the three amigos road team. Our area receives an average of 8 feet of rain per year... since we need to use the roads in any weather we try to keep the surface covered in rock (gravel). Our ranch has the best source of gravel and we provide the loader, Pete has a small dozer with a 6-way blade and he provides the snacks, Gil and I both have dump trucks and he provides the road grader. (Gil is also the only member of our team who really knows road work, He actually built most of the roads we are now using.)
Here's some photos from today; I'm sorry there aren't any pics of Pete and his dozer in operation but while we were working on his ranch, we drivers had our hands full avoiding Kris, (the lady of the ranch) who was eagerly searching the fresh road covering for arrow-heads and other artifacts!
My Ride!
This is Gil and his Grader. note the all-day coffee 
The Load-out (with apologies to Jackson Browne)
Pete and I have a great time, the roads are improved, and Gil gets entertained watching us make him look magic!
Max said he wants to come play!
ReplyDeleteOkay, "Boy Toys"??? Innuendo much? Too funny.
ReplyDelete96 inches, eh? I believe Hilo (on the opposite side of our island) gets over 300 inches a year. I think people over there grow moss instead of hair.
Oh, and I like your Peterbilt. I'm more partial to Kenworths, but I'm biased because my dad worked there before working at Paccar (they own both Peterbilt and Kenworth).
Wanna know a secret? When I was a little girl, I wanted a Kenworth instead of a car or truck.
You have 8 feet of rain a year... we have 8 inches of rain a year.
ReplyDeleteYou must have a great time machine, it's only February 18 and yet this posting is March 1, 2017
ReplyDelete