I loaded up my DW10, MikeMc loaded his D4 on his home fabricated bed and we headed for Woodland Friday night. Even though its a Kenworth, Mike's load was light enough that he was able to keep up with my Peterbilt all the way up there!

We spent the night with my family and arrived at the Best Ranch Saturday morning. My DW10 won't clear my ramp to unload on the ground, so I usually have to use a dock or back into a ditch. Mike had the great idea of using a handy forklift to lift the scraper so that we could back off the trailer without a problem. We unloaded his D4 from his deck, which tilts down on the fifth wheel to touch the ground. He said that the last five feet of deck are 35 degrees, but it looked like 90 degrees to me! Then we used the forklift to remove Mike's deck so we were ready to go trucking.

We went to the Wallace Ranch to see what was ready to haul. Doug Veerkamp was there with three detachable neck trailers and a whole crew. We all worked to load Doug's trucks, Willie's truck and Mike's and Mine. There was plenty of fresh running tractors thanks to the Tuesday work crew, Jess' and Willie's helpers and other's work for the past week.

I took two two tons and (I think) a 28, and Mike hauled a Diesel 75. I know that it is hard to believe with all these wonderful tractors, but they kind of run together after a while. I have to refer back to my pictures to figure out what I hauled, when. By the time we got all six trucks unloaded and the tractors situated it was lunch time. Doug's crew stopped for lunch, I went to get a D7 17A and disc that had cleaned up an area for a display near the freeway and Mike returned to Wallace's. After loading the D7 and disc, I delivered it to Wallace's.

Mike was there having lunch. Someone put together a wonderful spread of green salad, four different macaroni, potato and pasta salads, bread and butter, sliced tri tip and brownies for dessert. All were home made. I can tell you, if that is a preview of the prime rib dinner, you don't want to miss it! I had two big plate fulls. Moving Cats around is hungry work!

Mike then loaded up the second Diesel 60 made and a gas 60. I loaded two Best 30s and a Holt Midget. We delivered these to the Best Ranch.

On the way back to Wallace's we passed the three Veerkamp trucks, with Willie bringing up the rear in his truck. Doug and Willie and team had been a Heidricks' house getting what they could running and loading dead tractors, too.

If you can envision this, Doug's trucks are all blue and white, shiny trucks with heavy front axles. They look professional and all business. Some of you have seen Willie's truck. It's a raggedy lookin, "classic", Cat yellow, two axle Peterbilt, hauling a red tilt trailer. About the only sadder looking truck that could still haul itself down the road is my 1969 $200.00 Freightliner. My truck is so bad that my Mom declared it a safety hazard to myself and the general public and bought me this new Peterbilt, just for sake of her granddaughters!

Anyway, here are Doug's three trucks, loaded for bear with every imaginable Cat, Holt 45s, 60s, you name it, wheeling down the road, through the curves. Here comes Willie, just like a little terrier with his truck, nipping at their heels. Right after Willie passed, Mike and I made another curve and what did we see but a California Highway Patrol, big as life.

Now, Doug's strategy became clear to me. Put Willie in the back as a decoy, and Doug could have hauled a barn sideways down the road with no permit, because Willie was the decoy! From what I could see, Willie had a stock of 12" square pieces of 1" deck plate that he was heaving out the window to slow the officer down.

Apparently, Doug's and Willie's strategy worked, because no one was arrested and all the tractors got to where they needed to go. It is really a treat to work with these guys and learn all the hidden trade secrets about how this tractor hauling stuff works. We accountants don't know about all this stuff.

After learning about how to positively interact with local law enforcement, Mike and I felt we were ready for something a little more challenging. Jess loaded Mike up with a D7 17A and rice bankout to see what we were capable of. The D7 and bankout fit right on Mike's trailer with almost an inch to spare, provided we balanced things just right! The bankout has a spout about 18 feet high, which Jess courteously placed to the center of the road, so we wouldn't knock any trees over. As long as the approaching cars were not afraid to drive underneath, we wouldn't have any problems. If they were afraid, they could go in the ditch!

Mike hauled, and I followed in my truck to pick up any spare copper that Mike might liberate on the trip. We are very concerned about recycling here in California!

We left Wallace's and got out on the county road with only some small branch damage to the local oaks. We got moving up the road, just reaching about 60 mph, when we crested a rise and found the local officer with a ne'erdowell stopped on the other side of the road. Mike and I just smiled, waved and looked like we belonged there, just like Willie and Jess had taught us. The officer kindly waved back and tipped his hat to us, so we proceeded with the days work.

We managed not to interrupt local telephone or cable TV on this trip. I told Mike he had no problem and cleared all of the wires by at least six inches.

Mike got to break ground on the play area with his D4 pushing up a ramp to unload the D7 and bankout. I told him he needed a silver blade and hard hat for this kind of work! That concluded Saturday's adventures. We got home and into bed about 9:00 pm.

Continued next post.

After this load, I told Jess that I thought Mike and I were fully trained and qualified and he could take the training wheels off our trailers.

Mike tried a couple of pulls, but the Best wouldn't go up the ramps. At this point, we both were thinking, we should give this up and try something else, but we didn't. Mike tried one more pull, easing out the clutch on the D2. As he did, the hook on the block opened up and the block and cable shot toward Mike.

He got a pretty good cable rash on his arm, probably worth three stitches or so, another good lump on his arm and his hat adjusted, but nothing hit him in the head. We shut down and hosed out his wound. Mike went inside for first aid treatment and to try to stop the bleeding, and I put everything away. The girls inside had a nice little first aid basket and took good care of him.

We told Mike to go to the urgent care and get a butterfly or stitches, but he said he was tough and would superglue it together. Jess came and helped to rinse him out and disinfect everything, then Jess and Mike glued his arm together and wrapped him up in gauze. When you see Mike at the show, ask him to see his badge of honor scar, or just sock him in the left arm, whichever you think is appropriate.

Mike pronounced himself healed, so he and I took my truck to get the last D7 17A for the day. We had a nice twenty mile or so drive to chat, watch the sun get lower in the sky and reflect on the weekend's work.

We returned, unloaded the D7 and took some pictures of the spread so far.

I had to return to work, so I got up this morning at about 2:30 am in order to be to work on time. Mike was having too much fun, so he stayed today and I beleive he is going to make a trip or two to Colusa to get more tractors.

The first group of pictures are below and the rest will follow on replys.

If there is any way you can make it, don't miss this show. So many people have been working so hard, it is going to be a once in a lifetime event, in so many ways.

Thanks to all for letting Mike and I participate and for all your hard work.

Pete.

Well, I can't make all the pictures work with my quota, so I have uploaded them to Photobucket. If I can figure out how to link from here to Photobucket, you should be able to go over there and browse through the album yourself. They are numbered in chronological order.

Pete.

s276.photobucket.com/albums/kk12/pbloom/

Pete:

Thanks for posting all of the pics and for all of your hard work in getting stuff to the show. I am glad Mike survived his near miss. Man do you have to be careful loading and unloading, that is where more people are hurt than at the actual show.

Sorry I missed the weekend as I was getting stuff finished for the show.

T

Thanks Garlic pete, if you can't be there yet, its almost as good!!...well not quite. See you in Mid June.

"Garlic wrote:

We managed not to interrupt local telephone or cable TV on this trip. I told Mike he had no problem and cleared all of the wires by at least six inches.

Reminds me of when my Brother went to get a JD High Cycle sprayer from Helm, CA and deliver it to the delta. (read lots of detours) The thing was about as wide as our trailer bed and tall. Our trailer is very simmilar to Willies. I asked my brother how did you get that here? I Just remember my brother telling me not tell Dad or his wife about how many rules he interpreted, this was about a week after a neighbor ripped the top off a Price bean harvester on a mismarked I-5 bridge dragging it home with his pickup from Colusa.


Good thing Mike made out all right with that cable incident, I am always sumwhat leary of wire rope due to the damage they cause when they let loose.

I Hope to see you guys later this month, I would come help haul, but the CA DMV doesn't let me haul due to medical issues.

This little high track pictured below almost caused serious injury to my head. As I was pulling on it my intuition was telling me STOP!!!! But I ignored it and tugged on the cable with the D2. As soon as I felt the D2 lunge forward I knew immediately what happened. I ducked and put my arm up to protect my head and WHAM my elbow was split open. Then crazy Pete went and turned the water hose on high with 40 psi at the tip and wanted to wash it out LoL. Jess wanted me to go get stitches but I didn't want to wait in line for 6 hours with a bunch of Spanish speaking locals. So we got the super glue out and it worked. My arm is still swollen and looks like Popey's arms.

I told them if they give me the 500K tractor I wont sue... Jess replied "if you don't sue we'll let you haul more Cats." Sounded like a good deal to me so Pete and I went in his Pete to fetch a D7. He felt bad so he let me drive, this confirmed I made the right decision buying a KW:D

Tom Madden, would you send me or post your telephone number please.