Update on Gate Guarding

Well, it has been almost two (2) weeks since we got out gate guarding assignment and things are proceeding without any issues. We have our schedule down.........both of us seem to be getting our required sleep......Jim about 8 hours and me about 6 hours. The nights for me are long but I do have trucks in and out throughout the night.  I've been watching a lot of TV (if I can find anything good), playing computer games, cleaning out drawers and cabinets and anything else I can think of to pass the time.

Friday was Jim's "big" day in town..........he drove to Kenedy to pick up our mail (which included our first check), then on to Gate Guard Services in Whitsett to pick up the surge protector we had ordered, on to Pleasonton to do the laundry and get groceries.  He left here around noon and got back around 6 p.m. ...approx. 130 miles round trip,  Oh, our truck now looks like we belong in Texas.......covered in MUD!!!!!  We've had quite a few rainy days and, of course, with the rain comes the mud!!!!

Most of you know that Jim and I never seem to run into any wildlife on our travels......it is a standing joke that if we see a squirrel that counts as wildlife for us.....well, we were sitting here the other day and a bobcat just sauntered across the road.  Unfortunately, I could not get to my camera quick enough to get a picture.  Maybe he will show up again........

Well, that covers it for now.......

2-29 update
Today our service man came out and told us we were done at this gate. So we packed up and headed back to the Whitsett yard to sit until we get a new assignment. Hopefully it will be only a few days. There is one other rig here ahead of us for a new assignment.

These are a couple pictures of the truck after a trip to town several days after a rainstorm

and this is a moth that I saw this morning. They are attracted by the lights a night. This one has about a 4 1/2 inch wingspan

and finally a picture taken at the yard of the sunset with the Texas flag flying. This flag is huge....I would guess about 20X30 foot.

Take care...........

Gate Guarding

 

Finally!!!!!!

We finally got an assignment on Tuesday the 7th. We are about 20 miles north of the town of Kenedy, TX off of TX HWY 80 on a ranch.

N29.06022

W97.84566

No Phone or internet service. I went into Kenedy to by a straight talk phone that has the AT&T network on it so that we can at least make phone calls. I will have to go into town to post this blog.

The first two days were a little hectic getting our hours worked out and getting some sleep. I am working about 6am to 6pm and Linda is working 6pm to 6am….thereabouts.

We are averaging about 50-75 vehicles per day, mostly semi’s picking up excess water or crude oil, plus there are workers here doing clean up work on the site. There is traffic 24 hours a day.That does not count the two “gaugers” who come in every hour and check readings and record them.

We have no idea how long this assignment will last as we are here due to the ranch owner’s request not the oil company…….but are hoping that we can stay here until we are ready to head home in May.  That will give us approx. 12 weeks. 

Yesterday afternoon and evening until about 10pm was a little crazy as they are moving a big pile of dirt from here to somewhere and there were 32 big semi dump trucks in here. The same 8 trucks kept making return trips. They are supposed to do the same tonight but only with 3 trucks

I can sit out at times during the day when the weather is good, but it has been windy and rainy the last few days.

Here are some pictures for you to look at.

This first trailer, from the left, is diesel fuel, black fresh water tank, and generator.

The second trailer is the septic system. There is another tank behind our trailer where the water goes and it is than pumped into the large green tank. From there it flows into the white tank and when it reaches the overflow in that tank it goes onto the ground.

Here are a couple of night pictures

That’s it for now.

Take care, remember we love ya

Jim and Linda