28 Jul Z Crew: Update before we hit the road

Limon, CO: Saturday afternoon around 3pm the Z Crew officially finished harvest in Colorado. The rest of the afternoon was spent doing miscellaneous chores and then we had an evening of company with the farmer and his family.

We all dreaded Sunday morning. Jamie, Curt and Eli left the trailer about 10am to head back to Nebraska. They arrived safely home on Sunday night. And Sunday morning/afternoon/evening was spent cleaning the combine and header, greasing trucks, adjusting breaks and prepping for the long trip to Montana. We got the job finished right before the rain started to fall.

Now I sit here on Monday in a trailer house half way “tore down” and ready to hit the road. Mom and Dad drove out to the farm early this morning to settle up with the farmer and drive the trucks back to town. Once they’re in town we’ll finish packing up the trailer, hook it up and be on the road.

This trip to Montana will be a little bit different than any other trip we’ve ever made. To save a few days and a whole lot of miles, we’ve recruited the help of the farmer’s nephew to move equipment north. We’ll have a full caravan on the road!

Jim: Peterbilt, combine trailer, tractor trailer
Tracy: Freightliner, car trailer hauling the service pickup
Taylor: Dually pulling the trailer house
Callie: minivan
Chanse: farmer’s pickup hauling the header trailer

We’ve got a long three days ahead of us. As long as “nothing blows up” we should make it to Jordan, Montana in good time on Wednesday. Wish us luck on the road!

Some of my fondest memories from this summer were made in this garage. We are very blessed to work with such great people.

After a filling dinner I don’t know how the guys can even pick up a basketball.

Me, Charley (farmer’s granddaughter), Callie and Riley (farmer’s granddaughter) are just fine cheering from the sidelines.

Eli loved to pretend to drive the “go-go’s.” This is the closest thing to a smile I could get. He was too busy making noises and driving like a madman.

Sunday, long before it started to rain, the clouds began to move in.

Callie’s small enough that she crawled into the back of the combine to help Dad with a little project.

Rushed by rain, we got the combine loaded in record time.

As Dad backed up to hook up the tractor trailer, the rain lingered to the northwest.

Miss Riley points to Limon on the Lincoln County map in the shop office.

Very involved in 4-H and the Elbert County fair, the kids had their steers out to get ready for the upcoming week. This is Batman.

And here’s Russel.

All Aboard Wheat Harvest™ is sponsored by High Plains Journal and New Holland Agriculture. The Z Crew can be reached at zcrew@allaboardharvest.com.