The Odd-yssey of Gulchendiggensmoothen

Or, things that happen when I didn't bring a camera.

Okay. It's almost eight o'clock in the AM. I've got all these fenceposts to move to the Lair, and they're still capped with concrete. One of them I can barely even lift. I'm sure not carrying them. I need to get the tractor back to M's place. I need to shovel shit, and it'd be nice if I could bring more of the shit to the pile for later planting. This calls for an intricate plan.

Put boys in Gitmo Poco. Load fenceposts into the front bucket. Take the tractor into the wash, and drive it to the Lair.

The Secret Lair has two vehicle entrances, and I don't recommend trying either of them without a 4X4. One involves a quite steep plunge off a ridge, and the other only takes you to the wash. The tractor has no trouble with the wash, but I wouldn't try driving it down that grade on my drunkest day. So through the wash, up the driveway, dump the posts. Drag them close to where the front fence will go.

While I'm here, the backhoe will help me finally finish moving that last bit of dirt into the septic trench. Maybe an hour and a half with a shovel, less than ten minutes with backhoe. Gad, I love this thing when it's running.

Now to do something weird. Though the Lair is only about two stones' throw from M's Dome and the road to J&H's, it's physically impossible to get there from here in the tractor. Since right now I really need to go to J&H's, the only available road is the long, long loop of the wash. The nice thing about the wash is that it's fairly flat. The bad thing is that it turns a short trip into a very long one because nowhere is it straight. Check fuel: It would be very embarrassing to run it out of fuel that far out in the wash. Then drive and drive and drive until I intersect the road again. One mile as the crow flies, several by the only practical path.

Shovel shit. In this case, shovel it right into the bucket. Say bye to H, then off we go again. I don't think my butt will ever stop vibrating. Get to the manure pile on M's property, dump horseshit, park tractor. Walk home.

Now I've gotta get lunch and a little rest, and go right back to the Lair. But at least it won't be in Gulchenrockenshaken. Enough of that for one day.