Road Crew

Yes, that is me driving the water truck!

We are still in Hatch, UT – guess it is because of how peaceful this place it (Cherokee Springs Golf & RV Resort). I need to take some outdoor pics to share what I mean. The other reason is we are really enjoying the company of the few people here!

Then there is Bandido (it is a d and not a t), our camp host who entertains us late at night by the fire with his crazy stories and colorful jokes!

Bandido is always offering up the chance to workkamp since he is busy with the constant attention the 9-hole golf course needs. So . . . here begins the story of my first day workkamping:

Since we are in the desert the campground roads benefit greatly from being watered to keep the dust down. Each day I have been watching Bandido slowly drive up and down the main drag occasionally stopping to chat and flood a little patch of the gravel road. Now I know this sounds a little crazy (What?! From me???) but there have been a couple of chores I have really enjoyed over the years. Vacuuming the pool when we lived in Michigan was one of them. Partly because I loved that pool and the kids and I thoroughly enjoyed our time in it. The other reason was the solitude. No one could (or did) help me. It was mindless allowing me to (as Deb from Crossfield would say) go to the Bahamas in my head. It was also immediately gratifying when I could see the results of my time right away.

Another chore was mowing the front yard in Virginia. This one was a little trickier. Except for the large slope near the road where if I leaned to keep from tipping over I would lift off the seat causing the mower to shut off it had the same calming effect over me. And, of course the same immediate gratification.

So, watching Bandido, I decided that this chore was another I would enjoy. He laughed at me and I don’t think thought I would (or could) really do it. So when he teased me the other day about not having watered the road I was on my way. The golf course and equipment area is just over a mile down interior road and off I went.

The tank had already been filled with 1600 gallons of water from the spring. I unhooked the water hose, hoisted myself aboard the 1960’s vintage GMC truck and found the lever to slide the bench seat closer to the wheel. A quick look around confirmed the key was in the ignition (like every other vehicle here) and I could reach the gas and brake. OK, choke out, first click and I could hear the fuel pump (and even knew to wait a min.), gear shift in N (no parking gear), looked to release the parking brake to find none – that would be the reason it was in R and there were blocks under the tires! The trick was to get that engine turned over while both feet were holding the brakes (did they even work?)

Got her backed up instead of rolling over the green ahead of me and she stalled. Start again, stall again. Hmmmmm – Gas on E. Just then, Bandido comes running up laughing because he heard the engine and couldn’t believe it was me. How did you get up there without a ladder? HAHAHAHAHAH, funny. How about some fuel? He added a few gallons and wished me well. I headed down the dirt road leading to the area to spray. The steering wheel is as big as the one in the bus although quite a bit “looser”. I felt like the fireman who sits at the back of the ladder truck turning like crazy for even the slightest maneuver. And those brakes . . . yea, right. Jackrabbits and Sage Hen – run for your lives!

As I approached the starting point to water, Arlon (another workkamper) was headed towards me. Whew . . . he graciously climbed up back and opened the water valve for me. All right – it was official now – I was running the water truck!

I made a pass by my cheerleading squad who were enjoying happy hour. The third time by, Jo held up a glass of Merlot for me but I couldn’t get the truck to stay still in N so I could climb out and retrieve it. I’m still wondering why no one brought it to me! By the 5th pass I decided it was easier and more challenging to back up the road rather than go over the cow grate to turn around. I was having a good time bouncing all over the place. No air, no radio, no problem just me and my dustless, damp road!

The road looked wet enough after an hour so I began my return trip. I found a suitable spot to angle the truck so it would stay put in R so I could figure out how to get the valve shut. I couldn’t reach the bar in back to step up, couldn’t get over the PVC shooting out water, so I climbed out the passenger side, stepped on the fuel tank and scooted my way along the side of the water tank. Too bad no one was there to enjoy my rendition of da da da daaaaa, da da da daaaaa (Mission Impossible, you know the tune) as I treacherously dragged my feet in a step together, step together dance attempting to reach the valve before the truck began to roll on its own!

Feeling pretty smug at my little accomplishment, I chugged along the road until I reached the final climb. I was in first gear, floored, slowing down almost to a stop with the remaining water (oh, say, about 1000 gallons) sloshing back and forth. I was even leaning forward coaxing her to just get up another 20 feet . . . the next challenge being parking her back at the water fill which sloped forward. I eased her in place (water still sloshing) and every time I tried to take my feet off the brake (in R) she rolled forward. I was hanging out the door trying to see if I had lined up at the blocks – looked good, but she was still trying to edge forward. Engine off, in R, at the blocks, door open and I carefully inched my way out. It might not have been such a worry but someone had parked the green mower RIGHT in front of where I needed to park the truck! Didn’t need to add that to our bill.

I hit the ground, she creaked a bit and I barely closed the door. Mission accomplished. Betty was watching this scene from the porch and wanted to know what took me so long to get parked? Thanks.

Later that evening, we were all sitting around the campfire (really) watching the 20+ satellites and 3 shooting stars and Bandido asked me what happened earlier. I was imagining the 10,000-pound truck and water carving a trench in the green dragging the mower when he asked why there was still water in the truck. What? I made 8 passes up and down the road! Apparently, he was expecting me to continue until the water was gone. He’s now talking about setting me out in one of the meadows with the back hoe. Oh, baby!

Well, I heard through the sagebrush (there aren’t any grapevines here) that Pete was going to take on the water truck task for the next few weeks. Hmmmmmm did Ole’ Dusty see me having all the fun?!?!?!?!? Make note: I’ll be sure to take him a cool drink during happy hour!

More later,
Jody