28 Jun Laura: Big Bin

Southeast Colorado – It is time for our annual marital exchange post, this one regarding field directions. Last year it involved GPS. This time it was good old-fashioned verbal conversation. It went something like this, or at least this is how I remember it. The account may or may not be slightly exaggerated for effect, but I think it’s closer than not to what happened.

Me: “I’m going south on that highway you said. Where do I need to turn?”

Ryan: “It’s about x* miles south. Go until you get to the big bin, and go another x miles south. Then you’ll go east to the dead end. You’ll see us. Can’t miss us.”

*I’m using x because I can’t remember the actual mileage.

Me: “Seriously, I’ve gone like 10,000 miles, and there is no big bin.”

Ryan: “It’s a BIG bin. You CAN’T miss it. It is bigger than all the other bins.”

Me: “How big is big?”

Ryan: “It’s a HUGE bin. There’s nothing like it around. You can’t miss it.”

Me: “I’ve passed lots of bins of different sizes. Some are big.”

Ryan: “It’s a large facility with a huge bin surrounded by smaller bins. You can’t miss it.”

My former science teacher self was thinking, “Isn’t there a way to better quantify this? About, big and huge are qualitative terms.” And also, “I know this is going to turn into a ‘Go past Charlie’s dad’s place by the barn that was green back in ’64. Take a left where the old cottonwood tree used to be, and in three miles you’ll be there” situation.” 

OK, so I was just tired. I had driven four nonstop hours; passed through one storm; had another that appeared to be approaching; had two lovely ticking time bombs in the back seat; and virtually no cellphone service, which made for several pieced together, increasingly impatient exchanges.

In the end, that bin WAS huge. Ryan was right (no need to let him know I said that), and I didn’t miss the crew – not even close. But in my defense, I know I’m not the only one who has this or a similar conversation with someone in their operation. 

And just because I can, here are a few other photos from my travels this past week. 

 

All Aboard Wheat Harvest™ is sponsored by High Plains Journal and John Deere. Laura can be reached at laura@allaboardharvest.com.