Tree Cuting

Well the only bummer about not being home over thanksgiving was that I missed tree cutting!!! (I really didn't miss hanging up mom's lights though.) So I decided to go cut my own.

Last Saturday Matt and I went up above Mancos to find a tree. I have been up several times during the summer to take the quads out. It a pretty cool area. Before even entering the forest, I was meet with a surprise... A GATE! I guess they close the gate before you even get to the forest line, I thought I would be able to go 5-6 miles into the forest. So we decided to try to follow the snowmobiles that were unloading when we showed up. Lets just say... Kate didn't make it too far up the road. I guess I wasn't planning on the 2-1/2' to 3' of snow. So we walked about 3/4 of a mile up the road on the snowmobiles tracks before we decided it was a lost cause.

So I had to go east of town on Monday to get a tree. It was still a fun morning in the snow.

hmm... I don't think kit makes a very good snowmobile.

California

Well... after finally telling April that I would come visit her for almost the past year, I finally decided it really was time to come hang out for a bit. After finding a good deal on a plane ticket, it was a perfect time to go visit April, Nick, and their girls. It was a good old time... Here are some pics I actually stole off of April's blog.

April, Hannah, Page, and Audrey

I got to read "twas the night before Christmas" several times... its a favorite of Hannah's.

Me and the cutties infront of a baby mamoth.
We went to La Brea Tar Pits... It was really interesting.

And we got to even eat pancakes for dinner (Who can say not to breakfast!)

It was a great time. Between hanging out, reading, yummy breakfast beagles, and everything else I enjoyed California (even though it rained all Monday; so much for visiting the sunshine state).

The trip back was a bit evenfull. Sat in Denver for several hours trying to get a plane back to Durango... lets just say a little snow storm hit Durango.

So after a long day in the airports, I finally made it to Durango only to dig out Ted.



But I'd have to say, even with all the airport delays, the snow, the rain... My trip to California was pretty dang fun. Thanks girls!

Rig Hitch

Well its another hitch on the rig. It has been busy as usual. My first several nights were really busy... We have been up in the forrest for the past 2 hitches, so it has been fun to see the colors change. When I first showed up (back in september), the bushes and trees were green and yellow. When I left the leaves were yellow/orange. When I showed up for this hitch the leave have been orange/brown or fallen off. We have several deer that don't hang out "around" the rig, but are often found hanging out on the road withen 1/4 mile of the rig. There have been elk too. I guess there is a couple of huge bulls just up the road.


Last week it was some nice and pretty days... that has changed this week though...

Sunrise

Sunrise

So much for our nice fall time... Winter has come.

Winter time

Well I got to go freeze my little rear off and drill some gas so you guys can sit in comfort.

Fall Time

Well as I promised, I finally sat down with my camera and uploaded a few photos.

Unfortanantly I'm back at work. Even though I was getting tired for being around the house, it was still nice just to be able to do whatever.

MANCOS

Aspeen Loop Trail (But I don't know why they call it that...)

Shark Tooth Mountain

Fall Colors



YANKEE BOY BASIN


More Fall Colors

More Fall Colors

Getting Winter Time

Getting Winter Time

Poor Kit had a bit of a hard time coming up the mountain today.

The trail Matt and I was going to take last time...

Well... Its already been a couple of busy days at work; besides the fact that I'm going on52 hrs with about 3 hrs of sleep. Got to love the job!

Well I hope all is going well.

October Days Off

Well its been a busy days off. Got 2 days of quadin' in. Took the quad out above Mancos one day and Uruay another day! Both were bueatiful days and a lot of fun. (I'll get pictures up later.)

Other than that, I have been just been busy around the house... clean, fix the sink, fix the toliet, get the swamp cooler all rolled up, ect.

I had to go up to the office for a couple of days. Spent 2 days in "career day" classes! (to bad it was on my days off).

Well I got to go shoping and get some food for my rig hitch.

Hope all are doing well.

Days Off

Well, I actually stuck around for my last days off... It was nice to be finally be able to get some things done around the house.

Also, took the quads out a couple of different days... One day above Silverton and the other above Ouray. Saw snow both days (but nothing too crazy since both times I was 12,000' - 13,000'.

Matt

Storm Moving in

Kit and Kate!!

More Photos of the storm coming in.

So it was a good days off, unfortantly I'm back at the grind again... I guess on a good note, is I don't spend too much money out here.

My New Name

Well, I got a new name the other day. I don't really know why or where they got it from

Maybe its casue I only avg like 2 - 3 hrs of sleep a day?

Oh yeah, I had to add a little home time pride on the hard hat as well.

GO POKES!!

Its been a busy couple of days, but we have been rotating, which is always a good thing! Just a coulple of more days. Well got to run.

Another fast 2 weeks

Well it was another quick days off. Ran back up to Wyoming again. Went to the cabin for a couple of days. Helped put of the new garage/shop. It turned out pretty good. I still can't believe how green it is for middle/end of Aug.

Then I came back down off the mountain to Mom and Dad's for Nik's reception. It was fun to have Amber and Josh home as well, but I was happy to leave. I did bring my girls back home with me.

Well work is work. I am glad just to have a job. They just announced that COPC will be dropping another 2 rigs, which is crazy... we will be 4 rigs compared to 12 last year. Well best get back to the grind.

BEN

New Rig

Well I'm not doing very good at keeping up. It has been pretty busy though. I ended up switching rigs in last month, and in the process had to bump by schedule around... ended up pulling a 30 out of 35 day hitch, which was pretty long. I was pretty shot by the end of it... To many late nights/all nighters. I'm on AWS 730 now, and am enjoying it. Right now we are drilling a dual lateral and I am learning lots.

I am up to like 11 nights I think now at my place, not bad for being there since May. Its a good thing Kate didn't get done and I had to stay around for a couple of days, or I'd be like at 8 or something. Went up to the cabin on last days off; meet Jeff, Josh, and Tanner up there (Dee as well) and we poured a cement pad for a little shop/garage. There wasn't much play time, but oh well. I left Durango (waiting around for Kate to be done) at about 6 tuesday night. Drove all night tuesday, pulled into Riverton about 3:30 and stopped and got donunts for mom and dad. Went home and laid on the couch from about 4:00 - 5:00, when I got up mom told me I needed to go back to bed and I hadn't slept long enough... I just smiled and told mom, this is what I do now, hell... I even got an hour nap in, that an hour more than a lot of nights.

Well got to get back to work.. Hope you all are doing well.

Better picture of la casa....

So I didn't give a good pic of front. So here is one thats a bit better than the other.

Oh, yeah, don't that truck look good there in the front?

La Casa

Well I have signed my life away.. I bought a home.

I'm sure you all are wanting to see pictures of mi new casa. Well here are a few. Its funny, I have been living there for like 1 1/2 months, and I think I've spend maybe 5 nights there. So much for buying a home to stay in.

Front

Living Room

Kitchen

2nd Bed Room

Master Bedroom

Family Room

Dinning Room

Bathroom

Front

Back Yard

Back Yard

Back Garage

Well theres the pics. Nothing to fancy, but its a head over my head.. Now if I only would have time to spend a night there.

--BEN--

Busy Busy

Whats up all,

Its been a while since I've been on. Life has been good and busy.

Hmmm.. went home a couple hitches ago to grab bumble bee. Its great to have it around. Moved into my place back in the middle of May. Oh yeah, I bought a house, I'll have to get pics up later.

As for work, I just switched rigs. I'm out on 730 now. When I get off the middle of July, I would have worked 30 out of 35 days.

Well got to run.

2 weeks gone.

Buenos,

My days off are done and I'm back at it again on the rig.

Its funny how a person changes. My first days off, I didn't know what to do with 2 weeks. Hell, I couldn't tell you the last time I had 1 week off, let alone two. After about 1 week off, I was ready to get back at again... well, not any more. Now it seems like 2 weeks ain't long enough.

I had a good weeks off. I did spend a few days in the office working on some projects, but other than that it was a lot of play. I was able to hit a few bucket of balls, which is always nice. Took kitty out several times!

This last weekend, Lou, Anthony, Cameron, and I went up to transfer station (up above Mancos) and went camping and riding. It was a good time, and lots of stories.

camp site

my sleeping bag (on left) and their tent (right)

Spent all Saturday morning getting Cameron's truck unstuck. (Anthony and him decided to go four wheeling that morning.) Unfortantly I haven't put anything in my new truck so I didn't have any chains, ropes, or pull ropes to use. We tried using Kate to get it out, but didn't work the greatest. So we ended up having to run down to Mancos to buy a tow rope.

So the afternoon we took the quads out and had some fun. My quad is deffinantly not a sled. And then on the way back to the trailers Cameron rolled Kate :(. Luckly he got out with very minor damage (2 staples in the head, a soar shoulder, and a little road rash). Kate got a pretty good beating though. She is up in the shop... waiting for a quote.

poor Kate

Well I best get back to paying attention to the rig, so I'll chat at you all later.

-- JAMMIN --