it’s a wrap

Wheat harvest 2014 is complete for the Z Crew.

A bittersweet farewell to something that has been a day-to-day adventure…whether sitting in the Cottage waiting for the rain to let up or out in the field…for the past 79 days. If you’ve followed us from the beginning, you know it was a late start due to drought and late season freezes. We made it to Kansas on June 18th. Our typical summer runs 110+ days. It will be good to get back home and be reunited with the rest of the family. But leaving the harvest world is difficult for me. I’ve written about this several times in the past. I don’t know why and I can’t seem to put a finger on it.  Soon, though, we’ll be home, home and it will feel like the harvest journey never even happened. It’s because of this that I enjoy going back through my posts and reading what we did on a particular day or in a particular area.

Here’s a few pictures of our last day.

Reading my latest “Nebraska Life” while waiting for Frank to get full.

Hope to see ya next year, grain bins!

Moved the Beast back to Jordan – 1.5 hour drive. Jim decided to take what was left of the day to begin the clean up.

This is what happens when 10″ of rain settles in. It takes a screwdriver to dig this stuff out. The sprouted wheat is cemented in with intertwined roots.

 So, while Jim is doing his thorough after-wheat-harvest-cleaning and preparing vehicles for their 900 mile journey home, I’ll take this time and share the three days of mountains (and trees).

We packed our bags and left the Cottage mid afternoon on Friday. We made it as far as Livingston that first night. We checked into the motel and headed downtown to the 49er Diner for a bite to eat. When we stepped out of the restaurant, it was raining. Go figure.

Crossing the Musselshell River. More water than I’ve ever seen in this river. After the big rains, this river washed away several bridges. The video I’ve attached below shows some pretty impressive water flowing through a river that’s usually nearly non-existent.

Seeing these beautiful Judith Mountains near Lewistown made me realize just how much I missed being in this part of Montana.

You’ll have to view the rest of my pictures from here on out knowing the majority of them were taken from a moving pickup. Not very good but better than nothing! I apologize now.

The night lights of Livingston, MT.