Hauling Combine Pics w/ Doubles

Lookin back, I wish I would've gone on one of those harvest runs when I was 18-20....before kids, bills, etc etc etc.

 

I did, the summer I graduated high school. Texas to Canada, all the way we went. I wouldnt trade those memories for a million bucks.

Kicked some ###, got my ### kicked, got arrested, spent the night in jail, twice.. Slept with a married woman twice my age (not that I am proud of it) ate better, slept better, drank an ocean of beer. Worked my butt off for very little pay. Got rattler bit. On rain days we got paid to work on the farms and ranches.

Most importantly, I learned so many life lessons from that summer, it changed who i am. I went a total guilable kid, and come back #### near a man.

 

I went on harvest at age 38 two summers ago. Best time i've ever had in my life.

 

Yea, a harvest season will kick an old man's arse. But you can learn a lot too!

 

I went for a season when I was 22, drove a nice KW W900 and pulled a 53' step deck hauling two Case IH combines at a time. Pulled a hopper when cutting, slept very little, drank more than my share, and as anthor post said, got my arse kicked a few time and kicked a few arses. Never wound up in jail but did pick up my first wife from the cafe we ate at every morning in Cut Bank Montana.

I think every young man should go on a harvest crew for at least one season, you leave home a boy and come home a man knowing how to work. These people that run these harvest crews expect a lot from thier people but in exchange they give you life experience that cannot be found anywhere else.

 

My boy went on the wheat harvest in 2010 when he was 19,worked for a harvester out of indiana. They started cutting wheat in Bakersfield Ca. then Denver, Co then finished in Great Falls,Mt.He was hired as a truck driver. He says he was really thankfull for that job and was sure it was the best thing he ever did.Just told me last week he wished he would of went back the second time ,like the others on here have said he left home a boy and came back a man.on the way home when they were done in Montana he had another harvester call and ask him to go to Texas and work on the corn harvest,he declined that offer but told me one day last week he wished he would of went on that also.I flew to Great Falls and rode back with him when they hauled everything back and I could tell then he was ready for the road.So he is 21 now and has a nice peterbilt we just finished redoing and is coming home in August to start running his own.(He has been in Nebraska hauling for a large feedlot and was supposed to come home in April but they offered him a nice raise to stay so he did)

 

I did, best decision I ever made, got my cdl there most of my experience there, and got my go when it's time to attitude there

 

Does Westlake still go to Pierre, SD?