I was finally set loose from the office again after almost three months. I traveled to western Nebraska and central Missouri to install kits I designed on two mowers belonging to customers. They aren't something we have time to thoroughly test in Pella, and they aren't critical enough to make or break a day or even a season in the field for the customers, so sending them out is the way to go. Those two trips were also my first time on my own doing whatever I had to do, so that felt like a rite of passage.
I covered 1250 miles or so over three days. Both customers were a pleasure to work with, especially the one in Nebraska, who ran a thirty section (20,000 acre) family-owned outfit. He was definitely a cowboy, maintained a fine mustache, and kept his boots outside his pant legs. He sent some riders out to gather while I was there, and told them they'd be a couple short; a pair had been struck by lightning during the night. I don't believe there had been any rain.
Western Nebraska has a landscape similar to eastern Montana, which makes sense. It's cow country with lots of pivots, the first wheat I'd seen in months, and open grassland. Missouri is rolly and has plenty of corn and hay ground with timber along the bottom lands, very similar to southern Iowa.
I got back from Missouri Friday afternoon, and flew on standby generally west early Saturday morning. I'd gotten the ticket as a buddy pass from a good friend who happens to be a SkyWest pilot. Corey and Tiffany McBain had their first wedding anniversary in Coeur d'Alene, and wanted as much of the wedding party to camp with them by the lake. I wound up flying into Kalispell, rode with Mackenzie to Missoula where we met Scott Ervin, then drove to Coeur d'Alene. It was great to see the McBains and my other friends from Seattle who also came out!
We drove back to Zoo on Sunday, where my dad and grandma met me. After the drive home, my total for the week was right around 2000 miles. The rest of the week was spent on the ranch, working on the swather and on balers because I'm apparently now an expert, moving sheep and cows, and most importantly, spending time with my parents, grandma, aunt and uncle, Courtney and Aaron who were back for a quick vacation, and my silly little niece. I was thrilled when she enthusiastically hugged me after I first got home, but then she kept thinking I was trying to "get her" and we were trapped in a squealing game of tag the rest of the trip.
We had a great barbecue on the 4th, complete with Aaron's sister Allison from Missoula and neighbor Katy Peterson (sorry to blow your cover Katy). I introduced everyone to my favorite Bozeman-flavored yard game, ski pole frisbee, which Elayna loved. Watching E get into the fireworks was a riot.
I didn't take my fiddle home this time, but went to Riley's in Helena anyway. Will lent me his fiddle for a couple tunes and I visited with several Townsend buddies and Mr Dan Boyce. One of my favorite parts of this trip was catching up with so many friends and neighbors. I did plenty of that, and could have spent much more time doing it.
Kenzie came down Thursday night. We hiked around the ranch Friday morning and spent time with ACE the rest of the day. She took me to Bozeman and the airport on Saturday. As we were eating La Parilla burritos, strolling around downtown, and laying in the grass in one of the parks, I was kicking myself for not making more time to be in Bozeman. Of all the places I've been, Bozeman in the summer is one of the best. The festive "let's go adventure" atmosphere and the ample opportunities, the bizarre mix of people who are all generally friendly, the trees along the streets so heavily leafed out that they create corridors, the mountains with snow on them in July, the sunny 80 degree air. And that's just a typical afternoon; things like Music on Main just sweeten the deal. I may just have to see if I can connive or contrive my way back there one more time before summer's over. For now I'm back in Iowa, looking at more time in the office, at least one trip to Wisconsin for a farm show, a possible trip to Canada, and certainly some field time in the Iowa humidity, such as it is in this dry year.
