I didn't get nearly any sleep Sunday night, I was anxious for Monday morning, I didn't want to be late for the driver and I had some soda before bed. I was lucky enough to be able to popup in the driveway so I didn't need to find a place to stay. I woke up around 5:45, made coffee and got my things together. It was raining pretty good so I wore my boots, Carhartt jacket, rain pants and coat. I was also given a "tin" to wear while I was in the log yard (basically a loggers hard hat). I walked to the end of the driveway around 7 and just as I got to the end a basically brand new Kenworth truck pulled up. I hopped in and introduced myself to the driver, the cab was ************. The dash was filled with gauges and buttons, the truck was a 18 speed and equipped with a sweet cb radio. The driver was a really cool guy, told me not to worry about my seat belt (I put it on anyway). It was dark when we rolled out but got a little lighter as we went on. The road we started up was called Swamp Mountain Road, it was bumpy and filled with trees with moss growing all over them. He shouted slang on the CB which I though was pretty cool even though I had no idea what he was talking about.
We got up to the landing and the shovel unloaded his trailer (the log trailer sits on the back of the truck so they can transport it easier). A large load was loaded in a matter of minutes, then they were tied down with cable wraps and we were on our way to the mill. It took about an hour or so to get to the mill but it seemed like no time at all, Jeff the driver told me all about the business, how much it cost to run the truck and how much he makes per load. He talked about his ol' lady a little and how they grow all their food in the garden and how he hates going out to eat at restaurants. He expressed that he hasn't ate at one of "those establishments" in 8 years. He also likes cigarettes, whiskey and beer (hates those microbrew beers). I asked him if it was ok that I stay at the yard so I could watch the loggers do their thing, he then yelled some stuff on the cb and the response was "hmmya mmaybe we can set'm up with coon eddy" he agreed with a "copy that" then a "10-4" and I found myself standing with the "chaser" (the guy that unhooks the chokers). They had a fire going so I stood between the yarder and the de-limber and watched the action. I also took some poser shots pretending as if I was a real logger, it was cool, then I got back in the truck.
We got up to the landing and the shovel unloaded his trailer (the log trailer sits on the back of the truck so they can transport it easier). A large load was loaded in a matter of minutes, then they were tied down with cable wraps and we were on our way to the mill. It took about an hour or so to get to the mill but it seemed like no time at all, Jeff the driver told me all about the business, how much it cost to run the truck and how much he makes per load. He talked about his ol' lady a little and how they grow all their food in the garden and how he hates going out to eat at restaurants. He expressed that he hasn't ate at one of "those establishments" in 8 years. He also likes cigarettes, whiskey and beer (hates those microbrew beers). I asked him if it was ok that I stay at the yard so I could watch the loggers do their thing, he then yelled some stuff on the cb and the response was "hmmya mmaybe we can set'm up with coon eddy" he agreed with a "copy that" then a "10-4" and I found myself standing with the "chaser" (the guy that unhooks the chokers). They had a fire going so I stood between the yarder and the de-limber and watched the action. I also took some poser shots pretending as if I was a real logger, it was cool, then I got back in the truck.
