Wow, who knew how harsh the summer conditions in South Texas really were. Where we are the temperature routinely reads between 104 and 107 in the middle of the day. Hell, last night after the sun went down it still read 101. According to the TV, San Antonio tied the record at 104. The all time record there is 106. The other day while doing some errands in Corizzo Springs the temperature gauge in the Explorer said 117 and didn't even start to come down until I was several miles out of town. People walking around like it was nothing. Naturally we would be here in record breaking heat. A lot of the time we are seeking shelter in the trailer and dash out from time to time. We have been hit pretty hard a few times during the day and sometimes are out in it for several hours checking vehicles. I would stroke out if I couldn't keep pouring water over my head and neck. Nothing like it that I have experienced before. Even hotter than a motorcycle ride I took through central California one year. I guess heat stroke has been a problem at the rig as well. That and the dust is incredibly debilitating. The good news though is all our equipment is working flawless. Power is provided by a Diesel Generator. Dometic refridge is keeping things ice cold in the fridge part and freezing water overhead. Our AC which is running 24/7 I would guess keeps our little trailer at about 75 or a little above. I think that is better than many other folks probably due to the size of our trailer. That is the one thing that could sabotage us if it went out. Were shooting for seven months. Starting the 4th week and only one mouse so far. No snakes and I have killed a half a dozen scorpions and a centipede or two. None in the trailer. Still leery wandering outside in the dark though. We spread mothballs under the trailer supposed to keep them out. No such thing as a cold shower as the water sits in an outside tank and is barely endurable due to the temp. We thought we would be more into cooking but we just eat simple stuff. Either too hot or too tired to cook.
A lot of young guys working here who address you as sir and Lisa as ma'am. BBQ is catered from time to time and several times a plate has been brought out to us. Lisa in particular seems to get quite a few gifts. 12 packs of pop, bags of cookies etc. People stop when leaving and ask if there is anything we need from the store and sometimes take our garbage. Couple of whiffle balls we have to deal with, but I'll comment on that later. Folks out here seem a lot nicer than where I come from.
This afternoon an illegal was discovered dead of exposure about 200 yards from a gate guard station a couple of miles from here. Originally the story went around that it was foul play and a Machete was involved. That was later debunked. Poor guy. That settles it in my mind. There is no way I would deprive anybody of water and we have a cooler outside in the event we are approached. The problem is then they want to borrow your phone, have you give them a ride etc and want to pay with some pretty hefty cash that rumor has more than one gate guard has succumbed. Huge federal offense with mandatory time I am sure. A friend dealt with an MS 13 member recently. Reminds you they are not all harmless. I'll give em water. Cheese and crackers are mine though. Then I would call Border Patrol.
We barely have a phone and scabbed onto an air card a few days ago. In between the dings when I am summoned outside to check in a vehicle, I have spent some midnight hours reading some highly entertaining and not just a little inspirational blogs of some well lived crusty old guys with some awesome skill with the prose. I don't want to blaspheme but it's almost cowboy poetic. My first pick is
http://www.myoldrv.com/
and
http://thefatguy.com/
I don't think they would mind I advertised them here.
No comments:
Post a Comment