Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 28 & 29

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 74 degrees partly sunny this morning to partly sunny 93 degrees and windy. There were some high wind gusts from the southeast all afternoon into the evening.

A normal amount of daily maintenance gate traffic for the ranch today.

wind sox straight out this morning

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 77 degrees mostly cloudy this morning to mostly sunny 93 degrees. The wind gusts picked up earlier today the wind sox are straight out with the steady wind.

The rancher’s cattle came up near the gate this afternoon just as the man came to change the oil and filter in the generator. The one bad part is shutting off the electric and the air conditioner is off while changing the oil and filter. Bonnie had left Buster going into Pleasanton before the man came to change the oil and filter.  

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 26 & 27

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 75 degrees mostly cloudy and a rain shower this morning to partly sunny 88 degrees. Sun in and out (mostly in) during the day

Indianapolis 500 and Coke a cola 600 (Charlotte, NC) a lot of good racing today and only six "gate crashers" crossed the cattle guard.
Monday, May 27, 2013


Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 73 degrees mostly cloudy this morning to mostly sunny 95 degrees.

There are more trucks showing up at the gate today (tank trucks removing crude oil) and the regular daily well checkers. I took the garbage into tilden today as we did not need anything from the store. The big story is Bonnie stayed up so I could work on the toilet as the floor seal needed to be replaced. I did have a replacement available just have been putting it off as someone has to be available to do the gate. I did not want to be laying on the floor working and a truck come to the gate as they get impatient with any wait time at all.

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 25

Saturday, May 25, 2013


Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 69 degrees rained and mid morning partly sunny and rain again with wind gusts to partly sunny 88 degrees.

Bonnie awoke later today but I still went into Pleasanton as we have to cart our garbage out and I need to stay after that or it is a problem to dispose of easy. The rain north of us in San Antonio was over ten inches today with street flooding and other problems. Atascosa county is watching for flooding but I did not see any flooding or storm damage on my trip. Only the normal roadside animals for a Saturday night.

We had the absolute minimum gate traffic today two vehicles to check the oil wells, two because two different companies own the ranches oil wells and one crude oil tanker removing crude oil from well.

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 23 & 24

Thursday, May 23, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 77 degrees mostly cloudy this morning there were a few spits of rain to partly sunny 93 degrees. Cloudy-hazy day with the sun breaking out for a couple of short periods.

This is the seven hundredth post for this blog. The first post was July 19 2010 we had been full timing a little over two years and wanted to start the recording of the what and where of our life. That post subject was what had happened the previous month.

Not much going on here gate traffic is low and the long weekend is looming.

We have puddles

 Friday, May 24, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 75 degrees mostly cloudy this morning to mostly sunny 83 degrees. Rain we got rain, enough for large puddles and tire tracks

It will be a slow weekend as the rig has pulled out this morning along with the support equipment that traffic is done and just minding the gate. Buster’s water and diesel fuel for the electric generator came after the rains. Walking around was slippery. In the picture below you can see the tire tracks from the water and diesel fuel delivery vehicle and a few pickup trucks that came in later in the day.

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 21 & 22

Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 79 degrees mostly cloudy this morning to mostly cloudy 90 degrees. Hazy overcast all day with the winds a little lower today.

We will be having a oil well work over rig come back as there are problems with the well operating. We will be getting gate traffic with that operation. Otherwise we are at a minimum level of in and out traffic these days. Bonnie got up late but I still went into Pleasanton to dump garbage and do some shopping.

The weather was very hazy humid in the late afternoon and it seems the winds are feeding the storm line going up into Oklahoma and north. "dry line: A boundary which separates warm, dry air from warm, moist air. The differences in the two air masses may be significant. The dry line is usually a boundary of instability along which thunderstorms form." We are feeding the wet line from here and the Gulf of Mexico thus the wind speeds are twenty to forty miles per hour. (To enlarge pictures; Click on picture to enlarge, click on the < in the upper left to return to the blog)

Here comes the work over rig to the gate

Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 72 degrees hazy this morning to mostly sunny 94 degrees. The wind is dying down a little each day so today it is a much nicer level (acceptable almost) and more sun during the midday.

About ten o’clock the work over rig arrived on site with the support trucks arriving before the rig. I could hear it this morning in Bonnie’s voice she is getting cabin fever and probably will go into Pleasanton today when she gets up.

The rig is signed in

 

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 19 & 20

Sunday, May 19, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 78 degrees partly sunny this morning to partly sunny 93 degrees. The wing is still high and the air is clearer but feeling the temperature more today. Bonnie and I 48 years today.

Tankers only today hauling out crude oil and some water otherwise it is quite here.

Monday, May 20, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 77 degrees mostly sunny this morning to mostly sunny 93 degrees. Still wind and hazy in the air better than the tornados north of us in Oklahoma.

Walking back away

Another slow day with water and oil tankers removing crude oil. And this evening we finally saw the cows the rancher brought in a couple of weeks ago. Bonnie was sitting at the computer and they were walking up on the left side of Buster, to the fence and I was out to take pictures. Seeing me they watched turned and walked back the way the came.

Cattle by the gas compressor facility fence

 

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 19

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 76 degrees mostly sunny this morning to partly sunny 92 degrees.

Hazy Sunrise

I guess it is me worrying about the generator running out of diesel fuel thus no electric to operate the air conditioners in the afternoon heat. Our road is almost seven miles from the paved road then another mile plus down our road. The best I can say is we are off the beaten path and I must think that we are forgotten and the delivery passed us by. Water has been ok even using the washing machine, we seem to have enough supply in the black tank for ten days. Besides we have another one hundred gallons of water in buster’s water tank.

While getting the diesel and before putting in the water the driver and I leveled the trailer using a bottle jack that he had on his truck (leveling left to right) as the right side was low. The diesel tank fill port is on the right side of the white tank and the pump out on the left side. This made the low point on the right side and the fuel there could not be pumped out to the generator’s fuel tank. When the trailer was placed here it was midnight, I was asleep and not totally understanding so that is now corrected. My now experience as a gate guard I have a better idea as to how I want to be setup at the next location and what to look for.

Another thing about the off the beaten path, trucks given directions to another gate still come to our gate to make a delivery or do work at the ranch only they are at the wrong

ranch if they had continued on Franklin Ranch road another three miles they would have arrived at the correct location. This means they have driven over a mile of the worst road just to be turned around and drive that road again. I have read another blog where the rancher does not want these trucks turning around on his property, luckily our reacher does not have that idea and we do have the room at the gate for the big trucks to make a u-turn. As seen in the header picture there is also another ranch entrance and some drivers get confused which ranch to enter. Now if they come into this gate and the other ranch is where they need to be then it is easier to back out and enter the other ranch.

Some I have no idea where the rig they are looking for is located. Some drive right past the natural gas compressor facility just before our gate trying to deliver to the ranch when they need to be at the natural gas compressor facility. These it is a turn around and point them in the right direction.

It is starting off today a slow hot and windy morning then late morning the winds realy came up and I had to bring in the awnings. With the dust in the air and clouding up I did not feel the temperature.

Happy anniversary to us 48 years

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 17

Friday, May 17, 2013

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 75 degrees partly sunny this morning to mostly sunny 95 degrees.

Saturday sunrise

The water and diesel fuel for the electric generator is scheduled for a weekly delivery and when we started in March, Thursday was our designated day of delivery. We experienced a gradual extension of delivery from the above to a Sunday delivery then a return to Thursday that lasted two weeks. Every week the delivery was extended a day there was a different explanation starting with the delivery’s could be seven to nine days between delivery’s. (Originally the seven to nine days between delivery’s between delivery’s was not given, Thursday is your day. Yes that sounds good but the excuses given for extending the delivery day used are lame (to me). The delivery’s are preformed by a another contractor. This week the story is a trailer breakdown last Friday and fixing on Monday then finishing last weeks delivery’s. Yes we received our delivery late in the day today. Bonnie was up early (noon ish) and went into Pleasanton for shopping but would not take the gargage so I will do that tomorrow.

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 15 & 16

Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 72 degrees mostly cloudy this morning to mostly sunny 83 degrees. Overnight (early in the morning before I got up) there was enough rain for Buster to take a quick shower. As I look out the windshield and see the sunrise I am looking thru rain drops on the glass. The best part is not enough to make mud, but there was some dirt sticking to my shoes.

An average day of gate traffic wise and the high traffic was after lunchtime here. I took a ride into Tilden, Texas there is always garbage to dispose.

Thursday, May 16, 201
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 73 degrees partly sunny this morning to mostly sunny 95 degrees. It has warmed up some today.

There was a little of excitement here today not involving me or Buster at the gate. Inside the ranch at one of the well sites there was a grass fire, that is all I know about the fire for now more to come. One pickup came on site then another looking for the fire as seen from another ranch southwest of us. The fire was extinguished and then there was calm, there is always concern for fire and there is always wind to spread the fire.

Average contentious flame

Otherwise another slow warm day. I took a couple of pictures the average contentious flame seen from the gas plant behind Buster and a burn with abnormal flame seen this morning. Buster did not get the water delivered today or diesel fuel for the electric generator.

Abnormal flame

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 14

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 66 degrees mostly sunny this morning to mostly sunny 83 degrees.

Work over rig on the way out

The work over rig moved out this morning thus giving me a higher level of traffic with the flat bed trucks coming in to takeout the other equipment used at the well with the rig in place. Other than than that it was only the regular day traffic.

I changed the header picture today to one taken today for the look coming into the gate. You can see that there is another ranch where there another half dozen or more wells there and trucks coming to haul that oil also. In the picture below there are the marker signs for the oil wells one sign describing each well and the acres for each survey. To the right of our gate and to the left of the other ranches gate (cattle guard) are the signs for each well.

Well marker signs

 

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 12 & 13

Sunday May 12, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 65 degrees mostly cloudy this morning to partly sunny 83 degrees.

There was another storm last night with Buster getting a bath again and the driveway puddle growing bigger. The rig crew on the way out last night were saying see you Monday so there is no work for that pad today. This results in another low traffic day.

Monday, May 13, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 61 degrees mostly sunny this morning to mostly sunny 84 degrees.

Sunset at the well site

The rig crew came back to work today but they do not create a lot of traffic it is the support or service to them that creates gate traffic. Another crew for the seismic company came in mid day and that created some activity for me.

Sunday Bonnie made a tour of the well sites, first time and she was more excited with the wild life that she was able to see. She left Buster about a half hour before sunset and saw four deer and a large fox (well the ranch is Fox Creek) rabbits and birds. Saturday I saw a turkey walking up the left side of Buster and into the field in front so there is plenty of wild life here.

We have puddles

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 11

Saturday, May 11, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 68 degrees mostly sunny this morning to mostly sunny 83 degrees. Well we got wet last night, enough to measure and make mud but a nice clear morning today.

Happy Mothers Day

Puddle is shrinking

A slow gate traffic day still a difficult morning in the fact drivers stop where the puddle is located. I refuse to walk there and I go where I can keep my feet the driest. The puddle did dry from the afternoon sun. the flowback crew finished today and the last pickup for the workover rig came out just after eight o’clock so we had no overnighters.

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 8 - 10

Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 61 degrees mostly cloudy this morning to partly sunny 86 degrees. Dew on things outside this morning with the clouds and this afternoon we have has some wind gusts blowing things around.

Slow here this week as the wells have been shutdown for maintenance and installations at the natural gas plant that is behind Buster. The seismic crew’s were is and out placing the sensors all over the other ranch today. This keeps my gate alarm ringing, and I am jumping up for "new" arrivals.

Thursday, May 9, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 73 degrees mostly cloudy muggy (94% humidity) this morning to partly sunny 87 degrees. There are "wind socks" all around as the wind, knowing direction is important because of poison gas you know where to go to be upwind of the gas.

Well the wind socks are almost straight out again today.

We get water and diesel fuel delivered weekly by another contractor starting the first Thursday we were here at Fox Creek gate. We received our normal delivery today late in the afternoon while I was in Pleasanton for a shopping run.

Sunrise

There is another oil company that operates one well on this ranch and they seem to be bringing in a work over rig as some of the other equipment started arriving at noon today. Latter I heard the rig broke down on the way here so probably tomorrow it will arrive here at fox Creek Gate.


Friday, May 10, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 73 degrees cloudy this morning to rain in the eight o’clock hour, enough to make some mud. There was a partly sunny afternoon and a cloudy windy evening to 86 degrees. There was "weather" north of us last night, thunderstorms with hail and rotation noted for the possibility of tornados.

Buster is going to get wet

There were some new faces arriving here today but not a high level of traffic.

The "weather" came here tonight as I was showering Buster was also getting a shower from the clouds in these pictures.

 

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 6 & May

Monday, May 6, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 62 degrees mostly sunny this morning to partly sunny 83 degrees. Clouded up some and there was a spit of rain then the sun came back out.
This picture is of one of the pipeline areas on the ranch and the boxes on the left are for equipment the seismic crew are working from to place sensors.

The natural gas plant behind Buster is shutting down this morning, it will get quite except for our electric generator. The word coming from the "Chesapeake pumper" saying the plant will be down all week. He shut the wells down as the natural gas goes th this facility for repressurization and distribution.

Bonnie was up early and went into Pleasanton shopping and garbage disposal. With no large crew here at Fox Creek there is no "trash trailer" on site, we have to take our own garbage to town for disposal.

Our gate traffic is slow as the wells are shutdown but the flow back crew is still working on one site with the natural gas going to the poison gas burner.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 59 degrees mostly sunny this morning to partly sunny 85 degrees.

The ranch owner has brought in a couple of trailers with cows and has them feeding here on the land. With these wells shutdown the gate traffic has also went down.

There were some spits of rain this evening but that was all.

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas -May 4 & 5

Saturday, May 4, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 49 degrees mostly sunny this morning to partly sunny 82 degrees.

The new contractor for seismic evaluation came in today (started working) and started setting up their sensors, two different crews. One of the crews was in and out working off site. The flow back crew continues on another site and the usual crude oil and water tankers came in and out during the day.

Sunday, May 5, 2013 Cinco de Mayo
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 57 degrees mostly sunny this morning to mostly sunny 83 degrees.

NASCAR Talladega a rain delayed race that was completed just before dark. Gate traffic was minimal today.

 

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 3

Friday, May 3, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 48 degrees mostly sunny this morning to mostly sunny 73 degrees. The wind is still gusting today.

Sign Blown down

We are back on a Thursday delivery schedule for water for the house and diesel fuel for the Cat generator. The black tank is 340 gallons of water for everything but drinking and the white tank is one hundred gallons of diesel fuel for the generator that I transfer into the generators tank every other day. For the water tank I made a sight gage to check the remaining quantity. There was a valve and cap at the bottom so I connected a plastic tube and tied it up. When I open the valve I can read the water level remaining inside the tank and keep the loose end covered.

Water Tank Sight Gage

I made a run into Pleasanton today Bonnie got up later and thus I got back late just gotten dark when I arrived back to Buster. While I was in town Bonnie check in the gate a new contractor for seismic evaluation delivered equipment. They were depositing equipment for future use in energy exploration.

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - May 2

Thursday, May 2, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 67 degrees mostly sunny to partly sunny 72 degrees before noon then the temperature dropped as the cold front moved south. I missed a good sunrise picture this morning with some nice cloudy. Prediction is for temperatures in the low forties tonight. There are twenty mile an hour winds with gusts to forty MPH.

Gate Sign

Blows over the gate sign so on a given day once it blows down I leave the sign down until I know the high winds are done.

Bonnie had a nice time at the luncheon yesterday with seven other gate guard ladies at Chilies in Pleasanton. The service was not good, bad coffee, wrong size soup asked for a cup and got a bowl and the meal was cold asked for reheat and it was still cold.

The AC electric is holding for now, I have connected an extension cord directly to the Cat generator so I can operate the floor air conditioner or the electric heater. The white led is ok and is not a problem to operate the bedroom air conditioner or micro wave oven. The coffee pot operates ok and the voltage meter had settled down.

Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - Apr 30 & May 1

Tuesday, April 30, 2013 Afternoon update
 
I went into Pleasanton picked up the mail that I had forwarded from our mail box in New Mexico. Addition a little shopping gas for Silver Sally and bring home some pizza for dinner. The AC electric is still giving me problems with the transfer switch dropping the incoming power.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Fox Creek Gate Tilden, Texas - 70 degrees mostly cloudy light fog this morning (burning off late morning) to partly sunny 91 degrees. (Damp enough for Dew).

Bonnie got a couple of hours sleep and then left for the ladies luncheon in Pleasanton Chillies stopping at another gate to pickup Jan another gate guard. This allowed me to work on the electric problem and found a terminal and some wire burned on the red leg of the output (load) side of the power transfer switch. The whole box assembly proberly will need replacing and a piece of wire. Now the big question by who and where to get the work done.