Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - May 27 -28

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Morning 78 Degrees, Wind NE 5 & gusting to 9 Mph, Humidity 88%, cloudy morning.
Afternoon 87 Degrees high for today, Wind S 6 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 45%, mostly sunny.  

Today an un-marked work truck and they were boarder patrol agents, came in the gate and entered the gate across from Buster for the first time. They surprised me as the truck made an unusual turn here to enter the gate across from Buster. The passenger got out to open the gate and showed me his badge and said “Boarder Patrol” went on about opening the gate and off they went into the brush.

Coil tubing trucks came back today so there was unusual activity (high number of vehicles) by the frac company and plenty of other traffic coming and going. Maybe just a busy “Tuesday” people checking things after a long weekend.


Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - Thursday, May 28, 2015
Morning 74 Degrees, Wind SSE 5 & gusting to 10 Mph, Humidity 87%, Overcast.
Afternoon 91 Degrees high for today, Wind SE 4 & gusting to 20 Mph, Humidity 56%, Partly sunny.  

Busy day again with coil tubing going out the gate and sand trucks coming again. There were chemical trucks tankers and flatbed trucks with pallet containers all used for the frac.

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - May 25 - 26

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - Monday, May 25, 2015
Morning 73 Degrees, Wind SE 8 & gusting to 10 Mph, Humidity 94%, cloudy morning.
Afternoon 87 Degrees high for today, Wind S 6 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 45%, mostly sunny.  

What holiday, well our gate traffic is like a Sunday as the “day lookers” are not coming to look around and leave. On a regular week day there are a number of pickup trucks that come to the gate sign in and are back out in less than an hour, they do not show up on Sundays and holiday’s.

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Morning 77 Degrees, Wind SE 3 & gusting to 9 Mph, Humidity 92%, Overcast misty rain.  Afternoon 91 Degrees high for today, Wind SE 6 & gusting to 22 Mph, Humidity 59%, mostly sunny.  Just before noon we were getting some clearing to partly cloudy sky and went back to overcast. 

Sand trucks (for the frac job) were actively coming and going today keeping me on my toes. It was a busy “Monday“ as the during the week pickup trucks were back today. There has been boarder patrol trucks just about every day some days more than others. We are noticing they even have horse trailers bringing in mounts to search the ranch on horseback. We also have had K-9 trucks that are unmarked. The patrol vehicles are very active here as we are under twenty miles as the crow flies from the Mexican boarder.

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - May 23 - 24

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - Saturday, May 23, 2015
Morning 75 Degrees, Wind ESE 3 & gusting to 10 Mph, Humidity 92%, Overcast.
Afternoon 89 Degrees high for today, Wind ESE 14 & gusting to 28 Mph, Humidity 61%, Partly sunny to overcast with rain showers.

Average Saturday until mid afternoon when a coil tubing crew came in the gate and after the evening shift change the evening crew (frac operator) left the site to allow the coil tubing crew to do their work. Weather here was not bad today or night as the “weather" went around us other parts of the San Antonio area received a lot of rain and wind. We had some gusts in the late afternoon that was trying to move Buster and there were some really dark clouds in the eastern sky but they did not come our way.


Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - Sunday, May 24, 2015
Morning 67 Degrees, Wind NE 2 & gusting to 8 Mph, Humidity 95%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 90 Degrees high for today, Wind S 6 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 45%, mostly sunny.

Race day; F 1, Indy 500, Coke 600. Started slow this morning with the frac crew coming for a noon start. I went onto Carrizo Springs for grocery shopping early evening. Bonnie found the fourth magnet on the ground in front of Buster’s right side, so everything is now back to normal for the sun shades. When I was in town I forgot to load pictures for the blog and it will be until my next trip into town before there will be new pictures. Our Verizon signal is very low here at this gate we barley internet or telephone service. This means I cannot up load pictures here.

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - May 22

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - Friday, May 22, 2015
Morning 69 Degrees, Wind ENE 8 Mph, Humidity 100%, Overcast misty fog.
Afternoon 87 Degrees high for today, Wind ESE 14 & gusting to 19 Mph, Humidity 61%, Partly sunny.

Had a truck outside the gate “thinking” about coming in but was rechecking his directions. I was outside redoing the yellow lights by the door for bonnie’s night outings. It requires the use of the ladder as I wanted one high up and attached it to the cell antenna mast. I laid the ladder down on the side of the road when the truck decided to come in. After signing him he proceeded to run over the ladder. I purchased it in 1975, he said the company will replace it but they are not made any more.i will see what show’s up here at the site.

Our busy times are at “shift change” now, morning and evening during the five and six o’clock hour.  

I do not know who, but I think the oil company ordered tower lights for the gates, as we received a light tower for our gate. Placed where it can be refueled from our diesel fuel tank, Bonnie is happy to have the lights at night.

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - May 20 - 21

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Morning 76 Degrees, Wind ESE 7 & gusting to 12 Mph, Humidity 85%, Overcast.
Afternoon 88 Degrees high for today, Wind ESE 6 & gusting to 10 Mph, Humidity 70%, mostly sunny. I wish we could get out of these overcast days mostly cloudy days.

Our fresh water tank was delivered then water truck came to fill that and I transferred some into Busters water tank as we were getting low. When Buster left the campground I had not fulled it completely, my bad. Not thinking I disconnected the water hose before checking to see a full tank. Buster’s water tank is is filled from the same connection as the pressure water. This means that we can use water inside or fill the tank. Even with good water pressure there is time to fill as the size of the tubing is small. Low pressure means long time to fill.

Another busy day otherwise with more belly dump trucks and then equipment trucks and sand trucks for the frac coming in to the site in the late afternoon.

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - Thursday, May 21, 2015
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind E 13 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 100%, Overcast rain.
Afternoon 82 Degrees high for today, Wind S 6 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 45%, mostly sunny.   Thunder showers overnight onto the early morning, 2.10 inches.

The left windshield sun screen blew off during the night I can find only two of the four loose magnets. I will look latter for the others. Found one more magnet. One stayed on the windshield one dropped straight down and one was attached to the car. Bonnie was busy last night her first busy night here and with the rain. Most of Texas leaving drought conditions with the rain there has been this year.

Walking around in the mud transferring diesel fuel into the generator then water into Buster. I was too tired last night to do any more. There is better drainage at this gate we are not in water puddles with all the rain. The ground is more sandy here thus does not stick to our shoes the same way at this gate.

The diesel fuel is a gravity transfer and the diameter of the hose is not as large as the hoses on a pressure fuel pump, time to transfer is longer and I have to hold the handle as there is no automatic shutoff nozzle. I do not want to prop it open then forget walk away and fuel spilled on the ground. Right know our water transfer is done with a pump that does not have a pressure regulator, that is why I am transferring into Busters water tank every day.

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - May 19

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Morning 75 Degrees, Wind E 3 & gusting to 6 Mph, Humidity 92%, cloudy morning.
Afternoon 88 Degrees high for today, Wind E 8 & gusting to 15 Mph, Humidity 64%, partly sunny. We had some rain drops early that did not add up to anything.

A busy day today with the main work being dirt or caleche for building up the well pad for a frak. This pad has two wells that will be fraced. There are other routine and support operations also going on. What makes the dirt operation busy for the gate is belly dump trucks. Early there were nine that came as a group and the total is now over forty. Most have made three rounds and there are a few added in later in the day, just to keep me on my toes. They never come back in the same order and sometimes they due not come back out from the pad in the same order. Just something to keep me going all day.

There was a black water tank (waste) delivered for Buster and later the fuel tank and fuel for the generator. Now we need the fresh water setup.  My telephone only has a low 1x signal so I am unable to upload pictures to the blog here at the gate. We are under twenty miles from the Mexican boarder as the crow flies.

Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - May 17 - 18

Hilltop RV Haven - Asherton, TX - Sunday, May 17, 2015
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind SSE 1 & gusting to 5 Mph, Humidity 88%, Overcast, rain.
Afternoon 84 Degrees high for today, Wind NNE 6 & gusting to 11 Mph, Humidity 73%, mostly sunny.  

The rain had stopped by nine-thirty and no more was in the weather map forecast so I went into Carrizo Springs shopping for our coming week at a gate. Bonnie was up during the morning dark hours and went back to bed before the rain so she was here sleeping. There was some mostly sunny sky and it has gone mostly cloudy and back to partly sunny. Lazy day doing around Buster and resting. Happy Birthday to our grandson Zane.


Busters Gate Carrizo Springs, TX - Monday, May 18, 2015
Morning 77 Degrees, Wind ENE 6 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 100%, Overcast.
Afternoon 88 Degrees high for today, Wind E 4 & gusting to 18 Mph, Humidity 64%, mostly sunny.   (Rain forecasted)

After Bonnie had her shower we packed up Buster and headed into Carrizo Springs to meet the company gate coordinator at the fuel Stripes station. I gave Buster a drink of diesel fuel $ 2.699 a gallon then parked in back to wait for the coordinator and the other RV rig to arrive. The two coordinators arrived pulling generators and we waited another twenty minutes for the other RV rig then we convoyed here to the gate. The other rig is located about another mile into the ranch. We arrived at the gate about twelve-thirty and started setting up our work area and Buster’s location.

This gate is a different setup for us, we are on the right side of the road for the first time it increases the difficulty for us to record the vehicles coming in, but there is more opportunity to communicate with the driver when the vehicle is going out as we are on the drivers side. The first day is always interesting as some of these vehicles coming out were here early this morning and were not signed in just wishing them well on their ride home.

Happy Birthday Zane!

Hilltop RV Haven - Asherton, TX - mAY 16 - 17

     

Hi Zane Happy Birthday


Hilltop RV Haven - Asherton, TX - Saturday, May 16, 2015
Morning 73 Degrees, Wind ESE 2 & gusting to 4 Mph, Humidity 94%, cloudy morning.
Afternoon 90 Degrees high for today, Wind ENE 3 & gusting to 11 Mph, Humidity 63%, mostly sunny.  

I rolled over for a longer sleep today, Bonnie was into bed early last night and is sleeping again as I type this. Bonnie is in the third sleep period as after I went to bed she got up for a while and went back for another sleep and was up before me this morning. Bonnie was not getting much sleep the past three nights so she is in catch up mode.

This camp ground is on US 83 just south of the intersection of FM 2522 we were able to secure a fifty amp electric full hook up site. The RV park is on high ground gravel with some blacktop.

Today we took a short drive (fifty-five miles one way) to a boarder town, Eagle Pass (Texas) for lunch and some light shopping. Just picking up a few things not available here in Carrizo springs and a better selection of restaurant for lunch.

Buster's weekend retreat

Hilltop RV Haven - Asherton, TX - Sunday, May 17, 2015

Morning 68 Degrees, Wind SSE 1 & gusting to 5 Mph, Humidity 88%, Overcast, rain.

Afternoon 84 Degrees high for today, Wind NNE 6 & gusting to 11 Mph, Humidity 73%, mostly sunny.   

The rain had stopped by nine-thirty and no more was in the weather map forecast so I went into Carrizo Springs shopping for our coming week at a gate. Bonnie was up during the morning dark hours and went back to bed before the rain so she was here sleeping. There was some mostly sunny sky and it has gone mostly cloudy and back to partly sunny. Lazy day doing around Buster and resting. Happy Birthday to our grandson Zane.

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - May 14 -15 moving on

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Thursday, May 14, 2015
Morning 72 Degrees, Wind ESE 4 & gusting to 9 Mph, Humidity 94%, Overcast.
Afternoon 88 Degrees high for today, Wind SE 7 & gusting to 12 Mph, Humidity 58%, Partly sunny.
Making Buster ready to move day. Bonnie and I are leaving this gate site for another gate site tomorrow. I will probably move Buster out of this spot tonight just in case there is rain overnight or in the morning. Today some trucks came in for a wire line job that will start tomorrow. I do not want to be still honker down in this spot when they come in tomorrow.

After six tonight we moved Buster “off the spot” parking him basically to the right about twelve feet. I had to backup and make a run thru the mud and gate. It was slipping and sliding in the mud but I made it out without and problems. Then backing up and parking on the edge of the road. Nothing is coming in tomorrow. I did not get any picture of the mud after driving out of that.

Wednesday

Friday morning, Buster was on the far side of the pallet
the ridges are where Busters tires rolled thru
taken out  the drivers side window during the rain

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Friday, May 15, 2015
Morning 66 Degrees, Wind NE 8 & gusting to 16 Mph, Humidity 100%, cloudy, rain.
Afternoon 82 Degrees high for today, Wind E 8 Mph, Humidity 74%, Partly sunny.
Weather dot com recorded more than two inches of rain for the morning.

I was up early with plenty of things to put away, clean and stow wood blocks I use under the jack pads. Clean the dried mud from the last two deck boards and pack them in the car. Most everything was put away before the rain came just after six this morning. Then we watched rain for three hours. There were trucks coming in at five thirty, then a tanker truck and there was enough room to pass around Buster, I planned that well, thank you. There were enough vehicles entering to finish the log page we started yesterday. Finally I moved Buster to the ranch road across from our parking spot. I ran Busters generator for electric, air conditioner and refrigerator.

Buster parked in the road overnight
The travel trailer parked where the wood pallets are located

The weather had a big impact on our day, the company man came about six thirty to access our rain-mud conditions for the RV coming in to replace us and had to leave for an emergency as an RV at another gate was rolled over by the wind gusts, the couple lost their rig and had to be taken to the hospital. Later another company man came for the swoop over. Mean while our new gate was postponed until Monday, we need an RV park for three nights. The replacement RV did not take our same spot instead parking where the pallets were located. The truck got stuck and the trailer was in a good location. They unhooked the truck and the company man pulled the truck out with his truck and we left for the campground, two miles away great. Bonnie treated me to dinner in Carrizo Springs tonight for being a good boy, cleaning some (most) of the mud off the car outside. Inside is next.

Busters tire tracks filled with rain water

Buster parked in the ranch road

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - mAY 13 new gate

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Morning 72 Degrees, Wind ESE 6 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 100%, Overcast.
Afternoon 83 Degrees high for today, Wind E 13 & gusting to 22 Mph, Humidity 84%, mostly cloudy.   Rain this morning before I went out, rain puddles on top of the mud.

We were contacted by another company for a gate job and we are going to leave here and take that gate south of Carrizo Springs. Bonnie and I are leaving here on Friday weather permitting.

New Gate

After the proper telephone calls were made this morning, confirming our new gate and informing our current gate company of our pending departure. Bonnie staying up to gate guard I drove to the new gate site. It’s twenty-six miles from here, single gate all our other sites were double gate entrances. While I was away from the gate and at the edge of town there was a few things to pickup at Walmart I had all but two and looking for the last item I purchased the lights went out. I hastily went to check out what I had, lucky I guess maybe battery backup for the check out system. The whole town was without power, back at Buster our electric generator is working fine.

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - May 10 - 12

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Sunday, May 10, 2015
Morning 73 Degrees, Wind E 9 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 88%, cloudy morning.
Afternoon 91 Degrees high for today, Wind E 8 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 52%, mostly sunny.  

A nice quiet Mother’s Day for Bonnie. I went shopping in the afternoon and there were no Sunday papers left when I arrived at the store. The NASCAR race weekend is Kansas Saturday Night and weather delay of just over two hours. It ended past my bedtime and I read the race results on line today. Not knowing how long the rain delay would be I canceled my recording of the race because the timer would have ended the recording before the end of the event.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Monday, May 11, 2015
Morning 79 Degrees, Wind ESE 6 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 83%, cloudy morning.
Afternoon 89 Degrees high for today, Wind ESE 21 & gusting to 30 Mph, Humidity 65%, Overcast.  Rain late today.

Earlier today I picked up some most of our walking deck, before the rain. I dis-assembled them and wiped the boards down with a wet rag and stowed them away in Buster and Tan Jan. The ground was cement hard under the walkway and soft after the rain when I went out back to turn on the outside lights.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind NNE 1 & gusting to 5 Mph, Humidity 94%, Overcast.
Afternoon 79 Degrees high for today, Wind NE 5 & gusting to 10 Mph, Humidity 78%, Overcast.  

Rain threatening “drops”, going to bed and .15 inches overnight it was not “muddy” going out, but what was hard ground yesterday is now soft ground this morning. More misty rain this morning.

Making plans to move more soon...

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - May 8 - 9

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Friday, May 8, 2015
Morning 73 Degrees, Wind ESE 12 & gusting to 17 Mph, Humidity 89%, Overcast.
Afternoon 87 Degrees high for today, Wind SE 12 & gusting to 21 Mph, Humidity 70%, Overcast.   Morning misty rain, but I did not get wet, you have to go outside to get wet.

SLOW gate traffic so I have been working on plan B, I have plan A so we need a plan B.

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Saturday, May 9, 2015
Morning 75 Degrees, Wind SE 6 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 89%, Overcast     .
Afternoon 100 Degrees high for today, Wind SE 9 & gusting to 16 Mph, Humidity 31%, hazy sunshine.   Rain drops overnight, nothing to measure same as all week just a wetting. Thunder and lightening show tonight but a no rain event. Tuesday thru Thursday next week we are forecast to get a ninety percent chance of rain.

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - May 5 - 7

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Morning 72 Degrees, Wind SE 10, Humidity 83%, cloudy morning.
Afternoon 81 Degrees high for today, Wind ESE 15 & gusting to 24 Mph, Humidity 70%, misty rain.  

Cinco de Mayo

Not much going on here but actually there is more equipment that was moved out today. In addition to that there are “regulars” that come to check on the wells every day. Some of these people are called “pumpers or gagers” that check the well operation or call for work to be preformed at the well site. More of the frak tanks were removed and the protective membrane and plywood were picked up.

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Morning 75 Degrees, Wind ESE 12 & gusting to 17 Mph, Humidity 83%, overcast. Afternoon 84 Degrees high for today, Wind ESE 14 & gusting to 23 Mph, Humidity 70%, mostly sunny.   

OK, so we only have a couple of regulars coming on a daily basis we also have weekly trucks coming to our gate. Still, it is very slow this week.

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Thursday, May 7, 2015

Morning 75 Degrees, Wind SE 9 Mph, Humidity 85%, Overcast.

Afternoon 93 Degrees high for today, Wind ESE 12 & gusting to 18 Mph, Humidity 49%, Partly sunny.   

Just “chilling” here with little gate traffic. Our friends Loyce & Lanie are waiting for a gate in Tilden and are filling in for a couple of nights at a gate. 

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - May 4

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Monday, May 4, 2015
Morning 51 Degrees, Wind S 6 Mph, Humidity 85%, cloudy morning.
Afternoon 79 Degrees high for today, Wind SE 17 & gusting to 24 Mph, Humidity 61%, Partly sunny. We had some rain drops on the windshield and latter at the gate we had rain drops on the walkway but the drops did not connect. The sun shades magnetized to the windshield are holding fine in the wind gusts today.

I drove to the post office this morning, no problem starting the car with the new battery installed, and retrieved the magnet order. First thing I found is the mixing of these magnets will not work well. The bar magnets want to end stick to the round magnets and I was looking for the side to stick presenting more surface contact.

Battery in the rear seat floor

Saturday I prepared the battery for removal, access was made and hold down clamp was removed. Yesterday at the auto parts store I only needed to remove the terminal cables from the battery and lift it out. By the way the battery lives in the floor of the right rear passenger, with the rear seat pushed back and the front passenger seat moved forward there is the battery under the floor mat and a floor cover.

Battery cover in place

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - May 2 - 3

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Saturday, May 2, 2015
Morning 63 Degrees, Wind SE 8 Mph, Humidity 82%, Partly sunny morning.
Afternoon 86 Degrees high for today, Wind ESE 8 & gusting to 15 Mph, Humidity 32%, mostly sunny.

There were a few workers at the pad today but no sleep overs tonight as the flow back operation completed today.  Our street gate couple asked for a chance to have dinner out together, I went to their rig and watched their gate while they went to dinner. No one came to the gate and there was only one exit vehicle. This Is hard work with no one coming or going from the gate. Bonnie was up early today to “man” our gate while I was at the front gate.

NASCAR is in Alabama this week Talladega.

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Sunday, May 3, 2015
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind ESE 7 & gusting to 15 Mph, Humidity 94%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 82 Degrees high for today, Wind SE 6 & gusting to 18 Mph, Humidity 40%, Partly sunny.
Bonnie was off to bed early in the morning and when she got up I went to town for shopping. We have been having battery problems with the car so my first stop was Auto Zone for a battery. When I had the charger on the battery and it is charged removing the charger I could see the voltage drop and the volts continue on down. There is no problems with the charging as the voltage goes up to fourteen when the engine is running.

Thinking it is a bad cell in the battery that was only two years in service. That battery did not give us a good run as we have had many times come with low voltage condition and had to get a jump start.

Our rear hatch door is electric and I am thinking sometimes that the door open too long is placing a load on the battery. I know the inside the car lights are on but I think the open circuit also is loading the battery “discharging”. I did not have the electric door opener in the HHR and left it open for long periods of time and the lights would go off after a time out period.

NASCAR is in Alabama this week Talladega 500, Junior wins.

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Apr 30 May 1

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Thursday, April 30, 2015
Morning 46 Degrees, Wind  WSW 4 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 76%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 82 Degrees high for today, Wind N 7 & gusting to 14 Mph, Humidity 24%, mostly sunny.  

Twenty-fifteen the end of the fourth month, WoW. Where has the time gone just the other day it was new years. Slow traffic here at the gate and did some more planning for our trip east today. Probably starting our trip east at the third week of June.

Sunset

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Friday, May 1, 2015
Morning 59 Degrees, Wind SSE 6 & gusting to Mph, Humidity 82%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 79 Degrees high for today, Wind ESE 9 & gusting to 16 Mph, Humidity 23%, mostly sunny.  

Slow today just a few in’s and out’s here at the gate. The car battery seems to be not holding a charge, I am keeping the trickle charge on it all week and after turning it off it degrades quickly over a day. When I go into town I will stop at the auto parts store and get it tested and maybe replace it right there. The battery is just less than two years old and is been run down a few times.

Today (May 2) is our daughter Christine’s wedding Anniversary.

Happy Anniversary Christine & John.