two weeks and four states! Moin moin,
as you can find on the basis of my few updates, I'm in the moment very busy. The last three weeks I have had almost seven-day week. I have you here once inserted a small map where you can see my route for the last two weeks.
There are way measly 2100 miles - a tractor - and that in 80 hours, so tractor hours. So I hope you can understand that I have found in the past little time to update my blog.
But I'll start at the beginning - or the top left of Idaho.
Sunday before two weeks (09/12/2010) I am in Idaho Falls, Idaho using a mileage 6383 direction of Utah, more specifically towards Tremonton broken. Previously, I had picked up my colleague Blake Fuller in Pocatello at the airport, as it currently reacting to me when the equipment is helpful. On Interstate 15 went south, towards the more beautiful Utah. On the line a few passes were smaller with approximately 5500 ft to overcome (1650 meters), but all in all it went very well.
Once in Tremonton, we checked only fast at the hotel, and then we started looking for suitable demonstration areas. Blake had some Customers picked out, which he wanted to show our press. We went to the west, and after about 40 miles we reached a large valley at Snow Ville. The two farmers, the press in this valley of hay, we have presented our project ado Road Show, and one of the two was very interested, and almost on his way to his field. Perfect timing! We are quickly back to Tremonton to bring the JCB with the press, and after a quick dinner we made our way towards Snow Ville, since we now had there at 23:00 clock a demonstration.
The track direction Snow led Ville I was on some steep passages, and the following first sign me prepare a little headache. After I then receive a combine on the opposite lane, came with the safety was just to go 20 mph, I was thinking that it will be all right. Also, I'm not with 44 mph top speed away so very far from the 45 mph minimum speed.
Unfortunately it was at 23:00 clock already so deep that I could not take pictures. Only this sunset I managed during the journey yet.
Monday morning, I then looked out the window, and that sky was visible.
Monday and Tuesday we then drove a little time with demonstrations in the Tremonton area. Very nice demonstration last week at a customer with a MF 2190 was (Kanalmaß 4x4 feet). He said something cheeky in advance that we could possibly beat him in the weight, but never in terms of speed. Because crown HDP presses are slow - he had heard. I then showed him how slow HDP presses. With up to 14 mph I have not quite great Swath alfalfa hay pressed - and let it stand 10 to 10.5 mph with its maximum normal. Very impressed, he then climbed a few clouds to me at the JCB, after he had parked his press on the sidelines. Very surprised he then enjoyed the quick ride a little out of the cabin.
The second time he was flat then, as we have weighed the bales. To make it short - I beat him there too. I had the heaviest bales in the field, and on average we were at about the same. So, victory across the board, and hopefully soon a new customer. His press was still fairly new, but after the show we noticed that he was quite thoughtful. Also because of the many features such as curved track without picking up easy flow, easier accessibility to all components, especially the needles and the quiet operation of the whole press.
us Tuesday afternoon, the rain then made a dash through the bill, the morning after we have quickly when a customer had made alfalfa bales kg with 16% humidity, and a great 1157th
Kindly see my press and my JCB made after such a short but heavy downpour always glorious, so that the entire goings on Wednesday morning, once a thorough wash (nearly two hours by high-pressure cleaner) was imminent . Particularly encouraging here is that the fine dust and the leaves of the hay wonderful stick to the machine, and that in all corners of larger "pockets" of fine material (leaves of alfalfa), since I had no chance to clean the press too rough with my leaf blower. If we then meet as a "nest" with a pressure washer, then the stuff stuck everywhere, and you can start up again, and slowly working their way down.
After everything was clean, there last week went towards Salt Lake City. On the way I took photos but because of the sometimes very heavy traffic only slightly, but the grain silos, I found it quite impressive.
Thursday it then Roosevelt direction. On the way we have approached a couple of places worth seeing, as we work simultaneously at another project - we want the great impressions of the tour even show other people. But more at a later date.
The Great Salt Lake "was one of the places we have approached. The well known "Salt Plains we have omitted, as when driving gets the salt of the dried-up lake in the cracks. And the effect is almost worse than road salt in our region be. And I would not want to damage the substance of the JCB and the press with aggressive salt.
addition to the Great Salt Lake, we were of course, Downtown SLC, before it would continue to Roosevelt. From Salt Lake City to the south first, before we are bent in Orem on Highway 198 towards Heber City - past a waterfall and through beautiful countryside always uphill.
Behind Heber City, we are then bent on Highway 40, which led ft you go, one with 8020 (2,400 meters) high pass. With nearly boiling water in, I mastered the course with about 15-20 mph. It is amazing how little power the JCB on mountain stages added. Only minutes by manually downshift in the simulated ratios and with over 2,000 rpm, the cooling water remains constant at about 100 ° C. In the D mode (automatic), the speed down so far - to below 1600 rpm - that the cooling water temperature moves quickly into the red zone. But if you know this trick, it works really well. And you can even compete with trucks.
Past the reservoir and through constantly changing landscapes, it was then always follow the Highway 40 to Roosevelt, and after sunset we arrived there at the hotel.
The next day we had a demonstration on a half pivot (pivot is the circular irrigation system or the field with a circular irrigation system). The material to be pressed was mainly grass (75%), mixed with about 25% lucerne (alfalfa). Again, we could once again thanks to the easy flow PickUp speeds reach more than 12 mph and can reach no competitor, and yet still do clean work. The bale weights were also re-convincing. The following pictures were taken at the screening.
The beautiful crown heavy bales have also taken care of astonished faces, like the soft suspension and soft JCB Fastrac. All in all, the customers were very satisfied with our machine, and I hope that they will separate themselves from their competitor at last - of course in favor of green-beige.
went after another successful demonstration on Saturday, then continue towards Wyoming. More specifically, according to Lyman said. Accessible along Highway 191 and Highway 44 later it was actually only up and down. The track had it real in itself. With heated brakes and a slightly elevated temperature in the cooling water circuit I have achieved my goal but safe.
believe it or not, but from that point it was just a few turns with more than 8% slope down to .... on Seeniveau
before then .... then with 7% slope uphill again went wide. The pickup trucks with their Fifth Wheel (So are the camping trailers called) had their hands full, and were not necessarily faster than me. I climb on-board computer displays in the JCB way, a consumption of 24 gallons (3.75 liters corresponds to about one gallon) of an hour. And that has a speed of under 20 mph
in Wyoming then changed the landscape once again something - The mountains were gray with a slight bluish cast.
Here we see a few cowboys at work. A farmer told with - "The best is an early snow storm then the cattle come from the valley alone.."
In Lyman I finally get sometimes buffalo before the lens. I have already seen in Oregon, where not only I had my camera on hand.
After the two screenings On Monday morning we went back to Price, Utah. Before the show I had to but first take care of a nail in my tire press. The first two workshops would not really ran the thing - they probably tire was just too cumbersome - but the third workshop gave me then patched up the tire. However, in order to get the patch on the inside, had to first of all the tires of the press, but was found due to the weight of the press and the small jack to be quite difficult. I then prevented with wooden blocks between the axle and frame the sameness at the compress, and went with the intact tire on another big block of wood. This allowed us to the other Remove tire. Then a mechanic with a special hammer hit the tire from the rim, and patched. The whole thing took about an hour, and just as much as $ 27 cost. I was pleasantly surprised.
For the way back to Utah, but then I decided to continue running north route via Interstate 80th On the one hand, slightly shorter (214 miles for 229 miles), and on the other hand, I had no desire to again Bergaufbergab game play. And twice the same track is also extremely boring. It went past here then, among others, charred areas on which the last embers were being deleted ....
.... and finally back to Utah.
The piece of Heber City to Orem this time I had in the other direction (downhill) and then we went to a few miles on Interstate 15 over from English Fork to the Highway 6 towards Price.
At the very beginning of Highway 6, I could see these windmills. To keep up with the Emsland encountered wind turbines to , they still need to grow a little.
evening around 20:30 clock, I was finally in Price, and Greg White have my colleagues made. Unfortunately, he told me that in all price no hotel has more rooms available, so we had to drive 1.5 hours with the pickup back to Payson. The tractor and the trailer but we have left back in Price.
went on Tuesday morning, then by 7 clock again from Payson and at 8:30 clock direction from price Ferron, where we had a 10 clock the next showing.
Later in the afternoon I only had a few more hours to Gunnison, where I had dinner at another demonstration.
However, since they again took place after sunset, I have also sadly no photos. But for the sunset was also to see again very beautiful.
Scheduling showings on Wednesday was a real masterpiece. Morning at 9:00 clock the hay was too damp. At 10:30 clock we came slowly to the point where the moisture was moving under the magical 14%. Sorry, but pulled up a storm, so we have high-speed (12-13 mph) quickly pressed the 16 bales, who gave the field. Then it has rained only once - but only briefly and violently. After that came directly back to the fore the sun, so that already the afternoon was all so far dried that I was again forced into another field in the valley. And here, too - done with high speed, the bales made, and at the last ball I had another drop of rain on the windshield - was used because the next storm already.
Thursday morning we had a puncture on PickUp, we had to resolve first. By midday, it turned out that we are no more screenings, more because it was all the rain the previous day to get wet, and so we went again to the onward journey. The goal: As much as possible on Interstate 70 towards Colorado. Here are some pictures from the tour.
evening about 21:00 clock, I reached Grand Junction, Colorado, and after the day (after all, he has a 7 : 00 Clock started) only tired I fall into bed. The next day is technically one of the longest. I have already covered about 200 miles, and Google Maps had said beforehand even 514 miles for the entire route. However, on Interstate 70 and 76 across Denver. A call in Reno the next morning - and everything changes. George Brent and believe that I can not go with the tractor on the Interstate through Denver. I had better go north on Highway 13, 40 and 14 to Denver around. My card is not her very much, and order is Order. I drive so still on Interstate 70 to Rifle, and then turn north.
The first miles on the interstate are still quite good, and I come forward quickly. Along the Colorado River, the brown-colored Interstate winds with a moderate slope in the Rockies.
At the two-lane Highway 13, it will be even more strenuous. Constantly you have people behind you to overtake, which do not dare, and one is more to "Be Gone" deals with a drive. The slopes are again violent.
On the way I am by Craig and Steamboat Springs. So far, everything still very good. But then comes the first ascent. Sorry, there is no sign up, but I think as at 2600 meters I come.
also building sites are always annoying time delays as the waiting time is usually unpredictable. Some might sometimes you just half an hour, until the pilot car to guide you through the construction site again. Lollypop and the males are not always the fastest.
bending After another hour of unchanging landscapes I got the road that will lead me through the eastern Rockies. Steeper slopes upwards, until I "Summit" - to German: Pass - reach. 10 276 ft or 3082 meters above sea level. New Record! And when you consider that about 10% per 1000 feet loses power, then one can also imagine, how difficult it was to come up there. Exciting then the descent about 100 miles.
As you can see on the pictures below, the road is narrow, there are no guard rails, and it is Friday evening. The result: Many of the smaller type mobile homes - that is coupled to a pickup truck and an attached trailer with living trailers and ATV quad format or coach with 3 axles and an attached car come towards me. My track is an estimated 10 ft wide. So as wide as I do. And the hobby captains in their luxury vehicles prefer in the middle of the curve to come. To make it short, I see many startled faces, but it always fits.
time for the sunset to reach Fort Collins. Although I have a few miles from me, but it is already dark. In Fort Collins I have to watch again pretty sure I catch the right road, because signs are in America rather poor. For all the crap signs will be erected, only early signs or signs are generally in short supply. But even that I master without problems, and around 21:30 clock for about 12.5 hours of actual driving time to reach Fort Morgan.
440 miles I have more on the counter. By Denver, it would have been 320 miles.
Three times I had to drive a gas station on the way, I always get the credit card only $ 75 diesel at the pump - and the max. twice. Only if diesel prices around $ 3.20 these are not times 50 gallons. And in a straight line, the JCB begrudge about 10 gallons per hour. Uphill it is perhaps as much as 30 gallons ....
All in all, I've also traveled 9400 miles now - that's fewer than than 15,000 kilometers. And all in 510 hours. I think a tractor with a similar ratio of hours of miles will be sought in vain.
So much for today!
Greetings Niklas
went 
