Sitting in Snow

We got into a drifted bank...isn't that the line in "Jingle Bells?"

Its Tuesday officially, but barely. As I sit here in Williston, ND at 12:30am, Malcolm and some of the other guys are back standing in the parking lot looking around.
We had just finished loading our cows bound for a scant few miles from home when three other trucks of Steve's pulled in and parked on the snowy parking lot, awaiting their turn to back into a chute to load. We pulled out, they tryed to pull forward, and discovered that two of them were stuck on the snowy icey pavement, tires just a spinnin'.
So Malcolm, loaded and much heavier, backed up to the one truck and chained to him and commenced to pull him out. Worked great! Malcolm and Sarah to the rescue. But in the process of backing up to the second truck, and maneuvering around the dark parking lot, we kind of apparently went a little too close to the edge, and now we're sitting in a foot of snow, not going anywhere. And so nice, we're the loaded ones, which means no one has a chance in you know where of pulling US out! Don't know whats going to happen...we'll see. All I know is I'm watching the clock tick away my chance of a shower at home and grabbing some clean clothes before we have to reload at Forsyth. Ahh...the adventures!
Anyway, here are a few pictures from our little jaunt to Sidney, MT the other day. Remember I was typing in route? Well it was pretty slick. In fact, we went about 40-45 all the way there, where as we usually drive 65-70 on that road. And several times our drive tires were spinning out and sliding sideways, but we got there fine and loaded, and headed east to cleaner happier roads. Since then we've been to Fairview, MT (just 5 miles north of Sidney) to re-load and took those to Alliance, NE and then back here to Williston (just 30 miles or so east of Sidney) to re-load going to Ballentine, MT just east of home. Its snowing gently. I'm going to start using these terms to describe snowing as they are more appropriate for this part of the country. Instead of lightly, I'm going to say gently, and instead of hard, I'm going to say its snowing violently! Don't you think that sums it up a little better?
Take care and stay warm. Looks like we're in for another little arctic snap. (aka - cold snap)

Icy roads heading to Sidney, Mt. This was seriously like a solid sheet of ice, literally. But we wern't the only ones out there, and most of them stayed out of the ditch, unlike the unfortunate driver in the picture below.

This had happened before we came along. The driver was already gone. But, it made an interesting picture. This is what happens if you drive carelessly and too fast on ice. This or worse.

"Loaves" of hay. Don't they remind you of loaves of bread? Not many people are putting hay up this way these days, at least not that I've seen. But I think its neat!

And finally the streets of Sidney, MT.

Update - 1:15 - They loaded one of the trucks we pulled out so he'd be as heavy as us, backed up to us, chained on to us, and are now attempting to pull us out of the snow bank. We've moved a few inches, but not enough yet. Have to keep trying. Picture a tractor pull, but with loaded semi's and bull racks instead of John Deere's and Internationals, and in the dark, on snow and ice, without the spectators....well there are a handful. Personally, I'm rooting for the other guy to win!