Cement mixers and septic pumpers

One of these days, I'll have to take a video of a big truck coming down the ramp and onto the boat. When, for instance, a cement mixer or a fully loaded gravel truck, like this guy yesterday:

comes across. This gravel truck went back and forth at least 4 times yesterday, full heading west, empty heading east, and then back again.

When a very heavy truck loads, you really feel it. We have to tie the boat up to the shore, since the change in weight could actually shift the boat around a lot. When the front wheels and cab come on, the boat sinks a bit. But really, when the back wheels hit the deck, the whole boat shifts and sinks. To the point that, yesterday, I had one foot on the stool and one on the ground. When the gravel truck hit the boat, it shifted the weight and angle of the boat so much, I almost lost my balance! The heavy trucks also make landing a lot harder. We try to make them park at the middle of the boat, so the cab isn't too far forward. If they pull far forward, the front end of the boat sinks, and the boat lands poorly, and low on the ramp. With a low landing, once the super heavy truck drives off, the boat isn't "stuck" well to the ramp and raises up, shifts up the ramp, and can be dangerous for other cars getting off. It's a lot of balancing and adjusting.

Another interesting truck is this guy:

Just my luck, the last three weeks, I've been working when they've come to pump out our tank and fill our fresh water. Have you ever stood 10 feet from a septic tank being pumped? And you can't walk away cause you have like, 10 tons of boat to land and 6 other cars with people plugging their noses, off the damn boat safely. It stinks so damn bad. Week old poo. Beyond gross. My stomach sinks whenever I see the septic truck pull up.

I love random views out the front window like this:

A truck with two dogs (you can't see the 2nd, he's laying down behind that one) pulled up directly in front of my window. There's a closed window between me and the dogs, but it was fun to see. And see, another huge truck, the yellow one, behind the dogs? that sucker wasn't full, but really heavy regardless. We still tie up, cause we don't know if they're full or empty. And an empty truck is still heavy enough to shift us around.

Sometimes semi trucks--big ones--come down the road, wanting to come across. Usually their GPS sends them this way, but we can't haul more than 63 feet, and the smaller trailers are 44 feet, plus the cab, and it's just too long, and too heavy. Plus the truckers would balk at having to pay $18 if they're heavy enough to take up the whole boat. We do a made up "turn around" motion, and the smarter truckers understand that, and turn around. Otherwise we have to walk up there and say, "Sorry dude, turn around and head back."

In non-ferry news, Michael should be coming home in the next few days. Mom's home right now, and movers are coming this afternoon, to help put the office in the spare room, the master bedroom in the office, and the spare bedroom into the master bedroom. Can we say "CHAOS!?!?" Go Mom, Go! :)