The gate

[wroughtn_harv]

Yesterday was one of the those days. Some are diamonds, some are coal, and some seem to be dark, hard, and with edges that cut to the bone.

It was a good day hidden behind a series of events that made it feel like a bad one. It was my first day out of bed since Saturday night except for a trip to the doctor. A nasty sinus infection not only has kicked my butt, it whupped me upside the head, and then stomped a mud hole in me. Then followed with a walking it dry just for grins.

Yesterday was a hundred percent day. And since I was running on a little less than fifty percent I only had to run twice as fast twice as long to compensate.

The first good thing was the crane showed up on time.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is twenty two ton AT. It not only can lift. It can do it with flair. Four wheel steer, four wheel drive, it can be operated from either the crane cab or truck cab. It was just too kewel.

I welded on lifting eyes because I wanted to be sure and try to lift the posts straight up. Using a sling in this circumstance can put things in a bind during the lift.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The crane didn't even grunt on the latch post. It came straight up easy.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

It was almost embarrassing. I thought I had put the post in a good footing.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I need to mention a little fly in the ointment. There is power out and above the lift. So every move on the crane's part was very deliberate and precise.

We started with twenty eight thousand pounds of static pressure on the hinge post. This was after I'd dug out a semi-circle ten feet deep to allow us some shaking-loose-breaking-out-room.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

He shook, pushed, tugged, all the while pulling up.

It took awhile.

But then I noticed a little movement where it counted.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

After what seemed like forever.......

 

[wroughtn_harv]

It started up.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

and kept up coming up

 

[wroughtn_harv]

According to the crane operator's equipment this puppy weighed a big dawg seven thousand pounds.