Last night my dad and I went to one of our favorite "restaurants." I won't mention the name of the restaurant tonight because I don't want to embarrass anyone.
One of the waitresses was a young woman wearing a t-shirt that succinctly explained her situation (I wish I could print it, but it would identify her and the restaurant).
I didn't ask, but I imagine she had one or two children.
When paying the bill, I must have said something for her to respond. She said she had been working there for just a few months. Her husband had been a trucker in Texas, earning as much as $60,000 in six months, but then the "oil dried up" in their particular area and they were lucky to get $30/week. I don't think I misheard -- she repeated it when I thought I misheard the first time. Regardless, they are up here now and her husband is working again. And so is she.
The good news: both of them originally came from this part of the country, so they are happy to have a reason to return.
But her story and her t-shirt reminded me how lucky some of us really are.
(I didn't want to tell her about the Eagle Ford. She probably already knew, but I didn't want her to be reminded of another reason to leave the Bakken. We need all the workers here we can find.)
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Beautiful Evening in the Bakken -- Williston, North Dakota, USA
Wow, what a gorgeous evening. After a short ride around the area to see what was new (since yesterday), I went for a 30-minute walk (after first checking in on the Texas-BYU game and the NASCAR race). I think it hit 85 degrees today, under clear skies, and no wind. And no mosquitoes, thanks to the USAF spraying earlier this summer.
I walked through a residential neighborhood, as quiet as it was before the boom, when I was growing up in Williston 50 years ago. But when I got to a major thoroughfare, the traffic picked up a bit. Along a frontage road an 18-wheeler was parked, idling. Music to my ears.
When I was in my teens I hitchhiked a lot, including three cross-country trips. Some of my best rides were with truck drivers, before liability issues stopped that. It was always a great feeling coming into a truck stop in the wee hours of the morning. With all the stadium lighting, the dozens of trucks idling, it was an inviting picture, and I could generally find someone to give me a ride. So, tonight, walking along that frontage road and walking past an idling 18-wheeler with drapes pulled around the cab windows brought back great memories.
I've posted another version of this song many, many times, so I thought I better do another version:
Lights on the Hill, Keith Urban and Slim Dusty
I prefer this version:
Lights on the Hill, Slim Dusty By the way, when you see me pull over on to the shoulder of the highway when I'm driving here in the Bakken, it's to let the trucks go by. I drive slowly, enjoying the scenery, but I do everything I can to help the truckers. (Of course, they would prefer I not be on the road in the first place, but that's not gonna happen.) If I can't pull over, I will speed up until I find a spot where I can let him/her pass.
But that idling 18-wheeler tonight: music to my ears, bringing back some wonderful memories.
Okay, one more -- how I wish he had written, "Under the Spell of Highway 2." Smile.
Under the Spell of Highway One, Slim Dusty
I walked through a residential neighborhood, as quiet as it was before the boom, when I was growing up in Williston 50 years ago. But when I got to a major thoroughfare, the traffic picked up a bit. Along a frontage road an 18-wheeler was parked, idling. Music to my ears.
When I was in my teens I hitchhiked a lot, including three cross-country trips. Some of my best rides were with truck drivers, before liability issues stopped that. It was always a great feeling coming into a truck stop in the wee hours of the morning. With all the stadium lighting, the dozens of trucks idling, it was an inviting picture, and I could generally find someone to give me a ride. So, tonight, walking along that frontage road and walking past an idling 18-wheeler with drapes pulled around the cab windows brought back great memories.
I've posted another version of this song many, many times, so I thought I better do another version:
I prefer this version:
But that idling 18-wheeler tonight: music to my ears, bringing back some wonderful memories.
Okay, one more -- how I wish he had written, "Under the Spell of Highway 2." Smile.
Sand Quarries and Gravel Pits Everywhere -- Williston, Bakken, North Dakota, USA
There are sand quarries and gravel pits everywhere around Williston. This is just a small sampling of those northwest of Williston. I no longer know where the city limits are but these quarries are sited among residences and if not inside city limits, very, very close. (And I posted photos yesterday of an even larger sand quarry near Trenton, North Dakota.) There are so many quarries, I won't post any more photos unless someone has a specific request, or there is a particularly large or noteworthy one.
It should be noted that I did not get close enough to them to sort out whether they are sand quarries or gravel pits. Maybe they are all gravel pits. Over time I may have a better feeling for the difference. For now, both result in a lot of truck traffic, and a lot of jobs.
The second photo is of MDU's Knife River division, new to Williston, and something I blogged about a long, long time ago, it seems. But this is the first time I actually saw it and recognized it as Knife River. I think I saw it earlier this year, but did not associate it with MDU.
It should be noted that I did not get close enough to them to sort out whether they are sand quarries or gravel pits. Maybe they are all gravel pits. Over time I may have a better feeling for the difference. For now, both result in a lot of truck traffic, and a lot of jobs.
The second photo is of MDU's Knife River division, new to Williston, and something I blogged about a long, long time ago, it seems. But this is the first time I actually saw it and recognized it as Knife River. I think I saw it earlier this year, but did not associate it with MDU.
Resumes, Jobs, Seeking Jobs --Indeed.Com -- Journey Energy Services -- Rambling -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA
From a reader:
I am told that an experienced driver with a commercial driver's license (CDL) can get a job within 15 minutes of arriving in Williston. If you bring your own truck, you can probably have a job a bit sooner. I ran into a young man from Idaho last weekend at Home of Economy. He has been here for about a year, brought his own truck. He's now telling his uncle, still in Idaho, to bring his truck, also, and come to Williston.
Unfortunately/fortunately there is no need for resumes to be posted at my site; many other sites for that. However, one of the reasons I blog is to get the word out to folks nationwide that there are still jobs to be had throughout the Basin. Retailers and restaurants desperately need help; many have cut back on hours because they cannot get enough help. Spouses who do not want to drive a truck or work in the oil fields can easily find work in Williston, Dickinson, Minot and all points in between, I would assume.
There are 350 service industries in Williston, North Dakota, according to the Williston Herald, July 23, 2011:
Speaking of which, east of Williston, up on the hill, is "the future home of Journey Energy Services." They've broken ground and a framed structure is already. I don't know if it's the same Journey Energy Services as at this link, but if so, it's a company that started in Williston, almost exactly one year ago, with one truck. Next time I'm out in that area, I will get a photo; looks like it's expanding.
Couple links I would like to see is one for indeed.com for job seekers and second it would be nice to have a place for readers/jobseekers to post their resumes? Just thoughts.I don't mind adding the link, but I don't know where it would best fit. It would have to go on the sidebar at the right, but it would get lost among all the other links. Let me know if you can find a spot for these kinds of links.
Want to know how many jobs are in the ND oil patch needing filling? Do some keywording on indeed.com like pigging, crude, gas, pipeline, valves, operator etc.
I am told that an experienced driver with a commercial driver's license (CDL) can get a job within 15 minutes of arriving in Williston. If you bring your own truck, you can probably have a job a bit sooner. I ran into a young man from Idaho last weekend at Home of Economy. He has been here for about a year, brought his own truck. He's now telling his uncle, still in Idaho, to bring his truck, also, and come to Williston.
Unfortunately/fortunately there is no need for resumes to be posted at my site; many other sites for that. However, one of the reasons I blog is to get the word out to folks nationwide that there are still jobs to be had throughout the Basin. Retailers and restaurants desperately need help; many have cut back on hours because they cannot get enough help. Spouses who do not want to drive a truck or work in the oil fields can easily find work in Williston, Dickinson, Minot and all points in between, I would assume.
There are 350 service industries in Williston, North Dakota, according to the Williston Herald, July 23, 2011:
Zarling said currently there are more than 350 service companies operating in Williston. He said bringing local companies to one place can help companies network more locally and introduce service companies to new technologies and products that may help their business.And more coming in every day.
Speaking of which, east of Williston, up on the hill, is "the future home of Journey Energy Services." They've broken ground and a framed structure is already. I don't know if it's the same Journey Energy Services as at this link, but if so, it's a company that started in Williston, almost exactly one year ago, with one truck. Next time I'm out in that area, I will get a photo; looks like it's expanding.
Sand Quarry -- Western North Dakota -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA
On the road between Trenton, North Dakota, and Fairview, Montana, there is lots of oil activity, including several new wells with flaring.
Off to the east of state highway 1804 is a huge sand quarry:
I tried to get closer, but I couldn't. But even if I had, I doubt that I would have seen much more. Off to the right in the lower picture, you can see a couple of pyramids.
Remember, you can click on the photos which will open in another window and you can zoom in on features you might not otherwise see.
In this immediate area, they are also building the Trenton crude-by-rail facility, a huge oval track best seen from the air. A photograph would not have captured the immensity of that project. At this point, the topsoil has been removed, the road bed is in, the ties are being laid, and one can definitely see what the project will eventually look like.
Off to the east of state highway 1804 is a huge sand quarry:
I tried to get closer, but I couldn't. But even if I had, I doubt that I would have seen much more. Off to the right in the lower picture, you can see a couple of pyramids.
Remember, you can click on the photos which will open in another window and you can zoom in on features you might not otherwise see.
In this immediate area, they are also building the Trenton crude-by-rail facility, a huge oval track best seen from the air. A photograph would not have captured the immensity of that project. At this point, the topsoil has been removed, the road bed is in, the ties are being laid, and one can definitely see what the project will eventually look like.