Alayne took this photo of me bringing out the very last item from the moving van that arrived on Friday. This was the snowplow, which was strapped onto a pallet that I'm lifting with the pallet forks on the tractor's front loader. I wish I had thought about taking a "before" photo, but when the driver opened the back door -- very slowly and carefully, because Alayne said she had crammed that van full all the way to the doors -- I looked up and the last thing I was thinking about was getting a photo. I was thinking, oh my Lord, how much is in there? Well, according to the weigh station's record, the driver said there was 30,000 pounds (13,608 kg) of stuff.
We had arranged with MTS Freight in Helena for the moving vans, and I would like to say they were fabulous to work with. We clearly did not have a typical household move, nor could we simply have a team of movers show up one day, pack everything, load it in a van and drive off. That's because most of it was not the kind of stuff that would fit neatly into moving boxes, and also because we had to stage the move to time it with the shipment of the animals. So some stuff we could pack ahead of time, other stuff had to wait until the animals left. MTS Freight was very flexible and accommodating, willing to work around our unique needs and schedule. They dropped the first moving van at the ranch back in early May, left it there for us to load over the space of a few weeks, then came back to pick it up when it was full and dropped off the second van. (Yes, we have one more van coming!) Then they were willing to hold on to both vans until Alayne could get out to New Hampshire to be here to help me unload.
MTS Freight contracted with an independent driver to bring the van out, and here again we were very fortunate -- and grateful. Dave H., who you see in the photo directing me as I guide the pallet forks in, offered to help us unload ... and he spent the rest of the day working side-by-side with us. This was not part of his job at all -- he was contracted by MTS only to deliver the van -- but he was kind enough to spend the day helping to schlep stuff from the van. We had an 8' x 4' platform for the pallet forks that we used to ferry the loose items from the van to the barn and house; the big things, like the snowplow, were already on pallets.
Now, I know many folks will wonder why we didn't hire a bunch of high school kids or round up some new volunteers to help unload. The reason is liability. If someone had fallen off the back of that van, for instance, we would have been liable. In Montana, we had a worker's comp policy that covered volunteers; we don't have that policy in place yet here (it's in process). And waivers aren't sufficient; you can't waive your health insurer's right to sue someone else to recover the cost of medical care, for instance. Unfortunately, in today's litigious society, it's not worth taking the risk if you don't have the insurance in place. (As an independent owner/operator who delivered the load, Dave was in a different position.)
Once we got underway, we also realized there was only really enough room for the three of us inside the van anyway; any more people and we would have been elbowing each other out of the way!
It was 7 p.m. when we finally finished, and this was a welcome sight indeed:
Alayne & Steve,
Those of us in the Great PNW who know you from TBC, are quite proud of your commitments to the animals.
Who would have thought that Dave H. was in His Plan to be there for your relocation. And does MTS Freight in Helena know the value he was to you and the GEM they have in their employ?
Bless you all,
Micki (and Mary ... although she didn't write this!)
Posted by: Micki Brown | July 29, 2010 at 02:52 AM
Dave you are a gem to help the way you did. It's so nice to hear of someone doing that BIG extra in their line of work. MTS Freight sounds like a great company & how fortunate to find such an accommodating team of people to work with under such unique circumstances involving your move.
I know you are saying as you lay your head on the pillow tonight...this is our last move! Wow, what an undertaking but from what you have posted it sounds like you have certainly been blessed w/ folks stepping up & doing so much to help. And, the most important thing is this all about the animals & that is the best part. So much is being done to give all these sweet angels the best of the best!!!
Posted by: Colleen & Sweet Kitty Erin | June 29, 2010 at 12:43 AM
Thanks Dave H. for helping Steve & Alayne get the truck unloaded & everything in place for the animals. Thanks also to MTS Freight for working with Steve & Alayne to work with their specific needs. I'm so grateful that there were no injuries & this load has been safely put away.
Hugs all around,
ginger, Tobias & Tlingit
Posted by: ginger | June 28, 2010 at 03:21 PM
Oh, my achin' back. And you have another van coming?? You guys must be built better than I am! (Not that that would take much....)
Posted by: Vicki Small | June 28, 2010 at 12:44 PM
Re reading this post made me realize how much really went into this move. It isn't like moving just a house full of furniture. You had SO MANY things to consider how to move...not just your 'stuff', but the ranch stuff and the critter stuff and the equipment stuff....But the animals and people too. Hopefully by the fall you should be all settled (nothing unpacks itself no matter how much we want it too) and hopefully be able to really enjoy the fall colors of New England. Morning coffee on the "barn cat" deck or sharing space on the dog deck looking at the wonderous fall colors will be a nice treat for you two. Anne
Posted by: Anne | June 28, 2010 at 12:34 PM
I once saw a bumper sticker that said something like, "If you have it, it was once in a truck". A profession we perhaps take for granted.
THANK YOU Dave! It's always nice to hear or read about a good person who goes the extra mile(pardon the pun)! Safe future travels to you.
Steve: Y'all's Facebook message page has several references to some local media coverage of the Ranch. If available, links would be greatly appreciated for all us RDR junkies. :-)
Posted by: Lynn (in Louisiana) | June 28, 2010 at 12:33 PM
Thank you Dave for helping Steve & Alayne. This is obviously not your regular move and we appreciate you helping our friends. We hope you check back here from time to time and see what is going on at RDR and with the animals. Once again your help in unloading went above and beyond. Thanks Dave. Shows there are good people everywhere. What goes around comes around. Anne
Posted by: Anne | June 28, 2010 at 09:03 AM
Such good people who have so graciously helped you with this huge move. Bless you all. Two, three and four legged!
All are "home" happy, safe and sound, with no loss or injury.
Congratulations! Great, great, job~
Posted by: Glenda Nelson | June 28, 2010 at 07:35 AM
Whew! I know you all are happy to have that done and over with. I just couldn't imagine having to deal with the undertaking of moving the ranch and the logistics. You all are wonderful!! And thanks go to Dave for your generous help given to RDR!
Posted by: Ann | June 28, 2010 at 01:08 AM
You 2 and Dave H., the truck driver, must be exhausted. Once again, you and Alayne have my utmost admiration.
I like the way you described your reasoning behind not using volunteer help right now, knowing that one or more of the readers/supporters would undoubtably want to give you unsolicited advise. We just do that because we care ;-o! Ha!! You folks are incredible,resourceful, clever and energetic.
Posted by: Ev | June 27, 2010 at 09:18 PM
RIGHT ON Dave!!!!!!
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | June 27, 2010 at 08:24 PM
FROM JAMES....nice pack job huh!! Not bad for three people in their 50's. We feel your pain!
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | June 27, 2010 at 08:24 PM