Pilot Driver

[hammersley]

Retiring in 3 weeks - was wondering about working 1-3 days a week for fun - anybody have experience with Pilto Driving - how you do it, is there a list so long to do that it's not possible? Also what about flagging at construction sites - any experience???????

 

[TowPro]

I bet Sproal would hire you to be a "summer ranger" in the state forest.



I know, you love where you live now and would rather be there then policing pine creek at fishing season, or checking up on campers in those rattlesnakes infested rocks.



But I will drive past hammersley's fork and look around for you anyway!



Enjoy being Retired!

Originally posted by hammersley

Retiring in 3 weeks - was wondering about working 1-3 days a week for fun - anybody have experience with Pilto Driving - how you do it, is there a list so long to do that it's not possible? Also what about flagging at construction sites - any experience???????

 

[hammersley]

Towpro - thanks

Great memories, spent my youth in that country. Can you tell me how much care do folks take fishing and hunting now with the scare of the darn lime disease? This sure wasn't a problem when I was a youngster, or else they hadn't detected it yet.



I do plan on traveling back to Potter and Clinton County - but somehow, since all my loved ones from Central PA are now gone, the memories will different.



Now my youngsters and my grandkids hopefully are making the memories that they'll look back on in 30-40 years. However, they won't be the same ones that I enjoyed - and I guess that's the wa it is for all of us old-timers.



Keep looking - hopefully we'll see each other someday..... maybe we can arrange it.

 

[illflem]

Don't know about elsewhere but in Washington state you have to have a license to drive a pilot car or flag. To get either license requires going to one three hour class on a Saturday and paying $20.

My daughter flagged for paving company one summer while in high school. It about bored her to death but $20/hr with 14 hour days was a good deal for a 17 year old.

 

[hammersley]

Quota

I understand to meet gender/racial employment percentages for federal/state contracts, especially in such male dominated areas as construction, they prefer to have women as flaggers.

 

[TowPro]

Re: Quota

Plus the male drivers slow down to look at them

Originally posted by hammersley

I understand to meet gender/racial employment percentages for federal/state contracts, especially in such male dominated areas as construction, they prefer to have women as flaggers.

 

[TowPro]

Re: Towpro - thanks

I just use plenty of 20% DEET or higher bug spray. I have camo paints I wear when out in the field, I spray the hell out of them with Bug Spray, then remove them before going back into the camper. Plus check yourself often for Ticks. I have only found one of the little Deer ticks (about the size of a pin head) but still find lots of Dog ticks (the ones around the size of a BB). they think you have around 24 hours after the tick latches onto you before Lyme catches on. So just being aware of the problem, and knowing the signs of the infection you should be ok.



I have one friend who runs a bulldozer (outside all the time) that got it. Then they put you on major doses of antibiotics to get rid if it. They had a vacsenation for it, but nobody wanted it (It would give you the flu) so they quit making it.



My buddy got a deer a couple years ago, and hung it in his yard. All the ticks jumped off the deer and got on his dog. He lost his dog to Lyme.



Its just something you have to learn to live with if you love the outdoors. Even before Lyme there was Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. That alone was enough to cause you to keep the ticks off.



Actualy there is more occurence of it down here in SE pa then up in Central PA.

Originally posted by hammersley

Great memories, spent my youth in that country. Can you tell me how much care do folks take fishing and hunting now with the scare of the darn lime disease? This sure wasn't a problem when I was a youngster, or else they hadn't detected it yet.

 

[Matt42]

Some years ago, near Lincoln, MT, I ran across a "flagger" who was between jobs. She missed talking to people while flagging at construction sites. So she set herself up on a dead-end forest road going nowhere with a stop/slow sign, just to find people to talk to. It was a nice conversation, believe it or not.

 

[JWhitcomb]

Work for fun, now there is a concept I don't understand.

 

[DBF]

Some years ago, near Lincoln, MT, I ran across a "flagger" who was between jobs. She

We were on a road being regraveled near Ft. Liard, NWT, and got stopped by the flagman. There were a couple of trucks down the road a ways moving around. He stood next to the truck and we chatted for quite a while about Virginia and BC and hunting.



Finally, I noticed the trucks weren't moving around so I asked when we'd be able to move on.



He said, "Oh, you could have gone any time in the last 20 minutes, I was just enjoying a good chat. "



After a good long laugh we went on.



DBF

 

[QRTRHRS]

Speaking about ticks...

I just attended a West Nile Virus class. There is some speculation that ticks can transmit WNV in addition to their other bag of tricks. No hard evidence yet but it is being studied.



One more reason for doing a thorough tick check.