It's spring! At least it should be anyway -- another foot of new snow, and teens for high temp's last night -- and that triggers work, in my case, concrete producers in northern climates gearing up to chase the all mighty-dollar.

I left the warm comfort of Texas right after Easter, to lend a hand bringing ready mix plants that had been mothballed for winter back into production. There are also several "new" locations, and as always, portable plants (the BIG producers) are moving to their paving, wind farm, dam, commercial, and airport work. I was enjoying near eighty-degree highs at Easter. I've frozen, shivered, and been stuck in snow, or mired in mud ever since.

Spent better 'n a week working in any town in ND out in/near the Bakken oil field. Pretty amazing to see what's already taken place - but believe me, you won't recognize the area in a few years. I have requests for mix designs for everything from housing, to refineries; and all the roads (and curb and gutter, etc) that weave it all together.

Impossible to complete the "thinkin'" part of the job while shiverin' like a dog crappin' razor blades however, so I'm headed to someplace warm (either naturally, or man-caused).

I didn't know you were up north. Last I heard you were still in Texas and as the "fire hadn't seen a post from you recently we were worried you might have been near West and the fertilizer plant.

Glad to know you are OK.

'Preciate the concern! The disaster in in West, TX (man that's confusing), is 'bout a dozen miles from my commercial property. Tragedy to be sure, but thankfully, didn't effect anyone I know.

Thoughts and prayers to those whom it did devastate.

My "tour" into the Bakken is just a temporary blip (for me). What started out as one of our customers, with one plant in the area a few years ago, has exploded into anybody that has a portable plant scrambling to get a foothold in the market(s). Towns like Williston, or Watford City, now have capabilities and competition that are normally associated with large metro-markets. Either there is going to be an ocean of concrete poured, or some producers are going to have gambled, and lost a bundle; or a combination of the two.

Sure wish it'd been a more normal spring in terms of weather, 'cause brother, it was COLD!