Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[farmerjan]

Pulling a gooseneck is easier than a tow behind... and if you are only going to be coming back with it... it will be like it isn't even there... The biggest thing is to make sure you have mirrors that will allow you to see the back of the trailer well.... and it will be more closed in that the flat bed with solid sides? Are the sides slatted or solid most of the way up? Solid is a little harder since you can't see through it like the slats.... the turning points are different than a tow behind... it comes around a little slower because the pivot is different but it is smoother and easier than a tow behind. If you can drive/pull a tow behind, then a gooseneck is easier...

 

[Ridgetop]

I think we have figured out a time period to go. We have one week between last Dr. appt and surgery. We can make it there and back in there and back 5 days since will only be hauling the trailer part of the way back. I can drive part of the way out in the pickup so can drive after dark to get farther. DH needs another cataract removed so night sight is not the best in one eye and our truck headlights are lousy. DS3 has new retrofit headlight kit but s currently working in Fresno so can't install before we head to Texas. We use the brights at night for illumination and my night sight is ok so I can drive on about another couple hours before stopping. On the way back we will stop 2 nights on the road and pick up another 80 bales of alfalfa in AZ. We can't make it to the alfalfa farm in 2 days since they close at 4pm so by spending the night in Kingman we get there just as they open and home by midafternoon. Even if DS1 says we don't have storage for the hay, it can stay in the new trailer until after DH's surgery and next trip to Texas. We can stuff the Connex and barn full, and feed out of the trailer.

DH can get cataract surgery before our final move to Texas or we will come back for it. Probably come back for it, visit the kids, and pick up a group of sheep from Wes Patton. Wes has decided to go ahead with his and deceased wife, Jane's, plans to convert all his Dorpers and White Dorpers from registered Purebred to registered Fullblood. There is more money in selling Fullblood breeding stock. When I had my flock graded 2 years ago Colene VM said that the Fullbloods in this country were not as good as the Purebreds. Wes told me it will take him a couple years to build up his Fullbloods to the same quality as his current Purebreds. I had asked him about a good ram or two to replace the old boys in my flock and he told me his plans. Wes said that he would have his best Purebred ewes selling after they lamb in spring. I told him that if he was having a dispersal sale I would be interested in some of his good Purebred ewes. I like the Purebreds, they are a little cheaper to buy, and are as good or better than most of the Fullbloods in this country. The best Fullbloods are in South Africa and you can only import semen and embryos from S. Africa. Takes a while to build a good herd that way. Wes and Jane imported a tank of 100 embryos last year and on the way the tank failed and they had not gotten insurance! Major loss for them. Then Jane passed away last Christmas (cancer). I was afraid that Wes would decide to sell out but both his sons are in the sheep business - one is a teacher at Wes's old college. With their help he has decided to continue his and Jane's plans to sell out of Purebreds and breed only Fullbloods. He said it would take him a while to get the quality of Fullbloods he has currently in his Purebloods. I hope to buy some of his Pureblood ewes this spring when he sells. Hope I can afford them. I would like about 10 ewes and 2 rams from different sires. If I sell my entire crop of lambs this year, maybe I will come up with the $$$. Got to start saving. I don't show but am particular about the quality of my breeding stock.

Anyway, I will start collecting and packing a load of stuff to take back in the truck bed. Have to tarp the cardboard boxes and pack most stuff in plastic bins. Hope it won't rain since I won't have a lot of time to unload and dry off anything that gets wet. If I use the large plastic bins and we cover the bed with a tarp and tie it down securely it should be ok. Wanted to pack some lamps and lampshades but may leave the lampshades till we can put them inside the trailer. The shades won't fit in the bins. I can roll the lamps in blankets in the bins along with some more of the items I plan to pack. We won't need a lot of clothes since I have some clothes in Yantis and can do a quick wash while we are there unloading. Won't need a lot of food since there is some left in the freezer, or I will pick up some frozen stuff for two meals. We should be able to leave Tuesday afternoon, October 3, after DH's last pre-op. Arriving in Yantis on Friday mid-day. Unload everything, repack the empty bins in the truck, tarp it, spend Friday night, leave at dawn Saturday, pick up the new trailer in Lubbock, spend 2 nights on the road, pick up a load of alfalfa Monday or Tuesday am, and make it home again Monday or Tuesday before his surgery on Wednesday. Tight, but I think we can make it. We will be exhausted but DH can sleep during his surgery.

Better start packing more boxes.

 

[Ridgetop]

Here is the ad with pix. https://lubbock.craigslisy.org/grd/d/ropesville-kiefer-aluminum-gooseneck/7664731817.html#.kiefer If it doesn't come up let me know.

 

[Mini Horses]

Doesn't for me

 

[Ridgetop]

Here are pix of the trailer. Aluminum Kiefer - older trailer but all redone. 24 X 7. New floors, tires and lights. Brakes, axles and bearings all recently replaced. Under carriage was replaced as well. The seller also said he had the aluminum all repaired anywhere it had a crack, and then had it coated inside and out with antioxidant coating. It doesn't have trailer mats, but we can buy some. We also have a lot of 6' x 8' stall mats and could probably cut them to fit. Although, trailer mats cause their own problems - they an trap moisture under them and cause rot in wooden floors. They have to be removed from time to time so the wood trailer floor can dry out and be checked.
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I wasn't sure about the age of the trailer, but I looked on Cattle Today and there was a thread about buying older trailers vs new trailers. Opinions were that well-made older trailers were superior to new ones because they used thicker metal. New ones had some bells and whistles which might be better for the show horse people. I supposed it is what you need and are happy with. DH likes the fact that it is older than his truck. LOL Our 16' WW stock trailer is a 2000, steel, and I will never sell it. We bought it new for what used ones were selling for and I had an extra slide gate installed in the middle to make 3 compartments. It has thousands of miles on it. We have used it to move all our children from house to house, carried furniture and building materials in it, livestock and equipment to countless Fairs, and hauled many thousands of bales of hay. We take care of it and do repairs as needed. I would like to get a new paint job on it but that will have to wait. I have sanded and repainted beginning rust spots on the interior. We have a paint sprayer, I wonder if we could paint it ourselves once we are in Texas. DH just turned down an offer to buy it when we were in Texas last time. LOL Best livestock purchase we ever made at $4400 out the door after taxes and license. Hopefully this "new" trailer will be a smart purchase too.

This Kiefer is one of the earliest aluminum trailers - it is a 1986. That is old, but having been completely redone, I figure that only the title will show it's age. LOL

Figure $1500 per round trip to Texas, not including a couple nights in motels and meals adds up making multiple trips. We can carry our long panels, farm equipment, furniture, etc. etc. in one trip with this and save about $2000 for every load. In addition, we can transport the sheep and save $8500 in shipping.

 

[Mini Horses]

Looks GREAT!

 

[SageHill]

Here is the ad with pix. https://lubbock.craigslisy.org/grd/d/ropesville-kiefer-aluminum-gooseneck/7664731817.html#.kiefer If it doesn't come up let me know.

The link got switched somehow - to ...........................craigslisy.org................
here's the link:

KIEFER ALUMINUM GOOSENECK TRAILER - farm & garden - by owner - sale - craigslist

24 x 7. New floors, tires and lights. Brakes, axles and bearings all recently replaced. $12,500. Call or text . NO EMAILS!

lubbock.craigslist.org

 

[SageHill]

SUPER SWEET !!!!! Love it.

 

[murphysranch]

A gooseneck is just like pulling a fifth wheel. Easier than a bumper pull. I pulled our 32' fifth wheel using our 3500 Ram a few years back.

I might suggest a back up camera installed on the rear of the trailer. You simply attach the camera up high, run the wires and then if you have a newer truck, run the wires to the screen on the dash. If your truck doesn't have a nav screen, then you can buy a small screen (like the old Garmin Navi things). Makes it sooooo nice to see what's going on back there!!

 

[Mini Horses]

And inside...love that view when hauling animals