tough people doing whatever it takes. Williston, ND today

[SDcampowneroper]

Drove up to Williston today and back home to fetch my son & his broken down truck.
Everywhere I looked from Belfield north to Williston, it made me proud to see the pioneer spirit is alive and well in this part of America.
Crew, mancamp, temporary worker housing is everywhere.
Of interest to my eyes was those thousands in rvs prepped to winter over. From FEMA style TTs to a Royals, a Nash next to an Elite Suite. No ten year or type rule applies.
These are the hardy,determined. Cudos!

[Jim_Shoe]

Adding to that, Williston and surrounding towns just weren't set up to have so many people show up at the same time. Farmers were renting spaces in their fields and people in Williston were renting RV spots in their front yards. And of course, some people took advantage by charging an arm and a leg for groceries and parking spaces. I read recently that some of the oil companies are pumping water into the tapped out wells to force the remaining oil to the surface. But it won't last forever.
Then it will be time to clean up, and fix the roads that were torn up by the weight of all those tanker trucks. Everything has a price.

[dreamer]

Just came through west Texas to south Texas and looks like the boomers are well represented there too.

dreamer.

[C_SL]

It is not all a bed of roses here, like a lot of people think it is.

[clikrf8]

Hubby and I worked in the local refineries. Dirty, dangerous job. I was one of the few women (pipe insulator and damned good at it). We both had a few close calls due to fires, explosions, leaks. I am glad those days are done. Not a very healthy place to work. A few years ago, 7 people were burned to death in an explosion. The price of oil. Only good thing was that it was high paying job but you earned it. 4-10 weeks of 12 hour days 6 and 7 days a week, sometimes with a string of doubles thrown in.

[Cloud_Dancer]

In the 60's, I was attracted by the fact that I could save my whole fat paycheck because everything was provided (duty in Point Barrow Alaska).
I lasted until the next aircraft could fly out of there!

Yep, people north of here are tougher than me. Kudos to them.

[westend]

calamus wrote:
Ya that money goes fast when you are paying $600+ a month for hookups and milk is $5 bucks a gallon. and in our case Paying bills on a house with the wife and 2 kids at home. Working 6 days a week seeing the family 2 times a month. The money is nice when you are single but there is a bigger price to pay not seeing your kids grow up.

Hang in there brother. I know how tough it is, worked as a boomer, myself.

For those that don't think you need to be determined or hardy, try it yourself. There aren't ten people on this Forum that would last more than a week. My hat's off to those that are up there bringing oil to me and my family.

OP, thanks for posting!

[Rocky2]

My grandfather homesteaded in Douglas county. All he could grow was rocks and kids and moved to South Dakota. Too bad we don't have the mineral rights given up when he moved.

[calamus]

Ya that money goes fast when you are paying $600+ a month for hookups and milk is $5 bucks a gallon. and in our case Paying bills on a house with the wife and 2 kids at home. Working 6 days a week seeing the family 2 times a month. The money is nice when you are single but there is a bigger price to pay not seeing your kids grow up.

[Old-Biscuit]

ScottG wrote:
It helps when your making a boat-load of money!

Unfortunately.......as with most any 'BOOM' local prices reflect it...as in go up & up

[ScottG]

It helps when your making a boat-load of money!

[fj12ryder]

Hardy, determined? Hungry!!

[Old-Biscuit]

Having worked in the oilfield in WY/UT (Derrick Hand) sometimes you gotta do what you gotts to do.
Stayed in 'dog house' on site, stayed in some really dilapidated cheap rooming houses. Sleep in truck cab. Never had the luxury of an rv :B

Regardless......froze. Just never could get warm but the pay was what made you stick it out.