With two weeks to go till the Rudy Run the last weekend of October is always the chance to see how the digs lasted the summer. The chance to pull four foot tall weeds from between the rails, fill in those pesky rodent holes and spruce the place up for the Fall Spectacular Event.
Paul Westover was in town a few days early before working the tie gang in New Mexico, and he was a flurry of activity. Paul weeded the place and I know there were a few 'four footers' in the steaming area a couple of weeks back and now they're gone. He also filled the approaches to the silver high bridge where the rodents like to create an 'ankle breaker' over the summer. Paul had to leave Friday afternoon as everybody else was just getting there.
Kevin and Jeff Tolan got a kitchen pass for the weekend and arrived Friday afternoon. Al and Lynn Ratliff were right in there too. Greg and Becky beat me out before dark as the evening sky was enjoyable for at least one more weekend. The Tolan's brought out their 'Chloe' for some steam action and 'Three Companies' had the trusty 47 tonner and the Plethora of 24 foot flats in tow.
The early Saturday planning session went out the window when I forgot to load the most important of track tools in the truck. The building of another switch would have to wait. But the projects that did get done were important in the scheme of things anyway. Two more full size rail road ties were added to the retaining wall along the unloading yard and discussions lead to the most efficient way to continue in the area. Wait, till the lower area is finished instead of moving the dirt twice.
While the group was milling about at the unloading area the Museum boys, Gary Coneley and Terry Watson, stated that there was a problem with foot traffic in the station area along the retaining wall between the parking lot and the Museum building. Seems the ties placed to keep the erosion down and the road bed up looked like steps. And people were stumbling over the miniature tracks after climbing up full sized ties. Situation solved, we removed the third tie down so there were only two rows of ties and placed rip-rap from the 15" cut below the ties to give it a rock garden look to deter pedestrian traffic and keep us from putting something like a wall or fence that would detract from photo opportunities. 
The Saturday afternoon Pumkin Carving contest was won by Sydnie Ratliff, and "Jack" spent the evening glowing in the picnic shelter area. A delicious steak dinner was enjoyed Saturday night and the weather cooperated yet one more night. Sunday's activities were even less the Saturday's, as not much more could be thought up and the weather was more conductive to things like procrastination and sloth. The leaking spigot at the new water plug in the station was repaired after many false starts and detraction's. The time change weekend was taking its toll and soon it was time to make a few more runs before putting it all away till two weeks from now.
Hope to see each and every one of you out at the 'Rudy Run' on November 12, 13, 14 and 15, 2009. Fall is falling in the desert and the weather is becoming very hospitable, come enjoy it, Brian
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