Dang RV

Education at the Gate

By Katrina Kane, on July 5th, 2013

One of the interesting things about gate guarding is getting to see different critters passing by and seeing different landscapes. With a camera in hand, I often walk down the road a bit for exercise and to photograph visitors to my domain (though I am actually the visitor) and see what wonderful changes are happening with the local plants. Life interests me. Sometimes life comes to me instead as birds like to sit on my fence and other critters wander the brush nearby.

I have seen deer, cows, rabbits, roadrunners, and turtles crossing the road inside the gate every morning and evening. I saw a snake swimming in the flood water. Lots of lizards scramble about. A big black hairy tarantula crossed my path one morning. Eek! We get large groups of butterflies here. Some are yellow while lately I mostly see orange butterflies. They make lovely decorations on truck grills. Splat!

A baby coyote was displaced from his family during the flood and came to my gate to get into the ranch. When I could not let him in, a roadrunner (believe it or not!) showed him how to get in under the fence. He was very hungry and came by again that night to eat many of the bugs attracted by my work lights. I hope he found his family after the flood.

I have also been adopted by a stray cat that lives on the ranch. It likes to sleep under my trailer or truck to get out of the sun.

Of course, there is also the never ending battle with Texas ants and flies who also like to visit me. If you happen to pass by and see my wildly gyrating inside my RV or hear me yelling, “Die, die you bastards!” now you know why. Not all life is good. Some I could do without. 😉

FLOOD!

By Katrina Kane, on June 18th, 2013

The rain finally came to the south Texas area I am in and it came with a vengeance. It was my second time working in rain. When I saw the clouds coming in, I wisely got my bright yellow rain poncho out of the truck and put it in the trailer as I had already learned that a rain coat wasn’t enough when gate guarding. I changed out of my regular shoes into my Crocs^™and out of long pants into shorts. I was ready. It rained all night and the next day. My NOAA weather alert radio sounded off with a flood warning. At some point, a couple of truck drivers came back and informed me the road was under water farther down. That is when my little electric scooter came in very handy to go down the road and check on it. Indeed, the pad was now under water as well as the side road to it. I noted the water level and began checking every hour. It was rising very fast and not only from below me but also from the side roads toward the gate. I made sure anyone wanting to come in was informed of it before they could go down to check for themselves. Personally, I was nervous and kept up my checks all night and the next day. The water under the cattle guard at the gate was also rising. I knew that even if it didn’t overflow, it meant mosquitoes right there eventually. Aargh!

It took a couple days before it finally crested. I had pickups sitting outside my gate every morning for a week with workers hoping to go to work but they couldn’t. Some folks didn’t get the word about our situation and were sending big trucks with equipment to start the next work phase while others were trying to get in to get their equipment out. They couldn’t get to the pad. A couple brave company men donned waders and hiked in to check on the pad. A little over a week later, the water receded enough to use the road to the pad but the pad was still under water for several more days. When it finally cleared, the fun began. Water had ruined some equipment for a total loss. A very large grader wouldn’t start to move it so they had to drain and replace all fluids then change some parts. A couple of huge box containers had floated off the pad and had to be retrieved from the woods. Fun, fun, fun!

We all survived the flood which is the important thing. There was no damage to my rig which happily stayed above the flood line and I didn’t have to move out. I hear the guard farther down the highway at another gate did have to evacuate so I feel pretty lucky.

Another Week in Paradise

By Katrina Kane, on June 10th, 2013

So far, I’m having a great time gate guarding. The gate is currently slow, has been for 2 weeks, so I have lots of time to work on my RV and other projects. The pay is great so I’m starting to pay down my bills and hope to get debt free at some point. Not having to pay for the site or utilities sure helps. Hoping to stay on this gate awhile to keep gas costs down too. I have satellite TV, internet, phone, air conditioning, all the books I can read on my Kindle, etc. so life inside my rolling box is pretty good.

When I started this gate, it got very busy real fast for a week. I had trucks and people coming in and out constantly all day from 4:30am-7pm. Unlike other 24/7 gates, the company at this one shuts down in the evening for safety reasons. I really appreciated that break to sleep and recover. Even living right next to the gate requires quite a bit of physical activity going in and out of the RV to the gate. Now that it is lighter, my muscles have been complaining so I am walking up and down the road inside the gate to keep them tuned and of course, I take my camera. You never know when a great shot will appear. There are lots of small animals and cactus about to bloom around here. Sometimes I just see something from a different angle and need to get another pic of it.

Most of the people I have met have been pretty nice and they often stop on the way out to ask if I need anything from town. A couple of them have been a bit cranky but making an extra effort to learn their vehicles, names, and faces has helped. The main thing is to be friendly while staying professional. A big smile and welcome or goodbye go a long way. I always thank them after logging them in or out and wave to them. It helps to be flexible too. When I get a long line going out, I work my way down the line rather than waiting for them to get to me so they can get out faster. They appreciate that.

This week I’ll start looking for someone to relieve me for a few hours a week for emergencies, shopping, repairs, etc. I’m getting some relief from my support person every couple of weeks but need to hire someone myself to get more if needed. Doing this as a single is quite a bit harder with no one to help with the work, spell me for sleep or illness, and no one I can send into town for a part or groceries. It was very hard even finding a company that would take me. They all want couples. However, there is always a shortage of couples in summer so that is the best time for a single person to get started. Most companies will take singles to work 10-12 hr gates but there are nowhere near as many of those as there are 24 hr gates. Some singles will team up with someone else but then you have to split the money. I guess that works OK if you don’t have a lot of bills or live nearby. I know several families that have shared gates among them.

Hitch itch can be a problem with guarding. Those of us who are used to traveling can really get it bad after a few weeks of staying in one place but I’m not feeling it yet. It helps to be in an area I am not familiar with and to have pre-planned so many projects to keep me busy. My main itch right now is for a swimming pool or lake but even if I had those I don’t have a bathing suit. I must take care of that problem while I’m here.

I finally got my Texas Level II Security license card the other day which will definitely help with getting other gates. It is good for 2 years. It cost me $58 to apply for it back in March and $9 for fingerprinting and FBI background check. The drug test was free to me so I guess the guard company paid for that. I must have passed the open book test they give you since I got it. No charge for that. Once you apply for the card, you can work as either an employee or contractor for security firms. Many do only contractor status while others make you a pseudo employee meaning you still may not get health insurance and other perks.

As far as pay, the pay rate varies between companies and between gates. They usually pay more for gates where there is more than one rig or activity going on. At least one company has their own RV parks known as yards where you can stay for free between gates so figure that into the pay when you are shopping around for a company to work for. Another company makes you provide your own equipment AND charges you daily for water, generator, fuel, and sewer pumpout which others provide for free. I’m very happy with the company I am working for though I won’t tell you their name. There is always an argument about the pay in guard forums which is usually started by non-guards. If you do the traditional math of dividing the daily pay by 24 hrs then it will appear to be below minimum wage. However, you don’t actually work 24 hrs. How much you work varies from day to day though the pay does not. I have had ridiculously busy days with little sleep and other days with no one coming through the gate at all yet I still got paid the full rate. You also get a free site and usually free utilities which the traditionalists fail to factor in. Since we are working 7 days a week instead of the usual 5 days a week, we are able to earn money faster which is why this job is so attractive to people who need to get out of debt and those who only want to work part of the year and travel for all the rest.

Still, this job is not for everyone. Whether you are a couple or single, you really have to like being out in the middle of nowhere alone. If you are a couple, an RV can shrink down really small after a few weeks so expect your marriage to be tested. There is some danger from illegals, drug traffickers, other miscreants, heavy big rig traffic on two lane roads, wild animals, snakes, tornadoes, hail, winds, etc. There will be some situations where you will need to improvise with no help available. Be sure to bring a good set of tools and know how to use them. Bring extras of everything! Expect a whole lot of heat and sweating. I almost forgot to mention the thousand ants per square inch in Texas too.

Surviving the Texas Heat

By Katrina Kane, on June 3rd, 2013

It’s hot. It’s very hot! It’s only May but still it is hot. The snowbirds have abandoned Texas to head to cooler climates. I am very happy they have flown away and left behind more jobs for me and everyone else but staying and surviving this heat isn’t easy. After a few short months here, I have learned the daily cycle of heat and various ways to stay cooler while guarding gates down here.

Mornings in summer in Texas are not really cool but they are certainly cooler. Up until around 10-11 AM they are pretty decent. Then things start heating up until the hottest time of day from 3-6 PM. That’s when you feel like a lobster in a pot. It’s a daily struggle to stay cool enough during these times.

If you have ever seen pictures of gate guards, you will notice most of them are wearing shorts and short sleeved shirts. I thought my long pants of very light material would work but they are still too hot so shorts it is for me too along with comfortable yet professional-looking polo shirts. For shoes, sandals are not allowed due to the possibility of stubbing your toes while running to the gate which I have done many times already. Close-toed shoes are required. Slip-ons work the best to get in and out of shoes quickly. I use good solid slip-on shoes with padded inserts for most of my work which can be hard on the feet. In the early morning or evening though you may see me in Crocs™ as I am gearing up for or chilling out from work. They do protect the toes as required and are fast to get into but are terrible for walking in all day, especially on caliche rocks. It is rather amusing at the end of the day to watch the truck drivers stop while waiting in line to leave or just outside the gate to change into sandals for their drive home.

A wide brimmed hat is also a necessity both on sunny days and rainy days. Whether you like to wear hats or not, you can’t handle the heat in Texas without one. You may want some sunglasses too.

I have a “keep cool” towel which I have used successfully elsewhere but it doesn’t work quite well enough here. It is made out of a special cloth that you wet down and shake to activate its cooling properties. I like it because it doesn’t get your clothes wet when wearing it. What is working better for me is rolling up 2-3 ice cubes in a wet bandana and wearing it around my neck or forehead. You can also put either of these or spares in the refrigerator for an extra boost. Some folks also use a mister if they get enough water for that from their company or they may just use a spray bottle full of water. During the hottest hours of the day, I have been known to go soak my head in the sink or shower. It may be messy but it gets me over the afternoon hump. Wet hair keeps you cooler.

Don’t forget to drink plenty of water during the day. Those buckets of sweat must be replaced to stay healthy. Be sure your pets are also getting enough water and are being kept cool.

Keep lots of sunscreen on hand and use it, especially if you are guarding or work outside. It doesn’t take long to burn and it is very hard to work outside or stay cool once you are burned.

Cover for your RV is important too. RV refrigerators cool better and the RV itself really does stay cooler when the side is shaded so get that awning out. The awning will keep heat off the windows and may allow you to sit outside during some periods of the day. If you don’t want to risk your expensive awning in the belligerent Texas winds, get a cheap Easy-Up™ canopy to use instead and sacrifice if necessary. You can also put foil or the bubble foil material found in RV stores to cover windows and block the heat.

Don’t count on air conditioning alone to survive. There is only so much they can cool and breakdown or loss of power is always a possibility. Have some DC fans on board to help it along and use alone if necessary. A good vent fan such as a Fantastic Fan is also an excellent one to have to circulate the hot air out of the RV.

You may want to put a shade cover over the provided water tank (big black tank) on the support trailer to keep it cooler. Otherwise, you will need to wait until later at night or early in the morning to get water cool enough to shower. Water sitting in your lines will be cool but new water coming in will be very hot during hot weather.

Plan your meals to avoid using the gas oven on hot days or cook and eat later in the evening. Microwave ovens are better. Using crockpots, portable ovens, and rotisseries that can be moved outside while cooking are great for keeping the temp inside down. BBQing a lot is also an excellent option. Making cold salads, etc. of course is best and should be part of your planning but who wants to eat only cold meals?

You can survive the heat of a Texas summer if you pay attention, learn the daily temp zones, dress for it, and prepare both yourself and your RV for it. Don’t forget to prepare for the unexpected as well. There’s always sumthin’!

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