I wanted to take some more pictures of the trucks, action shots of me, etc., but I really didn't have a chance. It probably also wouldn't look too good for gubmint employees to be mugging for the camera while on duty.

When we stop everyone jumps out and has their tasks to do. While they are setting up the work site with cones and pulling the lids from the storm sewers, I have to pull my measuring rod and GPS antenna combo from the truck and put the flashlight in my back pocket. I then start the process of entering the data for that particular site into the GPS. It takes a couple minutes of data-entry button-pushing for each storm sewer. Because of that I am on the critical path of the process and don't have time to get the camera, walk to a good vantage point, take a few pictures, walk back to the cab to put the camera back into my bag, and then get my GPS gear. I was able to grab a couple shots though.

I ride in the front truck with the crew cab. When we are doing the inside lanes I ride in the back seat on the driver's side so I don't have to step into on-coming traffic. Of course when we are doing outside lanes I ride in the front on the passenger side.

You can't tell from these pictures but the truck blocking traffic from our work zone is really really big. It has a big 10 foot long bumper mounted on the back that is designed to absorb the impact of a car. There is also a big flashing directional arrow on the back to warn cars from a distance to switch lanes. Cars still wait until the last minute to get over and end up too close to the truck.

The truck I ride in has a crane on the back that we use sometimes to pull storm sewer covers that are stuck. There also two very bright spot lights that we can aim where we are working. It is like working in daylight when they are on.

The first night my back started hurting after about 7 or 8 hours of our 10-hour shift. Last night it started hurting after about five hours. Stupid back. I am not going to be able to do this next week if they can't find someone else to do it. The back pain just takes too much out of me. I really don't mind the work or the late hours. It is just the back pain.

I got about five hours of sleep when I got home. I will try to get a couple more hours of sleep later this afternoon before I go back to work.