You know those huge scrapers and dirt movers you see at construction sites?

Those are run by combustion engines, just like most machines. So they need oil.

Ever wonder what happens when they need to change the oil on one?

No, I never did, either.

But today I learned the answer to that question. The mechanics change the oil on site. I mean, you can't very well drive one of those things into the QuikeeLube. Which means the old, used oil accumulates rather quickly on a big job site.

Today, I met a man who makes his living driving a tanker out to the sites, pumping out their old oil, and hailing it away to be reprocessed.

Didn't mean to meet him. Not actually happy about it, at first. It had been a horribly slow morning on check station, even though one antelope area opened today, so I had finally given up. Already hauled one sign in from across the highway, and removed and stored my magnetic flashing amber light.

Just needed to drive down the highway a little for my other two signs, and I'd be homeward bound. Maybe even in time to see the wife at lunch. Last thing I wanted to do right then was visit.

But that's what he had in mind. His big, huge tanker truck occupying most of my pullout.

A pleasant enough fellow, probably my age or a little younger. I suspect he's a biker when not on the job. With several questions about hunting, and a story or two to tell. Bunch of his kin and offspring from a corner of the state hunt near here, and he was wondering if I might know them.

Which might be ridiculous in some places, but in this state you might find someone who knows someone you know a hundred miles away. Or even two hundred.

But I didn't.

He's hauling oil from the new dam being built south of town. The dam to store water to replace the water taken away by another dam, water that was given to somebody else in order that they might trade their water to Capitol City. Twenty-some years ago.

Apparently a pretty impressive project. He said, as has everyone I have met who has been on site, "You gotta get down there to see it."

They're nearly done. Start holding water next spring, if all goes well.

This fellow also hauled the used oil from the machines that were building the original dam, twenty-some years ago. Also an impressive project, he says.

But he's never been back since they filled it with water. Too many trips across that lousy road already, he has no desire to go back over it again.

And expects it will be the same with this one.