Solo Gate Guarding

Have you ever seen that show called "How Do They Do That"? I often wondered the same about manning an oil field gate alone. During the recent absence of my significant other (she was up north tending to things) I was asked to sub for a couple that had a medical emergency. Some of this stuff may seem obvious, but I hope it's informative and helpful. I have said that the ability to catnap is a plus in the gate guarding world. That applies doubly so in a solo operation. What I failed to mention is that you also need to be a light sleeper and/or confident in your ability to wake up when the bell sounds. (-: During my stint driving a truck I was taught that fatigue is cumulative and that sure applies here. There is no substitute for a good night's sleep. A complete load of groceries, sundries and clean clothes is a must before starting. You will most likely not be going anywhere for a week or more. You have to be creative when it comes to bathroom breaks, showers and cooking. What I did was wait till late at night to shower. I was fortunate that traffic ebbed quite bit at night and I could get a few hours sleep before traffic picked up in the morning. It still is a tough job, especially if you take pride in what you do and attempt to keep control of a gate. A controlled gate that opens and shuts during certain times-like some 12 hour gates-makes for an ideal solo gig. Basically, trying to get anything done around the RV when you are alone on a gate is difficult to accomplish.