The Megaload

What is a megaload?  Since our area has been introduced to a megaload, the following facts are given to help understand the "what, where and why" of such a megaload.
- It is a gigantic shipment of massive equipment that is heading for the tar sands oil region of Northern Alberta, Canada.  There are three such megaloads which will travel through Eastern Oregon as part of the route to the Alberta destination.  At the time of this post, two megaloads came through our area at separate times during December.  
- The equipment carried is called an "evaporator" and used in the extraction and processing of the tar sands into crude oil.  The first megaload that traveled through is 22 feet wide, 376 feet long and weighs 901,000 pounds. The equipment is made in Portland, Oregon, shipped to the Port of Umatilla, where it begins transport across Eastern Oregon, Idaho, Montana and into Alberta.
-  The industrial transporter, Omega Morgan out of Hillsboro, Oregon, mostly travels at night between the hours of 8:00 p.m. through 6:00 a.m. to avoid traffic problems and in compliance with ODOT.  Traveling speed is only 35 miles per hour in ideal weather and road conditions; often it crawls at 8 to 12 miles per hour.
-  Eastern Oregon was chosen after previous megaloads faced opposition through the Nez Perce Reservation and a federally designated scenic river corridor on U.S. Highway 12 in Idaho.
-  The new route through the John Day Valley has also been met with environmental protesters resulting in arrests made due to disorderly conduct.

1st Megaload - (click on photos for larger view)

2nd Megaload

The second megaload came through Mt. Vernon on the evening of December 30th.  There has been a lot of "buzz" about these megaloads making a turn in its approach from Highway 395 onto the intersection to Highway 26.  Mt. Vernon is a small community of about 500 and the cross intersection is tiny for such a mega turn.  Since it was determined that the load couldn't negotiate a left turn onto the highway in Mt. Vernon, the load negotiated a tight right turn, then reversed course on nearby private land to head east on Highway 26.  "We have to turn right to go left," Omega Morgan explained.

I was told the expected time that the megaload would be coming through Mt. Vernon, so I grabbed my camera to take some shots of this epic event.  Here are a few photos shown for your spine tingling excitement of seeing a megaload making a right hand turn at an intersection where the stop sign pole had to be removed to make more room.  A string of Christmas lights adorned the load to add festivity for the occasion.

Approach from Hwy 395

  Mt. Vernon Intersection where Hwys 395 & 26 meet

Spectators watching the tight turn

Making the turn

Success!

Continued travel on Hwy 26

An excellent news article can be found on the following link.  It also has a map showing the route up into Alberta.  If you click on the map, it entails the route in full detail into Lethbridge, Alberta.  However, the map doesn't show that the route continues on into the upper northern region, destination at the tar sands near Fort McMurray.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/12/22/2941009/megaload-could-be-in-southwest.html 
Other recent Megaload news links:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/12/13/2926527/megaload-traveling-megaslowly.html
http://magicvalley.com/news/local/megaload-attracts-mega-looky-loos-near-pine/article_ae74c5ba-71ab-11e3-911c-0019bb2963f4.html

Hmmmmm!  How can megaloads be equated over to our personal lives???  Let's take a look at a few illustrations:
- We can take on megaloads of worry and cares that slow us down in our journey in life. We weren't really meant to carry megaloads; this alone is to be borne by the Almighty God.  You'll notice the name "Mighty Matt" on the industrial truck, first photo on the top; no little half-ton truck displayed here carrying such a load.  That would incur a breakdown fast!  
- Worries seem to compound themselves during the night causing lost sleep and anxiety of heart and mind.  Never take burdens to bed, as they only increase as they unravel in darkness.   
- Your path in life can be slowed to a crawl trying to carry a load that was not meant for you to bear in your own strength.  Wisdom can be clouded, wrong choices made and back roads taken for a long and wearing journey with a faded destination.

The Bible says in Matthew 11:28 to 29... "Come unto me all who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Join me in two weeks at The Turn-Up Patch on January 20!  As we live out our days throughout this new year of  2014, let us not try to carry megaloads of cares, troubles and worries.  Instead, cast it to the "Mighty Matt",  which is in this case, the power of God well able to carry the load and help us arrive at our destination, most often peace.