This'll be short, since I just got back from the Michigan Groundwater Association's annual convention and I'm trying to play catch-up at the office and to put out April's issue. I wanted to offer a quick thanks to MGWA for having me, and let you guys (and gals) in on a few upcoming stories.

 

I spoke with Fred McAninch-the "Rig Doctor"-on Monday. He had a lot to say about maintenance and getting the most out of your rig. Afterall, a working rig is paying your bills and downtime costs money. "When I sit down to figure out what it costs per hour of what they're losing, it just jars them," McAninch told me.

 

Attorneys Tim Williams and Adrienne Knack of Williams & Associates offered plenty of tips to help collect because, like a broken rig, a broken accounts receivable process takes money out of your pocket. And, really, who wants to have to return to a property to try to rip out a well because the person it was installed for is a deadbeat?

 

I couldn't catch up with keynote speaker Peter Annin, author of The Great Lakes Water Wars, while he was at the convention, but expect to interview him later this week or next week. His presentation offered sobering facts on watershed recharge, and how diversions affect the Great Lakes basin.

 

Once I have time to write up those interviews, I'll share them with readers here or in the magazine. There's a lot of good information there, and I commend MGWA for bringing all these folks together in one place so drillers can learn from them.

 

As I mentioned, I'm busy getting April together. We have interesting stories about a drilling project in New Jersey and a how one lucky rig took a helicopter ride in Oregon. Look for your copy in the mail early next month.

 

Also, a big thanks to folks that have contacted me about my call for classic rig pictures. I've gotten several. I even received a picture of a cool looking pump hoist. Keep them coming to verduscoj@bnpmedia.com.

 

Lots of good stories coming, drillers. Stay safe out there and thanks for reading.