Spring has made its long-awaited debut, so I’m sure business for many of you (at least in the northern climates) will pick up soon. But, just because you’re busy out in the field, it doesn’t mean you can’t takeNational Drillerwith you. We love to tag along, wherever you go. If, however, you’re taking us along while you conduct your … um … business, keep that to yourself.

I’ve now been withNational Drillerfor almost four months. I’ve learned a lot and shook hands with plenty of down-to-earth, hard-working people in the trade. The recent Michigan Ground Water Association convention last month helped me do both. I sat in on sessions on road weight restrictions, collecting payment, tweaking your rig and others. I also met people at the expo who offered good feedback and encouragement on the job I’m doing. I spoke with a driller (who tapped me on the shoulder out of the blue) to say he recognized me from my picture with this column. I spoke with industry representatives. I spoke with people on the “sanitarian” side. All had good things to say about what I write here, and the coverage decisions I’ve made.

It’s all encouraging. Of course, that’s a select group-people I just happened to talk to, and those who sought me out. After four months, though, I finally feel like I have at least a loose grasp on what’s important to you. If you feel differently, I want to hear about it. Did something we covered, or didn’t, in the last few months have you rolling your eyes? Drop me an email atverduscoj@bnpmedia.com.

Inside this issue, you’ll find an interesting story (page 10) about a New Jersey company called Sidd & Associates. The company is working at a breakneck pace to finish a project in the borough of Seaside Heights, N.J., to remake an iconic boardwalk. The borough wanted hundreds of pilings drilled in a tight timeframe to get the “Jersey Shore” ready for the tourist season, which begins Memorial Day weekend.

I wanted to highlight a few of the columnists, too. Porky (page 26) takes us back to his childhood, playing on one of the early Failing rigs. That rig has found its way into a museum in Enid, Okla. Bob Pelikan (page 34) discusses how drillers can leverage the “cloud” to make pump data available anywhere and everywhere. Wayne Nash (page 38) takes us back to school for Oil Rigs 101.

Between those stories and our annual Sourcebook (page 47), there’s a lot to like about this issue, so dig in.

In Other News

As I mentioned, I attended the MGWA convention last month. It was held at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme, Mich. (Yes, there is an Acme, Mich. And no, I didn’t see Wile E. Coyote there.) The weather wasn’t great, but the sessions and speakers were.

The drawback? MGWA came along at that weird time where April’s issue was pretty much put to bed, but I didn’t want to wait until May to share. I had interviews with “Rig Doctor” Fred McAninch, and attorneys Tim Williams and Adrienne Knack, who’ve worked with drillers for years. And, as of this writing, I was working on setting up an interview with Peter Annin, author of The Great Lakes Water Wars. But, don’t fret that you missed something. All good stuff that happens between issues gets posted to our website,www.thedriller.com, and can end up in our eNewsletters. Don’t miss out. Take time to visit our website for the latest and, while you’re there, sign up for one or both of our eNewsletters. You’ll be glad you did.

One last thing: In my blog, I put out a call for pictures of classic rigs. I think I’m not alone in getting a kick out of old photos. I want to assemble a gallery on the website, and I’m sure readers will enjoy what you have to share. If you have electronic versions already, send those. Make them JPGs at least 300 dpi and at least 4 inches wide, so people can see them clearly. Please include a brief description of the photo. Tell me your company name, the names of any people in the photo, the make and model of the rig (if known). I’ll publish what I get sometime soon.

Stay safe out there.

Jeremy Verdusco, editor