>From: james duprie

Lifting the extra distance to get to the truck bed involved a lot of adding
blocks, tilting, adding more blocks etc until it is the right height, then
sliding it into the truck (probably need rollers to move it forward to the
nose anyway). In order to keep it stable, I'd need a lot of good sized
blocking (or custom made supports), and still end up having to roll it to
the truck (about 80 feet). It just seems like the whole thing will be easier
of its done with rollers all the way...
(the object is about 65" wide by 50" long by about 48" tall)

Of course, I guess I could just rent a power pallet jack, but that wouldn't
>be any fun....

I apologize. I missed your point completely. 
With the opportunity to built a contraption for lifting and moving such a
mysterious object clearly defined then by all means bring on the timbers.

By building a structure with a sloping ramp leading up to a platform mounted on
4 pivoting legs the loading might be accomplished by creating a windlass with
sufficient cordage to reach from the rear mounted windlass under the frame of
the lifting device to a block mounted on the front of the platform. The cordage
can then be run back to the load and secured either with straps, slings, or a
secure dovetailed frame system around the base of the object.
Through the use of the windlass the load can be winched onto the platform.
After the load has been brought on board the platform, the block can be
remounted to the front of the base frame and the cordage attached to the front
of the platform.
Winching the front of the platform will cause it to raise up on the 4 pivoting
legs similar to the A Frame that Chris moved the bridge beam with.
Once the platform is raised and before the cordage can be removed from the block
and attached to a dead man anchor point, the lifting platform should have the
pivoting legs braced and pinned. With the platform secure the cordage can be
attached to the dead man buried in an appropriate location for drawing the load
to the truck. The windlass can again be used either straight pull or with the
block in place to double the tackle and increase the pulling power of the device
to pull the lifting structure over a set of rails, skids, caterpillar tracks, or
laid stone highway until it reaches the back of the truck.
With the lifting platform in the raised position, and the load in position, the
cordage and block can be rigged to pass through two blocks. One on either side
at the front of the platform.
With the blocks attached to the front of the platform the cordage can be routed
through the blocks and attached to the rear of the load using a dual sling to
allow the load to pass between the blocks on the platform.
Now the windlass can be used to draw the load onto the bed of the vehicle. 
In the event that the load needs to be moved to the nose of the truck, and the
truck bed is longer than the object, appropriate length extensions can be added
to the rear of the platform and braced securely. With the extensions in place
the cordage can be affixed to the end of the extensions and the windlass again
used to drive the load into the bed of the vehicle.
At which point all the assembly can be disassembled and either loaded with the
object or stored for the next adventure in lifting.

With a few trips to the local saw mill for timbers, the appropriate timber
framing tools, and a bit of assistance from the porch as to proper cordage and
windlass operation the task of building the device should comfortably fill the
two years prior to the event.

Haste makes waste. With a little luck there may be enough fallen timber in the
area to have the timbers milled from.

Dave N. 
aka Old Sneelock - who loves to design huge projects for others to accomplish.