Not my winter

Highway flares are something I'm never out of. Recalling all the times I've had to use them, I don't think I ever did need to actually use them on the highway as designed. Warming oil pans, starters, frozen brakes, padlocks & valves come to mind. This along with what you said about igniting diesel fuel and pallets/wood in an emergency is a good reason to have 'em....

 

Order Walls Refrigawear you could sleep in a snowdrift in my suit , make sure to order the snap on hood also.
It travels well on a hanger in the bunk ive carried mine for 25 years.

 

Yes, you mentioned a few other goodies.

I think these were magnesium very hot burning. *Shrugs. Ive kept a few for so many years.

And you are right, they were not used for what they were designed for specifically. They were used from time to time for everything else.

Ive had companies give me a hard time about running that engine in winter, and I explain very simply that it is better to spend 20 in fuel overnight give or take (In those days) than to suffer a dead truck or worse. Which can and will get really expensive in a hurry.

The big thing is being able to build a nest or lack of a better word igloo in the bunk waiting for sunrise in a dead truck. Ive added those silver anti shock heat shields to the pile. If I had those long ago I would be able to MAYBE stay warm with a better success. But I don't know. Cold works both ways.

Water is the one thing that keeps people alive in the cold by maintaining metabolism, the cells to burn energy for fuel and heat. Once you start shivering, you are sliding to the losing side and thats not good.

Another secret I learned was to use Moltrin at a rate of 1200 mg every 3 hours with water and food. Within 6 hours you can go out into -30 and find that your body is temporarily not going to give you a hard time from that classic biting ice wind etc. Stressing temporarily.

The best for cold was to adapt in cold storage. Ive had situations where I am unloading reefer trailer into a cold storage down to cut offs and tee shirt in around 28 to 34 degrees without problems. At that point I was fully adapted. (A big meal helps alot here prior to the work) If I went from cold to the south where it's maybe 85 in Alabama or something then I really have a hard time for a few days. You would think when you are warm or actually getting hot you would enjoy it having escaped winter. But it takes a time for body to flip over to the local regional weather.

 

Buddy Heater
Sold at Walmart, runs on propane. 5hrs heat on 'low' setting on a 1lb cylinder, just be sure to 'season' it before running it in the truck. The ceramic element needs to burn some before it stops stinking.

 

Just tell your "Boss" you will no run north of I-10 and that solves your problem.

 

What about the truck? Below zero, you better think twice about it

 

Pappy was a railroad conductor. Summer fishing trips to Ontario he always produced a flare [Fusee] every time he wanted to build a fire in the wood stove, Just like he did in the caboose..I never saw them in our gear; he must have had a personal stash...

 

Believe it or not, we have several drivers that do just that!

 

think of the 'fun' you could have with a few 'torpedoes' to place so the loaded trailers run them over as they leave the dock...would cause some PSTD 4 sure.