Running produce to Alaska

Wow time fly's when you are having fun or not. It has been winter for awhile now up North, but the weather cannot make up it's mind. Last trip I had temperatures into the mid 40s and rain. That kind of weather can make for some interesting driving conditions for sure. Deep wet snow and wet ice are two of them that can ruin your day quickly.
I hit some freezing rain coming back in BC. Fraser Canyon was a mess for sure. I ended up chaining to get over #######. Solid ice, empty trailer and a 8%grade are no fun for sure.
The trip before cost me some money after I had an outer wheel bearing fail on the Cassiar. I ended up loosing a set of trailer wheels. Why is it always dark and a snow storm when I break down? I guess the bears will be playing with that set of wheels when the snow melts this spring. I chained up the gimpy side on the third trailer axle and found a great shop in Smithers,BC. They had all the parts and treated me well.

It's a tumor.

 

Here is my idea of Black Friday.

 

Just got back from another trip. I did get to test out my moose bumper on the way home as well. I guess my number was up after plenty of close calls. I hit a moose on Highway 37 South of Meziadin Junction, BC. I am not sure where the moose went since I either ducked or blinked when stuff hit the windshield. The guys at the truck wash had the fun job today washing of poop and junks of moose meat. The only damage I have is the grill mounts broke of the hood. The moose managed to go through the bars on the bumper and push the grill in. The moose had an instant loss of bowel control after it got an enema by a 4900EX Western Star at 60mph.

I feel bad for the moose, but on snow and ice covered roads you have to make a choice. Mine was to line the moose up dead center with the strongest part of truck and bumper. Hard braking or swerving usually end up in a jack knife or rolled over truck.

I did buy two steer tires from Michelin through the Advantage program and it saved me over $100.00 per tire and the price was the same in Alaska. I have now bought 22 tires in the last 10 month. I have to sets of drives that should get me through winter of 2016 before I have to buy more drives. I also learned that I have to plug in the block heater when shutting the main engine down and running the APU at night to prevent the DEF from freezing and throwing codes and a derate when it goes below 0 degrees. The APU and block heater kept the coolant at about 115 degrees when used together.
The cold weather and deep snow at times are killing my fuel economy. Driving in 6 to 8 inches of snow is like driving on a sponge. Here is a number that makes most guys cry. 4.86mpg for the last North bound trip that included probably 1700mls on snow and ice covered roads and temperatures down to minus 15 Fahrenheit.

 

Here are some of mother nature's aerodynamic upgrades.

 

Those pictures are heading South from the Eureka Lodge on the Glenn Highway. It was about -15 and just spectacular.