What if it Snows?

Last time I-29 flooded real bad I was stuck here for 3 days... Was flooded to the east and massive snow-nado blizzard to the west. IIRC 80 was closed from Big Springs, NE clear to Evanston, WY

 

Did your first winter out here have you going across 80 in WY twice a week? I'm telling ya this kid does NOT like to slow down... He openly admits to going 13 over the limit on a regular basis, I'm really concerned that hes going to end up in a bad way. Ive spoken to our safety guy about my concerns, but until he screws up, or gets a ticket, theres not much they will do. From the outside looking in he's a real go getter and hard worker... But I see the other side of the coin. I just hope he doesn't kill himself or someone else when he learns his lesson.

 

He will most likely burn out fast, or get tickets or an accident that will cost him his job. I never understood the mentality of people who don't trip plan and especially look at the weather where they're heading. I refuse to book a load until I know what the weather will be like on the trip there.

 

Well that was "interesting"....

License is up for renewal. Governor did a proclamation to push renewal dates out to Dec. 31. And a big push to renew online.......

Will not let me renew on line because I have HazMat that has a mandated test for renewal. No way to drop the hazmat and renew on-line. So try to make an appointment cause offices are only open for appointments. My appointment is for Nov. 25.

At least the govt is consistent....

 

One side of my ubolts stuck, it’s a tight spot. Gonna take forever to cut with my 1/4” die grinder.

 

I got it. Found a big solid bar and hammered the bracket from the top. Now to find out if the brackets damaged. Holes might be Wallowed for corroded. Surprised I got it. Time for a break. It’s 45 degrees. Not too bad. Not getting any colder or warmer. Might as well be working in the dark,

 

I found this interesting article... The stretch of I-80 between Rawlins and Laramie turned 50 years old this month. And it has been refered to as "The Snow Chi Minh Trail"... Even before it was built locals warned that it was a bad idea to run the interstate over Elk Mountain... Heres a link to the article.


John Waggener Archives | Cowboy State Daily

 

I found a ridge on the bottom plate, bad casting. Looks like that’s what caused the shock bracket to break. Freightliners have a plate called a wear plate on top of the spring. They get rusty and worn, causing the u bolts to get loose, that’s what causes the air bags to be crooked sometimes. Tomorrow I’ll get a new wear plate and grind the ridge smooth on the bracket. Hopefully I can get it lined back up, using the leveling valve. As it is now, air bags are low, spring has shifted some. Might have to take torque rod and air bag off, I hope not. I’m done for now. Going to sleep good tonight. Feels good to get something (almost) accomplished. Good night all, be safe.

 

Frank is still flying around my truck, it seems weeks after Burt got killed in a notebook falling incident.
He’s flown out the window while I was parked, but flies back inside.
He was flying around the windshield yesterday.
I guess he’s living on corn dust/husks.

 

Another bad idea was the Pigeon River gorge on 40 TN/NC.
Was some senator over there wanted it to happen.


In other news, they still haven’t found the Indian ‘Falling Rock’


Here’s that story...

An Indian chief, Rising Sun, was concerned with how white men were expanding across the forests, plains, and mountains. His tribe was very small, but as every tribe and nation was being overpowered and sent to reservations, he came up with a plan to save the People.
His son, Falling Rock, was a strong, intelligent, and trustworthy young man and Rising Sun loved him very much. Rising Sun asked Falling Rock to travel across the whole of the country and talk to every tribe he met. He was to convince them to join forces and repel the invasion of the white men.
Falling Rock left in the spring with 4 other braves.

When the leaves fell in late summer, one brave returned to Rising Sun to tell him that they had contacted all the tribes in the desert SouthWest.
When the snow began, another brave returned telling of their success with the Great Lakes tribes.
A third brave arrived home just as the spring flowers bloomed and told how the strong tribes of the Rocky Mountains were ready.
Finally, the last brave returned in high summer from the Eastern tribes with their promise to fight. This last brave also said that Falling Rock was now racing back to all the tribes, telling them to meet at the Mississippi river in the spring for the great war.

Rising Sun's small tribe prepared for battle and, when the snow melted, they traveled to the Mississippi. They waited there through spring and summer, but no other warriors arrived. At the end of summer, Rising Sun sent braves out in all directions to track down Falling Rock while the tribe waited.
By snowfall, all the warriors had reached the other tribes and returned to Rising Sun. All the tribes had waited to hear when the war was to take place, but Falling Rock had not been seen by any of them so they had stayed put. This worried Rising Sun terribly since he loved his son and missed him terribly.

The small tribe was forced to wait there through the harsh winter and when spring arrived, so did the white soldiers. They surrounded Rising Sun's tribe. Rising Sun knew they could never win without the other tribes so he talked to the leader of the soldiers.

Rising Sun promised to go peacefully to a reservation if the white men would promise to help him find his lost son. This was a small price for avoiding a fight so the white men agreed and Rising Sun's tribe did not resist.

To this day, Rising Sun waits for his son to return. And, to this day, the white men have held up their end of bargain struck that day. People across the country are still searching and everyone is asked to help. That is why you will see signs along the road that say, "Watch for Falling Rock".