Hey
Finally poping in to say that no I'm not avoiding you but between being sick, staying in hotels and putting in around 80 hours this week this is the first chance I got to be back on.... Last weekend was crazy 2 I was driving bus for Halloween for most of it, and the week before that I had my plate more then full.
Bank account looks good now but had no time cept for work and sleep recently.

Oh on wednesday I was on highway 9 south heading from Esterhazy to Whitewood (thank god empty) and theres a QuApelle vally there that fairly steep 7/8% grade. About midway down it curves and levels out slightly but its directly after a blind corner. and BAM there's a moron driving a super-B attempting to pull a U turn using all 3 lanes both shoulders and a approach. Anyways just as I came around the corner he realized he couldn't do it in 1 swoop so he backed up while I had the Jake going as i usually do and trying not to "smoke" a brake pad and then he pulled around a little more giving me room on the approach to swerve around via the approach.

Once again I was empty but I still wonder what would have happened if it was icy like it was last week or even scarier, what would have happened if I had a load on like i usually do, I just finished deliver a 135 foot boom lift which is the biggest single piece I'll carry to Esterhazy. I really don't think I'd be alive right now if I came across that with that monster onboard.

On my way back to Esterhazy I took a pic of the scene. This is the view in the northbound lane

I know it doesn't look steep but bare in mind this is me already starting the climb

And this is the piece of equipment I just had delivered (photo couple years old), man I really don't think I could stopped even with pounding on the foot brake (boom weighs 54,000lbs)

 

welcome to my world...

 

THat guys sounds like an idiot! Glad you're OK.

 

glad you are ok buddy

 

Wow, well this week is gonna be another FUBAR week, just heard a highschool friend died last night. I guess he was going to cross or turn onto highway 16. I guess he either didn't see or was trying to beat a semi truck. Anyways they collided and he dies on the scene. ****ty how one mistake can cost so much. He was 20 years old and a apprentice heavy duty mechanic. I don't know many details

 

Sorry to hear about your friend.

You are right about that hill in the valley north of Whitewood. I have driven a semi hauling oil up and down that hill quite a few times. You were lucky or very skillful to have got out of that situation in one piece.

 

terrible. Poor judgement? sorry for the loss...

 

I heard that news on the radio today and wondered if it was someone that you knew, sorry for your loss.

 

Guy at work today told me his neighbors daughter was killed on Valley road on Friday. The other daughter will be crippled for life.
The one crippled now just got her license and was speeding and passing on a curve with double line. Hit head on with atruck and got hit again by vehicle she was passing. This was at the curve after the tracks and the landfill turn off for the city dump.
The decease was only 14. The other 16 has a long life to live with what happened.

 

Well thanks, ya its defiently weird thinking of him as dead and gone forsure, just every now and then get caught in Dejaview, as I said he was a heavy duty mechanic and helped me a fair bit on my 1949 Mercury pickup.

But yes he was not a safe driver, and where the accident took place is right at my parents corner when turning off of highway onto 16. I guess he was heading south crossing the highway. Sounds like he slowed down slightly approaching highway and figured if he kept up speed wouldn't have to stop to wait for semi. At that corner you can see for miles each way so there's no dancing around what happened.

But it is what it is and "always look on the bright side of life"

 

Sucks man, sorry to hear that. Its too bad people get silly when they drive.

 

I`m sure we`re all guilty of not always paying total attention to our driving.

 

Oh you bet we are Morris. This is just a very sad reminder of why we should be on our toes all the time.

 

I ahd some friends up at Prince Albert. They lost their daughter by her pulling out on the highway at the end of their driveway. She went flying down the driveway onto the highway and got hit by a truck. She was only 16. Just the invincibilty mentallity. I guess she forgot to look and slow down fro the highway.

 

Well went home this holiday. Word is achool is suspect along with a reputation of blowing throw highway crossings. Yep several people somewhat lacking sympathy. Guess quite a bad first scene for the unlucky souls that came across. about half the remaining body and head out of window and what not blood slough on highway, does not sound pleasant.