Saturday 28 February 2009

Weather Advisory

Since our last trip to the Rockies, we were offered two other jobs, but Mick turned them down because they could not be done, so we were stuck in Calgary for Nearly 3 days without any work.

When we eventually got a load, we ran it to Lethbridge and parked up for the night .
After a none eventful first day, we planned on setting off early and running to within a hundred miles from the drop.

The first few hours of the journey went well, then we ran into some really bad weather, high winds and snow drifting across the highway. we had a few trucks overtake us blinding us with their snow clouds, but as one truck passed us, he hit a snowbank in the second lane, and completely blinded us causing Mick to swerve as we too hit the snow bank, the next thing we were heading towards the central reservation(median).

Mick managed to keep the rig upright, and, as there was nobody on the opposite highway he went straight onto there and got across to the hard shoulder where he pulled up.
He tried to drive slowly to the next on ramp so he could get off the highway, but decided to stop because the visibility was getting too bad.

If there had of been something coming towards us on the westbound side when he swerved he said he would have had to just bury it in the snow in the centre, like we had seen two other trucks further back.

We had to wait for the Police to arrive to escort us to a crossover point, back to the correct side of the road.

After Micks documents had been checked by the Police officer, we went up to the next exit where Mick checked for damage and cleared snow out of the engine compartment, then we carried on driving for another two hours.

At this time a traffic advisory had been issued, and with two foot snowdrifts in places across the road, we pulled off to a truck stop, where we were lucky to get a spot as an hour later the place was packed with sensible drivers.

Whilst I was quite shook up by the whole incident Mick was fine, so he sent a message back to the company giving them the information about the incident. Today we left the truck stop at 3am, to try and get the load delivered as soon as possible, as we knew it would be late because of what happened yesterday.

As we got on to the highway, we were soon passing other cars and trucks which had ditched in the bad weather, including one semi on it's side, so we were indeed very lucky.

Thanks to my husband Mick for, no truck damage and delivering the load (even though it was late), and for the way you handled this incident.

We sit in the truck stop waiting for another job now because we were asked to do two different pick ups, which we could not possibly do because we started at 3 in the morning, and finished at
2.30 in the afternoon, and they wanted them doing in the evening.

As I type he has been offered a run to be picked up 300 miles from where we are on Monday morning which he has just accepted.

To all you Truckers, be careful out there.

6 comments:

Javi said...

Hopefully the weather is going to improve a lot in a few weeks. Absolutely another world...

We had a "busy" morning this week trying to get out from the ice where we're parked for the night after Roger Pass.

Be extracareful out there, and good done Mick!

Take care you both!
Javi & Inga

Palyniam said...

by heck you two...becareful out there.
I think the experience has been a great joy for you both in the long run, please take care we would like to see you both back home for just a visit....well over due now mick, we have been here 6 years now...haha.
See you this side of the summer.
love to you both. XX

your bro,sis in law and Liam

George A said...

glad your both Ok The load is better late than not at all !

Hope you were not reading big E-mails at the time (LOL)

Mick Flynn Images said...

Thanks Javi and Inga, It scared the shit out of me lol, but we were not the only ones to lose ut that day.

Mick Flynn Images said...

Hi George, no we were not reading long e mails lol. It shook me up though.

Mick Flynn Images said...

Hi Paul Lynne and Liam
It was good to talk to you yesterday,
You know what we are like Paul for visiting people, but you know when we come home to visit we will definitely be coming to yours, so get the beer ready lol.
Take care, adn we will talk soon.
Love from Cath and Mick xx