Friday, January 14, 2011

Left Spokane early and arrived to deliver in Bridgeport first thing in the morning.  When I got there found out that where I was delivering the pipe was up a road that was solid packed snow which was solid ice.  Had to go up an 8% grade and around a curve.  There was a drop off right at the edge of the road.  There was no sand or salt down on the road and it was so slick that you would think a Zamboni had gone over it.  They were waiting for me at the top to unload.  So off I went.  I made it about half way up and in the middle of the curve when the spinning wheels finally could pull no more.  Tried to back down but all the truck did was slide.  So there I was stuck in the middle of the road, in a curve, on a hill, and blocking the whole road.  I put on one set of tire chains thinking that I only had a little way further to go so one set should do the trick.  Well that didn't work and the chains spun too.  So I got out another set and put them on.  I almost slipped and fell on the ice several times while putting on the chains.  I'd take a step and slide, take another step and slide.  Now had 4 wheels chained.  That worked.  Made it up to the top and they unloaded the pipe.  Now it was time to turn around and go back down. I drove ahead to an intersection and turned around there.  Then started back down.  That was no problem.  Took some photos so you could see the road.  Here they are:

This is the view from the top, where I unloaded the pipe, looking down. The Chief Joseph Dam is the concrete thing in the background. For more info on the dam click here:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Joseph_Dam

Now I'm starting down the 8% grade.

In this photo you can see where I got stuck on the way up.  The two tracks are from when I only had one pair of chains on and spun them.  The other side of the guard rail goes straight down to the water.

Here is a photo I got off the internet.  I added text so you could see it better.

Once I got down I took off the chains and went to a convenience store and waited for my next load. 

My next load was a load of fertilizer from Tonasket,WA.  Drove up there and got loaded up.  I was about 15 miles from the Canadian border.  That load is going to Seattle, WA to a shipping company.  From there they are loading it on a ship bound for Anchorage, Alaska.  They told me when I left that I had a delivery appointment for 7am in Seattle.  So off I went. 

Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop at exit 34 on I-90 in Seattle.