[AlArchie]

I know Ron D. (Viper) heads off to the north country every winter to haul the ice roads, and I don't know if this is the same stretch, but there is a TV documentary on the Yukon Ice Road Truckers, up to the DeBeers diamond mines on the History Channel. It's been running for about three weeks now but seems to re-run pretty regularly. Interesting take on these guys, their rigs, and their support services!

Al

[Bob_in_TN]

Thanks Al, have the TIVO programed. I like that kind of thing, better then most network programming.

[millhoused]

I love this show. Everyone in my house knows not to cancel my recording. This is just facinating to me.

I drove a semi for 18 months back in my youth but nothing dangerous.

[AlArchie]

Well, it looks like this series wound up last week. If you ever get a chance to watch it (comes around again??) I'd suggest you do. This show gives a good insight into the lives of all those guys and gals that haul our goods around. Those of us who have patrolled the roads along the northern tier know full well the hazzards they encounter on the winter highways.

And I've just got a soft spot in my heart for the "road warriors". Why? Well, when I was a young trooper down in Ypsilanti in the late '60's, during the Detroit/Jackson riot and U of M Student riot era, I had stopped a stretch limo full of "radical types" for some minor traffic infraction. As soon as the vehicle was stopped, what seemed like a dozen very hostile looking folks bailed out of that limo and surrounded me. About the time I was thinking things couldn't get much worse, I heard a shotgun rack (now that's a sound you never want to hear, unless you are the one doing the racking) and I'd have bet that my young career was about to come to an abrupt end!

Then a very forceful voice came through the melee........."YOU GOT TROUBLE TROOPER?"

And there stood a trucker with the 12 bore from my patrol car in hand. "Not now." I said. Things quieted down in a real hurry, I made a few arrests for weapons violations and several bench warrants, called in back up, turned to thank that trucker, and he was gone! Never did get his name or a chance to buy him a beer! After that a trucker would REALLY have to screw up to get a ticket from me.

Anyway, those Ice Drivers on the show brought back some good memories of some fine folks who drag those big rigs over our highways. Sure there are a few hotheads, but as far as I'm concerned those drivers fall right into the "Everyday Hero" class.

Catch the show if you can!

Al

[Bob_in_TN]

Boy, some story Al. My son has said if that shotgun ever comes out, "Somebody is going to have a bad day"! I agree with your view about the truckers, they're just trying to make a living like most other honest people. My older son drove cross country for a while, had lots of stories of people in cars doing dumb maneuvers around him. No respect for the size and weight of those trucks. I have 2 shows recorded that I still need to watch. Thanks again for making me aware of the show. I'm not sure I could take that weight on the ice. Have done ice fishing, and have heard some strange sounds come from that ice.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

sorry to say, to many of our current generation truckers are not the same caliber, too many of these are hotrodders...hate to say it but its true! There was a day when you could count on a trucker for courtesy, help, best driving, rules of the road on and on...but not much now.....in fact a number of our reservists on the P.D. were truckers....good men!

[squbrigg]

Great story to start the day with Al! I can just picture it! "Nothing" ...... but nothing"..... gets folks attention like the sound of "jacking up a pump 12 ga.". That sound will settle down trouble quicker than all the talk in the world. Been there!

Bob

[Doug Ridley]

I saw that ice road show. Very interesting.