OT-Giddyup Go Daddy

Coldfingers · Post by **Coldfingers** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 9:15 pm

We had a memorial service for one of the Haul Road drivers who was killed last week when a loaded bulker slid around the tractor while the driver was getting off one of the many steep grades on the road.

The driver of a southbound truck was killed when the loaded bulker crushed his tractor.

87 tractors and dozens of pilot cars (All companies represented too!) left Fairbanks and proceded to Hilltop Truck Stop, the last bit of civilization on the route to Prudhoe Bay.

Someone played "Giddyup Go" over the CB radio while the convoy passed the family and friends who were gathered at a pullout along the way.

Truckers do alot of whining but I never saw so many cry...

Hug your family tonight. I will.

Scotty

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 9:26 pm

Sorry to hear that. Did he have a family?

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 9:29 pm

sounds like a proper and awesome send off!!!

Coldfingers · Post by **Coldfingers** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:44 am

Ysable Kid

Dale "Spud" Harris left behind a wife of 27 years, two kids (finishing college) some horses and an old cat. The local paper did a very nice article. Pretty small community here and he impacted alot of folks in a very positive way. He was very active with Boy Scout Trooop 1

His wife made the comment that he never failed to tell her how much he loved her before each and every trip, and would ask if she was going to be OK while he was gone.

My average trip time is 48 hours (to cover 1000 miles of mostly gravel, or ice, depending on season)

Here is a link to an article done by Trucker magazine on the Dalton (haul road) Dale was interviewed in this article about his first trip. Quite the read if you are interested.

http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=55570

Alaska uses a thing called the Bridge Scale to determine gross weight so we run pretty heavy. The rig that hit Spud was grossing right about 109,000 pounds. Spud was southbound with a pipe dolly decked up on his tractor (The "dolly" is simply a set of axels that clamp to the tail of 80 foot or better pipe and convert the pipe itself into a trailer of sorts)

Never boring work up there and Spud loved it. We're gonna miss him.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:42 am

Never a good thing, but it sounds like he had a good life and enjoyed doing what he was doing.

Prayers up for him!

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:58 am

Condolences on your loss Coldfingers. Sounds like a good one.