Everything Was Going So Well.....Until It Wasn't
Today wasn't a good day.
The weather here in central Arkansas has been really......un-winter-y until just recently. I was beginning to wonder if I was going to burn even half of my firewood this year.
We had a sleet and ice storm move through here last week that had us stuck at home for a couple of days. Then just two days ago it got up to almost 60 degrees for a couple of hours in the morning, then before the day was over it was freezing again. As the temperature dropped it started raining, then changed to sleet after dark.
I had to get up early this morning so the boss could catch a flight out of town. I knew the major roads and I-40 had mostly cleared off, but my driveway still had a layer of ice on it. The truck in my sig is the only vehicle I have that has any chance of making it up an icy driveway, and it made it without much trouble. I came back home after dropping her off and made it back down the driveway without any problem. Went to work knowing there was snow in today's forecast, and it started coming down around 11:00. I couldn't leave work till about 2:00, and there was a couple inches on the ground by then.
Didn't have any problems getting into my neighborhood, even though there are some steep hills to go up and down (mostly up). Made it to where my road starts and from there on the snow is untouched. I slowly creep down the road which is every bit as steep as my driveway where it starts, and it doesn't slide a bit. I come to a complete stop at the top of my driveway, then slowly ease it over. As soon as the rear axle gets on the driveway I feel it start to slide. I tried to get it under control by staying off the brakes, but it just wasn't working. The rear was slowly coming around to the right. As the passenger side scraped the first tree I was sure wishing I had parked at the top of the driveway and got the tractor out to scrape the snow off.
I didn't think I hit the tree that hard, but it took the dually fender clean off, and shoved the axle back on the leaf springs on that side so far that the drive shaft came uncoupled at the center carrier bearing. The truck then slid sideways into another tree on the driver side of the bed, just in front of the rear wheels. Not a scratch on the cab, but the bed and the fenders are toast. I'm not sure about the rear axle, or the rear wheels. They might be bent, or maybe not.
There it sits, and it will have to remain there until the driveway clears off enough that a tow truck can come get it, which may not happen this week. It's blocking that part of the driveway, so I'll have to clear the snow off the circle-drive in front of the house in order to get the car out.
Gads, this is depressing! Probably won't be doing any truck camping anytime soon.
:(:(
The weather here in central Arkansas has been really......un-winter-y until just recently. I was beginning to wonder if I was going to burn even half of my firewood this year.
We had a sleet and ice storm move through here last week that had us stuck at home for a couple of days. Then just two days ago it got up to almost 60 degrees for a couple of hours in the morning, then before the day was over it was freezing again. As the temperature dropped it started raining, then changed to sleet after dark.
I had to get up early this morning so the boss could catch a flight out of town. I knew the major roads and I-40 had mostly cleared off, but my driveway still had a layer of ice on it. The truck in my sig is the only vehicle I have that has any chance of making it up an icy driveway, and it made it without much trouble. I came back home after dropping her off and made it back down the driveway without any problem. Went to work knowing there was snow in today's forecast, and it started coming down around 11:00. I couldn't leave work till about 2:00, and there was a couple inches on the ground by then.
Didn't have any problems getting into my neighborhood, even though there are some steep hills to go up and down (mostly up). Made it to where my road starts and from there on the snow is untouched. I slowly creep down the road which is every bit as steep as my driveway where it starts, and it doesn't slide a bit. I come to a complete stop at the top of my driveway, then slowly ease it over. As soon as the rear axle gets on the driveway I feel it start to slide. I tried to get it under control by staying off the brakes, but it just wasn't working. The rear was slowly coming around to the right. As the passenger side scraped the first tree I was sure wishing I had parked at the top of the driveway and got the tractor out to scrape the snow off.
I didn't think I hit the tree that hard, but it took the dually fender clean off, and shoved the axle back on the leaf springs on that side so far that the drive shaft came uncoupled at the center carrier bearing. The truck then slid sideways into another tree on the driver side of the bed, just in front of the rear wheels. Not a scratch on the cab, but the bed and the fenders are toast. I'm not sure about the rear axle, or the rear wheels. They might be bent, or maybe not.
There it sits, and it will have to remain there until the driveway clears off enough that a tow truck can come get it, which may not happen this week. It's blocking that part of the driveway, so I'll have to clear the snow off the circle-drive in front of the house in order to get the car out.
Gads, this is depressing! Probably won't be doing any truck camping anytime soon.
:(:(
