[wildkat]

As most regulars know I've been at this nearly 30 years and have had many hair raising experiences over the years, but the absolute worst was 2 winters ago....

I'd left Edmonton bound for Yellowknife in December 2 winters ago... was a nice balmy night, not too cold, bout -15 or so, no wind, it was 1 am or there abouts when I left Edmonton heading north, one of those quiet, clear winter nights nights we love up here.

Going though Peace River, 5 hours north of Edmonton, something odd happened...it started to warm up...considerablely...it was now +2. By the time I got to Manning, another hour north it was +4... oh oh I'm thinking...

By the time Twin Lakes came it was RAINING...really raining & the temp had fallen to +1...not good... by High Level 8 hours north of Edmonton it had quit raining & turned to snow...temp -1

Fuel & coffee stop...the last one on this trip... got out of the truck & nearly landed on my butt! OMG! Major icy. Skated to the store & asked the girls inside how the roads were heading north..."Little slippery, sanding trucks out", OK not so bad. WRONG!

10 klick out of High Level is the airport, I'm doing 80K (50mph), it's slushy, but not too bad...all of the sudden there's NO sand...ZERO, nadda, zip... Roads are glare ice...not traction, no steering, zip!

Here I am doin 80k totally out of control...I'm in freefall! OMG I'm gonna die today was all I could think. I was totally along for the ride, no hope of stopping, thinkining if I hit a bump, a curve, anything I AM dead!

So what to do? What to do?

Well thankfully the road is arrow straight for about 15k (10 miles), so I snugged my seatbelt really tight & s l o w l y...painfully slowly, eased in my clutch & slipped her into neutral...figgering at least if I hit the ditch I could hopefully keep her on her wheels & plow some snow. Recall I have ZERO steering...GOD I'm scared...

It took at least 6-8 miles to coast to a stop...YES I kept it somehow on the road that day, how? don't ask me, I still don't know!...Much more good luck than good management that's for sure! bad case of "noodle legs" I think it took 1/2 hour for my legs to stop shaking, but it took nearly 2 hours for the sanding truck to get to me.

This is not something I EVER want to repeat. And in nearly 30 years of driving I have never been so scared in all my life!

[solo379]

Originally Posted by wildkat

Recall I have ZERO steering...

I don't quite understand why? :roll:

[wildkat]

Originally Posted by solo379

I don't quite understand why? :roll:

ICE! GLARE ICE! Try steering on a skating rink at 50mph...nuthin there

[solo379]

Originally Posted by wildkat

ICE! GLARE ICE!

Yeah, i got it, but as long as your wheels rolling, you should have some ability to steer. Not that it will help you much, at 50mph! :shock:
Glad you made it! 8)

[wildkat]

Originally Posted by solo379

Yeah, i got it, but as long as your wheels rolling, you should have some ability to steer. Not that it will help you much, at 50mph! :shock:
Glad you made it! 8)

not on that stuff...believe me I tried, all the way right, all the way left....nada, zip, zero.... flyin down the road...literally along for the ride!

ME too believe me

[Raafi]

you skidded 6-8 miles with NO steering? downhill?

[wildkat]

Originally Posted by Raafi

you skidded 6-8 miles with NO steering? downhill?

This is what I said:

Well thankfully the road is arrow straight for about 15k (10 miles), so I snugged my seatbelt really tight & s l o w l y...painfully slowly, eased in my clutch & slipped her into neutral...figgering at least if I hit the ditch I could hopefully keep her on her wheels & plow some snow. Recall I have ZERO steering...GOD I'm scared...

[Wild Bill Pete]

I hear you - sometimes winter plays real bad tricks on drivers. I hate Wyoming in the cold, they don't seem to do anything to get rid of ice there. Been sideways on I25 once, and on sheet ice into Utah, on the 80. I don't know what I would do with no grip at all.. probably just up an die. That sideways trip on the 25 was bad - a jeep had spun out, and lost his rear on the median, and come to rest on the southbound. I couldn't stop - just slid on by, and by the time I could stop, the jeep had been hit by a flatbed. Nasty business.

[lucky2]

Maybe you should go by Lucky2 instead of me. What a ride you had. Hope you remembered to thank your lucky stars for that one. Sounds like you might have had a little extra help from above on that ride.

[b00m]

JESUS SAVED YOU !!ALELUYAHHH!!!