Just remember attitude is everything!! Part 2

On numerous trips to the local rock quarry I had noticed one of the newer Mack Granite quads sitting by its lonesome, curiosity being an overwhelming force I stopped, looked at the truck and noticed the drive shaft was missing. When I caught up with the driver I asked about his truck and he told me his "trainee" snapped the shaft. The foreman then showed me the drive shaft, which was twisted like a French Crueller. I had never seen a drive shaft broken like that before and neither did the foreman. The driver told me that his "trainee" had an arrogant attitude and couldn't be told anything without giving a smart assed remark in return. The "trainee" had pulled the parking brake valve, waited for the loader to finish, then placed the truck in gear and popped the clutch. No wonder the shaft twisted like it did.
The driver also said the guy tried to "speed shift" the Mack, like a car, which didn't quite work.
Needless to say the new hire was relieved of duty right there and then.

Page....23

 

WOW :shock: :shock:
(I'll bet somebody felt like punching the guy!)

 

Uh yeah, the driver of the quad is really a laid back sort of person and in the short time I've known him I have never seen him get torqued out of the frame at anybody until today...

 

Good grief, leave for a while and thread hits page 23 and goes over 15,000 mercy me Doc - 20, 000 by years' end if CAD don't puke!

Two incidents yesterday of an unusual amusing nature (I guess)...one, years ago I learned never follow a bull wagon too closely...obvious reasons....yet yesterday I found myself stuck in the hammerlane behind one while we both were trying to pass one of the Redman's critters......and needless to say...them darn critters decided upon themselves it was time to relieve the bowels....yup, nice clean truck suddenly took on a new appearance.....then, also

Yesterday, westbound on I-40 in Arizona...MP 311 - damnest hailstorm even been in. Golfball size hail, when the first one hit the windshield thought it shattered. Anyway, continuing...the road became covered for about 10 miles, 4 wheelers in median, ditch...every where...one particular rental truck was pulling a new mustang convertible. As I slowly passed him, I noticed his convertible was indeed a convertible....there must have been 50 holes in the top and I would venture money he wasn't aware of it yet. Everytime I hit bad storms, I think of good ole Doc....why anyone would want to chase them....beyond me....does your vehicle have any hail damage?

Flagstaff has already seen snow, Wyoming and Colorado and Montana...so I would guess this is going to be a good ole fashion winter in the west...dig out the 'iron' guys!

By the way Doc, I agree wholeheartedly...it's refreshing to see others' begin to post in the forum...thanks guys/ladies ...

 

I'm glad to see you made it back...

Well, as you may have surmised, I am not normal by any stretch of the imagination... As for the hail damage yes a few trucks have suffered through a few hail storms and one tanker did have big dents in it.

With all that said, I chase storms so other folks will have time to prepare for whatever comes with it... Just think when the weather service sends out a severe weather alert, tornado, severe thunderstorm, etc, someone on the ground has already seen it and reported it. That's why I take my amateur radio equipment with me...

 

Doc, I'm not gonna touch that statement....you're too dear a friend....!!!! But the temptation is sooooooo great!! I'm just gonna get on the ole :moose: and ride on.... :roll:

 

You might as well, everyone else seems to think I'm fair game!! :shock:

Anyway, if it isn't storms it's furry four legged creatures that seem to have a fanaticism with any large vehicle I drive... Case in point, Thursday found me running tons of sand along some back roads in Princeton, NC and on one particular return trip to the pit an extremely "hostile" deer decided it wanted the passenger door, the thud alone scared the shit out of me, I locked up the brakes and walked back to see what hit the truck. I found the deer laying on the road with its neck broken, I felt bad for the critter but still was thinking of what I was going to tell the superintendent trying to explain the dent. Well, didn't have to wait long as he was behind me and saw the whole incident, he asked if I wanted to split the meat with him and I told him I didn't care for deer so I helped him put the critter in his pick up. He did have the night mechanic fix the dent in the door.

Oh so much fun hauling dirt and rocks!!!

 

Ain't that the truth!

 

Well Doc if you wernt older than dirt. And didnt have those broad shoulders we might not pick on you.

Then again maybe we still would Face it Doc your just and easy target for us and the deer. :P

 

Boy, am I glad he wrote that and not me, Doc! If they think you're old...imagine what category I would fall in?:moose:

A few years ago...actually many years ago. A friend was making a trip with me and we were heading easterly on I-84...nearing the infamous 'cabbage'.....we stopped at Pendleton and refreshed our coffee and while there we spotted a couple of 'rookies' in JB trucks about to depart.

We got back in the truck and decided we would have some fun with the JB guys. We passed them prior to cabbage....and about 1/2 up pulled over on the shoulder...my friend got out and he grabbed a loggin chain out of the side box. He hooked it to the tow hook on the front and walked ahead of the truck with the chain draped over his shoulder. I slouched down in the driver's seat...put the ole gal in 'granny' and barely had her at a crawl up the hill. About that time the JB guys came up and started to pass us.....and when they seen my friend out in front with the loggin chain draped over his shoulder, seemingly tight and the truck barely moving....they freaked out...cause they actually thought he was pulling the truck with the chain....the expression on their faces was absolutely 'priceless'.......Just as soon as they passed, he threw the chain back in the sidebox, climbed back in and I went up the hill. We caught them prior to topping 'cabbage'...and they again had that 'astonished' look on their faces......we laughed about that for weeks to come...

While on the subject of 'cabbage'....triva question for ya all......Anyone know how 'cabbage' got that nickname? 'Cabbage' is actually part of the Blue Mountain range there in Oregon....But it got the nickname 'cabbage'....and question why/how?