Son called 40 miles from office.. said remember when we rebuilt the truck box this weekend .. We did not put shovel back in truck. I asked if the bush axe was in the truck ,yep . Well use it as a shovel. Good idea pop .. Job got done .. Bush axe actually makes a good shovel due to the foot rest on the back of the blade.. Got to adapt.. Bush axe is good for digging dirt steps up and down steep creek banks as well.
When I started as a chainman, I carried three things on my belt.
Plumb Bob
Machete
Hatchet
They dug, pounded, cut and marked besides their normal duties.
😉
A couple of years ago the crew had been using my truck. I took it out to lay some photo control panels in the coast range in April. On the way to the point I hit some real crappy snow, heavy and icy. I probably should have pulled out sooner but the stuff was only a couple of inches thick and there was a clear spot less than a hundred feet up the road. And hey, I have shovels and chains in the back. Oh, did I mention my crews had been using MY truck. Well it did not go so well.
I lost traction on a curve where the camber ran straight for the downhill side. This stuff was like glass marbles, the quick sand of snow. Tried my best to work it out but the more I tried the closer I slipped towards the edge. With no shovel I had no choice but to call it quits and begin the long walk out. Did I mention I was about 10 miles from the nearest paved road or phone. By some strange chance I was able to get cell coverage about a mile out back towards town and call my wife to come get me. Only ended up walking about five miles before the Calvary arrived. Came back the next day with shovels, tow straps and another truck to ease the beast back on the road. The next week we had a long discussion back at the office about safety gear being left in the rig.
Hint, next time let almost all of the air out of those tires (until they start looking flat). You will nearly double your traction.
It's not something that many people think to do. I always carry on-board air for just this reason in the winter.
Worked for a company about two weeks.
Required to bring my own plumb bob.
Ready to drive a lath by a stake, I needed a hammer. That was the plumb bob.
Ready to dig up a corner, I needed a shovel. That was the plumb bob.
Ready to give line with range pole for a 1000' backsight. That was the plumb bob.
Needed to chain more than 100 feet. Use the plumb bob and make a scratch in the sidewalk.
Needed to turn a screw on a transit That was the plumb bob. ???
Needed to pull a weed. Use the plumb bob string and yank.
shovel not in truck> letting air out
You know I've been doing that for years on the beach, I never knew that it would work in the snow. I thought that the flattened tires gave you a wider spread for the displacement. We go down to 12- 15 lbs...
shovel not in truck> letting air out
The big boys drop down to 5 psi on the beach. That's how you get a 2wd camper out there.
shovel not in truck> letting air out
yeah, in two wheel drive, too!!! I'm scared to pop the tire off the rims at 5 lbs
shovel not in truck> letting air out
Lowering the pressure simply increases the surface area of the contact patch as far as I know. It works for sand, snow and mud.
When we get 3 or 4 inches of snow on the roads, I always drop my tire pressure from 45 psi to around 28 psi. It is significantly noticeable. I will leave it that way for as long as the snow sticks around. It also increases your stopping power.
When playing around, how low you can go is dependent on how stiff your sidewalks are. Some large off road tires can be run with only a couple pounds. A good 10 ply all season can be run around 15psi as long as you are going slow.
I keep a core tool in the glove box so I can quickly let air out and a good electric compressor to quickly air back up.
If I'm stuck it will be with 4 flat tires.
shovel not in truck> letting air out
A ratchet strap, a lighter and a can of starting fluid will set the tire on the bead and usually add enough pressure to drive on if you tip toe around. Been there a few times.
shovel not in truck> letting air out
At the dunes, at the end of the weekend, all the guys empty their water tanks onto the dry sand in front of all their tires. Does seem to help, but you still see alot of semi- stuck trailers. Usually is a good show. There is always some guy with a chipped diesel that jerks people out of the sand...black plumes of smoke rolling out of the pipes while they pepper the rig with a huge rooster tail. Usually the poor guy doesn't care, he's just glad not to be stuck.
Shovels are available at any Home Depot for $20. The biggest problem I've had is Trimble and their yellow boxes.
A couple weeks ago I grabbed all my robot stuff and drove 30 miles to the job to set up control. Opps, the yellow box was my GPS box, and not my sacred Mr Robot box.
Maybe I should check my alzheimer meds..... or simply retire
> Shovels are available at any Home Depot for $20.
:good: I have so many "extra" shovels around that it is ridiculous.
If I would ever organize my tool shed, I would be able to find a shovel instead of deciding to take the one out of the truck with the intention (rarely realized) of putting it back in the truck when I'm done.
Dude, I'm betting you were a long, long way from anywhere near Israel.
"the Calvary arrived"
Horses are in the cavalry not up on Calvary with those crosses.
Sorry, that's just one thing I pick up on every time.:'(
