Tag Archives: drive

Mod Lift at Alpine

Hard to believe this was 10 years ago, Jack says.  This is a mod lift at the Alpine oil fields (mod is short for modular), back when he was doing heavy haul.  Since it’s been so many years all he had to say about it was that he hauled this prefabricated unit to Alpine from Valdez and the workers there got busy lifting it off his truck.  It took all day actually.  That was one part of heavy haul he doesn’t miss.

 

Donjek River Bridge, follow up

A few months after Jack helped haul bridge beams to the Donjek River Bridge in Canada, he went back to haul the beams from the staging area off the road onto the ice where they were constructing the bridge. (Best viewed if you click on the first one and scroll to the right.)  See captions for more info.

Two cranes are needed to pick up bridge beams, one on each end, since they will break if they are picked up from the middle. In the construction process they are pre-stressed to take weight from the top and won’t hold up if lifted from the middle.
The old bridge is on the left and the cranes are moving down onto the river.
Jack is down on the frozen river here with the new bridge on the left and what looks to him like concrete joints on the right.
The orange tarp is covering the concrete and keeping the warmth in from heaters so that it will cure.
The 2 cranes are on their way up to the staging area where they will pick up the beams and place them onto the trailers for the trucks to bring them down to the river where the cranes will then pick them back up and place them on the bridge in their correct positions.
They are loaded and following the cranes back down to the river.

Hauling Pipe Rack Units to Prudhoe

A few years ago Jack and some other truckers took these pipe rack units from Fairbanks to Alpine, an area of Prudhoe Bay owned by Conoco-Phillips.  You’ll see the units being loaded, then Jack driving behind other units. You can see the pipes in the middle of the structure as well as the valve controls on the top.  These units are lined up next to each other and connected as part of the process of extracting oil and getting it into the pipeline to go south.  In one of the ice road photos you can see a pipeline on the right.

They drive through tundra, over mountains, and finally on the ice roads of Prudhoe Bay.  The last couple of photos, the ones where the road doesn’t look particularly icy, they are passing over a river.  If you are also rather astute (and here I am giving you a clue) you can also see Jack’s reflection in the mirror, as well as a reflection of the small fan that he had mounted on the dash that could turn toward the windshield to defrost it or toward him on hot days.

(The best way to view the photos is to click on the first one and then click on the right arrow.)

Driving the Dalton

Jack finally took a video of driving down the road.  It seems like a silly thing to do but people have requested more videos and this one shows what most of his job is like, on the good days.  🙂

(If these appear blurry change your resolution settings on the bottom right side of the player.)

 

Happy New Year!!

Alaska Highway Dreams

If only we were on the road again…

Driving the Alaska Highway

This is Kluane Lake, Yukon Territory, Canada, when we were coming back from our long 6 week trip to the states in 2012.  Memories!

(Best viewed if you click on one and scroll to the side.)

Broken Bridge Beam

This short video was taken a couple of years ago when a truck carrying a bridge beam went off the road and flopped over.   It was a costly problem for whoever ended up paying for it.  It broke in the wreck so they tore it into pieces and hauled it away.

 

 

Rest in Peace Jack McCahan

Jack and I were so sad to hear about the passing of Jack McCahan.  Jack “Cactus Jack” McCahan was a hard-working trucker with a great sense of humor.  Jack says he told fantastic stories and would always win in a battle to keep a straight face.  He told the best jokes.  He was simply a joy to be around.  Everybody loved Jack.  Everybody loves Jack.  It doesn’t change just because he is gone.  He will be in our thoughts and so…still on the road…with us…

Even though it is a sad day for all the drivers on the Dalton, and everyone else who loved and knew Jack, enjoy your Thanksgiving especially if you get to spend it with your loved ones.  And to all the truckers who are on the road instead of being home with their families, thank you for towing the line.

Our deepest sympathies to Jack McCahan’s family.

Dalton Highway

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Head-on Collision on the Dalton

As some of you have heard, there was a terrible accident on the Dalton Highway recently.  Two trucks were in a head-on collision about 75 miles from Prudhoe Bay back in October.  Jack arrived on the scene about an hour after it happened so he was able to document it for his bosses.  We’re sharing the photos with you but please keep Jack McCahan in your thoughts as he is in serious condition still even after over a month.

Apparently Jack McCahan was able to crawl out of the burning wreck only a short time before it was engulfed in flames.  Photos below show the burnt truck.  It doesn’t even look like a truck anymore.  Very scary.

(Click on one and scroll.)

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone and please always drive safely, whether you are a trucker or not.