Before I get deeply in this I suppose an introduction is appropriate. I'm Nick, short for Nicholas. I'm a retired Marine and for the past 4 years I've been an independent hotshot driver. For those of you who don't know what a hotshot driver is, it is a towing/hauling service using "regular" ¾ ton or larger trucks usually with a flatbed or other style trailer. If you tow <26,000 lbs no special licenses are required, it can be quite lucrative if you get in with a company who keeps you plenty busy. My area of expertise is in 5th Wheel Trailer delivery and I'm contracted to a large RV manufacturer in Indiana. I deliver their newly completed trailers country wide to include Canada. On occasion my haul has been a factory repaired trailer vice a new one. This story has to do with a recent return of a repair to Alberta Canada.
I'm a fairly down to earth guy who never married because of the stresses the Corps puts on a family. There have been on again off again relationships but nothing permanent. I enjoy the independence and flexibility this life style provides. In fact my easy going attitude is what has brought me a lot of trailer deliveries, I don't rush to get anywhere and am a very safe driver.
A few weeks ago as I was completing paperwork on my latest delivery in Indiana. I saw that my schedule showed to pick up a factory repaired 2018 38 ft fifth wheel and deliver it to Leduc, Alberta.
I've made this 1,800 mile run a number of times but this was the first with a "used" rig. As I was talking to the company transportation officer about the rig weights she mentioned that the fee for this delivery was a bit lower than usual. I glared at her because I'm contracted and my per mile rates are pretty locked in. She explained what was different about this load.
Normally I stay in motels along the route but it seems the owner, as a money saving idea, had offered to allow the driver to use the rig for overnights during the trip.
I considered for a moment and then asked, "Wasn't this a warranty repair? That's no cost to the customer, right?"
"Ya, that's normal but in this case Dexter wanted repairs here vice at a warranty shop in Canada because they wanted all the parts and pieces back," She explained, "seems their warranty department agreed to the repair and someone higher up popped a fuse due to the distance involved and costs. We stepped up and guaranteed the owner we'd get the rig back to her. But, we'd like to save some money and she offered to let the rig be used by the driver."
"That's more than just a bit unusual, but it sounds good to me, greater flexibility in my pee and rest breaks I guess," I said.
Karen (the TO) said, "Great, we'll have it all prepped and topped off for the run." She saw me looking at my phone, "you expecting any weather?" and she continued to jabber, "the retailer in Leduc is going to go over the rig to prep it like a new delivery, no worries about living in it for a few nights."
I checked my weather app and nodded, "Well, maybe... the forecast is looking pretty cold, but precipitation, snow, maybe, maybe not" I shrugged, "who knows. I'll just take it as it comes and get there safely."
"That's what we like about you Nick" she said as she handed me the docs for the run, "see you tomorrow."
When I woke up the next morning it was a bone chilling 5F with wintry blue gray clouds. The drive to the lot was uneventful but damn it was cold. I was expecting temps to drop as I headed N but at least it wasn't that -40 stint we saw in February.
I picked up the keys from the TO and proceeded to check and hook up the rig. Damn this was a nice trailer. Usually I never even look inside but since I was going to be spending the night in this one a few times I had put my small carry on size suitcase onto the bed and then put a few 6 packs of Pepsi into the frig, some Bailey's to warm me up, stowed some frozen food, hot chocolate (I don't drink coffee) and checked that there was water, the black tank was ready, propane was full, batteries were charged and slides were in and locked. Then a quick pre-move check including lights, tire pressures, electric brake check and I was off and driving.
As I pulled out of the lot I glanced at the clock, 7:30 am. "Right on time" I said to no one. Then I headed south to 20 and avoid the damned toll roads picking up I94 near Waterford.
My tow vehicle is a 2018 RAM Longhorn 3500 dually with a 6.7L diesel, she tows like a dream, you hardly know there's something behind you. I had upgraded a number of things on the truck but hadn't gotten to installing a larger fuel tank. So, I was still using the 43 gallon stock diesel tank, meaning I had to get fuel more often than I'd have liked.
The trip was pretty uneventful until around Chicago when the weather took a turn for the worse. It began snowing and the temp dropped to 44 F. I pulled over near Mauston, WI and consulted the Gods. Weather looked dodgy so I decided to try and stay south of the worst and stick with I90 instead of a more direct route north through Minnesota, I'd head due west.
I pulled out and slowed from my normal 65 mph to 55 mph, just then a little Red Mercedes SUV with a rainbow sticker on the back window shot past me going way too fast. By way too fast I mean, WAY TOO FAST. I flashed my lights at it hoping to get them to slow down. More than once I'd seen this and later found them upside down in a ditch, once with deadly results.
A little while later I saw the same car parked on the shoulder. Not 10 minutes later the same car flashed past me again. It had to be doing 75 in this rotten weather. I flashed, shook my head and hoped they had the 4 wheel drive mode.
About an hour later there's the little car again stopped on the shoulder. I shook my head and wondered, "Why the hell are you driving so fast? Pointless with the stops."
A few minutes later, "WHOOSH" there it goes again past me. I flash and just smile at them.
Not long after that it's time for a fuel stop and I pulled into a Flying-J just east of Albert Lea, MN. It's snowing heavily and windy as hell now, temps have to be in the mid teens and who knows what it is with the windchill, single digits or lower? I installed my winter radiator cover and then began fueling. As I'm assessing weather I see the same Mercedes backing out of a parking space and then pull in across from me to get fuel.
The car crunches to a stop and just sits there. The windows are tinted and I can't make out who or how many are in there. About a minute goes by and the door opens. Out steps a woman grossly inappropriately dressed for the weather we're experiencing. She is a few inches shorter than me, short cut brown hair, not short like a boy cut but short wavy and stylish, she's wearing a thin black jacket over light tan flared leg pants and a white matching button up blouse.
I'm right on the opposite side of the pump where she's fumbling with her card. She drops it, then jams it in, pulls it out and flips it over... I'm trying to hide my smile/smirk when she finally she gets the card swiped, punches a few buttons, and then can't get the nozzle out. The whole time she clearly shivering.
I just can't take any more of this, "Hey, here... let me help you." I step around and get the nozzle out, "you've done the hard bits and must be frozen by now, why don't you get inside where it's warm and I'll pump this for you." adding "I have to stand here anyway while mine fills."
She glances at me.
Even with her hair blowing around like it's in a food processor, she has beautiful hazel eyes, light eye makeup, not gaudy but refined, strikes me as elegant. "Oooh!" My nose catches a whiff of perfume, nice fragrance, "that's nice." I think to myself.
"Yes, thank you so much," she says as she struggles with the door. I open it and she flops inside almost falling when one of her feet slips on some ice.
The door closes and I go back to watching wind, snow, and pumps.
My truck fills first and take care of it and then step around to her side again. Her pump stops and I grab the receipt before it blows away. She rolled down her window to get it and I take the opportunity.
"I've seen you a few times on the road, you look to be in a hurry but please slow down in this weather, it's too dangerous to be driving that fast."
She nodded as she took the receipt and rolled the window back up.
Without so much as a "Thanks for the assistance, now fuck off", she drives away fishtailing up the on-ramp. I just smile and shake my head.
The freeway was in near white out conditions and nearly deserted now. The radio was saying that the authorities were banning all road traffic in a few near-by areas.
"Yup, we're done" I thought to myself. I was down to 15 mph and decided to get off the freeway at the next off ramp and find a spot to wait this out. Just as I was coming up over an overpass 2 miles from the off ramp I saw headlights facing me on my side of the freeway.
Shaking my head (ya, I know I do that a lot) I figured, "Some one into the bank." In weather like this it'd be criminal not to stop so I pulled up and stopped. The car had spun around and embedded itself deeply into a drift next to a guardrail, it's tracks were rapidly disappearing under newly fallen snow but the tires were spinning with no movement out of the car at all.
"Fucking blizzard this is," I thought to myself.
The drivers side door was against the bank so I reached for the passenger door and realized it was the same little Mercedes. I pulled and the door was locked.
I knocked on the window, "ARE YOU OK?" I hollered over the wind.
The window came down a bit. "Yes"
I quickly assessed the situation, "Look, you're stuck, come with me and we'll get somewhere safe!"
"No, I can get out," she said gunning the engine. The tires just spun with no effect what-so-ever.
Then I could almost read her mind, I raised my voice, "Ma'am, it's hopeless, come with me. You can't sit in the snow idling to keep warm, you'll asphyxiate yourself in there!"
