17 Jun Emma: Dan’s Mad Driving Skills

As soon as we finished up our 70 acre field we headed back to Elk City.

Dan had a little bit of trouble along the way.
Picture this: 102 degree day and sweat dripping from your forehead. The only relief is the hot wind blowing across your face from the driver-side window. You see the exhaust coming from the pipes in the mirror and the sun setting on the horizon. There is the sound of 18 tires on the asphalt and the roar of the engine under the hood. You are happy to be heading home after a long days work in the field when all of a sudden you hear a loud bang and your truck is forced to the other lane. You grab the steering wheel hoping to control the chaos you find yourself in. There is debris, slamming on brakes, shifting down, and trying to stay on the road. The adrenaline starts pumping so fast that everything seems to be in slow motion. Once getting to the side of the road safely the panic is over as the dust settles. Opening the door with shaking hands and thanking God you are still alive.

Dan’s front tire had blown out, but with his experience and quick thinking he was able to control the semi. The good Lord is always with you ready to take the wheel

Here is a few pics to show you the severity of the situation.

Within 40 feet he went from the right lane to the left traveling at 65 miles per hour. From where the tire blew to where he stopped was about 300 feet.

I think the only reason he is smiling is to keep from frowning. He was pretty shaken up; reasonably so!

Dan and I walked the ditches in hope of finding the front of the semi that blew off in the process. I think we found parts we can reattach later when we fix it.

Mom and August showed up with a spare tire we have at home. Then the steps to repair the semi began by first jacking the truck up, then taking the nuts off.

To tighten the nuts on the new tire, we use a breaker bar: a long handle on a properly sized socket. With leverage you can get a nut tighter than an impact wrench can, and you get it to the correct tightness. Same goes with loosening the nuts.

We are all thankful that it turned out the way it did. The good Lord is always with us.

Be safe and God bless!

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and Syngenta
Emma can be reached at emma@allaboardharvest.com