On the Road with Dick McCorkle

Back in the early 70s I was a company driver ,being dispatched from Kingsport,Tn. to Indianapolis,In. We used route 11 w to Bean Station Tn. 25 E  to Corbin Ky.A few miles after getting on 25 E you had to go over Clinch mountain. Well the state of Tn. was making 25 E a 4 lane road and it was very bad getting  thru the area .To reach the top of Clinch mountain was all gravel road and I was driving a Louisville line Ford with a 220 cummins with a 10 speed roadranger. Well , half way up, I spun out, no more gear to grab. I am telling you it was steep!  Little did I know I was the third truck that this had happend to.  A voice came across the cb , hang on driver I am on the way to get you.  Coming at me were some powerfull headlights but it wasnt coming very fast… it was a bulldozer.  “Well, you are number four tonite.  When is that company going to get some trucks that will pull this hill?” I said” well sir,  its not the truck ,its the loose gravel.  I had power ,I just started spinning . “  He agreed that it was steep so he pulled me over the top of the mountain.  But my way of thinking… had I been in the CASCADIA with the DD15 I never would had slowed down to the point of spinning.

 Hope you enjoy a little bit of the old days.

until next time,  be safe.

                       Dick

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