Truck through the ice?

[Hibbing]

Just spoke to someone who said that Hillman's plow truck went down yesterday about 4 miles out? Is the ice that bad or was it just a fluke?

[Quackaddict9]

I havent heard anything.

[hanson]

4 miles out?

Thats about where I hit them speed bumps.

Are you sure you heard "down" or was it "up"?

[kelly-p]

It's true. There was a bad slush pocket alongside the road and Buddy decided to bust it up so it would freeze before someone drove there. Buddy was in his stripped down blue 3/4 ton. (he forgot the pontoons) The first 3 passes were ??????? OK but Buddy kept blasting through it. The 4th pass was ugly!!!! Tigger and Kelly, (the other Kelly) got here tonight and hopefully by tomorrow night it's back up again. The real bad part is that it happened so fast that Buddy couldn't turn the key off so the engine is toast. Buddy was once again doing what the people paying road fees pay him to do, that is see where it is safe. Foster and I were across the lake trying to bust a trail into the Rocky Point area so we missed it but Patsy watched the whole thing. A V-Plow blasting things up in the air and suddenly everything is gone. When Buddy popped up in the hole and crawled out on the ice she did the Italian thing and slapped him a few times. Then she asked if he was OK and where was his truck??? When I got there I looked Buddy square in the eye and asked him, "Buddy it's been a tough year with a real slow bite. While you were down there did you see any crappies????" Foster decided that we should wrap Buddy in bubble wrap and just let him bounce around the parking lot.

In seriousness we are all lucky that Buddy found a hole back up through the ice chunks. Listen to Mort and "outsider" and Westwind and Hillman's and realize the we know what we are talking about. Keep big heavy vehicles on shore! The calender says January but the temps are saying November. Be safe everyone!

[Hibbing]

Kelly - thanks for the update! No such thing as 100% safe ice.

[Random guy]

Thats it! I'm stopping at that diving shop next to Thorne Brothers on my way up today and getting Cheif Submarine Commander Buddy a wet suit, Oxy tanks and maybe even some flippers.

I'm glad to hear Buddy managed to come out unharmed other then Patsy slapping him around. Thanks for getting us on the ice safely as possible Buddy, Kelly and Foster.

[icehousebob]

Kelly, I know its good form for the captain to go down with the ship, but is it also required of plow drivers??? Thank goodness he's okay. How many of his nine lives does he have left? Question, what sort of engine does he need for a replacement? Either me or someone else in the crowd might have one setting around. I have a friend who destroys plow trucks long before the engines go bad.

[Pikester]

Good to hear that Buddy was ok.

[moose099]

WOW!!! Thank God he's OK. Buddy, Kelly and Pat, tread lightly out their and be safe. We Do appreciate what you guys risk to keep us safe. A little help from Mother Nature sure would help to give you guys a cushion of safety

[MN_Iceman]

That is great that Buddy is OK. Some of the things that you guys do up there to make everyones stay a little more enjoyable is remarkable. Thanks to all of the resort owners/plowers/anyone that helps to keep it a fun resource up there. I am guessing that this shut down buddies road or are there still vehicles going out of Hillmans? Lets keep it safe and not be heros out there.

[Fish-on]

Everyone who whines about paying a few bucks to get on the ice should have to read this thread. That's a tough way to make a buck.

[kelly-p]

We got it back up last night. We are getting too much practice at this. Buddy had come out the drivers side window and the truck laid on the bottom with the drivers side down????? Buddy may have blown any chance for profits this winter but he does the best washed trucks around.

If anyone is interested in trying it in the area where Hudec's road used to end we were able to get a track plowed to there. At 5 1/2 miles out on Hillman's road a plow track heads north.

[moose099]

That was a quick recovery!! Way to go guys. Kelly, has it picked up any?

[12lb8oz]

I read your earlier post about asking him if he saw any crappies down there? But you never said what his answer was. Did he see any crappies or didn't he???

[kelly-p]

He never really answered,,,just stood there shivering, dripping and shaking his head back and forth. I have been watching and he hasn't moved any houses there tho.

[icehousebob]

Kelly, the proper reaction would have been to get his wet clothes off of him and get him into a sleeping bag. And if you were really his friend, you would have removed your own clothes and joined him in the bag to use your body heat to warm him up. Years ago, a young woman saved my life that way. At least, that was her excuse, since I wasn't wet and it was August.