Trucker Thomas Morrow at Flying J truck stop in Cheyenne
Published on April 7, 2022April 7, 2022 in Wyoming Trucking/News
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By Wendy Corr, Jennifer Kocher and Jimmy Orr, Cowboy State Daily
“Ah, breaker one-nine, this here’s the Rubber Duck – you got a copy on me, Pig Pen, c’mon?”
Those lines penned by William Dale Fries Jr. — better known by his stage name of C.W. McCall — were remembered fondly among truckers in the wake of his death last week.
McCall’s story about a “Convoy” of semi-trucks earned him a No. 1 hit in 1976 and made him the unofficial balladeer for the nation’s long-haul truckers in the 1970s and 1980s.
Fries passed away on April 1 at the age of 93 at his home in Ouray, Colorado, after a long career as the troubadour of truck drivers. As the fictional “C.W. McCall,” Fries paired his unforgettable voice with music by composer and songwriter Chip Davis (founder of Mannheim Steamroller) to create songs that brought the lifestyle of long-haul truckers to radio audiences across the country.
“Those songs made you feel like you were part of a culture,” said Bill Froehlich, who drove truck as a young man in the 1970s. “They made truckers feel like they were important. And they are.”
Froehlich not only drove semis himself, he also owned and operated the Interstate Standard station in Buffalo in the 1980s, which catered to truck drivers coming off I-90.
McCall Knew The Industry
He said songs like “Wolf Creek Pass” – while humorous – resonated with people who lived that life.
“He really must have been involved in the industry and knew a lot about it, because a lot of his songs, what he said was true,” he said.
Lyrics for “Wolf Creek Pass,” for example, detailing a harrowing trip down mountain roads into Pagosa Springs, Colorado, ring true for Froehlich: “Well, Earl reared back / And cocked his leg / Stepped down as hard as he could on the brake / And the pedal went clear to the floor / And stayed right there on the floor / And he says it was sorta like steppin’ on a plum.”
“A lot of the times, if you stepped on (the brakes), it WAS like stepping on a plum,” Froehlich said, laughing. “They were just soft, and they didn’t hold.”
Froehlich said he appreciated the citizens band radio lingo in McCall’s songs as well. The song “Convoy,” for example, featured a character whose CB handle was “Pig Pen” – and Pig Pen hauled hogs.
“That’s what that song was about – the jargon,” Froehlich said. “And everyone had to have a handle.”
Froehlich’s handle was “Willie.”
Another trucker who retired to Wyoming worked under the handle “Low Chunk” while he drove rigs in the 1970s and ‘80s. Don Frame of Cody said the song “Convoy” inspired more than just the drivers..
“It was kind of a rallying call,” Frame said. “It inspired a lot of truckers, it really did. And even people who weren’t truckers were loving it and enjoying (McCall’s) music.”
National Anthem
Trucker Al Reccardi, a truck driver from Dayton, Ohio, who drives through Wyoming on a weekly basis, told Cowboy State Daily during a stop in Cheyenne on Thursday that McCall still has an impact on truckers.
A lot of younger truckers, he said, will ask what the profession was like 50 years ago. The song always comes up, he said.
“We talk about ‘Convoy’ because it was our national anthem,” Reccardi said. “C.W. McCall captured our way of life. Ain’t no one done it better or done it since.”
He said McCall explained to America the CB culture and how important the short-range radios were to the trucking industry.
“If there was an accident ahead, a smoky (law enforcement) on patrol, or a good batch of lot lizards (prostitutes) at a truck stop, we let each other know,” he said. “You can’t get that with an app or with the Google.”
Reccardi said members of the truck driving community were more tight-knit at that time because people actually spoke to each other.
“We looked out for each other,” he said inhaling smoke from a Marlboro light.
He said the song just “brought everyone together” and the lyrics that McCall wrote were evocative of the language that was actually used.
San Francisco was called ‘Shaky Town,’ as McCall mentioned in his song. ‘Good buddy’ is what truckers called each other, he said.
“I miss those days,” he said.
McCall and Seger
Thomas Morrow, a truck driver since 1978 who is moving to Cheyenne in May, said while the CB radio is still in use, truckers do not us it to contact each other as frequently as they did in the past.
“I’d say not even 50 percent of the drivers out here don’t even use a CB anymore,” he said.
His misses that culture but refuses to give up on it, noting he used to eat in the same diner that Bob Seger before the singer had attained star status.
“I used to see him at the Fleetwood Diner in Ann Arbor, Michigan,” he said. “Saw him there all the time.”
Seger’s song about life on the road, “Turn the Page,” approached the topic from the standpoint of a musician rather than a trucker.
C.W. McCall had his day, Morrow said, but Seger outlasted “nearly everyone.”
Kind Of A Brotherhood
However, “Convoy” is not a favorite of all truckers.
Phil Losinski, a jet fuel trucker for MG Oil who has been trucking for more than 30 years, said he likes to hum along with some of McCall’s songs – “Convoy” not being his favorite – but for his money, he’d rather listen to Dave Dudley.
“Dudley tells a really good story,” he said. “I find his songs much more interesting.”
Froehlich, though, pointed out that McCall’s songs are still resonating today, especially with the caravan of big rigs that recently drove across the country to the U.S. Capitol.
“People waving flags, and standing on bridges,” he said. “If trucks stopped going within a week, this country would be shut down.”
And that sentiment is much of the reason why McCall’s music still means so much to those who drive trucks, and those who rely on them.
“It’s kind of a brotherhood,” said Frame. “You’d meet people, which was part of the fun, and you have a camaraderie of doing the same thing and having the same interest. (McCall) understood the truckers.”
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Iowa DOT spots a truck with a staggering amount of tire damage
By Ashley -March 29, 2022
This week, Iowa law enforcement placed a truck out of service for tire safety violations.Iowa DOT Motor Vehicle Enforcement
March 28 at 3:13 PM ·
A not so routine CMV inspection uncovered the reason this driver was operating a CMV at 30 mph in a 65-mph speed zone…
Enforcement action was taken against the driver and the vehicle escorted to a safe location for repairs, it was placed out of service until the tires were replaced. It appears the brake locked up on that axle, dragging the tires until worn like pictured. The driver did have multiple opportunities to stop for repairs and choose not to.
Thank you to all the professional drivers who take safety seriously!
Dave off my chest
Because no one has 15 minutes to spend peeling an egg.
March 30, 2022
Photo by Ted Cavanaugh
Ask a dozen cooks how to hard-boil eggs and you’ll get a dozen different answers. But, ask a dozen cooks how to peel hard-boiled eggs, and you’ll get…tales of frustration. For a food that seems so simple to make (it’s just eggs + water!), boiled eggs can be utterly infuriating—especially when it comes to the peeling. You’ve been there: All that’s standing between you andegg korma (oregg salad) is a bunch of just-cooked eggs, and yet it’s taking you 15 minutes to peel each one and you’re removing huge gashes of egg white with every tiny shard of the stubborn shell. It’s enough to drive you mad, even if you aren’t already very, very hungry.
The truth of the matter is that making easy-peel hard-boiled (or soft-boiled!) eggs starts well before you get to the peeling. It begins with the eggs you choose, how you cook them, and how to treat them onceyour timer (yes, you must set a timer) dings. For eggs with cooked yolks set to your liking and pearly, smooth, unblemished exteriors, follow these guidelines:
1. Don’t use super-fresh eggs.
Farm-fresh eggs are going to beharder to peel—it’s a matter of their particular chemistry. To minimize frustration, save those straight-from-the-hen eggs for frying and scrambling and use a carton of slightly older eggs, like the onesfrom the grocery store, when boiling.
You can use cold eggs, straight out of the fridge, or room temperature eggs. Some argue that using cold eggs may cause the egg shells to crack due to thermal shock. We find the time saved by not tempering the eggs worth the gamble.
2. Drop the eggs into boiling water.
Eggs that are added to a pot of boiling water rather than brought to a boil along with the cold water in the pot will be easier to peel. Plus, when you’re boiling eggs with the intention of jamminess—say, forsoy-marinated eggs, this method allows for more precise timing. (Otherwise, you’ll have to watch closely to observe the exact moment the water comes to a boil.)
But don’t actually drop them in or you’ll risk eggs that are lopsided or deflated. Use a slotted spoon orspider to gently lower the eggs into the hot water. Then maintain a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil so that they don’t knock around in the pot.
Cook up to eight large eggs in a single layer in a 2-quart saucepan—more than that and they might butt heads and crack open.
3. Set a timer.
To avoided the dreaded green ring that plagues overcooked eggs, setting akitchen timer is a must. How long to cook those eggs depends on what level of doneness you’re going for. Set a7-minute cook time for jammy eggs with set egg whites and firm but gooey yolks, or a10-minute timer for cooked through (but not chalky). If you’re using XL or jumbo eggs, you’ll need a bit more time.
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Using an ice bath helps halt the cooking process. Carry-over-cooking, be gone!
Photo by Ted Cavanaugh
4. Use an ice bath.
Unless you halt the eggs’ cooking, that timer was for naught. Set up a bowl of ice water while the eggs are cooking, then transfer them immediately when you hear the bee-bee-beep. Let the eggs hang out in the cold water until they’re just cool enough to handle, 2–3 minutes.
5. Peel the eggs under the water while they’re still slightly warm.
This keeps the pesky shells—which should slip off fairly easily—contained. It also helps if you crack the egg at the fattest end, where you’ll find the air pocket, and peel from there. If you’re still having trouble, peeling eggs under a faucet with cold running water can help the shells slide off.
Keep any eggs you won't be using right away unpeeled, though—they’ll last longer that way!—and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
This Kentucky hotel invites guests to bring their houseplants
Zoe Sottile, CNN • Published 3rd April 2022
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(CNN) — Guests at a Kentucky hotel won't have to worry about who's watering their plants while they're away on vacation.
Elwood Hotel & Suites in Lexington will allow its guests to experience the "world's first plant-friendly hotel experience," according to astatement from VisitLEX, the city's convention and visitors bureau.
"It's official. Pets are the new babies, and plants are the new pets," VisitLEX said in its statement. "People everywhere now consider their leafy buddies to be part of the family just like a beloved dog or cat."
Plant-loving guests can enjoy a collection of "special rooms and amenities," the statement says. The "Gardener's Premier Corner Room," for example, is filled with a variety of live plants from a local nursery and features large windows to let visitors' own plants enjoy the sunshine,according to Elwood Hotel.
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First-year drivers can earn up to $110,000, retailer says ByChristine LaFave Grace on Apr. 07, 2022
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Photograph: Shutterstock
Amid a nationwidetruck-driver shortage, Walmart announced April 7 that it has started training supply-chain associates to be commercial truck drivers for the company's private fleet.
And to entice prospective drivers, the Bentonville, Ark.-based retail giant also said it's increasing trucker pay: Drivers can now earn as much as $110,000 in their first year with the company, Walmart stated.
"There’s never been a better time to join our fleet," Fernando Cortes, SVP of transportation for Walmart, and Karisa Sprague, SVP of supply-chain HR for Walmart, wrote in a blog post on the company's corporate website, adding that the newly announced investments in pay and training "build on multiple recent driver bonuses and improved schedules that enable drivers to spend more time at home."
Citing data from Glassdoor,Walmart said its pay bump means that first-year drivers can make nearly twice the average salary of around $56,500 for long-haul drivers. Longer-serving drivers can earn even more, depending on tenure and location, the company added.
The new Walmart Private Fleet Development Program, launched in Dallas and in Dover, Del., is training supply-chain employees through a 12-week program that offers participants the chance to earn their commercial driver's license (CDL) and become full-time Walmart drivers.
"With a massive training infrastructure already built" through Walmart'sLive Better U continuing-education offering and the company'snational network of career-development academies, Cortes and Sprague wrote, "the Walmart learning ecosystem stood ready to help launch a driver pipeline program." Launching the driver training program was a matter of sourcing teachers, they stated: an issue addressed by training current Walmart drivers through Walmart Academies to become Certified Driver Trainers.
Associates who earn their CDL through the Private Fleet Development Program also graduate with "a dedicated mentor to help them smoothly transition into their new role," according to the company.
In September, Walmart announced plans tohire 20,000 supply-chain associates for permanent roles in the company's Walmart and Sam's Club transportation offices, distribution centers and fulfillment centers. The company at the time touted that its average wage for its supply-chain workers stood at $20.37 an hour.
See also:Grocery Hiring Accelerated as Unemployment Rate Fell to 3.6% in March
First-year drivers can earn up to $110,000, retailer says By Christine LaFave Grace on Apr. 07, 2022
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Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) (also called alpha-gal allergy, red meat allergy, or tick bite meat allergy) is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. AGS is not caused by an infection. AGS symptoms occur after people eat red meat or are exposed to other products containing alpha-gal.
The Lone Star Tick primarily resides in the southeast region of the US, but are also present in Maine, New York, and Minnesota. Scientists claim that their shift in regions is due to the fluctuation of weather patterns; more states are becoming a viable place for them to reside. To concur with these claims, Dr. Ronald Saff, an allergist in Tallahassee, Florida, explains, “We expect with warming temperatures, the tick is going to slowly make its way northward and westward and cause more problems than they’re already causing” (source).
The link between the Lone Star Tick and red meat allergy was first discovered by Dr. Scott Commins, an allergist of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. When Dr. Commins first made this interesting discovery (approximately 10 years ago), there were only a few dozen cases of tick-induced meat allergies. However, as of the beginning of 2018, there are approximately 5,000 cases of alpha-gal syndrome in the US. Although the Lone Star Tick is the only known species that’s bite is linked to severe meat allergies, there are a few tick species in Europe, Asia, and Australia that cause alpha-gal syndrome as well.
So, how can one tick bite from the Lone Star Tick cause a severe allergic reaction to red meat? Well, these ticks have a sugar molecule in their makeup–alpha-gal–that’s also found in cows, sheep, and pigs. In the event a tick latched onto a human and bites, this molecule is transferred to them. Each person’s reaction to the tick bite is different; where some have minor allergies to red meat, others may develop a severe allergy to meat and dairy. Unlike most food allergies, symptoms of alpha-gal won’t be present until 3-6 hours after consumption. The range in allergy severity in some people still have researchers stumped. However, a simple blood test can determine if one has been affected with alpha-gal syndrome.
The Lone Star Tick is predominantly active from March-September and can be distinguished by the patterns on its back. Typically, a female Lone Star Tick has a single white dot on the center of the body while a male has either white spots or white streaks on the outer edges of their body. The best protection against these ticks is to wear long sleeves and pants if you decide to venture into the woods. Deet or picaridin are also good defenses against the Lone Star Tick. After a hike or camping trip, be sure to examine yourself to ensure that you do not have any signs of a tick bite.
ByFENTA|July 5th, 2018|Blog|0 Comments
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