NationStates Jolt Archive

So on May 31st the Ice Road Truckers season 3 begins on the History Channel. This time they will be hauling on an Ice road in Alaska. Hugh and Alex from Season 1 & 2 will be there, plus there will be some new people, including a female driver. They will be driving on the Dalton Highway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalton_Highway) which I think was shown on an episode of "Tougher in Alaska". From what I remember from that episode, this road should be challenging.

I hope it's better than season 2 because I'll be honest, the Tuktoyaktuk Winter Road was boring. At least with the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road you had the interesting terrains and the fact that you went over lakes instead of a vast ocean. From what I've seen on the Season 3 trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL1WWVQfB_I), Dalton Highway should be interesting.

I'm kinda disappointed that Drew Sherwood won't be coming back. I think he got the shaft in the first season. Hugh gave him a shitty truck and just had one problems after another. Season 2, he worked for a guy who hated Southerners coming up north. Ah well.

So, anyone else watch this show, comments, discussion, etc?

I never really got into this, so I can't say anything... but why do you (Wilgrove) like it?

Eh, haven't watched it all that much. I tend to keep to modern marvels, anything they do on Rome, battles, and the sort. Don't like the new stuff that's on.

I never really got into this, so I can't say anything... but why do you (Wilgrove) like it?

Eh the stories, the interactions between the people. Plus, I want to see who hauls in the most money at the end of the season.

I'm afraid I never seen the show. But I used to be an ice road trucker.

Meh, Ice Road Trucker's is not the greatest of the "tough man" shows, (which rarely are that good to begin with, but that's a whole 'nuther story) but it's not in the same league as the truly awful lumberjack show. It's also cursed by the fact that it's not narrated by Mike "Awesome" Rowe.

I'm afraid I never seen the show. But I used to be an ice road trucker.

Ahh, what road did you use to work on?

I'm conservative, but I'm not that conservative...

I mean, 72 episodes about guys hauling cargo through an icy road? How does one manage not to get bored?

I'm conservative, but I'm not that conservative...

I mean, 72 episodes about guys hauling cargo through an icy road? How does one manage not to get bored?

I admit, I had a hard time sitting through season 2, that season was boring. However, the first season was awesome.

I like the show and think it's pretty good. I've tried finding some of the places they drive to on Google Earth.

But I like Deadliest Catch better.

I quite like the show, but I don't have a TV so I only ever watch reruns when I visit my parents. The one where the guy fell through the ice and they airlifted him out was pretty exciting.

Meh, its a crap show.

Dalton Highway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalton_Highway)

That picture just gave me some sort of intense, nostalgic and euphoric experience. What the fuck? It's like I've seen that picture before.

Ahh, what road did you use to work on?

None you'd have heard of I'm guessing, I was working in northern Alberta still below the 60th. Most of the roads I ran on were short haul roads out to camps, drilling rigs and other winter projects. I snagged a couple of signs to to some ice bridges on one road that read, "French Fry Creek" and "Hamburger Creek" during my last winter up there. A friend got one that read, "Big Ass Moose Creek" from a guy who was living in a dry camp by trading him a case of beer I believe. Most of the roads were named by the oil companies who had them built, so a lot of times it was the same name as the oil company or the radio channel for that particular road. I did spend a lot of time working for a company that had wells out in the middle of Zama Lake (http://www.pgic-iogc.gc.ca/data/1/rec_imgs/162_HayZamaPark.jpg) and could only get trucks out for a few months in the winter. Thanks to the wind out there (and a particularly brutal winter), that was the coldest temperature I've ever had the pleasure to experience. How is -60C for you? :p

None you'd have heard of I'm guessing, I was working in northern Alberta still below the 60th. Most of the roads I ran on were short haul roads out to camps, drilling rigs and other winter projects. I snagged a couple of signs to to some ice bridges on one road that read, "French Fry Creek" and "Hamburger Creek" during my last winter up there. A friend got one that read, "Big Ass Moose Creek" from a guy who was living in a dry camp by trading him a case of beer I believe. Most of the roads were named by the oil companies who had them built, so a lot of times it was the same name as the oil company or the radio channel for that particular road. I did spend a lot of time working for a company that had wells out in the middle of Zama Lake (http://www.pgic-iogc.gc.ca/data/1/rec_imgs/162_HayZamaPark.jpg) and could only get trucks out for a few months in the winter. Thanks to the wind out there (and a particularly brutal winter), that was the coldest temperature I've ever had the pleasure to experience. How is -60C for you? :p

How dangerous is it working on an Ice road? The History Channel really tried to make it seem extreme and dangerous. Hell during season 1 & 2 they wouldn't shut up about trucks falling through the ice.

Using our mystic powers, we would guess more dangerous than most other jobs but less dangerous than getting shot multiple times in the head at point blank range in the Savanna during the summer but just barely.

How dangerous is it working on an Ice road? The History Channel really tried to make it seem extreme and dangerous. Hell during season 1 & 2 they wouldn't shut up about trucks falling through the ice.

I dunno, never seen a truck fall through the ice before if that's what you mean. A good chunk of the roads out there are built up on muskeg and not open water. Where there were open water crossings there were severe speed limits around 10-30km/h I believe. The rest of the roads tended to go anywhere from 50-80km/h.

The really dangerous bit I found was the other traffic and the idiots who wouldn't call their kms on corners. Many of the roads are only wide enough for one truck with pullouts every few kms, so we'd have to call out kms to let the rest of the traffic know our whereabouts. Coming around a blind corner in the woods only to be met by the front end of another Peterbilt isn't something I ever really felt the need to experience.

That and the roads are made of ice, so more than a few people ended up in a snowbank, myself included. :p

I love Ice Road Truckers, but it's on when I'm at Tangsoodo, so I don't often have a chance to see it.

I love Ice Road Truckers, but it's on when I'm at Tangsoodo, so I don't often have a chance to see it.

You mean Tang Soo Do?



Never seen it. Doesn't really appeal to me.

That picture just gave me some sort of intense, nostalgic and euphoric experience. What the fuck? It's like I've seen that picture before.

The same thing happened to me. I looked at the pic, and thought: ''yeah, I remember that place.. Wait, no I don't remember that!