Oh, this could get nasty.
In Sunday night’s episode of Ice Road Truckers (Season 9, Episode 3), Darrell Ward, desperate for work for his new partnership with Lisa Kelly, snatched a load already committed to Mark Kohaykewych’s Polar Enterprises.
Ice Road truck Darrell WardThen, as luck and good reality TV would have it, Darrell almost couldn’t get the load delivered to Kingfisher on time because of mechanical issues. But, two zip ties applied to a leaking air hose later, and the Montana Legend was on the road and made it on time.
But, Darrell’s issues were modest compared to Todd Dewey’s.
He had the unenviable task of hauling Polar Enterprises heaviest load ever, a 130,000-crane needed for a school construction project. And, yes, there was a dicey ice crossing in the mix.
“You have a right to say, no,” Mark told Todd.
Of course, Todd said yes, and struggled the load over some 300 miles of rough road and across a lake. Much was made of the fact that because of the size of the load, no other trucks would be allowed on the ice at the same time.
Yet, as Todd drove and fretted across a snap, crackling and popping frozen lake, another truck is seen coming toward him. But, it turned around and got off the ice and Todd delivered the crane to a grateful community.
Art Burke, on the other hand, had what seemed to be a simple run: bobtail up to St. Theresa, hook up a trailer that had been there since last season and scoot on home.
But, nothing is ever easy on IRT especially for Art.
The trailer in question was snowbound. A cursing Art – is there any other kind? – started shoveling, but gave up. Then he found an unattended Bobcat and put it to the task.
Problem solved?
No so fast.
The trailer’s tires were frozen to the ground, forcing Art to use a sledgehammer to set them free.
Eventually, Art hooked up and yanked the trailer loose and headed home.
For Lisa, her trip is best summed up in her one line, “This is gonna be a nightmare.”
The waking bad dream she had was a long stretch of road that had thawed and had refrozen, leaving it badly rutted.
And, if that weren’t bad enough, she had a sketchy ice crossing she wasn’t expecting. Partway across the lake, what does she encounter? A Snowcat, a powerful vehicle designed for winter travel, half submerged and frozen in the lake.
Fretting all the way, Lisa crossed the ice and scored another delivery and win for her new partnership with Darrell.
Back at Polar HQ, the episode ends with Mark interviewing a new hire who says he has “more tricks up my sleeve than Houdini.”
We’re guessing at least some of those tricks may be at Darrell’s expense. What do you think?
