Cabbage Hill

Most truckers have a memory of the first time I did this or that. I'm sure most of those experiences include the first time they went down a famous mountain grade. There are many out in the truckers world.

I will never forget my own encounter with "Cabbage Hill", formerly known as "Dead Man's Pass". In fact the rest area at the summit is still called Dead Man's Pass. The original roadway is still there and was used as a detour during the construction of the present freeway hill. It is a narrow two lane road with some tight twenty mile per hour turns and six to seven per cent grades. A road that demands respect.

Getting back to my memorable ride down Cabbage Hill. The road back then was a two and three lane highway with no run out ramps. My rig was a single drive gas burner International, pulling a double trailer set. That is a straight trailer with a pull trailer, no converter dolly. I was loaded with wheat to 80,000 pounds. The rule with a rig like that was slow upgrade and slow, slow down grade.

Being a safety minded driver, I stopped at the brake safety check area to check the brake adjustment, (no self adjusters back then), before starting off the mountain. I left the transmission in second and under gear and started off the hill. Everything went well until just before the last sharp switchback when all hell broke loose.

The low air warning bell went off, the red flag dropped into my windshield and panic set in. With the load I was pulling, the emergency brake system lasted about half a mile. With smoke belching from all the wheels, I began to roll very fast and was busy picking up gears to keep the engine from over speeding and destroying itself.

I made the last turn and looked on down the hill for traffic. Luck was with me, the road was clear and I had to pull the transmission out of gear to save the engine. The next obstacle was the weigh station at bottom of the hill. There was no way for me to pull into it and stop with the speed and no brakes. Then I saw the weighmaster out next to the road flagging me on by. He wanted no part of my problem.

Now all I had to do was let it roll until it stopped which was clear to the Pendleton drive in theater. I climbed out of the cab, shaking all over and giving thanks for the safe ride. The belt had broken on the air compressor causing the brake failure. You can bet I really inspected that belt from that day on. In fact, pretrip inspections became a really good habit.

A rule I learned early on with trucks, "If you see something that needs attention, stop what you are doing and take care of now!", or it will be back to bite you. Truck Safely out There.