Friday, May 20, 2005
Lost Highway
A northern Saskatchewan highway, rutted and bumpy from the spring thaw and rain, although this distinction probably doesn't need to be made since the state of some Saskatchewan highways are deplorable, left two drivers at the mercy of nature this week.
Conway Beatty endures the rough ride to Montreal Lake on Highway 969 everyday, but after what happened this week, Beatty says his patience has run out. Earlier this week, he got stuck and after an hour and a half of battling mud, Beatty tried to hike back to his reserve. He says he didn't get more than a couple hundred metres from the van and a bear walked out the bush. That was enough for Beatty, who quickly retreated back to the van. Apparently, he sat there until a friend came along.
Fast forward a few hours, John Beatty, Conway's brother, also gets stuck on the same muddy highway. John says that wolves, not a bear, started moving in when he left for help. What happened next sort of difies logic. He jumped in into the box of his truck and floored his vehicle to get out of there. Not the best thing for a vehicle stuck in the mud.
A Department of Highways spokesperson says Highway 969 is already being fixed, however, he suggests drivers with damaged vehicles (including the cost of a hunting license and ammo) can submit a written claim.
Conway Beatty endures the rough ride to Montreal Lake on Highway 969 everyday, but after what happened this week, Beatty says his patience has run out. Earlier this week, he got stuck and after an hour and a half of battling mud, Beatty tried to hike back to his reserve. He says he didn't get more than a couple hundred metres from the van and a bear walked out the bush. That was enough for Beatty, who quickly retreated back to the van. Apparently, he sat there until a friend came along.
Fast forward a few hours, John Beatty, Conway's brother, also gets stuck on the same muddy highway. John says that wolves, not a bear, started moving in when he left for help. What happened next sort of difies logic. He jumped in into the box of his truck and floored his vehicle to get out of there. Not the best thing for a vehicle stuck in the mud.
A Department of Highways spokesperson says Highway 969 is already being fixed, however, he suggests drivers with damaged vehicles (including the cost of a hunting license and ammo) can submit a written claim.
# posted by Shaky @ 6:34 p.m. 
