Could Have Been Much Worse

The temperature was hovering around 90 degrees, it was setting record highs all over Western Oregon. Mike had taken the farm pickup down to Corvallis to pick up a couple bags of grass seed screening pellet feed.

It is a long drive to get feed for the cows in the show barn and for the yearling bulls in the bull pen. But, over the years we have found that by purchasing the screening pellets from this business, we get exceptional feed without corn or additives that the animals like and they maintain good body weight. We have not been able to find this quality of feed, made fresh when we order, anywhere closer to the farm. When restocking is needed, 2-1 ton bags are loaded into the farm pickup for the drive home.

4000 lbs of weight in the back of the pickup is a heavy load. With the added stress of the extremely warm pavement on this sweltering day, the radial belts of the tire separated from the tire as Mike was traveling along the highway. There was a loud bang, and the pickup veered.  Luckily, he was able to keep control of the pickup as the tire blew and there was a shoulder area where he could get off the roadway.

If he would not have had two jacks in the pickup he would have still been in trouble, but Mike travels with a heavy-duty 2 ton house jack on these long trips besides the regular jack for the pickup. He has never had to use it before but was grateful to have stowed the extra equipment this time.