Chapter 8b

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SNOW MACHINES
CHAPTER #8

Spider Someone who hated us, sent out a Spider machine in the mid 70’s.
    This machine had a V8 engine, and Hydrostatic drive, which ran a Hydraulic pump, which ran hydraulic motors for each track. All this was controlled by a center 6” joy-stick. It was a large machine, like the Sprynt, but unfortunately it worked only in warmer climates. When it got cold, the hydraulic oil became molasses, and nothing would work until the machine warmed up for half an hour. After it started, and you had to run it, the hot oil thru the center console would make the joy stick impossible to hold.
      All in all a terrible machine. Would go like hell in a straight line, and turn on a dime, but not any good for anything else. Constant pressure had to be applied before the machine would move, so operating for any length of time, like from Brown Bear to Meziadin, your hand, would be numb and burnt. No Picture yet, but would love one.
I am not exactly sure if I have the spelling right
for this machine.
Would love to know the manufacturer one day.
      One story involving the Spider, was when it broke down between Meziadin and Brown Bear, and I had to go up with the snow machine trailer, and load it up and bring it home, to the garage, to get fixed. Well the trailer had an expanded metal top, the machine had metal cleats. The two do not match, trust me. We struggled with the machine for hours, to load it, with winches, and come-alongs, in tandom. All at well below 0 temperatures.
     Now as Paul Harvey says, “for the rest of the story”. I knew I needed help, so Stan Miller, our Boss at the time, assigned Bob Pegg, from Toll, and John Hardie, a radio man at the time, to help me. Well John had the largest down coat, (Jones Tent and Awning made, Pioneer brand), Huge mitts, Big Insulated overshoes, He was dressed for Arctic –50 deg or more. Bob had light overshoes, and a light winter coat. So the obvious choice for running the winch, (controls were inside the heated truck), was Bob. Nope, John took control of the winch, and wouldn’t get out of the truck! Bob and myself, were taking turns, getting in to warm up, in the passenger seat.
       After returning to Terrace, many hours later, the story got out, and soon after that, John became known as John “Winchman” Hardie.
       I heard via email in 2005, from John Hardie, who now lives in Australia of all places, and I am sure he read this article after he emailed me, and probably wasn't pleased with my interpretation of the day, but again I tell them like I see them. I don't tell these stories to hurt feelings, but hope now 30 years later, we can laugh at them. I know I do.

John Hardie is now married, has 2 daughters, left Terrace in 1973. Lives in Downer, ACT, Canberra, Australia. He looks after the central betting system there, as the Senior Analyst / Programmer.