Saturday was a very sad day. I had to say goodbye to my best friend and soulmate, PistenBully 314.
We took our final trip to the Castle Rock test site last Saturday morning to do a final clean-up and collect data before letting the site run over winter. Unfortunately, this meant we had to drive PistenBully 314 back into town once we were through.
Over the 16 trips that I've driven PistenBully 314 over the past month, I feel like we got to know each other quite well. PistenBully 314 was the best friend anyone could ask for. He is patient, strong, and even has a great sense of humor.
Sure, sometimes it takes him 20 minutes to warm up, but you know he will keep you safe the whole journey. And his squeaky passenger door often refuses to close at the most inopportune moments -- for instance, when you are trying to escape 50 knot winds and blowing snow. But all of this is just 314's way of joking around. I know he would never really let any passenger get hurt.
PistenBully 314's steel treads kept us from slipping on the icy Castle Rock trail and hurdling face-first into a crevasse. With 314, I got to observe as the Castle Rock road changed throughout the month, turning icy with warm above-freezing temps melting the snow, growing potholes over time, and then turning into a sheet of fresh white snow with each storm. No matter the condition, 314 crunched along the road, rolling slowly and protecting his passengers from harm.
PistenBully 314 is the kindest friend I've ever known. He is a true PistenBuddy, not a PistenBully.
He is now parked next to the Science Support Center, in a row with all the other PistenBullies, plugged in and finally able to charge his battery. 314 holds a special place in my heart, and I hope that I will see him again next season.
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