Rollin 18 Trucker Briefing Room EP17

Snow doesn’t wait for your schedule, and Colorado just proved it with a chain check on I-70. We open the logbook on early winter travel for drivers running the northern corridors, sharing quick, no-fluff ways to get your gear and head right before the grades turn slick. From Colorado and the Pacific Northwest to a freeze warning off I-80 in Iowa, we map the signals that say it’s time to prep: chains fitted and accessible, backup gloves sealed and dry, headlamps charged, and routes planned with honest buffers.

We talk through practical moves you can make today—how to stage chains for fast installs, why a dry-run in the yard saves time on the shoulder, and where a ten-minute weather and camera check can buy you an hour of safe travel. Tires, fuel treatment, and visibility all get a gut-check, because early storms bring mixed traffic and unpredictable braking. You’ll hear how we think about alternate routes around Vail, Eisenhower, and Snoqualmie, how to stay ahead of enforcement windows, and why gentle throttle and longer gaps matter when black ice shows up in shaded curves.

To keep the miles lighter, we’re also having some fun: a TikTok coin-guess challenge built around a thrifted piggy bank. Closest guess takes home a 1977 original press of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. It’s a small nod to the soundtrack of long hauls and a way to keep our driver community connected between stops. Catch short clips, vinyl stories, and safety notes on our TikTok at @rollin18podcast, or jump over to rollin18radio.com for more on my website.

If this briefing helps you prep smarter for winter runs, share it with a driver who needs the nudge, subscribe for the next update, and drop your coin guess for a shot at the vinyl. Stay safe out there and keep it between the lines.

Rollin' 18 Podcast and Trucker Briefing Room. Contact us at [email protected]