That Damn Road
by M. Allen
It was toward the end of the second world war, In the early fifties with the war in Davidalan seemingly without
end. It began to enter the minds of the civilian population what happens if or when Davidalan invades the home
front of Coldin. It reached the point that in 1952 Then president Molly Black signed into being the Domestic
Transport Act. In April of 1952 The newly formed DTA met Eagle's Point, Coldin, The first of the roads set for
building was to be called State Route 1. It was to run from West Kado in the south to Tikle's Pass in the north.
It was more then any thing a publicity stunt. It was to show it could be done. It was to run right through the heart
of the Kado wilderness. Some of the most remote and inhospitable land the Good Lord ever put together. Even
as they met in August of '52 the temps were falling as winter came ever closer. At Eagle's Point that following
January would reach a record low temperature that has never been reached since. On the twenty First day of
January 1953 the temperature at Eagle's Point fell to 91 below zero with wind-chill pushing well into the triple
digits below zero. It was then that for the first time we wondering if it could be done. I was perhaps unfortunate
to be one of the "Frozen Few." As an Engineer Second Class with the Coldin Second State Militia, Based in West
Kado, I first set foot at Eagle's point in June of 1952 as a survey party. We knew then and there would be a
difficult road. The rugged mountains were some of the most remote places. They were beautiful in many
respects. It was virgin and untamed wilderness. There were many places were a man had never before stepped.
The project began in May of 1953. The orders went out to West Kado Standard Engine and the first generator
was one site the 3rd of June 1953. I remember very clearly the day the cat trains made it to Eagle's Point. We
began construction with in the week. One crew heading south and the other north. We started out with the
biggest bulldozer ever assembled. It remains a record even today. Built by The companies of Whiete Industrial,
Digstenie & Eleshiine, West Kado Standard Engine, Pickeral Truck Company, Campelas Manufacturing and
Barshuckintenn & Company. This contraption was so huge that to bring it to life took the full resources of all
the companies involved. A huge machine it was. It required a crew of 12 and ran round the clock in twelve hour
shifts. The men that ran it slept and ate upon it and never left it for the duration of the project. Like a huge ocean
liner on land. It stood 35 feet wide, 70 feet long and 25 feet high. It crept along like some giant at three miles
an hour. Before it mighty trees feel and rocks weighing many tons were pushed out of the way like grass under
foot. Following this beast was an army of smaller cats to finish the work. By the end of the project the beast
would earn the nickname "Big Bidereas." It went smooth until we hit the Nortungs Range. We encountered some
pretty touchy situations. To have a 4,500 ton machine hanging onto the side of the cliff is needless to ay rather
nerve wrecking. I damn well knew not to take chances. If Big Bidereas ever got stuck were would be screwed
royally as there was nothing on God's white earth that could get her out. The biggest production cat at that time
the Whiete Industrial HM37 only weighed just shy of 25 tons. It puts in perspective just how big this beast really
was. In the end it would take 8 years to build The 250 mile long State Route 1. Big Bidereas would be brought
back to life in the 1970's under the administration of Katrina Royaltavon's Trans Coldin Hyway Project
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