This “pink bed” haul truck from Hibbing Taconite is headed for the Hibbing Tourist Senior Center mine view in North Hibbing. (PHOTO: via Hibbing Tourist Senior Center).
Here’s a fun item while I continue work on my book. The Hibbing Tourist Senior Center, operators of the famous and newly re-established North Hibbing Mine View, are running a contest with a very unique prize.
You can enter a drawing to ride in a Hibbing Taconite production truck as it leaves the mine and ascends a tall mine dump for permanent display at the mine view. You need to register in person at the Hibbing Tourists Senior Center on Howard Street on Thursday or Friday of this week, or up at the mine view on Saturday or Sunday. The winner will be selected Sunday night. The mine will move the truck sometime between Monday, Oct. 28 and Wednesday, Oct. 30.
The truck might seem familiar to readers here. It’s the same truck with the distinct pink bed we mentioned in 2014. Hibbing Taconite used the routine chore of painting a new truck bed to raise awareness of breast cancer. Now the mine is donating the truck for display at the mine view.
You might wonder how a mine truck might be retired after just five years. The truth is that these trucks run near constantly, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year except during routine maintenance or mine shutdowns. The Hibbing Taconite mining footprint is quite large, so these trucks not only haul a few million tons of rocks a day, but cover hundreds of thousands of miles over just a few years. Try that with your minivan and see how long it lasts.
Here’s the press release explaining more:
Have you ever wanted to ride in a mining production truck? Now’s your chance! Hibbing Taconite has generously donated the “pink truck” to Hibbing’s Hull Rust Mine View site. This 240-ton truck, with its bright pink box, was unvelied in July of 2014. It was created to raise awareness about breast cancer, and dedicated to the area’s cancer patients. And now, it will find its forever home at the Mine View, along with a 170-ton production truck, other mining equipment, and spectacular views.
Between October 28 and 30, a Hibbing Taconite operator will drive the truck out of the pit and onto the site of the former Mine View in Old North Hibbing. Once on city property, one lucky passenger will be able to climb aboard and ride along as the truck makes its way to the new site.
Fittingly, the Hibbing Tourist Center Seniors, who staff Mine View daily May-September, will select the lucky winner. To be entered into the drawing, visit the Tourist Center at 1202 Howard St. on Thursday, October 24, and Friday October 25 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., or visit Hull Rust Mine View Saturday, October 26 or Sunday October 27 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to register to win.
“We are thrilled to be in our new location, and so appreciative of the volunteers who make Mine View accessible to thousands of visitors from around the world,” said Melissa Versich, Tourist Center Director. “We’re also grateful to Hibbing Taconite for their very generous donation and all the support they’ve provided for the relocation.”
The ride-along winner will be randomly selected and notified Sunday night. If they are unable to make the time set by HIbbing Taconite for the ride, an alternate name will be drawn. The exact day and time of the ride has not been determined.
“Bringing the 240-ton truck up to the new site is a great way to cap off the first season of Mine View at its new location,” said Pete Hyduke, City Operations Director. “Everyone involved with the new site has done an outstanding job and we’re looking forward to another great season next year. This ride-along is the perfect end to a very successful first year.”
Production truck drivers have likened the experience of being in the massive 240-ton vehicles to driving a house. The cab is more than one story off the ground.
“Mine View is a wonderful asset to the region and to the state, and gives us an opportunity to educate visitors about northern Minnesota,” said Beth Pierce, director of the Iron Range Tourism Bureau. “This ride-along is a great opportunity for someone to experience one part of mining first hand. Get to the Tourist Center or Mine View to register to win this once-in-a-lifetime ride!”
Like driving a large house down the road from an upstairs window.