During the summer of 1969 while I was assigned to Richmond M/W and VHF Site one of our work projects was to install anchoring blocks along the road at the bad spots. We called these concrete anchor blocks "dead men" and they were used to connection the truck wenches for pulling the vehicles out of difficult area in the road. In the past we had used whatever was available such as a tree or a boulder but in some areas there was not anything sufficient as an anchoring base.

These simple structures were more permanent, strong and located in the needed places along the road. Holes were dug deep as possible to get a good anchor then filled with concrete. A piece of steel rebar with a loop on one end for the cable from the wench to attach was inserted into the concrete. This was referred to as a "dead man" but I never thought that was the best of terms to use on the Richmond Site road given the circumstances and danger. However, it did serve as a reminder to me and other Roadrunners driving the infamous route to Richmond to be ever cautious and ready for Wiley Coyote who could be waiting to surprise you around the next bend in the road.    Hi-Res Pic (108K)