European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 15, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sass Sis a a driving the so Abby on Inui i to it a  it to the Mission so we decided to drive1 Well into Tho night immediately North of trondheim we encountered t  roads and were making up the lost time. However shortly before dusk the ice returned. And then a heavy Damp Snow began to fall and cover the ice in the darkness. Gus pulled into a Gas station Coffee shop where we refuelled the car and ourselves. Afterwards i Slid behind the wheel and a few Kilometres Down the Road Slid the entire c a into a Snowbank. There was no damage this time but the car was immobile. The front tires spun hopelessly. Within minutes helpful norwegians Hud Stopple d. One touched a hand to our tires and suggested we get studded tires. We nodded knowingly. Another touched the tires turned to look directly at us and said Quot you must Wash your  tins and i blinked. On a dark Snow covered Road with our car buried in a Snowbank the words seemed quite incongruous. Yet we were to learn this was the True secret to the North the recipe for Success in these frosty environs. But we did t realize it at first. Quot you must Wash your tires Quot the stranger had said. What Why How we be got other problems buddy thanks. Quot with what with water Quot Gus asked drawing a strange look from our rescuer. He tried to explain but we did t understand. With help we wrapped the Snow chains around our front tires and pulled away from the Snowbank with Gus Back at the controls. Around the next curve was a norwegian truck nearly capsized in the ditch. We stopped to offer help but were waved on by the Driver. I was encouraged. Even norwegians were having trouble. At the top of the next Hill the Man who had helped us from the Snow motioned for us to Stop. We pulled Over and sprayed our tires with a rinse used to clean the grease and Oil from a Messy engine. As the Spray went to work Black gook dripped from our tires and left Ink blots in the Snow. Then we understood. Quot you must Wash your tires Quot to rid them of the grease and Oil that accumulates from the pavement. The grime prevents the tires from touching the ice and Snow. We had been in fact driving on Slippery Petroleum products. Brilliant. As we pulled away our tires were in Contact with the Snow. Gus said it was still Slick but Only a fraction As bad As it had been. Quot you must Wash your  Thoreau and Emerson never so succinctly phrased such words of Wisdom. We passed a norwegian tour bus in the ditch. Quot you must Wash your tires a we said. With caution chains and clean tires Gus and 1 made it to mos Joen about 10 . Friday night still More than 600 Kilometres from our assignment. For about $80 apiece we bought two hotel rooms for the night and drank a couple Beers saying Over and Over to each other Quot you must Wash your  a a the Road North of mos Joen twists High through a Mountain pass. The Snow was thick and heavy but e-6 had been cleared leaving a packed layer of Snow and ice to cover the roadbed. The chains and the clean tires gave me a Neu sense of Confidence so i took the first shift behind the wheel. It was a mistake. About 50 Kilometres North i rounded Ano Ihei Mountain curve. As i straightened out 10 stripes Magazine March 15, 1990