Peshtigo

Living in "Strandedville U.S.A."

Updated: June 25, 2008 07:10 PM

By Sarah Thomsen

All the flooding in Iowa is causing problems for truckers all the way in Northeast Wisconsin.

A group of drivers picked up wind turbines at a port in Menominee, Michigan and they're trying to deliver them all the way in Clear Lake, Iowa, but they haven't gone any farther than Peshtigo.

At the Eagle Express Truck Plaza just outside of Peshtigo, Mike, Dan, G.W. and his new neighbors take it easy in Marinette County's newest suburb: "Strandedville", population: 11.

Dan Campbell said, "Some of us have been here 9 or 10 days."

Oh, they're stuck alright because where they're supposed to take 220-thousand pound wind turbines is a giant farm field in Northern Iowa, but it's flooded.

And before they can chance driving 110 tons of concrete over many bridges between here and there, the state has to inspect them for flood damage.

And so they wait.

"Absolutely stir crazy," Campbell said. "This is one of the worst things for a truck driver to be able to sit. We like to drive, that's why we do it."

So what happens when a flood takes out a trucker's highway?

Mike Silvey, a fellow stranded truck driver, said, "I read, we gossip and complain and work on our trucks."

George Jensen said, "We got beds in there, tvs, refrigerators and everything!"

In 10 days, they've managed to sweet-talk some new friends into doing a little laundry.

George Jensen said, "We getting to know everyone. We know Gene already and we know just about everybody inside the restaurant already."

So you'd think being stuck for 10 days would be bad enough. Well, on Thursday, it got a little worse. They found out they could be stuck here for 10 more days!

Campbell said, "We thought, 'we're gonna get a mailbox and become residents of Wisconsin so we can go fishing!' "

Silvey said, "We'll do what we been doing. That's wash clothes, drink coffee and visit."

And hope "Strandedville" can take a hike soon.