In the movie The Russians are Coming The Russians Are Coming, which came out in the late 60's or early 70's, Alan Arkin (the captain of the Russian sub which had run aground by a small American seaside town) ran through the village yelling "Egermency! Egermency! Everybody to get from street!" in a heavy pretend Russian accent. It was the first time I saw Alan Arkin and I thought he was wonderful. The movie also starred the girl who did the Summer Blonde commercials. She never did anything else. I always think it's funny what lines we remember from books and movies, and as life progresses we have fewer and fewer people to share these memories with. I don't even remember who I saw this movie with, so when I say "Egermency!" no one laughs.
ANYWAY: this is a spring ritual--the posting of the roads. I'm not sure why they post the roads, but they post them on the 15th of March each year. I think it's because heavy trucks will drive the pavement into the ground as the frost goes out of it. What this has always meant in my past is that log trucks can't drive the back roads, and it signals the beginning of mud season, a bleak time for loggers.
They hate mud season because they can't get into the woods (the bush) to cut trees. The most determined (and desperate for income) sometimes try anyway with pretty bad results--heavy equipment stuck in the mud; deep, deep ruts in the earth; trees that can't be skidded out because of the mud. But loggers are a determined bunch and they always find a way. Doesn't matter how many other trees they damage in the process.
The first time I saw a sign like this I freaked out because of course I didn't read the fine print and I thought I couldn't get home.
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