Wednesday

One of the 20th century's greatest scientists, George Washington Carver's influence is still felt. Rising from slavery to become one of the world's most respected and honored men, he devoted his life to understanding nature and the many uses for the simplest of plant life. His scientific research in the late 1800s produced agricultural innovations like crop rotation and composting. Part of the "chemurgist" movement that changed the rural economy, he found ingenious applications for the peanut, soybean, and sweet potato. At Tuskegee Institute, Dr. Carver invented more than 300 uses for the peanut, while convincing poor farmers to rotate cotton crops with things that would add nutrients to the soil. A visionary, Carver shared his knowledge free of charge, happy in his Tuskegee laboratory where he could use his gifts to help others.

It's week ten of the Alaskan Ice Road Season. Only two weeks left to pull in the big bucks and get all the loads to the oil fields. As Hugh Rowland heads north from Coldfoot, convoying with his trainer driver Phil Kromm, Hugh gets frustrates with the slow pace. Phil lets him take the lead over the daunting Atigun Pass, but Hugh's aggressive driving style nearly causes him to spin out on one of the steep slopes - a place where the slightest misstep can send a truck over the cliff.

As the Alaskan ice road season comes to a close, truckers have only a few runs left. Both the truckers and their rigs are running ragged as they race to pull in the last loads. Lisa Kelly can't get out of the Carlile yard in Fairbanks; the trailer they've assigned her has a massive air leak. To stay in the running in the Dash for the Cash, she accepts a new load: a van full of high explosives. She's never hauled such volatile load before. When she gets on the Dalton¿she once again has trouble getting up the slope at 2 ½ mile. And later over Atigun pass, she battles deep snow drifts on her way over the summit.

The ice road season opens and quickly claims its first victim with a road-closing wreck. Meanwhile, another trucker breaks through the ice enroute to the isolated town of Bettles. Jack returns to defend his title as "King of the Haul Road," but cocky second-year driver Greg is out to take him down and has something to prove. Lisa makes a decision that will haunt her all season. Rookie Ray Veilleux gets a hard introduction to the treacherous Atigun Pass. Alex gets out ahead of Hugh and leads his longtime rival for the first time ever.**Please be advised that this program has Product Placement.**