By: Melody (Morgan) McKinley

Steve Combs has been our neighbor for several years.  Often I think of my first knowledge of Steve.  Now mind you, one could not ask for a better neighbor. 

For a short time in the early 1960's we lived on the main road going into Bates.  This was also the road that the off-highway trucks would use to bring the large logs to the mill.

One day to my surprise, I was looking out of the window and saw a vehicle going down the road with what appeared to be no driver.  Then I saw a little head pop up and realized that a young boy was driving.  There was a logging truck coming down the road.  I wondered just how this boy was going to keep from hitting the truck if he could not see out of the window.

I inquired about who would be driving a vehicle at such a young age.  I was told it was Steve Combs.  At the time he was probably nine years old.

This went on all of the time.  Steve never had any problems with running into a logging truck. 

He has been driving a logging truck for a number of years now.  From what I have observed he is an excellent driver.''

Steve started teaching his daughters Kellie and Sherri to drive a snowmobile and motor bike at an early age.  They could not have been more than four years old.  There were times we thought they would have a wreck, but they have had a good teacher. 

Now I am wonder if, in a few years, Steve will be teaching grandchildren to drive when they are just past walking?