LAKE FOREST, Ill. - Having grown up in small southern towns, backfield mates Roland Harper and Walter Payton experienced severe culture shock when they arrived in Chicago together after being selected by the Bears in the 1975 draft.

"Looking at all the tall buildings and being that we were both country boys, we tried to figure out how much hay could fit in those big tall buildings," said Harper, a Shreveport, La. native. "It was a great shock to our systems. We were in awe when we came to Chicago to see the city."

Backfield mates Roland Harper and Walter Payton arrived in Chicago as fresh-faced rookies in 1975.

Thirty years later, Harper still makes his home in the Chicago area. The former Bears fullback lives in suburban Algonquin and has operated Rohar Trucking and Excavating since 1990. His company is active in trucking, hauling construction materials, steel erection and snow removal.

The company, which has employed up to 200 people, removes snow at O'Hare and Midway Airports and helped construct part of the skyboxes at the new Soldier Field.

"Like anything you do in life, you've got to put 110 percent in," Harper said. "You've got to be a little bit smarter and find a niche that you can fit into. Teamwork is always the key in this business just like anything else because I depend on a lot of professional guys to do a job."

Harper ranks sixth on the Bears' all-time rushing list with 3,044 yards and 15 TDs on 757 carries in seven seasons. Not a bad career for an unheralded runner who was selected in the 17th and final round of the 1975 draft from Louisiana Tech.

"People were telling me that 17th-round draft choices don't make it and I made the team and started my first year," Harper said. "That was a highlight of my career."

Harper's best season came in 1978 when he rushed for 992 yards and 6 TDs and had 43 receptions for 340 yards and 2 TDs. While those numbers would be impressive for a feature back, the incomparable Payton topped his friend and teammate by rushing for 1,395 yards and 11 TDs and catching 50 passes for 480 yards.

There was one game, Harper points out with pride, where he outrushed the future Hall of Famer. In a 14-3 win over Tampa Bay on Nov. 26, 1978 at Soldier Field, Harper compiled a career-high 144 yards on 25 carries while Payton added 105 yards on 27 attempts.

"Being able to meet and play with a guy that turned out to be the most incredible athlete in the history of the game was a great highlight," Harper said.

These days, Harper spends time with his wife, Donna, and 21-year-old stepson, Calvin, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy and requires 24-hour care. The former fullback has three other children: 28-year-old twin sons Roland and Noland and 25-year-old daughter Porcha.