Things can only get better!!
Half way from son's to daughter's, I get a phone call.... I have left an important piece of luggage back at son's. Now what??
Had a lovely lunch with daughter and children before making a speedrun back up the tollway (I-87 > I-90) to Newton. Next morning I am on my way again.
Twelve hours later, after having had a most enjoyable day and a satisfying dinner.... my keys are nowhere to be found! Have invoked St Anthony, but I guess he too, is still searching. I do have a spare, but not spare photos of the grandchildren, which were on there. :(
As I said, Things can only get better.
Looks like things are determined not to get any better
14th June, 2009
By now I have driven well over 70.000 miles across North America, on my four visits, with not so much as a flat tyre. So I guess I was due for it!
This morning, six miles south of Delta Junction AK, driving on Hwy 2 - Alaska Highway - the engine of the Dodge suddenly cut out. In vain I steered as far as I could, off the road and out of danger, but the shoulder was narrower than my vehicle.
After the initial trying to restart, panic and "now what?", I got out my AAA card - quietly said a prayer of gratitude to my friend who gave it to me - and made the call. Never before have I been so grateful to see that there was phone coverage.
While on the phone to the lovely lady a State trooper came by and enquired what the problem was. When I mentioned that I was low on fuel - but by no means out of fuel - he asked where I had been and went on to suggest that I possibly had contaminated fuel. He managed to restart the engine and I was on my way again.... for less than 2 miles, when it cut out again.
The same lovely lady at the AAA went on to arrange a tow and wanted to know exactly where I was; the nearest intersection, etc. On the Alaska Highway there ain't no intersections! Neither was there a milepost within sight. I kept telling her I was now about 4 miles south of Delta Junction on Hwy 2.
And then it dawned on me... I have a GPS. This invaluable little gadget showed that I was 64 degrees north and 145 degrees west. It may be a pretty useless gadget at times, but right at this moment it paid for itself twice over. It became the most valuable tool in my disabled camper.
The AAA follow up was fantastic, just to update me (it will be about 2 - 3 hours) and to make sure I was OK.
The towtruck driver called as well, a friendly chap who had to come from Fairbanks. When he heard that Fairbanks is where I was headed, he suggested he may as well take me all the way.
He had a great sense of humour too. When he asked if I was alone, I responded by asking if he felt we needed a chaperone. It was good to have a laugh.
I settled down to wait, made a cup of tea and something to eat, and then buried myself in my book. Most of this time it was raining, and I was comfortably seated on my mattress, with the rear of the car open.
It was around two hours later that I heard the tell tale beeping of a truck reversing. It was now more than three hours since the problem started. As releaved as I was to see him, it is a heartbreaking sight to see your mode of transport loaded on to the 'stretcher' http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum...pictureid=1181to be taken to car hospital.
It was well over 100 miles back to Fairbanks, and almost three hours till I finally got to my accommodation, the GoNorth Hostel in Fairbanks. Chatting with Walter, my driver, he seemed to think that it sounded more like a fuel pump than contaminated fuel.
So here I am, in Fairbanks, thankful that I did not end up in Delta Junction. Tomorrow, Monday, I will find out what the damage is... what it will all cost. Meanwhile I am working out my finances to see if I can still afford to get to the Arctic. And until I hear tomorrow, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.
The one thing which really surprised me about this experience is, that of all the dozens if not hundred cars which passed during more than three hours, only five (besides the trooper) stopped to enquire if I was alright. Well, two stopped, and the other three I waved on and signalled that I was OK.
Lifey trying to remain positive in Fairbanks
