How would you / Do you prepare?

Geocritter wrote:
On my recent Alaskan road trip I drove a guy 40 miles round trip into town and back for gasoline. He tried to pay me but I refused, too many people have helped me in the past to even think of accepting his money.

One thing I’ve learned is that generally people have big hearts, particularly in rural areas, and will go out of their way to help you with car trouble. In 2013 I got a flat tire out in the country, two separate people driving by pulled over and offered to help me while I was putting on the spare.

Excellent and how true! Two instances of ours that stand out:

- In our 7th year of full-timing we had a 5th wheel. We were traveling across Saskatchewan Canada on a Sunday on a long stretch of nothing around. A spring broke on the trailer. . hitched a ride by a woman to nearest town - 33 miles away. Got dropped off at a small repair shop. Two teens came out of the adjoining house. They got their truck and we returned to the RV. They jerry-rigged various parts together to let us drive to back to the shop. On this Sunday, they called a friend of theirs in another town with a repair shop. He had the necessary things we needed for a good fix. The teens drove to his shop, returned and fixed our RV, the women invited us in for dinner and suggested we spend the night. They would not accept any payment!!!

- For our Alaska trip we bought a used 25' 5th wheel and truck. Left our 40' motorhome back in Arizona. Drove through Death Valley and the engine blew on the truck. Not many vehicles around but hitched a ride to Panamint Springs to use a business phone. Closest tow was from Lone Pine, CA 50 miles away. The business returned to the RV.

While waiting for the tow, a highway patrol stopped and waited with us until the tow came. Two tow truck arrived - one for the 5th wheel; one for the truck. Took us & the 5th wheel to a RV park where we stayed FREE and the truck to the tow/repair facility. The local airport lent us a car - FREE. The search was on in the whole community for a used truck engine. Found an old highway patrol vehicle in a junk yard over 100 miles away. Installed the engine within a week.

We decided we didn't trust the truck for Alaska so returned to Arizona to our motorhome; repack our stuff; put the truck & 5th wheel on a consignment lot and took off for Alaska with no further issues. Should have done that at first! One month later the truck & 5th wheel were sold. Very happy campers and an awesome rest of the summer in Alaska.