If you saw my post, asking folks to watch out for my bud Erick, from Wisconsin?....his trailer self-destructed...this is how he is getting on with his trip.
The event...
2 days & 3 hrs to Penticton, B.C. (1900 miles) and then 3 days to Tok, Alaska. (2100). 100 miles down the Tok Cut-off Highway the 33 year old ancient internally rusted out trailer frame broke catastrophically in 3 places. Total desolation and no cell phone. The trailer would never be pulled again on its own suspension. 45 seconds after I stopped my truck, my guardian angel arrived with his heavy duty
truck and 35 foot flatbed trailer. I waved, Dusty stopped, and in a half hour the trailer was loaded on his flatbed. Now that was just unbelievable. I followed him to the widely scattered village of Glenallen and the busted trailer and truck got parked at Dusty's abandoned Rhodeside Bar. This was Saturday morning. Sat
afternoon I arrived in Wasilla and in 15 minutes I had purchased a 14 ton 20 foot flatbed trailer.......and then drove the 150 miles back to Glenallen. Sunday we transferred the trailer to my flatbed. Monday we removed the wheels, axles, springs and cut off the 6 spring hangers from the frame, and removed the broken frame from the front of the trailer.......and started welding the trailer coach to the flatbed. Tuesday we finished the welding and added 6 chains.......and by 2 pm I was rolling to Anchorage. That night bro Tod flew in. WednesdayTod and I worked to mount the bottle gas on the flatbed and get gas to the trailer coach. The trailer was coming back to life. Now I could cook again, Thursday (today) we drove to Homer, Alaska (the very farthest that can be driven west in the western hemisphere).......and tonight we had spaghetti and looked at the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It is now 11:25 pm and the sun is still up. I am exhausted. We are here for 4 days. So much excitement. I have been asked......"Is it worth the trouble?" My reply is "What trouble?"
Gary Haupt
The event...
2 days & 3 hrs to Penticton, B.C. (1900 miles) and then 3 days to Tok, Alaska. (2100). 100 miles down the Tok Cut-off Highway the 33 year old ancient internally rusted out trailer frame broke catastrophically in 3 places. Total desolation and no cell phone. The trailer would never be pulled again on its own suspension. 45 seconds after I stopped my truck, my guardian angel arrived with his heavy duty
truck and 35 foot flatbed trailer. I waved, Dusty stopped, and in a half hour the trailer was loaded on his flatbed. Now that was just unbelievable. I followed him to the widely scattered village of Glenallen and the busted trailer and truck got parked at Dusty's abandoned Rhodeside Bar. This was Saturday morning. Sat
afternoon I arrived in Wasilla and in 15 minutes I had purchased a 14 ton 20 foot flatbed trailer.......and then drove the 150 miles back to Glenallen. Sunday we transferred the trailer to my flatbed. Monday we removed the wheels, axles, springs and cut off the 6 spring hangers from the frame, and removed the broken frame from the front of the trailer.......and started welding the trailer coach to the flatbed. Tuesday we finished the welding and added 6 chains.......and by 2 pm I was rolling to Anchorage. That night bro Tod flew in. WednesdayTod and I worked to mount the bottle gas on the flatbed and get gas to the trailer coach. The trailer was coming back to life. Now I could cook again, Thursday (today) we drove to Homer, Alaska (the very farthest that can be driven west in the western hemisphere).......and tonight we had spaghetti and looked at the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It is now 11:25 pm and the sun is still up. I am exhausted. We are here for 4 days. So much excitement. I have been asked......"Is it worth the trouble?" My reply is "What trouble?"
Gary Haupt
