Stranded
It started with a small ticking sound in the motor. We were going the speed limit and made it to Valdez where I spoke to a wonderful group of friends. We left that beautiful place with a stunning blue sky and climbed Thompson Pass and passed the crazies in the mountain climbing competition. They called it an event but after seeing how high on the mountain those snow machine tracks were–it looked more like insanity to me. I am just not wired that way–flat ground is good.
The ticking sound just got a little louder and then it took on a life of its own. We pulled over and checked the oil–I am not a mechanic but it seemed like the best place to start. It was a little low and we had no choice but to keep on going. We had no cell phone service–we were in the midst of the Chugach mountains. It was 45 miles to the next community and we just prayed and took off. The ticking turning into a loud rattling sound. It was getting worse. We made it to a gas station where we got some oil and hoped it would help–it didn’t. We had over 200 miles back to Fairbanks and it was not going to make it very far. We decided to get a room for the night and then take the car to a local mechanic in the small town of Glenallen in the morning. What would be our chances of finding a mechanic who was good and free enough to fix our motor. The good mechanics are busy, so our prospects would be at the lower end of the food chain. We decided to contact a few friends who might know someone in the little berg. After texting a number of friends we were not any closer to a name of even a bad mechanic. Then we wondered–how long do you think it would take to get the right parts to Glenallen? Look on a map of Alaska and see where this community is located. Then I thought of my friend Steve–he knows a lot of people in this State. I texted him and shortly he contacted me back–he did not know anyone in Glenallen but he could bring a trailer down in the morning and get us and the car. He shocked us with his offer. Steve is a wonderful friend and at 10:30 a.m. he pulled into the parking lot. We had a nights rest at the Caribou Hotel and a cup of coffee before he arrived. We (mostly Steve) loaded the car on the trailer and we took off. I have to say the four hours we got to talk to Steve was our treat and blessing. The ticking car is now in the shop at the Ford dealer here in Fairbanks. I feel great but that could change when the call comes tomorrow with the extent of the damage and the cost to repair it. Today, I am celebrating friends, Steve illustrated what a treasure a friend is–over 400 miles on the road, left at 6 a.m. and got home after 4 p.m. and dodging moose and caribou. That is a friend.