My ‘Vacation Day’, R&R the pesky landing gear.

 

The grief started about 800 miles back when my electrical connector failed about 50 miles from North Jockstrap, on top a 9 mile x 7% grade.  I stopped along with a few others.  Our Tailgunner Stu was ready to hardwire a repair when Enfield Dave said, “I have one of those!”  About 20 minutes we were back on the road.  Unknown to me we had fried a 100amp fuse that would take 4 days to find.

Our landing gear went FUBAR in Great Falls.  I ordered a new set and sent via UPS to Fairbanks, AK.  Pending their replacement, if we need to uncouple the truck from the camper, it requires 2 jacks (12 ton) and about 1/2 hour of jack-it-up and Block-it-up work.  The operative word is need, our fellow campers have been very generous giving us rides as needed.  When I picked up the jacks at UPS, I was amazed to see how smashed their boxes were.  The jacks set weights about 70 pounds and is really a bunch of square steel tubing nested into 2 units.  My autopsy of the victim revealed a seized strut (the longer one) and a gearbox which committed suicide while trying to retract it. 

Lots of help was available.  Jack Dostie is shown here using a Swedish milling machine (AKA a hand file) to field adjust one of the ill fitting legs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These legs are located in the front storage compartment.  In upscale units they are boxed in, that makes this job 5 times harder as we would have to cut opening to work through.  The driver’s leg is motor driven, that motion is directed to the passengers side by a cross shaft.

The whole job took Jack and I about 4 hours.  At least 1 hour was spend retrieving and storing tools.  I have 5 tool boxes that are separated into various disciplines.  Why 5?  One box would weigh about 200 pounds and Anne-Marie is getting too advanced in years to heft it!

Thanks for the help Jack & Stu.  I could have done t without you bt would have had trouble getting rid of all the Beer Bottles after the job was done.

Tomorrow we are on the road to Denali National Park for more adventure.

 

 

 

 

Sunday, our dance card is full again 2013

We were back in a bus going to the center of Fairbanks for some feet on the ground touring.  Our 1st stop was at The Chamber of Commerce's very nice display.  Someone ate the mastodon, all that was left was bones.  The huge sunflowers were unexpected as was the arch of moose antlers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ice Museum ranked right up there with a wax museum.  When you start to tour these venues, it time to fold the tent and move on. Anne-Marie did manage a smile for us having her picture taken twice in The Cooler.  Believe me, her heart wasn’t in it!

     Dave & Diane Trumble from Enfield

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sitting in Ice Chair            Looking out Window

in Ice House     

Next we had ‘Lunch on our own’.   WE went with Jack, his wife Betty Dostie and their Special Daughter Amanda who always brings a smile to my face.  Our quest brought us to Gerardo's Italian Restaurant where we feasted on Lasagna and great service.  Jack offered his help with my mechanical project tomorrow.  I’ll take him up on that!  Our tailgunner has been suffering from a severe ‘stiff neck’.   I invited him to come buy and share in the beer but, NO WORK!

Another Dredge?  This is the 4th one we have ‘discovered’.  The major difference is that this one had a display on the Oil Pipeline and a little train that in a feat fitting for Disney conveyed us to an area where we could pan for gold.

Wanting to test my back,  I tried and succeeded in doing the Limbo under the pipeline.

 

 

 

 

We next went into a gold panning area, we were given a small bag of ore, a pan, instruction and turned loose to dip, swish and splash our way to unimaginable wealth.  All around us, folks who paid attention to the several guide/instructors came up with flakes of gold in their pans,  Would we?

YES!

Look at the concentration here.  These folks are involved with finding gold in dirt.  Anne-Marie and I pooled our earnings (force of habit).  One of us will be able to go to a movie tonight!  Make no mistake here, there are many recreational miners who come here every summer, rent a location on a river or stream and do this with serious profits being made at times.  Much more likely to be profitable than a gambling venue.

Early in the evening, we went to the Salmon Bake at Pioneer Park

At first blush this appeared to be a tourist rip-off.  1st judgments can be wrong and this one was!  The menue of Smoked Salmon, Fried Cod and Prime Rib was cooked and served buffet style outside.  Indoor seating was available, most of us sat in this pleasant grove.  From Salad to Desert every thing was first class.  My Prime rib was very rare and sliced very this at my request.  Folks raved about the Salmon, Anne-Mare and I much prefer the cod.  BTW; This picture is taken at about 8:00pm.  You can tell by the shadow that the sun s still high in the sky.  It sets at about 11:45pm this week.

After dinner, we went to a stage show in the Palace Theater at Pioneer Park.  It was a nice light hearted show. Oh, did I mention that they had a gift shop too.  Tomorrow we fix the landing gear.

Fairbanks, AK 2013

 

Our ride to Fairbanks was uneventful.  We stopped at Delta Junction where we received a certificate announcing we had reached the end of The Alaskan Highway.  There is no running out of excuses to have a gift shop in our country.  There was also a statue tribute to the State Bird, the Mosquito!  Map note:  The trip from White Horse to Fairbanks would have been considerably shorter (and MUCH faster) had we not taken the Over the World Highway.

The Bridge on the left has been repaired after being hit by an over height truck.  While bridge was out of commission, there was a 600 mile detour required.  The river appears like it’s muddy because it is.  This s typical of rivers spawned by glaciers.  The silt is so fine as to be undetectable is a salmon’s gills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday morning we were bussed to the University of Alaska where we toured the museum and viewed an interesting film of the Aurora Borealis .  I hope someone wakes me up if they make an appearance.

 Later in the afternoon, we had a vey pleasant ride on this authentic river boat, complete with 20’ functioning paddle.  Named  Discovery III it only draws 40” of water.   Hence to required Paddlewheel.  We visited a replica of an Indian Fishing Village where native guides did Show & Tell for us.

A much anticipated stop was the water front Sled Dog farm of the late Susan Butcher.  Her Husband and 2 daughters carry on her tradition of rising and racing these great dogs.  There are about 75 dogs on this beautiful water front property.  From Left to right:  The team at rest, The summer training sled is a gutted out ATV.  Next is the Jack Rabbit start, they ran about 4 minutes, circling the property running past the tree line in the rear of the photo.  Last; The reward, out of harness and joyfully into the pool where they played to our delight!

Some very nice properties here.

Another busy day tomorrow, the Ice Museum and a Salmon Bake and Show at Pioneer Village.  On Monday I am taking a vacation day to install our new landing gear!

Chicken, AK It’s hard to live here. On the good side, NO TAXES! 2013

Chicken, AK in unincorporated and has no taxes, in fact the people are paid by the state government to live there!   They each get about $1,000/year from the states oil revenues.  Of course that means that the 3 folks who call this home get no services.  Gold mining is one way to supplement your income.. Virtually all of the creek and river beds are already claimed and have been worked already.  You can lease and rework one, they always will give more gold up.  It is very hard work!  The large company that worked this dredge n the 1980’s sold this property to the mining family that now owns the campground.  They live here for about 9 months a year and winter n Arizona.  I’d say they  do ok, consider they both work 24/7!

Because we are in top of 600 feet of perma-frost, all water and waste must be trucked in and out.  They run a diesel generator 24/7 when they are here, he will use a tank truck of fuel in 2 years!  Supplies for the small restaurant are ordered form Tok, AK and someone makes 160 trip to get them.  Law & Order, there are no policing agencies, a State Trooper in not a common site.  Maybe 1 a month to get a cinnamon bun.

 

 

 

 

That’s all the news I have to report from Chicken folks.  Our friend R.W.B. Brad Ross sent me a photo (below) about identical to this one that he took in 2002.

Thanks Brad!

 

We drove to Tok on Thursday, a very easy 80 mile run through the woods.  We were as pleased as Punch when we left the dirt about 2 miles from Chicken!

 

 

 

300 miles of dusty roads leave a lasting memory of the cars and campers.  it was nice to be back to $4.25 fuel too!

 

 

 

Today is Friday, we are on to Fairbanks where our landing gear replacements are waiting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later news, we have arrived in Fairbanks with no issues as it was a short (200 mile) drive on good road.  I’ve recovered my new legs, they are correct parts!  We got a large box of mail for Anne-Marie to sort thru.  We have tours scheduled for next 2 days, than we have 2 days of which is when  will repair my legs.

We are at Chicken, Alaska. Population, maybe 3 2013

 

The drive from Dawson City, YK to Chicken, Alaska the toughest 109 miles this fellow ever did.  It is called, The Top of the World Road’ for good reason.  No food, drink or fuel stops.  Very few areas suitable to pull over for personnel needs.  The first 66 miles were in Canada.  We were treated to severe grades (With attending great views) and a rough pot holed surface.  Passing was unthinkable, was it worth a life and limb to gain 100 feet? 

 

 

Did we have Valleys? yes!  With a 2000 foot shear drop, no barriers to reduce your viewing pleasure.  The road was a wagon trail in the 1860’s.  It was ‘improved’ in 1902, today it is closed from October to March.  We saw no signs of life including police or emergency workers!  That all being said, it is spectacular!

At last, we are back in the U.S. A.  It  was quaint one man post the greeted us, he chats for a moment.  He looks to be a retiree, His post is the northern most border crossing into United States Territory!  He pleasantly stamps our passports and informs is that the next 40 miles are much worse that those we just traveled.

Oh My, the wisdom of his age!  This road is devilish, you must stay hundreds of feet behind the fellow in front due to his plum of fine dust.  Our speed is never over 25 mph, most of the trip I make in 2nd gear (of 6) due to grades up and down.  One fellow (not our group) made a suicidal move and passed me.  He put us to real risk so he could gain 200 feet in 30  miles.  Yes, I muttered threats of road rage!

At Last we got to an American Town; Chicken, Alaska.  Our host was the owner of the campground.  He and his Wife had mined for 30 years and bought the property for the campground in 1991.  He assured us that he knew of 3 full time residents:  The post Mistress, Her husband and ‘an old fellow’.  Our Host had never wintered in the area!

Dust Everywhere.  Even inside our exterior compartments!                                        NEXT:  Why are these people wearing Chicken Hats?