The trip south from Whitehorse was a breeze. The sun broke out and the road widened. We even began to see other vehicles. It was almost like being near civilization. I stopped and Vernon crawled into the camper shell for a much needed nap. I drove right through the town of Watson lake without stopping as we had enough fuel to get to Coal River. Vernon crawled out of his cocoon when I stopped at Coal River for fuel. He stretched and said. "Wow Davey, this place is looking better and better!" We hoped that the road ahead would stay like this for the rest of the way, but we were wrong. Vernon said he was rested and ready to drive on into Ft. Nelson. We had been on the road for over 24 hours and I had not had any sleep, so I was glad to let him have at it. My eyes looked like two burned holes in a blanket.
A short time after Vernon took the wheel the road conditions began to deteriorate. The road narrowed and became very curvy and covered with a lot more snow. We were heading up into a mountain pass. We were both getting very tired so we decided that when we made it to Ft. Nelson we would get a hotel and sleep for a while.
Inspired by the hope of a shower and a bed Vernon was driving like Richard Petty or one of the Duke boys running shine. I kept looking at him to see if he was awake and it was plain to see by his wide-open eyes of terror that he was not going to go to sleep on this horrible road. The farther we went the worse the road got. A heavy snow storm began and the driving conditions got even worse. We were driving on a Windy snow covered road with a straight off drop on one side, and no guard rails an few road signs. The darkness of night and the heavy snow made visibility almost non-existent. To make it even worse, the road was also being used that night by deer, mountain sheep, moose, bison, and caribou. Vernon was all over the skating rink road trying to miss these critter without going over the cliff on the side of the road. I was also a little concerned about the nice leather seat in Vernon's truck. I was sure that my butt was biting big hunks out of the leather. I calmly suggested that Vernon might slow down a little. He looked at me with eyes that looked like the wheels of a slot machine and laugh manically. It was like that movie where John Candie was driving wearing a Satan suit. Not a good sign.
I figured that we were going to die soon so it seemed like a good time for a nap. I thought it might be best to die like my grandpa, quietly in my sleep, and not screaming in terror like the passengers in his car. I had not slept in almost two days so I dropped off to sleep. I awoke a few minutes later to Vernon skidding down the road yelling "Caribou!" I woke up, hung out the window of the truck and snapped this photo.
[attachment 10437 caribouinroad.jpg]
I did not sleep again after that. This kind of thing went on for hours.My estimated time of arrival at Ft. Nelson came and went without any town. I turned on my gps and got our coordinates. We were on course and and at 5000 feet. At long last we rolled into Ft. Nelson B.C.After we were done kissing the ground, we got a hot meal and a motel. I took a shower and set the alarm for 0630 as the snow came down steadily. I lay down on the bed and passed out. The alarm went off in what seemed like a couple minutes. I had not moved a muscle from when I went to sleep.
The morning would bring new challenges. It is said that God watches out over fools and little children.
The next chapter in out adventure will be "Hey Vernon, how come you didn't get a spare or a jack?"
HH DC
A short time after Vernon took the wheel the road conditions began to deteriorate. The road narrowed and became very curvy and covered with a lot more snow. We were heading up into a mountain pass. We were both getting very tired so we decided that when we made it to Ft. Nelson we would get a hotel and sleep for a while.
Inspired by the hope of a shower and a bed Vernon was driving like Richard Petty or one of the Duke boys running shine. I kept looking at him to see if he was awake and it was plain to see by his wide-open eyes of terror that he was not going to go to sleep on this horrible road. The farther we went the worse the road got. A heavy snow storm began and the driving conditions got even worse. We were driving on a Windy snow covered road with a straight off drop on one side, and no guard rails an few road signs. The darkness of night and the heavy snow made visibility almost non-existent. To make it even worse, the road was also being used that night by deer, mountain sheep, moose, bison, and caribou. Vernon was all over the skating rink road trying to miss these critter without going over the cliff on the side of the road. I was also a little concerned about the nice leather seat in Vernon's truck. I was sure that my butt was biting big hunks out of the leather. I calmly suggested that Vernon might slow down a little. He looked at me with eyes that looked like the wheels of a slot machine and laugh manically. It was like that movie where John Candie was driving wearing a Satan suit. Not a good sign.
I figured that we were going to die soon so it seemed like a good time for a nap. I thought it might be best to die like my grandpa, quietly in my sleep, and not screaming in terror like the passengers in his car. I had not slept in almost two days so I dropped off to sleep. I awoke a few minutes later to Vernon skidding down the road yelling "Caribou!" I woke up, hung out the window of the truck and snapped this photo.
[attachment 10437 caribouinroad.jpg]
I did not sleep again after that. This kind of thing went on for hours.My estimated time of arrival at Ft. Nelson came and went without any town. I turned on my gps and got our coordinates. We were on course and and at 5000 feet. At long last we rolled into Ft. Nelson B.C.After we were done kissing the ground, we got a hot meal and a motel. I took a shower and set the alarm for 0630 as the snow came down steadily. I lay down on the bed and passed out. The alarm went off in what seemed like a couple minutes. I had not moved a muscle from when I went to sleep.
The morning would bring new challenges. It is said that God watches out over fools and little children.
The next chapter in out adventure will be "Hey Vernon, how come you didn't get a spare or a jack?"
HH DC