My husband and I had been married for a year, living in North Pole, Alaska, circa 1969. My family lived in Missouri and I was rather homesick to see them again. We decided to drive the distance as it was considerably cheaper at that time, plus my husband loved to drive our vehicle which was a 1965 yellow Corvette. Our trip would take us down the Alaska Highway which was just one big gravel road except for the bridges, which were wooden planks or concrete. We began our quest in early April as we wanted to be in Missouri for Easter, which was 2 weeks hence. Also we were hoping the road wouldn’t be quite as dusty as it was on our honeymoon trip. Completing the journey in 7 days was the goal, 3 ½ on the Alaska Highway, and 3 ½ from the Canadian border to Missouri.
Early in the morning of our third day of travel, we heard a squealing noise which seemed to be coming from the back portion of the vehicle. Getting out of the car, it was obvious something was wrong. The rear of the Corvette was sitting on its haunches and the left rear wheel was in an abnormal position. As we were standing beside the car pondering our plight, the sound of an approaching vehicle caught our attention. It was a truck, and both of us began waving frantically, hoping to flag him down. The driver could see that we were having trouble and offered to help us get the car to the next village. Fortunately his truck was equipped with a winch, which got the rear wheels off the ground for towing.
The village of Fireside was our destination, where it was assessed that a bearing had failed on the left rear wheel, causing the axel shaft to break–a major problem. There were no parts in Fireside to fix a Corvette, but they could be ordered from Edmonton and would only take two days to arrive by truck. However, the parts and shipping were going to cost $300.00 (In 2008 dollars, that would be approximately $2900.00). We had $400.00 for the entire trip. But, alas, my most recent paycheck which had not been cashed was in my purse. Would the owner of the Inn be willing to cash that? Thankfully, yes, as he had no problem cashing a State of Alaska paycheck which was for $500.00–a month’s work.
My husband, who was a vehicle mechanic, prepped the car so it would be ready for the new parts upon their arrival. We then had time on our hands. With the owner’s permission, we walked along the Liard River, which was just behind the business, and enjoyed the peaceful scenery and serenity of the area. I also learned to play pool at the Fireside community center. My playing ability was less than average, but I did sink the ’8’ ball a few times– although not necessarily at the right time! Reading was also a good pastime. We discovered that the sun would shine in our room each morning when we opened the drapes, thus giving us warmth while we read. Had we not had a different itinerary, Fireside would have been a nice day outing.
Around 10am on day three of being idle at Fireside, the truck arrived carrying our parts. My husband began putting the car back together while I packed up our belongings and checked out of the room. By noon he had the last bolt tightened and we were back on the highway.
It was wonderful to be moving again. We ate lunch while driving down the road–a peanut butter sandwich from the grocery stash we had in the car. There were two lost days to make up for and we were anxious to get some miles behind us.
Approximately 90 miles after leaving Fireside, the unanticipated happened. While traversing a mountainous winding road, we rounded a curve in time to straddle a rock that was higher than the 3 inches of ground clearance that the Corvette provided. As the rock slipped underneath the car, a loud thud followed by a horrible scraping filled the interior of the vehicle. My husband immediately turned the engine off. We proceeded to coast for awhile; finally coming to a stop after crossing over a bridge. Getting out of the car, we discovered a river of oil behind us. The rock had smashed into the oil pan causing irreparable damage. Once again we were not going anywhere. Fortunately for us, someone else was traveling the road that day and stopped to see if we needed help. Their car pulled us 10 miles back the way we had come to a place called The Village. This older establishment consisted of gas pumps, a café, and a few rooms. The young couple managing the business was helpful, giving us the use of an old, empty equipment shelter which became the temporary home for our poor old Corvette.
Watch this blog site for part II
