On Friday, September 1st, we started our drive south from Watson Lake, headed for Stewart, BC for a couple of nights. We saw several bears along the way.
After one of our stops, we started out again only to see smoke coming from the trailer!! We stopped right away and found that the rear tire on the trailer had a deep groove in the tread all the way around the tire. And it was hot. Here we are disabled along the side of the road with NO phone service!!
Anyway, a number people stopped, and, one guy actually knew what was wrong. The leaf spring had snapped causing the first axle to move back a couple of inches and some piece of loose metal cut into the tire. He thought about it a couple of minutes and then said he had a steel strap that he could use to pull the axle forward (which he did!!). Talk about knowing what to do in a pinch. So it worked and we got back on the road and drove about 35 MPH to the nearest campground which was 8 miles away. We didn’t dare drive all the way to Stewart for fear that we would not make it. Unfortunately, this CG is a Provincial CG, meaning that it is for boon docking only – no hookups at all! But, we at least made it there.
We got unhooked and drove immediately to Stewart to see about service. No RV dealers here so we contacted our Good Sam Emergency Road Service and they said that the closest RV dealer was in Terrace, BC which was over 100 miles away. I did talk with them but they would need details about the spring that had broken and I had no info. So we had to wait out the weekend – and of course, Labor Day, which we did. The weather wasn’t bad so we stayed, even with intermittent showers. However, on Monday morning, it was too cold so we came into Stewart and got a hotel room. By now it is raining continuously.
On Tuesday morning we called our trailer manufacturer in Kansas and got the spring details that we needed and then called the RV dealer in Terrace. As you might know, they did not stock this spring and had to order it from Vancouver. And it won’t be here until Thursday morning. And, it’s still raining.
So, we say, OK, we will stay two more nights at the hotel. But, wait, two tour buses are coming in tomorrow and they won't have any rooms. Then I noticed someone that I recognize – the hosts from the CG where our trailer is parked. I talk with them about our situation, and they come up with the idea of renting a generator and they found one and will take it to the CG for us. Now all we have to do is buy a gas can and get some marine gas.
Later in the day we find out that the road (Highway 37A) from here to Highway 37 (40 miles away where the campground and our trailer is) is closed due to washouts. So, no tour buses, and, we have our room back. And, it's still raining.
On Wednesday we learn that a bridge span has now washed out due to a tree hitting it. We decide that it's probably okay because the RV dealer is unable to find someone to drive up and replace the spring this week.
On Thursday night we go to a meeting at the high school to get the latest on the roads. They say that they will have to bring another bridge from Dease Lake (about 140 miles north of here) but that the road up there is also closed because it has water flowing over it. They tentatively expect the road to be back open in 5 to 7 days. Now we are looking at being here until Tuesday or Wednesday. And, it is still raining.
Thursday night we have the hardest rain yet but on Friday the sun is shining. However, the heavy rain has caused more washouts.
Today, Saturday we are waiting for another update on the road/bridge situation. A barge is scheduled to come in tomorrow with semis of supplies and gas. We also went to the city offices to learn if they have any updates yet. We are told that it may be possible to put our truck on a barge and have it shipped to Prince Rupert. That barge will take 18 hours to get there.
In the meantime we may be able to take a plane to Prince Rupert to meet up with our truck. Right now the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation is working on it and we may not have to pay a thing. So we put our name on the list because there are rumors that it may take a couple of weeks to get the road open again. But we would have to drive about 250 miles back up the Cassier Highway to get back to the campground and our trailer.
It is now Tuesday morning, September 13, 2011, and we are in a hotel in Prince Rupert, BC. Our truck was put on a barge on Sunday afternoon and arrived here yesterday. We took a plane out yesterday afternoon and arrived here about 6PM, picked up our truck and found a hotel for the night. Today we drive to Terrace (about 90 miles away) to meet up with the repair people who will go with us to the CG on Wednesday. Hopefully all goes well.
Will try to keep you updated and post pictures later…
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