APRIL 2013
XENA AND I GOT ASKED TO DELIVER A FUEL TRUCK AND BUILDING MATERIALS TO LAC BROCHET OVER THE WINTER ROAD THAT HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR 3 WEEKS. THE RATE IS "TRIPLE OR NOTHING" THE GOING RATE BECAUSE THE ROAD IS CLOSED. WHEN THE ROAD IS CLOSED THERE IS NO INSURANCE AND NO ONE WILL COME ALONG TO HELP YOU IF YOU GET STUCK OR BREAK DOWN. BASICLY IT IS 300kms OF ROAD WHICH YOU RISK IT ALL AND IF YOU BREAK DOWN OR GET STUCK IT WILL COST A LOT OF MONEY TO GET HOME. XENA AND I DO THIS ALL THE TIME SO IT WAS JUST ANOTHER ADVENTURE FOR US. IT WAS TO BE A SIMPLE LOAD THAT ALL WE HAD TO DO WAS HOOK ON TO THEIR TRAILER AND GO. THAT IS WHERE THE FIRST MAJOR PROBLEM AROSE.
THE TRAILER THEY WANTED US TO PULL WAS A SOUTHERN ALUMINUM TRAILER MADE FOR THE SOUTHERN SMOOTH ROADS NOT THE ROADS OF THE GREAT WHITE NORTH. THIS TRAILER WAS MADE TO CRUISE BY "DAIRY QUEEN" TO SEE AND BE SEEN. THE LANDING LEGS ARE SO CLOSE TO THE GROUND THEY WOULD BE "RIPPED" OFF WITHIN THE FIRST 10kms ON THE WINTER ROAD.
NEXT THE TRAILER DECK SITS ON THE TIRES WHEN THERE IS NO AIR IN THE AIR BAG SUSPENSION. THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR THE TIRES DUE TO STICKS, ICE OR WHAT EVER RIPPING THE AIR BAGS OR AIR LINES CAUSING LOSS OF AIR IN THE AIR BAGS.
THE LAST AND FINAL THING THAT MAKES THIS SOUTHERN TRAILER NO GOOD FOR THE WINTER ROAD IS ALL THE ALUMINUM ON THE BACK END OF THE TRAILER. THERE IS NO PLACE TO HOOK A TOW STRAP OR TO GET ROUGH WITH A CAT TO PUSH THE TRAILER AROUND WHEN STUCK.
THE COST TO REPAIR THIS SOUTHERN TRAILER AFTER ONE TRIP OVER THE WINTER ROAD OUT WEIGHED THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE TRAILER. WE DECIDED IT WAS CHEAPER TO UNLOAD THE SOUTHERN TRAILER ON TO MY BEAVERTAIL TRAILER WHICH IS HIGHLY MODIFIED FOR WINTER ROAD USE. OF COURSE WHEN TRANSFERING THE LOAD NOTHING GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN. I ENDED UP DOING A LITTLE HAND STACKING OF THE LUMBER WHEN THE BANDS BROKE. OH WELL I NEEDED THE EXERCISE, LOL.
LOADED UP AND READY TO GO WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN BECAUSE WE NEED COLD WEATHER TO TRAVEL.
AT 8PM WE HEADED OUT FROM THE "KINGDOM" TO TRAVEL THE 47kms TO THE START OF THE WINTER ROAD.
THE KINOOSAO RALLY ROAD IS FUN TO DRIVE WITH ALL THE HILLS AND CORNERS.
AT THE START OF THE WINTER ROAD WHICH IS CLOSED I PUT ALL MY CHAINS ON ALL THE TIRES FOR TRACTION.
THE FIRST 5 kms OF THE WINTER ROAD WAS NOTHING BUT MUD AND ONLY TOOK AND HOUR TO TRAVEL. THEN WE HAD 283kms TO GO WHICH WAS GETTING BETTER THE FARTHER WE TRAVELLED.
XENA USED HER IPOD 5 THING AND GOT THIS LITTLE VIDEO OF THE "SCREAMING FORD" CLIMBING KM 17 HILL IS THE DARKNESS.
AS WE TRAVELLED ON THROUGH THE NIGHT, WE STOP TO CHECK THE VEHICLES. THE ONLY PROBLEM WE FOUND WAS A BROKEN TIE DOWN STRAP.
THE STRAP MUST HAVE CAME LOOSE BECAUSE OF THE ROUGH WINTER ROAD AND THE TIRE CHAINS ATE THE STRAP. OH WELL.
IT IS HARD TO GET PICTURES IN THE DARK BUT I DID GET ONE OF THIS FRESHLY BUILT BY PASS AROUND KM 35 ICE FIELD.
AFTER TRAVELING ONE HOUR FOR THE 6kms ON THIS BY PASS ROAD, WE MADE IT BACK TO THE MAIN WINTER ROAD WHICH IS COVERED IN SMOOTH SNOW. ONLY PROBLEM IS WE HAD A FEW ROCKS STUCK IN BETWEEN THE DUAL WHEELS ON THE TRAILER.
THIS IS NO PROBLEM WHEN YOU HAVE A SUPPORT VEHICLE. WE HOOKED A CHAIN AROUND THE ROCKS AND XENA POPPED THEM OUT USING THE "PINK CREW CAB".
XENA AND I TRAVELED ALL NIGHT AND WE GOT TO ENJOY A BEAUTIFUL SUN RISE ON A COLD MORNING APRIL 15 2013.
WHEN WE STOPPED TO CHECK THE LOAD AND STRETCH A BIT AND I WAS ABLE TO SNAP THIS GREAT SHOT OF THE "SCREAMING FORD" AND "PINK CREW CAB".
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IT WAS GOOD TO SEE MY FAVORITE WATER HOLE FROZEN OVER. THIS MADE THE TRIP EVEN BETTER.
WITH XENA IN THE LEAD SHE STOPPED BECAUSE OF A CARIBOU RUNNING DOWN THE ROAD.
IT ONLY TOOK THE CARIBOU 7 kms TO FINALLY TURN OFF IN TO THE BUSH SO WE COULD GET BACK UP TO SPEED.
LOTS OF ICE FIELDS ON THE TRIP CONSIDERING IS IT SPRING.
THE "SCREAMING FORD" LOVES ICE FIELDS BECAUSE YOU JUST SELECT THE GEAR AND WALK ON THROUGH.
WE ARRIVED AT LAC BROCHET AT 9am ON APRIL 15 2013 WHICH MAKES THIS THE LATEST TRIP WE HAVE EVER DONE. I EVEN BROUGHT ALONG A CARDBOARD SIGN SO MY "KINGDOM FOLLOWERS" WOULD KNOW THE PICTURE WAS NOT PHOTO SHOPPED.
