Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 23:14:11 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Subject: Re: Danger from the cold
In-Reply-To: <4009AF27.9962.1A72D39E@localhost>
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The case for having adequate emergency gear in winter is strong one.
The Road out from Anchorage, AK is the Seward Highway, and it feeds all
points south and west of Anchorage.... Hope, Seward, Coopers Landing,
Sterling, Soldotna, Kenai, Anchor River, Homer....and it winds along one
side of Turnagain Arm to the head of the arm. That stretch of road lies
at the base of mountains that drop straight down to the water. In summer
the highway there is a tourist paradise. Dall sheep come down the
mountains to feed on grasses along the road, and lick salt, and the
Beluga whales can be seen right by the road at high tide. However, in
winter, the highway is often closed for hours r due to avalanches
blocking the hiway. When you drive the road in winter, you are at risk,
running a dangerous gauntlet.
Usually there will be a slide that blocks the road, and in a few hours
it will be cleared. Rarely ever do accidents with vehicles occur, but
they do.
A few years ago, conditions were just right and there were multiple
slides, trapping vehicles in between slides on the highway,and it was
days before the weather cleared so aircraft could fly, and days before
the snow was cleared and people could be reached. Some were in sorry
shape when rescuers go through.
However, one group of 7 came through with flying colors. A fellow
happened to be trapped between two of the avalanches in his early
Westy. Two other vehicles were stranded in the area, and the people
there managed to spot him and they joined him in his early air-cooled
Westy. He had plenty of propane, and was well stocked, and they all
camped with him in the Westy until the road was cleared. With all the
bodies in the Westy, the trapped body heat enabled him to turn the
heater down and reduce propane consumption, and they made it through
just fine, though they did run out of propane the day the tractors broke
through.
So, the lessons are there. We just need to be sure we pay attention, and
prepare accordingly. Winter is one thing that can be life threatening.
But driving across the desert southwest in summer can pose similar
problems, and preparation for that should be done as well.
When you are on the road, you ain't home!!!!
Regards,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
In winter,
tom ring wrote:
>Agreed.
>
>A short tale from northern NY. There was a storm south of Watertown in the
>lake effect area, as there is about every 2 weeks in the late fall, winter, and
>spring. This one was a bit worse than usual, so Fort Drum, these days a much
>expanded training base, sent out APCs and tanks to some remote areas to make
>sure people were OK. A tank got lost, and stopped next to a road to check
>directions at a nearby farm. When returning, they couldn't find the tank,
>which had been idling when they left it. They didn't find it until April. It
>snows a lot just south of Watertown. :)
>
>And don't ask me why they sent tanks, I have no idea, excpet that they can go
>through snow deeper than they are tall.
>
>If anyone lives in the CNY and north area, I'm originally from Adams, so you
>know what I'm talking about there. ;)
>
>Thinking that you are safe and snug and nothing can hurt you because you are in
>a "modern" vehicle, can get you in deep crap in the winter. An emergency kit
>is a good thing. I have one in each vehicle, even though I rarely leave the
>Minneapolis metro.
>
>Good advice, John. Also add a 2 way radio. CB minimum, maybe an FRS. Amateur
>if you have the license. And AFAIK, cell phone companies in the US are
>required to do 911 service even if the phone has no contract with any company.
>So a junk phone with a good battery might save your life. I am pretty sure
>this is still true. Anyone confirm?
>
>tom
>
>On 17 Jan 2004 at 21:12, John Rodgers wrote:
>
>
>
>>One thing I leaned in 30 years of living in Alaska, and that is that the
>>cold in winter will show every weakness in your vehicle, wheather it's
>>the tired tires, worn bearings, old coolant hoses, fuel lines or what
>>have you. When the temps get really down there, the weaknesses start to
>>show. And in a really cold climate like Alaska, Canada, and some of the
>>other northern tier states, having a problem out somehere can turn a
>>nice Sunday afternoon outing into a grim survival situation, even if it
>>is just over night. After a few cold weather maintenance episodes I got
>>the message, and maintained my vehicles in Alaska to the max.
>>Maintenance was very routine. I never missed servicing, and any
>>componenets that were questionable were simply replaced. I also kept
>>extra blankets, some means of building an maintaining a fire, as well as
>>some food in my van in the winter. And never, ever made a "quick run
>>downtown" without my coat, hat, mitts, and boots. I would simply never
>>take the chance.
>>
>>And you definitely don't want to get stranded out somewhere with your
>>family.
>>
>>Maintain to the max. Thats my motto!!
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>John Rodgers
>>88 GL Driver
>>
>>Robert Freeman wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>I took my '91 Westy up into British Columbia after xmas for a week of skiing. One night when temps were about -20C I was driving down into town for dinner (Rossland BC) and the car was stalling on me. I managed to get it to a parking space near where I was going, but when I came out after it wouldn't start again. I tried several times and it would catch and run for a bit and then die. I guessed that there might be water in the fuel line that had frozen. Then I smelled fuel. Got out and looked under
>>>
>>>
>with a flashlight and sure enough, drip drip drip. I just left it there and walked back to where I was staying. Next day was sunday so no getting it fixed then. Monday morning I had it towed to a local garage. He found the fuel line had split near where it enters a valve near the firewall. He cut off the bad part and reattached it with a clamp. All he could do at the time. I will get all the lines replaced soon though. Nearly had a vehicle flambe. The lesson is if you have not replaced your fuel lines
>in the last 5 years, there is no time like now. By the way, the car started easily and ran great otherwise, but I sure had a hard time getting it to warm up in that cold. We drove in all our ski clothes most of the time.
>
>
>>>Bob Freeman
>>>Seattle
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
>------
>Tom Ring K0TAR, ex-WA2PHW EN34hx
>85 Westphalia GL Albert
>96 Jetta GL The Intimidator
>taring@taring.org
>
>"It is better to go into a turn slow, and come out fast, than to go into a turn fast
>and come out dead." Stirling Moss
>
>
>
>
>
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