RRR (Rusian RV Rescue)

We set off early Sunday morning from Talkeetna, we saw a moose with one baby before we turned onto Denali Highway the first 3 miles were paved then gravel for the next 111 miles the paved the final 21.  We expected to see alot of animals nothing lol.  We did not expect to see alot of traffic we did and that was a good thing.

The scenery on the drive was interesting seeing how the glaciers cut through hard rock and left trails of sediment behind called eskers which at one point you drive on.  We also got to climb the second highest road pass in Alaska MacLaren summit at  4,086 feet.  Atigan Pass on the Dalton is the highest. This was after we were rescued, more on that later. http://www.alaska.org/guide/denali-highway

The road was rough not to bad lots of shaking and dust.  We saw an old couple in an RV at the beginning of the road for us Cantwell (technically its the end)  I think the views are better going from Paxson to Cantwell.  I think they might of turned around because they didn’t pass us as we were sitting on the side of the road.

We ended up on the side of the road mile marker 77 which would have been only 58 miles from Cantwell.  Drive over some rough rocks going past a cool look-out, pop goes a tire creeping down a small hill found a wide spot in the road pulled over, shook our heads.  I look up and see some black clouds and ask them to stay away.  It was one of our trailer tires.

We get out the jack, then take off one of the two spare tires.  We had an older couple stop and ask if we needed help we said no it’s only a tire.  We tried to get one of the lug nuts out and it would not budge ugh.  A younger guy blew by us no stopping, that’s cool.

Along comes another RV and out piles three guys two look like wrestlers one was older, all speaking a foreign language, but the plate was US Govt.  At this point I’m confused and thinking at least people know where we were and to start looking in 48 hours. (Funny what a mind thinks).  Then a jeep pulls up with even more people in it.  It turns out that the girl is in the Army Reserve  and her fiance is Russian, the dad is visiting from Russia and the other son is visiting from Sweden they were having a family reunion.  

So they start unloading the big guns a bumper jack, some pipes, tire irons.  Later some wrenches and screw drivers were added to the mix.  Little factoid I am stronger then two Russians and Roy my weight was able to crush a lug nut. (OK it was a hollow lug nut).  They were able to get all but one off after a good amount of elbow grease.  The last nut was a tough one to crack.  I bent it and they hand to use a screw driver and other stuff to remove it.

After two hours the tire was changed and that black cloud had gone even though during the process there was rumbles of thunder in the distance.  The guys spoke well enough english the father not so much.  The two younger girls enjoyed the stop over because we stopped right near wild blackberry and blueberry bushes.  (I didn’t pick any too irratated).  

It is nice to see that people will still stop and help out and this extends world wide.  It was also nice to see the I got your back in action, because that’s what battles do.

These Russians seamed eager to show off their muscles and I am glad they had some.  I now know how to change a tire so the next one is all me.