New pickup

[oosik]

Yes - the model T clubers were fortunate. I hunted that area as early as 66 & 67. You still had to park at the "end of the public road" parking lot and go the remainder of the way in the park service tour busses. In those days it was called MT McKinley.

A question here - how many have taken a propane torch to the outhouse? Warms the seat and your butt won't freeze to it. H**L - better question - how many have used an outhouse at -40F or colder? There were no fur lined seat in our neck of the woods either.

We were fortunate in Glennallen. The cabin had indoor plumbing. The old oil fired stove never got the bathroom hot enough. Had to keep RV antifreeze in the toilet. Chunked up ice doesn't flush well. Besides don't want to loose the toilet due to breakage from ice.

Believe me - once you get 15 to 20 miles outside "the city" you ARE very isolated. Especially the smaller towns.

Look at a map of Alaska - see the few roads - those are the ONLY paved roads in the state. Everything else is either gravel or dirt. And there are few of those.

God only knows - those were the days.

 

[Doofy]

oosik,
Outhouse memories! Styrofoam was the best thing ever invented for the outhouse seat. I could read a comic book at -40 with Styrofoam.

We had a 2-Holer. When the poopsicle got to high on one side, we moved the seat to the other.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

A question here - how many have taken a propane torch to the outhouse? Warms the seat and your butt won't freeze to it. H**L - better question - how many have used an outhouse at -40F or colder? There were no fur lined seat in our neck of the woods either.

I guess we were smarter than that... In the early days, we brought the seat in and put it by the wood stove. lol

Later on, we made them out of "blue board", sit your butt down in any cold, and almost instantly, you feel the heat from your backside.

SR

 

[oosik]

BTW - the local dealership has acknowledged - the Taco Wagon has crossed the USA/Mexico border. She is heading north folks.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

You better check it when it comes in, to see if anyone is hiding some place in it! lol

SR

 

[oosik]

I guess we never thought of bringing the seat inside. Had our hands full with the torch and a roll of toilet paper. Darn squirrels would chew right thru the plastic lid on a coffee can and make nests of the toilet paper - if left out in the outhouse. Otherwise, a full metal can with metal lid - they would roll it out of the outhouse and you could spend quite a time finding it in the dark. Our log outhouse had a canvas flap door. Didn't stop the squirrels for a minute. We should have nailed the all metal can to the wall of the outhouse - I guess. Live and learn..........

 

[Jstpssng]

BTW - the local dealership has acknowledged - the Taco Wagon has crossed the USA/Mexico border. She is heading north folks.

We'll know the wait is over when you stop posting... your last comment will read "Oosik is on a road trip" :thumbsup:

 

[Doofy]

...or, mounting a step ladder to reach the running boards.

 

[oosik]

I wonder if Taco Time has large decals. Hmmm.....

 

[dnw64]

Too all - I truly hope those who want to see Alaska can go one day. Alaska is not Anchorage, it's not Fairbanks. You might find it in Ketchikan, you might catch a glimpse of it on a side street in Juneau. Petersburg, Wrangle, Sitka, Skagway - you could find it there if you look hard. Palmer, Willow & Talkeetna - on your way to Fairbanks, a quick look - it's there.

Our daughter was interning at UA-Fairbanks. We stayed at a cabin out past Wainwright on the Chena. Not the true wilderness, to be sure, but we didn't spend much time in Fairbanks proper, I can tell you...

I'm sure we didn't hit the "real Alaska" of the 50's and 60's, but certainly got the flavor. I think. At the very least, it was quite a bit "different" than Vermont, which most USA Citizens would agree is a bit different than mainstream USA...

 

[tjkubota93]

We lived in Adak for a year when I was 5. I loved it, except when I wanted to go outside and mom said nope, too cold. She covered the window in our room with aluminum foil in the summer.

 

[oosik]

dnw64 - intern at UofA, Fairbanks. That is one tough nut up there. Been in Fairbanks about half a dozen times. Twice in the spring when the Chena broke and flood waters backed into Fairbanks. Twice in the winter - once I was a tad tipsy - too much time in the lounge - got on the wrong plane - landed in Fairbanks.

Fairbanks is one unusual town. I've been there when it was 98F in the summer. And in the winter at -47F.

If you spent time in the Fairbanks area - you got the flavor all right. If you ever get a chance - use the Alaska Marine Highway System. Goes from Bellingham, WA to Haines, AK. Completely on what is called - the inside passage. The ferries are very nice - your vehicle is on the lower deck - cabins on the upper deck. Avoids the ultra loooong trip on the Alcan Highway. You will see some of the most spectacular coastal scenery that exists. Plus it makes stops at all the coastal towns.

 

[oosik]

tjkubota93 Father in the service at Adak??? Do you now realize how very close you were to Russia? Kamchatka Peninsula is only a stones throw from Adak.

 

[tjkubota93]

tjkubota93 Father in the service at Adak??? Do you now realize how very close you were to Russia? Kamchatka Peninsula is only a stones throw from Adak.

Civil servant, previously navy. I have looked at a map a couple times. Never had the Sarah Palin aha moment.

We went hiking and fishing a lot. We had an isuzu trooper 4x4. I thought it was very cool living there.

 

[oosik]

So Doofy - what are you trying to say?? At -40F it's easier to peel a styrofoam seat off your butt than the wood one. Ha, ha, ha - just could not pass that one up.

So - last night I'm scanning thru this tomb they call an OP Manual. 19 pages on winch operation - 18 on safety notices, one on operation. Surprised, they recommended the "blanket safety" routine. Drape an old blanket over the winch line - should the cable snap - the released tension will be absorbed by the blanket.

The VERY nice thing I found. There is an operational app included in the truck computer - it will demonstrate ALL the computer controlled systems, how to use & the settings that can be made. WaHoo - the tomb can be left at home. 173 different things that can be used, controlled and have settings varied with the on-board computer.

I wonder where the "analog button" is?? When the master computer on the truck fails - as all computers will. Push the analog button - all computer controls return to analog functions and you can drive the vehicle back to have the dealer fix.

Think I'm jesting. My 2018 BMW R1200GSA motorcycle is just a computer on two wheels, with a motor. It is TOTALLY computer controlled. Fuel mapping, brakes, throttle, clutch, shifting, ride adjustment, - the list goes on forever. When the cute salesgirl - sweet Sasha - demo'd the new cycle for me, I posed the very same question to her. "Where is the analog button". She didn't flinch or blink an eye - "right down here, push this button, ride it back, we can repair the computer". It would be in the "limp mode" but I can get it home for repairs.

I gotta start hanging around Taco Time, binging on their fare, preparing the 'ol bod for things upcoming.

BTW - thank goodness its 40F here. It raining like a bovine urinating on a flat concretion. Otherwise, I'd be knee deep in the white stuff. I'm sure all the ski buffs are celebrating. This must be really laying it on, at higher elevations.

 

[dodge man]

I bought a magazine, about three years ago, where they did an off road run off with three trucks. My memory is a little fuzzy so the details might be wrong.

It was Car and Driver or Motor Trend etc. A Power Wagon, Raptor, and a Colorado. I think the drove them on a lot of dirt, gravel roads in central or eastern Canada. You will like the article since they liked the Power Wagon the best.

Found the article, it was in Motor Trend, 2017. I am on a iPad so I am not very good at cut and paste links on it.

 

[dnw64]

If you ever get a chance - use the Alaska Marine Highway System. Goes from Bellingham, WA to Haines, AK. Completely on what is called - the inside passage. The ferries are very nice - your vehicle is on the lower deck - cabins on the upper deck. Avoids the ultra loooong trip on the Alcan Highway. You will see some of the most spectacular coastal scenery that exists. Plus it makes stops at all the coastal towns.

It's on our bucket list. But I would like to travel the AlCan, just 'cause. Thinking drive one way and float the other.

 

[Doofy]

Cool Beans! Sure looks to be an awesome truck.