WELLLL ... we had went through what could have been a very disasterous situation last week! Coming back from Whitehorse with an empty trailer we were travelling along the Alaska Highway between Summit Lake & Steamboat in northern BC when, while rounding a curve we hit a patch of ice, the drive wheels kicked out and the nose of the truck headed for the ditch. We caught the snowbank, spun around, the trailer crunched the cab knocking it off the frame rails, the tractor came to rest backwards in the ditch and the trailer spun around 180 degrees and came to rest in the ditch as well! We are all right, no injuries at all ... yes, we were very lucky. This is the truck in the snowbank.

We waited almost 2 hours for another vehicle to come by ... it is a bit isolated up there. No cell phone service either and we called out for help on our VHF radio. Oddly enough, our pals, Darby & Leigh were just coming north over Steamboat Pass and heard us and within a few minutes stopped to pick us up! They were on their way to Whitehorse. They dropped us off at the Liard Hotsprings Lodge which is almost 200 klicks north! Like I said, it is a bit isolated up there. We spent the next 2 nights in this beautiful log lodge with the very friendly people who run it. We also walked over to the hotsprings to check 'em out ... definitely gonna stop back there!

Darby & Leigh picked us up on their return from Whitehorse and took us to Fort Nelson 3 hours away. From there we had to find somebody to look after our little poodle, Truffles and the folks in the Fas Gas station put us in touch with a great fellow named Rueben who took Truffles while we got on the Greyhound bus for a 30 hour ride to Vancouver. Here's a couple of pics after the truck got pulled out and towed to Fort Nelson.

We made it to Delta, picked up our pick-up truck and went to the new Challenger yard in Aldergrove. We went through the accident review process with the Safety Co-ordinator and then up to Whistler to await the company's decision on our future.

Well, we heard from the company today and they still wants us to work for them and continue the Yukon run which is great news for us. There is some disciplinary action involved and we'll get through that too and do the best job that we can. Lesson learned ... slow down, take longer strides!

Speaking of our company, Challenger Motor Freight, whoever we talked to there, without exception, first asked how we were. There was never any accusing comments just genuine concern ... very heartwarming from good people. Jo & I have always said that Challenger is a good place to be. They give us good equipment to use, pay us well and treat us great. Can't beat that ... we're happy to be here.